Organised by Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, the event is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Nation,” Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and under the guidance and supervision of Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Chairwoman of Abu Dhabi Ladies Club and Al Ain Ladies Club.
On Friday, His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan was joined by Her Excellency Dr Omniyat Al-Hajri, Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, and Mr Najib Kiwan, Regional Brand Manager of Longines for Middle East and North Africa. Also in attendance at Al Forsan International Sports Resort were Matar Rashed Binjabr Alsuwaidi, CEO of Al Forsan International Sports Resort, His Excellency Talal Al Hashemi, Board of Directors of Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, and Ms Shamsa Saif Alhanaee, Board of Directors of Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy.
His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan honoured Funnell at the prize ceremony after coming out on top in the One Round (145cms) – the final category of Friday’s schedule. The Brit produced a faultless display to finish in a time of 73.17, riding Equine America Billy Picador, ahead of runner-up Mohammad Al Ghurair of UAE and Sweden’s Antonia Pettersson Haggstrom, who took third place.
The victory meant Funnell took a slice of the EUR 28,200 prize money, and he praised the organisers for helping grow the sport in the UAE.
He said: “I am very happy to win the Grand Prix and nice to win with my horse Equine America Billy Picador. Since I’ve come to the UAE seven years ago, the standard of equestrian has improved a lot and the amount of people who are now doing equestrian is unbelievable. FBMA is doing an excellent job in helping grow the sport and giving opportunities and the standard keeps getting higher and I believe the sport will grow even further across the UAE.”
The schedule saw three other categories take place earlier in the day. Spain’s Agusti Sastre Caballero took gold in the One Round with Jump Off (120cms) category with UAE’s Mabkhout Owaida Alkirbi taking second place ahead of Syria’s Mohamad Osama Al Zabibi in third.
In the One Round with Jump Off (130cms), Syria’s Shady Ghrayeb came out on top ahead of UAE’s Omar Abdulaziz Almarzooqi and Humaid Abdullah Khalifa Almheiri, who took silver and bronze, respectively.
Syria completed a one-two in the Two Phases (130cms) with Mohamad Mogheeth Al Shehab and Mohamad Osama Al Zabibi, finishing first and second while UAE’s Salim Ahmed Alsuwaidi won bronze medal.
The Fatima Bint Mubarak International Show Jumping Cup 2026 will continue with the national event on Sunday.
About Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy:
FBMA is a government body in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, established in 2010. The academy focuses on promoting and supporting women’s sports in the United Arab Emirates. It aims to make sports an important part of everyday life for Emirati women, regardless of their age, background, or physical ability.
This effort helps Emirati women adopt healthier and more active lifestyles. It also builds a sense of sportsmanship among the public in the UAE. FBMA carries out this important mission by hosting many local, regional, and international sports events. It also facilitates community activities and develops local talent through education and research.
