Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi delivered a double-clear performance to finish second in the CSIO3* Grand Prix at Deauville as UAE riders continued their preparations for the FEI World Equestrian Championships in Aachen.

Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi continued his impressive run of form on the international showjumping circuit by securing second place in Sunday’s CSIO3* Sotheby’s International Realty Région Normandie Grand Prix at Deauville, France.

Partnering Enjoy de la Mure, the Emirati rider produced two faultless rounds to finish runner-up behind France’s Nina Mallevaey, currently ranked world number seven, while finishing ahead of world number 11 Julien Epaillard in a highly competitive field.

The result capped a successful weekend for the UAE team, which recorded several strong performances across the Al Shira’aa-supported fixture.

Earlier in the competition, Abdullah Mohd Al Marri and Caen claimed third place in Saturday’s CSIO3* Al Shira’aa Tour Grand Prix. Al Marzooqi also featured prominently aboard Chacco Bay, narrowly missing out on a podium finish after incurring four faults in the jump-off to finish fourth.

The UAE’s success continued in Sunday’s feature class, with Salim Al Suwaidi and Flonflon producing another impressive clear round to secure seventh place and ensure two Emirati combinations finished inside the Grand Prix top ten.

The performances provide further evidence of the progress being made by the UAE showjumping programme under the guidance of Chef d’Équipe William Funnell, with the team continuing to achieve competitive results against some of the sport’s leading riders.

Commenting on the weekend, William said, “It was great to see Omar and Enjoy on great form with a double clear in the Nation’s Cup and 2nd place in the Grand Prix, following a double clear in the Lisbon Nation’s Cup and winning the Grand Prix there a few weeks back.

“We can expect to see him moving into the Top 100 Longines World Rankings and obviously this bodes well for Enjoy, which will be his horse for the World Equestrian Championships.

“There are some promising new partnerships developing, with Caen and Abdulla taking 3rd on Saturday, and Salim gaining one of his MERs for the World Equestrian Championships with Flonflon. Hopefully we have time for a 2nd MER before the deadline. It’s only their 3rd show together so a double clear is a great result.”

The results come at a significant stage of the season as the UAE squad prepares for the FEI World Equestrian Championships in Aachen this August. The championship will be particularly important as teams look to strengthen their position on the road towards qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The UAE riders will next compete at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting from 18–21 June, where they will once again face world-class opposition as preparations continue for Aachen.

Key Results: CSIO3* Deauville

• Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi & Enjoy de la Mure – 2nd, Grand Prix
• Abdullah Mohd Al Marri & Caen – 3rd, Al Shira’aa Tour Grand Prix
• Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi & Chacco Bay – 4th, Al Shira’aa Tour Grand Prix
• Salim Al Suwaidi & Flonflon – 7th, Grand Prix

Feature image: Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi and Enjoy de la Mure © Fenwick Photography