UPDATE – Equestrian Canada has clarified that they have never paid the entry fees for Rami Younis. In the original interview, Rami had said that EC covered his entries when what was really meant was that EC coordinated his entries.
Meet Rami Younis – the Canadian rider you have likely never heard of.
Based in Qatar, the 31-year-old has been quietly honing his skills in the show jumping arena in competitions throughout the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Horse Sport caught up with him at CHI Al Shaqab in Doha where he was competing in the CSI2* with Extra Pam, an eight-year-old grey SF mare with which is just getting acquainted, helped by his trainer Diego Deriu, an Italian former Olympic rider. ”We bring him here during our season for the winter months of October until April, because we need someone to be with us to help us.”
Rami outlined his Canadian connection that began when his family moved to Hamilton, Ontario, when he was two or three years old. “Back then, the schools here weren’t as advanced as my father wanted them to be, so we actually moved to Canada for about six, seven years. I spent many of my childhood years there while my father continued his work here. I still have some family there, which I promised to visit soon. Maybe during summer — it’s too cold for me!” he said, laughing.
Rami did not ride horses while in Canada, but rather picked it up when his family moved back to Qatar. “Believe it or not, you didn’t really relate horses to this part of the world [back then]. I was fortunate because I actually learned to ride here, at Al Shaqab, when it was a tiny fort, and the Emir’s father owned Arabian horses, and it was like a pony club.”
He talked about his lovely new mare Extra Pam, who is by the grand prix jumping sire Kannan, competing in just their second 1.30 metre class in the imposing open-air main arena. “I’m getting still to know her and she’s getting to know me. But overall, she’s a very good mare.”
Rami wanted to include a big shout-out to Equestrian Canada for their support over the years. “I would like to thank the Canadian federation, because they’re absolutely helpful. They coordinate* my entries, everything; as long as I’m in good standing with them, which means renewing my license, they support me. I went to France and the internationals there, here in Qatar, even in Tunisia and the Emirates.
“All I need is to email them, they’re very quick to reply, very supportive. They grant me access to compete at any of the shows which I’m qualified for with the Federation. I wanted to give them a thank you. I have never even met them. I’m privileged to be riding for Canada.”
* Note: Rami is an EC platinum sport licence holder; the same support is provided to all platinum level sport licence holders through EC’s FEI athlete services which includes administration and coordination, not financial help.
