It was in the early days of the federation that a group of my colleagues and I developed a clear strategy underscored by a realistic plan with achievable objectives to ensure that young Saudis, through the federation, have the right opportunities and environment to succeed as equestrians. My first task was to establish a talent pool that was representative of the nation as a whole and showcased Saudi equestrianism, and through some rigorous research and discussions with experts, I came up with a formula for success. The first component of this formula, making up 35-40% of the total equation, is the rider’s talent – ensuring that they receive the necessary training and support to reach a certain level of proficiency. The next component is the horse, making up 40-50% of the success rate, and the last 15-20% comprise the variables of awareness, luck, and composure. In addition to all these elements in place, the successful Saudi equestrian needs the support of a highly qualified team for training and planning in order to reach the highest levels of competition and success. Much later, in 1994, I attended the World Equestrian Games in The Hague in The Netherlands as the International Federation of Equestrian Sports, or Federation Equestre I nternationale (FEI)’s Regional Group VII chair, representing 14 Middle Eastern and North African equestrian federations at the time. There I met Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, herself an equestrian and horse enthusiast. During the 160km endurance day on the final day of the Games, the queen invited me to sit and watch the race with her. As the riders approached the finish line, the commentator mentioned that nearly every horse was Arabian but that ironically, none of the riders themselves were Arab. Most of them were from Europe and other western countries. Queen Beatrix then turned to me and said: “Well, these are your horses, but where are your riders?” While it was a friendly question, I took it as a small challenge . “Your Majesty, our federation is only four years old, but I promise you will see Arab riders on the backs of Arabian horses frontlining equestrian competitions soon,” I replied to her. Saudi riders would go on to win the 1998 World Endurance Championship and our brothers from the United Arab Emirates would take home the gold in various other international endurance competitions.
In an article entitled The Road to Gold that I wrote for the Arabic newspaper Okaz on 27 th July 1996, I contended:
While 1989 was when we took our first official steps in equestrianism (with the formation of the Saudi Arabian Equestrian and Archery Federation), the sport is embedded in our nation’s bedrock and occupies a noble status in the land. Not only does it have deep roots in human history, but it has also played a key role in the early Islamic conquests that led to the spread and influence of the Islamic faith. The relationship of man with this noble beast, blessed by Allah in the Holy Quran, has been renewed in the Arab world through Saudi Ar abia’s participation in the 1996 Summer Olympics – our first since the revival of the sport over a hundred years ago. The Kingdom’s participation is itself a major achievement considering that the Federation is very young, and represents the first step towards the resurgence of equestrianism throughout the Arab and Muslim world. In all honesty, however, Saudi Arabia’s participation in the Games was in complete and, in some ways, lacking when compared to the other participating countries, as we were the only country that had to borrow its horses. [5]
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