UAE President’s Outstanding Sporting Achievement award for HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival

The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival received the UAE President’s award for ‘Outstanding Sporting Achievement in 2017’ at the annual awards ceremony held at the Emirates Palace Hotel on Sunday, April 22, 2018.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs gave away the award to 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) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), who received it on behalf of the Festival.

The awards are part of an initiative by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to honour the UAE’s sporting achievements every year.

Also present were HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Tolerance; Ahmed Juma Al Za'abi, Deputy Minister for Presidential Affairs; Hussain Bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education; Dr. Sultan Bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and CEO of ADNOC Group, Major General Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Commander in Chief of Abu Dhabi Police and Chairman, General Authority for Sports and a number of senior officials.

During the ceremony, HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Tolerance, was honoured as the "Sports Figure for 2017," along with 541 athletes representing 28 sports federations.

Elated after receiving the award, Ms. Sawaya said, “This is another great success for the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival. This recognition will spur us on to achieve more and follow the instructions of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and 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, Mother of the UAE.”

“The Festival owes its success to HH Sheikh Mansoor and HH Sheikha Fatima Bin t Mubarak,” she added.

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 carrier,  in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFHRA, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abu Dhabi Youth Council, General Authority for Sports and sponsored by Ayadi LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC,  Nissan Middleast  Al Massood Automobiles, Nirvana Travels and Tourism LLC, Equicare Veterinary Services, Alawal Stud, Cavalos Equine Care & Supplies, SET Sustainable Environmental Technologies, Al Awani General Enterprises, Omeir Travels, Kabale, YAS Channel, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club,  Mohammed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School,  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 2018, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

Source: HH SH Mansoor Festival / Satya Narayan
Photos: Morhaf Al Assaf