US Darley & HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards ceremony in Hollywood on Friday

Last year's Awards function

Three-day extravaganza supported by HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival

The Dolby Theater in Hollywood’s Highland Center is all set to roll the red carpet for the cream of the Purebred Arabian racing fraternity on Friday, March 31 when the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival sponsors two great award ceremonies.

While women from all over the globe who have contributed and excelled in various fields of Purebred Arabian racing and endurance will be feted with the prestigious HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards, the 30th Annual US Darley Awards will celebrate the best performers in US during 2016.

Friday’s glittering ceremony will be followed by some exciting racing action on the Santa Anita Race Course on Saturday, April 1 as some of Americas top Purebred Arabian horses will contest the $100,000 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Award Stakes, a Grade 1 event.

Last year's Awards function

On Sunday, April 2, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards Celebration Banquet and annual stallion breeding auction will be held at the host hotel, the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons.

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) said, “Firstly we have to thank HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs for the huge contribution the Festival has made to the Purebred Arabian racing world.”

“This weekend of activities is a very important part of the Festival’s annual calendar. The Festival’s association with the 30th edition of the US Darley Awards is a matter of pride and is a great way to celebrate the best Purebred Arabian horses and their connections based here in the US,” she stated.

“But more important for us is the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards which has been instituted in the name of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood. The equestrian world has seen the great impact that HH Sheikha Fatima has made and ensured that lady competitors and officials in the sport make progress in their respective fields,” Ms. Sawaya said.

The Arabian Racing Cup’s Darley Awards nominees are selected by the Cup Stewards as the best of Arabian Racing in the U.S. for the year 2016. The Darley Voting Academy takes over and review detailed statistics and performance data from the Arabian Jockey Club about these nominees and cast their votes via confidential ballots. 

Commenting on the Awards, Michelle Morgan, Chief Steward of the Arabian Racing Cup said, “I am honored to be the Chief Steward of our Arabian Racing Cup grand event, the Darley Awards, for my first time this year. It has become the International headliner for Arabian racing events, and I speak for my fellow Stewards when I say we are all very proud of the great development the ARC has achieved with our partnership with the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival. It is a great celebration that we all share in equally by honoring the best of the best in Arabian racing.

Denise Gault, a popular face of Purebred Arabian racing in the US said, “Our Darley Awards have now become world's Darley Awards and watching this develop and grow has been nothing short of amazing. My husband, Randy and I attended the very first Darley Awards in 1987 and have never missed a Darley Awards celebration.”

“This is a special year in that it is our 30th Darley Awards anniversary, which I find very hard to believe! The very strong fields in both the ARC Darley nominations and the HH Sheikha Fatima Darley International Ladies nominations are a true testament to the excellent quality of Arabian racing worldwide,” Gault said.

Last year's Awards function

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