HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival support for Belgium Endurance Masters

Endurance rides to be held at ancient Sonian forest area

Brussels, Belgium - The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and the Royal Belgian Federation of Equestrian Sports have jointly announced an annual international endurance festival for a three-year period starting from August, 2016.

The Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) is positioned as a major meeting for the European and the International Endurance and is scheduled annually on the 3rd weekend of August, in the city of Brussels, capital of Belgium and of Europe. The BEEM offers three days of endurancecompetition under the auspices of the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale).

The announcement of the Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) was made at a joint press conference held at the Dolce La Hulpe Brussels Hotel last week and addressed by Eugene Mathy, Vice President of the Royal Belgian Federation of Equestrian Sports (FRBSE-KBRSF), Pierre Arnold of FRBSE-KBRSF, Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of 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), Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and representatives of the hotel.

“This partnership to stage the races are under instructions from HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs. We will be staging this event for the next three years,” she said.

Giving details Ms Sawaya said, “The main event of the Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) will be a 160-km Open international endurance ride. This year this ride will be part of the three-day event which will be held from August 18. The venue is the area near this Dolce La Hulpe Brussels Hotel, which is situated in the ancient Sonian forest and is very close to the airport.”

“We will also be staging the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance ride next year and the World Championship for young horses (under 7 years) and all these rides will make this Belgian event an important one in the world endurance calendar,” Ms Sawaya said. Belgium has also bid for the European Open championship in 2017 and that could be included in this festival next year.

Perre Arnold said Belgium was thankful for the support from HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival and said along with the 160-km Open Championship ride there will also be rides over distances of 100kms and 120kms. Giving details of the veterinary and ride arrangements for the August event, Arnold said, “This ride site is in the heart of Belgium and will attract a lot of riders and endurance fans as it is very scenic and at the same time challenging. The races will take place in the middle of a 5,000-hectare forest on trails specially designed for horse riding.”

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
Photo: Morhaf Al Assaf