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Inaugural conference for education and training in horse industry gets underway in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi – After having successfully staged the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference, as part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival, the first edition of the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak EARS (European Association Racing Schools) Conference on Education and Training was launched at the East Mangroves Hotel & SPA here on Friday, November 8.

Susanna Santesson, president of the EARS, addressed the opening session of the two-day first-ever gathering of its kind to discuss the vital issues in the horse industry, saying that they are obliged to HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, for her generous initiative to host this international forum here as part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

“The organization was formed in 2000. "It was initiated by EARS, with the leading racing schools from France, England, Ireland, Italy and Germany in order to have a higher level of education and training in the racing industry,” she said.

“The best way to present the activities of our organization and introduce it to the interested people worldwide was to host international conferences. And as usual, the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Flat Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival was the first to lend a hand to the generous initiative of HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak to patron the inaugural edition of the conference,” she added.

“We are looking forward to see the experts and participants of this international gathering coming up with fruitful recommendations in the fields of jockeys training development and the global horse industry as such.
Meanwhile, HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs welcomed the valuable guests of the festival and wished the participants in the grand finale of the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR, the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup and the HH Sheikha Fatima EARS Apprentice Race the best of luck in the three tough contests.

Jassim Al Darmaki, Deputy Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi praised the great success of the 5th edition of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival which is culminated with the first-ever HH Sheikha Fatima Conference on the education and training in horse racing.  

Lara Sawaya, director HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and chairman of Ladies Racing Commitee in the International Federation  of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) said: “The vision of Hh Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan is to bring together the lovers of the equine sports from all over the world under one roof. And for this reason, it has been decided to host the EARS conference under the patronage of HH Sheikh Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, in Abu Dhabi the capital of ladies horse racing in the world.

“The ultimate objective is to send a message to all apprentice jockeys to make the utmost use of this conference to develop their skills and to become well tuned for the international challenges ahead after gaining sufficient experience from the various advanced training courses and conferences,” she said.
However, the morning session of the opening day of the conference underlined the importance of early education of the jockey to establish a strong relationship between the different elements of the sport.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organized by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare and Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), Invest AD,  Arabtec Holding PJSC, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2013, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Wathba Stud Farm, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Hotel and SPA and Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival
Photo: Morhaf Al Assaf