AN encounter with the royal family at the age of eight was the beginning of a great journey to the Olympic Games for Moroccan show jumper Abdelkebir Ouaddar. My encounter with Ouaddar in Rabat was one of my most interesting interviews to date - he has no English and I have no French, but we made it work.
Show jumping fans worldwide admire Morocco’s biggest star and highest ranked rider, but none more so than the home fans at Rabat during the Morocco Royal Tour, organized by His Majesty Mohamed VI, King of Morocco, for whom Ouaddar rides.
His journey in the sport is “a long story”. Better known simply as ‘Kebir’, he was raised by Princess Lalla Fatima Zohra, the sister of the last King, Hassan II.
Tradition in Morocco allows the royal family to adopt children as their own, and that is how Ouaddar’s story begins.
He was brought up alongside Prince Moulay Abdellah Alaoui, who is now President of the Royal Moroccan Federation for Equestrian Sports, and despite a shaky start, when he was admittedly afraid of horses, he began to ride and showed amazing talent.
Kebir went to train with Nelson Pessoa, father of Irish chef d’equipe Rodrigo, at the age of 12, and still regards Pessoa as one of the biggest influences on his career.
Five years ago, Kebir got his biggest break of all when His Majesty Mohamed VI asked him to ride his horses. A rider himself, the King provided Kebir with necessary components to make it to the top level.
“I had the privilege of getting the king’s horses and I ride exclusively for him. The king is also a rider and he is a great rider, so he knows and understands what I need to ride and that’s what allowed me to be at a high level – thanks to the king. He gave me all the necessary things to be a great great rider.”
Now based in Paris at his trainer Marcel Rozier’s stable, it is impossible to miss Kebir at the show – he is decked out head-to-toe with the beautiful royal crest.
“It’s the first time in history that someone can use the kings crest. It is on all my clothes, horses gear, even on my Segway!” he says with a laugh.
QUICKLY DE KREISKER
Undoubtedly the horse that catapulted Kebir to stardom in international show jumping is the wonderful stallion Quickly de Kreisker. The mere mention of the great horse’s name puts an immediate smile on his face.
He took over the ride of the 13-year-old Selle Français stallion, by Diamant de Semilly, in 2012. He was previously produced in France by Benjamin Robert.
Together the combination won the five-star Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Doha in 2015, the Saut Hermes Grand Prix in Paris last year, as well as many other five-star victories around the world.
‘Quickly’ was named the best horse in the world in 2013 and two years later helped His Majesty to win the Owner of the Year award.
It was with ‘Quickly’ that Kebir achieved his dream of riding at the Olympic Games last summer in Rio de Janeiro.
“When I was learning the sport I said ‘I am going to ride at the Olympic Games’, and when I did it, I received a call from the Prince (Moulay Abdellah) saying ‘Do you remember years ago you said I am going to go to the Olympics? Well you did it so go and enjoy it, you deserve it’,” Kebir remembers fondly.
Disappointingly for the home nation, the stallion didn’t travel to Morocco for the tour due to a slight injury early in the year. He hasn’t been seen in the ring since Doha last March but Kebir reports Quickly is in great form and will be back fighting fit next season.
“He had a small injury a few months back but he is doing really well and we would prefer to let him rest for the rest of the year. I was going to bring him to the show but it’s a long journey and I thought I would leave him at home and keep working on his fitness and training for the rest of the year.”
It is very clear Quickly holds a special place in Kebir’s heart. “He is the horse of my life. Every rider gets this horse and he is mine. When Quickly is not here I feel like something is missing.
“He is a warrior. In the box he is like a pony – playing and having fun, but once he goes into the ring, he changes into a warrior. This type of horse is rare.”
Along with a number of other international riders in the sport, Kebir is sponsored by the luxury brand Hermes. “For royal horses there is nothing better than Hermes!”
Earlier in the day, I watched Kebir’s daughter Soukaina jump a clear round in the 1.40m two-phase, riding one of Prince Moulay Abdellah’s horses.
“I am so so proud of her. She is studying but she is having a lot of fun being a rider and I am actually noticing now that she is starting to beat me… it happened here last year also!”
He jokingly adds: “I am being nice to her when we are competing at the same time and letting her win a little bit.”
SPORT IN MOROCCO
Although he is living out his dream in France, Kebir is proud to see Morocco progressing in the sport, holding shows like the Morocco Royal Tour and producing riders that are making it in the sport.
“We started with small shows and thanks to the Prince – he is doing so much for the sport – we have more Moroccan riders now and we are able to organize big things and big shows and invite international riders, but also provide an opportunity for young riders.”
Kebir admits that sometimes he has to pinch himself, to make sure he isn’t dreaming.
“If I realised my dream today it’s thanks to the King, and I say that seriously because he is the one who gave me this opportunity. I wake up in the morning and I say am I dreaming or is this true. As a Moroccan rider I am very very proud to be part of this.”
His genuine personality is infectious. His love for animals, and especially Quickly de Keisker, is heart warming. There is no doubt that Abdelkebir Ouaddar will continue to fight for Moroccan show jumping.
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