Steiner and Essamlali Shine in CSI5 and Dressage at HH The Amir Sword Equestrian Festival

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February 12, 2026
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12-February-2026

Steiner and Essamlali Shine in CSI5 and Dressage at HH The Amir Sword Equestrian Festival

DONA - Nadja Peter Steiner delivered a standout performance to claim top honours in the feature CSI5* 150cm class as the HH The Amir’s Sword Showjumping Championship got underway at Al Shaqab on Wednesday.

The Swiss rider, aboard Nice Van’T Zorgvliet, produced a flawless round to finish clear in 66.42 seconds and secure victory ahead of a strong field that featured 36 starters, with 13 combinations making the placings. American rider Kristen Vanderveen took second place with Bull Run’s Jireh after stopping the clock at 66.92 seconds, while Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanotelli completed the podium in third riding Dorette Old in 67.67 seconds.

Zanotelli has earlier topped the standings in the CSI5* Two Phases 140cm class, guiding Merciminka to victory with a double-clear effort in 22.25 seconds from a competitive field of 70 participants. Vanderveen again featured prominently, finishing second aboard Starbucks 27 in 23.02 seconds, while Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano secured third place with Vasco 118 in 23.32 seconds.

Dressage action at the Longines Indoor Arena also drew attention, with Morocco’s Youssef Essamlali and Jazz Parra topping the CDN Preliminary Freestyle. USA’s Haajerah Khan riding Chantal M finished second, while Qatar’s Shaikha Al Thani claimed third place on Fenouil-F.M.

In the juniors category, Qatar’s Hamad Nasser Al Marri aboard Sandro Girl secured victory in the CDN Preliminary Freestyle, followed by compatriots Hadi Nasser Al Hajri on Cordian Z and Moza Hamza Al Kuwari riding Lippo in second and third places respectively.

The championship continues on Thursday with nine classes on the programme, including one-star and five-star competitions, three three-star World Cup qualifiers, a local 80cm class, an international dressage event for the St. George classification, and the Hermes Seller class, a 155cm Grand Prix qualifier featuring a jump-off.

The HH The Amir’s Sword Championship forms the fifth stop of the Doha Equestrian Tour 2026, which began with the HH The Father Amir’s Prix. British world number one Scott Brash has dominated the tour’s Grand Prix standings so far, topping both the four-star and five-star overall rankings with 199 points, ahead of Harry Charles and France’s Meghann Moussonnier.

In the one-star category, Qatari riders lead the standings with Saad Ahmed Al Saad in first place followed by Hussein Saeed Haidan.