Morocco named host of 2017 World Arabian Horse Racing Conference

ISO 9001-2015 certificate for HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival

A glittering dinner gala party held at the famous Pincio Park concluded activities of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s World Arabian Horse Racing Conference (WAHRC) in Rome, Italy and Morocco was named as the host of the 8th edition of the conference in 2017.

The UAE’s Minister of State for Tolerance, HE Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi along with Omar Skalli, Director General of Society for Promotion of Purebred Arabian horses in Morocco received the WAHRC flag from the 2016 WAHRC hosts though the UAE Ambassador to Italy, HE Saqr Nasser Al Raisi in the presence of the Mayor of Rome Tronga Francesco Paolo, Dr. Heessa Abdulla Al Otaiba, Ambassador of State to Spain and Non Resident envoy to the Vatican, Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of Int'l Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), UAE envoys to a few other countries with the 500-plus WAHRC delegates from 81 countries in attendance.

The Festival presented mementoes HE Sheikha Lubna, HE Saqr Al Raisi, HE Dr. Heessa while Rome Mayor Tronga Francesco Paolo and Colonel Massimo Crocco Barisano of the Lancers of Montebello were presented special-made paintings by Ms Sawaya.

Mayor Tronga hailed the strong relations between Italy and the UAE and said the city of Rome was proud to have been the host for the important conference on Arabian racing. “The ties between the UAE and Italy have been strengthened. Italy’s Milan hosted Expo 2015, the universal exposition and in 2020 Dubai in the UAE will be the hosts. There is a lot of co-operation on between the two countries in this regard,” the Mayor of Rome said.

The loudest cheers of the night went to the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival when Ziad Iskandarani, Certification Manager of Bureau Veritas awarded the ISO 9001-2015 certificate to the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, the first and only one in the UAE to receive this honour. The Certificate was received by Ms Lara Sawaya and Mussalam Al Amri on behalf of the Festival.

All panel members of the various sessions during the three-day workshop, along with representatives of the sponsors, UAE owners and trainers, jockeys and racing officials were all honored by the Festival.

Local folk songs and music accompanied by dance were the highlight of the night with the well-lit city of Rome forming the backdrop to the stage where the ceremony was held followed by dinner.

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 Al Aweer Stables, 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
Photos: Morhaf Al Assaf