The CSI5*-W event in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, got underway on Thursday afternoon with the 58,200 Euro Longines Challenge, a 1.45m competition against the clock that was also the first Grand Prix qualifier of the weekend.

Abdel Said (EGY) on the 11-year-old mare Hope van Scherpen Donder (Quadrillo x Balou du Rouet) clocked the fastest time of the day, taking home the win in 58,43 seconds. Philipp Weishaupt (GER) on the 9-year-old mare Call Me Eva (Chacco Blue x Stakkato) took the runner-up position after stopping the clocks on 60,39 seconds, while Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) on the 11-year-old gelding Chacanno (Chacco Blue x Kannan) placed third, after the pair crossed the finish line in 60,93 seconds. Ramzy Al Duhami (KSA) on the 11-year-old gelding High Quality J (Quadrillo x Nabab de Reve) placed fourth, and the fifth spot went to Abdullah Al Sharbatly (KSA) on the 13-year-old gelding Crazy Quick (Chacco Blue x Quick Star).

The first five-star class of the weekend, the Sharjah Islamic Bank Challenge, a 1.45m competition in two phases, went to Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty (KSA). Riding the 15-year-old mare Dona Evita, Almobty clocked the winning time of 23,92 seconds in the second phase. Celine Schoonbroodt-De Azevedo (BEL) on the 9-year-old mare Venus de I'Eyre (Quick Star x Concorde) took the runner-up position with her time of 26,33 seconds, while Natale Chiaudani (ITA) on the 12-year-old gelding Barcelona (Mr.Blue x Voltaire) placed third after clocking a time of 26,65 seconds. Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) on the 12-year-old stallion Caspar (Berlin x Padarco 2) took the fourth place, and the fifth spot went to Jörg Naeve (GER) on the 9-year-old mare Be Aperle VA (Clarimo x Concerto II).