Tiptoeing past Baghdad shhh.
Having survived 36 hours of travelling on every possible means of conveyance with no sleep (I envy people on the plane who just fall into a stupor the minute it takes off and don’t wake up again until it lands thanks to genes or Ambien), I arrived at the spectacular Rixos Gulf Doha to be told they had upgraded me to a suite “if that was all right with me.” Um, hell yeah! It is a massive apartment with two balconies, two TVs, two bathrooms, washer/dryer, dishwasher, kick-ass espresso machine and 300 lights that I can’t figure how to work. There are 6 restaurants (and bars!) at this resort on the Persian Gulf, including one poolside. Someone who shall remain nameless suggested that I spend my days lounging by the pool, watching the livestream and writing reports as I work on my tan … it’s so tempting…
I love wandering all over the Al Shaqab facility, including between the multiple competition and warm-up arenas and taking the stairs up and down the many levels of the main building just for the exercise. I had a helpful 20-something security fellow tell me today that I was too old to be taking the stairs and should be taking the elevator instead. Say what ?
The show jumping action at CHI Al Shaqab presented by Longines got underway under sunny skies on Thursday, Feb. 23, with a record 189 riders from 37 countries entered this week (no Canadians, unfortunately). The day’s 5* feature was a 1.50 m Table A over Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani’s big track. The class offered a healthy purse of €105.500and attracted a field of 41 including Germany’s Marcus Ehning and the talented Stargold, winners of the Grand Prix here last year. But they had to settle for 6th place today, as it was Ireland’s Richard Howley and the grey Zangersheide gelding Zodiak du Buisson Z who prevailed, with Simon Delestre (FRA) second riding Dexter Fontenis Z and Howley’s fellow countryman Mark Mcauley third aboard Grs Lady Amaro.