HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Festival Finals
"One World, 6 Continents, Abu Dhabi The Capital"
7-14 November 2016

Abu Dhabi all set for world's richest race for Purebred Arabian horses

HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Conference for Training and Education starts Thursday

The UAE capital is all set to stage the second running of the world's richest race for Purebred Arabian horses - the Euros 1.2 million Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup Crown Jewel-IPIC (Group 1) on Sunday, November 13, 2016, at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse.

Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairperson of the 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) announced details of the various events and also heaped praise on the support of the sponsors of the Festival at a press conference held at the National Archives in Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday, November 9, 2016.

 ”I’m very proud to announce that this prestigious event is taking place for the second year in succession" Ms. Sawaya said and added that a strong field of 16 of the world's best Purebred Arabian horses and jockeys will be battling for the coveted trophy.

Ms. Sawaya said as many as 150 jockeys from 82 countries have landed in the capital city of Abu Dhabi to mark the culmination of 2016 for the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival. Apart from the Sheikh Zayed Cup, the meeting will also see the grand finals of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship IFAHR and HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship IFAHR.

Taking this opportunity, Ms. Sawaya announced that a UAE jockey who had an accident while riding in a UK race and who is now paralyzed will be given Euros 20,000 under the instructions of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Ms. Sawaya thanked His Highness Sheikh Mansoor and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation, and Chairwoman of Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and Mother of the World, for their great vision to support the Purebred Arabian horses and to boost women in the racing field. 

IFAHR Chief Sami Jassim Al Boenain praised UAE as one of biggest supporters of Purebred Arabian horses all over the world. "This year the race is very tough and challenging as the quality of horses and riders are very high and naturally expectations will also be high. At IFAHR this race is considered as the biggest race in the World," he said.

Representatives from a majority of sponsors of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival adorned the dais and were unanimous in their appreciation, gratitude and support to HH Sheikh Mansoor in Zayed Al Nahyan and HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak.

Hamad  Al Ahbabi, IPIC Business Support Director, Najla Nasser from National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC , Ahmed Al Qubaisi- Abu Dhabi Sports Council Ahmed Saeed, Department of Justice – Sports Court (CAS), Nadeem Lahad representing  Emirates airlines, Khaled Hussain, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare, Sheikha Al Shamsi from UAE's General Women's Union, Nabia Al Tuwal of Viola (media partners), Abdul Kareem Naduvilakath of Omeir Travels, Pat Buckley, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Festival’s jockey ambassadors Xavier Ziani and Richard Mullen also addressed the press conference.

On Thursday, the Festival will stage the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Conference for Training and Education at the National Archive Conference Hall and this is one of the most important events as far as promoting the jockeys and other officials.

“We thank Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak in whose name we will be staging this important conference. The aim and focus is to educate and impart skills that will elevate the lady and apprentice jockeys to the next level,” Ms. Sawaya said.

The opening session on Thursday will deal with Jockey Training Worldwide and Prevention of Racing Accidents while in the afternoon the subject for the panel discussion will be ‘Jockeys - High Performance Athletes - At the Top’. Thursday’s opening day will end with a panel discussion on Controlled Jockey Diet, Weight Control & Nutrition which will be a huge learning experience for jockeys on how to maintain weight.

The guests were all given a fantastic welcome party dinner at Anantara Eastern Mangroves on Tuesday night.

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 and Bharathi Gowda
Photo: Morhaf Al Assaf