DOHA (Qatar): Dressage is a centuries-old sport which is difficult to understand as it is to perform. Some describe dressage as having a horse dance with you.
Qatari Maryam Ahmed Al Semaitt sees it is an art form and an extension of the different art forms she has pursuing during her student and professional career.
Maryam’s subtle directions to the horse by slight movements of her hands, legs, and weight has seen her emerge as the overall winner in the dressage Level 1 Medium Championship of the Longines Qatar Equestrian Hathab Tour Supported by The Social and Sport Contribution Fund (Daam).
The event is organized and conducted jointly by the Qatar Equestrian Federation and Al Shaqab (Member, Qatar Foundation). The fourth edition of the Hathab Tour will come to a close with a grand finale on March 27, in which all the winners of different categories will be honoured.
A consistent display over the last six rounds of the 2020-2021 season helped Maryam to clinch the overall champion tittle as she collected 165 points to clinch the top position.
Maryam is happy that her hard work has paid off with the title this year.
“It’s an indescribable feeling. This is the first time I am leading the points ranking in the highest level of dressage, and it shows how hard work and dedication eventually pays off, keeping in mind that I was against challenging competition throughout the event,” said Maryam, for whom Charlotte Dujardin, the world record holder in Grand Prix Freestyle is her idol.
Having clinched her maiden title in dressage Maryam wants to take her equestrian passion to another level.
“My dream is to be able to represent Qatar in the Olympic Games one day, and one stepping stone towards that dream is the successful participation in the Asian Games,” Maryam told Khelupdates.com in an exclusive interview.
Dressage becomes art when it is a joy for the rider and horse as it melds both rider and horse into a centaurlike being through a graduated system of gymnastic practices which both must master.
“The equestrian world represents an escape from everyday routine, representing a new set of challenges in creating a unique partnership with a horse,” says Maryam a self-driven individual, who started riding in 2002 as an extracurricular activity after school.
She took a break from the sport to pursue her master’s degree in service design from the Royal College of Art in London but came back to the equestrian world in 2015.
Maryam besides her Asian and Olympic aspiration have set a few career goals in the equestrian sports.
“My immediate goals includes moving to higher levels of competition as a dressage rider and having a better understanding of the sport from various perspectives, such as judging. I am planning to gain experience from riding different horses, and competing at higher levels during intense training camps abroad,” she said about her future plans.
She also had a word of praise for the other dressage competitors and the special bond which prevails among them.
“All the dressage riders work very closely together to support each other in improving at our sport, while competing against each while showing the true meaning to sportsmanship,” said Maryam, who also has a diploma in traditional arts from Royal College of Art in London.
When she is not horse riding, Maryam divides her time as professional in Qatar Foundation and giving her inputs at her startup company Makery which she had cofounded with Nawar Al Mutlaq.
