HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival supports Sport category in United Kingdom’s Women of the Future Awards’

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, one of the world’s most respected horseracing organisations run under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs, announced on Wednesday a landmark category sponsorship of the Women of the Future Awards, an annual awards ceremony which celebrates Britain’s new generation of young influential women across business, media, sport, culture and public service.

Under the umbrella of the Festival and its race series dedicated to promoting the worldwide success of professional, apprentice and amateur female jockeys, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship, the Sport Award will pay tribute to the rising female stars of British sport and will now form a key part of the Festival’s UK-based sponsorship portfolio.

The Women of the Future Awards will take place during a gala dinner at London’s Hilton Hotel, Park Lane on Wednesday, 16 November 2016.

“The HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival champions Arabian racing in the UK and our British-based sponsorships form an integral part of our global promotion of the sport and its athletes,” commented 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).

“Our extensive programme of races aims to support the development of young jockeys of all abilities and gender. The HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship provides new challenges to both male and female Apprentice riders which helps to support and develop their careers, while the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship is dedicated solely to female jockeys and offers a highly competitive race platform together with training, mentorship and professional guidance under the directives of our patron HH Sheikh Mansoor,” she said.

‘We are proud to align the Festival with such a prestigious awards ceremony and roster of sponsors, and wish our nominees the best of luck in the initial judging stages.”

Now in its eleventh year, the Women of the Future Awards continues to unearth and recognise the inspirational stars of tomorrow and will, for the first time this year, include a selection of female jockeys who have shown exceptional talent and have overcome significant challenges in their young riding careers.

Founder and Chairman of the Women of the Future Awards, Pinky Lilani CBE DL commented, “We are excited to welcome the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival as our new Sport Award sponsor and continue to be inspired by the worldwide activities of the Festival and its ongoing promotion of female sporting excellence.

‘I look forward to working with Ms Lara Sawaya and the dignitaries of the Festival and hope this will be the start of a highly rewarding relationship for many years to come.” 

The following jockey nominations have been submitted to the Women of the Future Awards judging panel and if successful, will be invited to attend an informal judging day on Friday, 14 October as part of the initial short listing process. The Awards are open to all women aged 35 or under with permanent residency in the UK.  

Nominations
The following jockey nominations have been submitted to the Women of the Future Awards judging panel and if successful, will be invited to attend an informal judging day on Friday, 14 October as part of the initial short listing process. The Awards are open to all women aged 35 or under with permanent residency in the UK.   

Page Fuller, 21.
Page is employed as stable amateur to trainer Jamie Snowden but is sadly currently side-lined after a bad fall at Stratford in August which resulted in a broken ankle.
A very successful point-to-point jockey who won in Belgium last summer in the final qualifier of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship series in addition to being crowned 2015 ARO Champion Lady Jockey.

Joanna Mason, 26.
Granddaughter of legendary Yorkshire trainer Mick Easterby and a successful point-to-point and jump jockey before breaking her back in two places last year in a point-to-point fall.  Since making a full recovery, Joanna switched her attention to the Flat and made an impressive come back last summer sharing the Amateur Lady Flat Jockey Championship with Serena Brotherton while still having two steel rods implanted alongside her spine. This year Joanna is currently on five wins and a second place but has excelled in her first year riding Arabs in the UK.  She competed in the Texas leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima World Championship Series in March, her first ride back since having her rods removed and was very unlucky not to win, beaten only by a whisker in a photo finish.

Alice Mills, 29.
Ex-amateur and now turned professional as a Flat and National Hunt jockey, Alice comes from a point-to-point background and represented Great Britain worldwide when riding for Fegentri in 2014 where she finished runner-up World Champion.  Alice also competed in the Bahrain leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship Series in March earlier this year and won.

Becky Smith, 29.
Becky won the 2015 Texas leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship series. It was her first ride back after a long lay-off from injury having ruptured major knee ligaments which necessitated an operation, so the result of the race meant a huge amount to her. She went on to finish second in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship finals at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club in November 2015, and was shortlisted to receive the Rider/Groom award in the Stud and Stable Staff Awards earlier this year. Another versatile lady jockey who rides both National Hunt and Flat, enjoying a win at Uttoxeter over fences this summer as well as a win on the Flat, Becky is Assistant to Micky Hammond in Yorkshire and has also worked in Ireland.

Catherine Walton, 28. 
Another National Hunt girl who also succeeds on the Flat, Catherine is a leading Northern point-to-point jockey whose family are steeped in racing.  She rode an Arabian horse for the first time in August for the Belgium leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship series and won.

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.

About the Women of the Future programme

The Women of the Future (WOF) programme is a portfolio of events and projects that support and celebrate the successes of women through the WOF Awards, WOF Summit, WOF Ambassadors and WOF Network. WOF was founded in 2006 by Pinky Lilani CBE DL and Cherie Blair CBE is Awards patron. WOF is a movement focused on kindness and collaboration in the workplace, galvanising a community of influential women to work together as a new generation of talent across business, media, sport, culture and public service.

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