Abdulrahman Alrajhi secured the biggest victory of his career on Saturday, winning the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup grand prix at Spruce Meadows with his horse Ventago. The win came with a first-place purse of approximately $300,000.
Alrajhi and Ventago Dominate the Field
Alrajhi and Israel's Daniel Bluman were the only two riders to go clear in the first round. In the second round, Alrajhi delivered a flawless performance, eliminating the need for a jump-off. Bluman and Corbie V.V. finished third, while Ireland's Daniel Coyle and Farrel took second place.
“Honestly, the course I think was amazingly built,” Alrajhi said. “I think it was a very tough class and we saw from the results, only two clears from the first round. I was very lucky to be in the beginning. I didn’t start with a lot of pressure.”
Spruce Meadows: A Unique Challenge
This marks Alrajhi's second consecutive year at Spruce Meadows. He praised the venue for its unique demands and the long-term benefits it provides to horses. “Honestly, I think Spruce is a totally different sport here,” he explained. “It’s not like another show. I was very impressed with how the horses improved after Spruce.”
He noted that his horse Heartbeat struggled at Spruce Meadows last year but subsequently achieved podium finishes in six grand prix events. “You fall last week, you win this week and you keep going,” Alrajhi said, referencing a fall he had the previous week due to rain.
A Rising Star in Equestrian Sport
Currently ranked 52nd on the Longines FEI rider list, the 31-year-old Alrajhi attributed his success to his team and the support from the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation. “I have quite a good team of horses,” he said. “The sport in Saudi Arabia is growing a lot and without them I wouldn’t be sitting here.”
His horse Ventago, a 13-year-old, has been his key partner in recent seasons. Alrajhi noted that the horse thrives on larger fences: “The bigger the fences are, the better it is. He has a very big canter.”
