Sabrina Arnold wins World Championship of the Young Horses in Belgium

Second win in three days for German star in HH Sheikh Mansoor supported event

Germany’s Sabrina Arnold made the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival-supported three-day Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) at the Bois de la Cambre in Sonian Forests in the Belgian capital of Brussels her very own.

On Thursday’s opening day she won the 160-km Four-star European Championship (CH-EU-E) endurance ride and then closed Saturday’s final day (August 19, 2017) with another dominating performance to win the 120-km FEI World Championship of the Young Horses (CH-M-E-7Y), on August 19.

The 37-year-old German who is based in France steered Tammam La Lizonne, a 7-year-old bay mare, to a superb win in the 120-km event and proved that she is an expert with young horses. Last year Arnold  had also won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival-supported FEI European Endurance Championships for Young Horses in Negrepelisse (FRA) with the seven-year-old Tsagan Nour.

In Saturday’s ride, Arnold and Tammam La Lizonne were third after the first loop and after that led all the way to win the 120-km ride in 6 hours eight minutes and 50 seconds. The next four spots in the top five went to riders from four different countries with Elisabeth Hardy of Belgium riding Aduir Folie doing the hosts proud by finishing second in 6:17.41.

Portugal’s Ana Barbas on Fuico, Estonia’s Keiu Oras on Penelope and French rider Alexis Terral on Sky Kid took the next three spots in the ride which ended up with 12 riders completing on their horses aged seven and under.

HE Abdulla Al Marzouki, Second Secretary and representative of the UAE Embassy in the Kingdom of Belgium, 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) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) and General Manager of Wathba Stallions, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Musallam Al Ameri, Director of Al Jazira 1 & 2 Stables and Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Director of Marketing and Communication at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council,  gave away trophies to the winners.

Ms Sawaya congratulated all the winners, particularly the women riders. “The success of the women riders reflects the positive growth of equestrian events. This is the second year we are in Belgium taking part in the BEEM and we are very happy with the outcome.”  

Officials of the Belgian Royal Equestrian Sports Federation (FRBSE-KBRSF) and the European Horse Centre of Mont-le-Soie, who were the main organisers of the three-day event thanked HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs for the Festival’s support.

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, 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 Ayadi LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC,  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, 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 2017, 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