Abu Dhabi: Irish rider, Shane Breen was in double form on the opening day of the CSI4* Al Shira’aa International Horse Show in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, winning both the Young Horse class and the concluding Z7 Presents Grand Prix-qualifying class, with Can Ya Makan.

In the CSI4* category, it was the UAE’s Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri and Kalyso de Bois partnership that claimed the International Jumping Against The Clock, with a time of 62.48 sec.

Salim Ahmed Al Suwaidi and Pogba, also from the UAE took second in 63.43 sec while Jordan’s Ahmed Mansour was third on Estoril de Vardag in 63.74 sec

The show, now in its second year, is staged by Al Shira’aa Stables.

Of the 46 starters in the day’s big class, 21 achieved clear rounds, earning a spot in the jump off. Among them were the UAE’s Mohammed Al Hajri on Hermes de Mariposa and Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Sharbatly, the 2010 World Equestrian Games silver medalist. World number eight, Sweden’s Henrik Von Eckermann, Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt and Portugal’s Luis Sabino Goncalves also made the cut into the second round.

First to go, Sharbatly went clear in 35.20 sec on Woulon L, only to see next rider, Von Eckermann lower his mark by less than a second with a 34.85 sec round on Artiste de l’Abbaye d’Auine. Danish rider, Cecille Hatteland came close to knocking the Swede off the top with a round just .07 of a second slower on Alex.