HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival unveils 5th World Arabian Horse Racing Conference London all set to host five days of action The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival marks its fifth edition of the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference with five days of action in London starting tomorrow (Wednesday). The annual conference, which started in Abu Dhabi in 2010 has since stopped in The Hague in The Netherlands, Berlin in Germany and Toulouse in France. “Nearly 400 guests and officials representing various sectors of Purebred Arabian horse racing are attending. The three-day conference will be held at St. James Theatre starting on May 28 and this year we have included some innovative subjects like Social Media, Online and Networking and Research and Weight Maintenance for jockeys,” said Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairman of Ladies Racing at the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR). “The conference will end with a Gala Dinner at the Guildhall on May 30 and the next day the Festival’s two prestigious races – the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup and the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR will be held at the Newbury race course,” she said.

“On June 1, the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Festival Cup, a 100 km FEI event for Arabian Horses will be held at Kings Forest,Thetford,” Ms Sawaya added.

After the opening remarks by HE Abdulrahman Al Mutawee, UAE ambassador to UK, Mr Sami Al Boueinen, Chairman of IFAHR, ARO represented by Genny Hanes and others the first day of the conference will see three sets of discussions.

The UK’s renowned  racing commentator Derek Thompson will moderate the opening session on Breeding  with the participants being Sheikh Hamed Al Hamed (UAE), William Smith, Rene Koch (France), Linda Otermans (Netherlands)  Mamdouh Al Baraqi (Saudi Arabia), Salim Al Quraini (Oman), Jean Pierre Deroubaix( France) and Michelle Morgan (US).

In the afternoon a session on ‘Racing and Training’ with  Pat Buckley as moderator will be held. Faysal Al Rahmani (UAE), Jean Pierre Totain (FR), Yves Plantin ( FR), Yasir Mabrouk ( Sudan / UAE), Karin Van Den Bos ((Netherlands), Ernest Ortell (South Africa / UAE), Mohammed Al Hashemi ( Oman) and Susanna Santesson ( Germany) will be participating.

Later in the evening, ‘Vetting, Nutrition and Legal aspects’ will be the topic with Philip Brenan (UK) moderating and the speakers being Dr Mohammed Al Machmoum (Morocco),  Alberic Thiery ( FR), Ahmad Al Badi (UAE), Jerard Habibian (Lebanon), Izeta Sulemanjin ( Croatia), Graham Walcroft (UK) and Kathy Smoke (US).  

The opening day ends with a Welcome Dinner at the Banquet Hall.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with Arabtec Holding PJSC as the Official Partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC),  Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Rashid Investment, 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 2014, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Abu Dhabi Sports Channel and Racing Post.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival / Satya Narayan
Photo: Cidinha Franzão