Middle Eastern Riders Breakout
By Paula Parisi July 6, 2012
Nayel Nassar and Raging Bull Vangelis S win the $35,000 Energy Cup at the North American Tournament. (Photo by Spruce Meadows Media Services)
At 21, Nayel Nassar stunned onlookers at the Spruce Meadows North American tournament, beating Olympians and seasoned vets in the $35,000 Progress Energy Cup July 5.
Nassar rides for Egypt and is based in Palo Alto, CA, where he is a third-year student at Stanford University studying economics. He was born in Chicago, and raised in Kuwait, where he began riding seriously at age 10.
Riding his 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion, Raging Bull Vangelis S, Nassar triumphed over 40 other riders, advancing to a jump off of three to claim his first win at Spruce Meadows in the only double clear of the class.
Beezie Madden, Christine McCrea, Reed Kessler and McLain Ward were some of the competitors this Spruce newcomer left in the dust in the 1.50m class.
“The course was quite tough, not only in terms of technicality, but also because the time allowed was extremely tight” at 77 seconds, Nassar told The Equestrian News. “There was an option to jump the Devils Dike or, as an alternative, a delicate skinny plank. ”
Nassar said having a courageous mount made all the difference. “If you had a brave horse, which luckily I do, and managed to turn short to the dike, it did actually save time. Not to mention that one was less likely to have a fault there. If you had to swing out and get straight to it, it was slower. So that was the biggest decision I had to make, seeing as I’ve never jumped a devils dike before,” he said, referring to Spruce’s three-part terrain challenge, which requires the rider to jump a natural vertical that leads into a v-shaped slope with a liverpool at the bottom and, usually, a vertical at the top of the out-end (though Nassar said this third part wasn’t included on this course).
“It wasn’t that big a deal, because they had one in the warm up ring so i got to give it a shot before entering the International Arena,” he said modestly, noting, “It did require that I stay tidy everywhere and couldn’t hesitate to take the first distance I saw.”
Nassar purchased Vangelis a year ago and with him was part of Egypt’s silver medal team at the 2011 Pan Arab Games in Doha in December. The pair were fifth individually, with only a half-second time keeping them from the jump-off that would determine the individual gold.
Only 21, Kuwaiti rider Nayel Nassar, who rides for Egypt, hoists the Progress Energy Cup at Spruce Meadows. (Photo by Spruce Meadows Media Services)
Coming on the heels of Moroccan rider Abdelkebir Ouaddar’s impressive third place ribbon in his Global Champions Tour debut June 30 at the Grand Prix of Monaco as well as impressive European spring showings for riders like Saudi Arabia’s Khaled Abdulaziz Al Eid and Abdullah Waleed Sharbatly, there is quite a buzz surrounding show jumping’s Middle Eastern riders.
“The Saudis and Qataris have a lot of funding behind them, so they’re able to make great strides in the sport,” Nassar said, noting that the heat of an Olympic year has also prompted everybody to “do their best to acquire horses and get ready.”
Egypt, too, has some very talented riders he said, naming Karim El Zoghby and Abdel Said, who are professionals in Europe and have qualified to ride as individuals at the Olympics. “The Arab world does have a very strong horse culture, and the UAE, Syria and Jordan also have a handful of very good riders.”
As for Nassar, his success didn’t come entirely out of left field. At the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, Nassar claimed the championship title at the Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix circuit with Lordan, an 8-year-old Hanovarian gelding he owns that jumped to seventh in a field of 40 in the $32,000 Suncoast 1.50m Classic.
His past trainers include Marcus Beerbaum and Joerg Naeve. “He’s actually the one who found me Vangelis, so I wouldn’t be here without him,” Nassar noted. Last year he began training with Laura Kraut. With Kraut riding the European summer circuit he said he’s currently “coachless,” which he is managing to enjoy. “I’ve always been pretty independent, and it helps me think for myself and solve my own problems.”
Currently interning at JP Morgan in Los Angeles, the youngster (he just turned 21 in January) has been keeping a punishing schedule, flying to the various shows. “I’d always like to continue riding on the side,” says the six-foot-plus athlete, who also enjoys playing basketball. “Right now I’m trying to keep a balance between school and horses.”
Complete results for the $35,000 Energy Cup, click here.
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