Hungary’s Shagya town welcomes riders, officials on eve of Central European Endurance Cup rides

HH Sheikh Mansoor Racing Festival supports competitions

Bábolna strong ties with the Arabian horse was on display as the Hungarian town put up an inaugural ceremony on Friday night to mark the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s FEI Central European Endurance Cup 2016 international endurance rides which began early on Saturday.

Apart from riders from the host country Hungary, others in the fray are from France, Poland, Austria, Czech Rep, Romania, Croatia, China, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Serbia.

Five rides – a CEI Three star 160-km ride, a CEI Two-star 120-km Open ride, a CEI Two star 120-km ride for Juniors and Young Riders and two 80km rides, all FEI events are being worked off under the umbrella of the Festival under directions of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

On Friday evening, a smart walk past of some of the famous Bábolna Stud’s Arabian horses was followed by some traditional dances from local folks from the historic and traditional breeding centre for Purebred Arabian horses.

Bábolna Stud Director Balazs Berci welcomed the participants and placed on record his immense gratitude to HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for supporting the endurance rides.

The activities were held in front of an imposing statue of the great stallion Shagya – the Arabian horse that was brought to Bábolna from Syria in 1836. That bloodline has been passed on and in 2006 after Miguel Vila Ubach won the FEI World Endurance Championship over 160-kms on Hungares – a Hungarian grey Shagya-Arabian gelding – the prowess of a Shagya horse has been further reignited.

Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director general of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and chief of endurance racing at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi said, “This region has a special breed of Arabian horses and they have proved themselves both as show horses as well as stamina-filled athletes in long distance running. ”

The Hungarian connection was that Hungares was born at Bábolna in 1998, named Siglavy Bagdady VIII-1 and was then exported by the Bábolna Nemzeti Ménesbirtok Kft. to Spain in 2004.

“After the win by Hungares the interest in horses from this region has increased. In fact there will be some interest in the horses taking part in the endurance rides tomorrow,” Al Nuaimi said.  

Meanwhile Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) said, “This is our first equestrian event to be held here in Hungary though we have had jockeys take part in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival races in the past.”

“The Festival is in the midst of a very busy period, we just launched the Festival’s Year Book for 2015 in Abu Dhabi two days ago at our stand in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, we are also having a strong presence at the Arab Travel Market in Dubai where the focus is on the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference which will be held in Rome Italy next month,” Ms Sawaya added.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC as associate sponsors, IPIC as Strategic Partner, The  National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare and sponsored by Ayadii LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Wathba Stallions, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club,  Mohamed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Omeir Travels, Dr Nader Saab Switzerland, Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics, YAS Channel, Racing Post, Paris Turf,  Al Wathba Centre, the UAE's General Women's Union, The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2016, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

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