The World Arabian Horse Racing Conference Toulouse, France 2013 at Centre de Congrès Pierre Baudis
5-9 June

5-6 June

6-7 June

8-9 June

The 4th edition of the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference is happening in Toulouse from June 6th to 8th. An integral part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival, this event was first held in September 2010 in Abu Dhabi and has become an annual rendezvous for professionals and specialist in Purebred Arabians from around the world.

After Abu Dhabi, The Hague and Berlin, these experts are in Toulouse to debate, discuss and exchange ideas and experiences. This is a true acknowledgement for this strong area for breeding n the South West of France, synonymous with success and excellence around the world.

Different half-day sessions are on the menu this year: breeding, veterinary, care and nutrition, racing and training, the role of women in racing, innovation and marketing among other subjects.

This conference is a key moment in the season and a unique occasion to unite those who are passionate about Arabian racing.

Yesterday, June 5, a Press Conference held at Pullman Hotel officially opened the Conference Schedule.

See below all the press releases about the Conference.

Artex tops in HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race
HH Sheikh Tahnoon’s Lady Wish wins Zayed Cup in Toulouse

Lady Wish owned by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy National Security Advisor came up with a brilliant finish under jockey Ioritz Mendizabal to win the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup (Listed) race at the Hippodrome de Toulouse in France on Sunday, June 9... Read More

Dazzling awards ceremony brings curtain down on Toulouse meet
4th World Arabian Racing Conference end on a positive note

The curtain came down on the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival's 4th World Arabian Racing Conference 2013 in Toulouse with a dazzling ‘Gala Awards Dinner’ at the historic Augustin Museum in Toulouse, France on Saturday night, June 8.

Officials, Arabian horse racing connections, journalists and envoys were felicitated by HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority for their contributions during after the three-day World Arabian Horse Racing Conference which concluded earlier on Saturday... Read More

World Arabian Conference debates key issues

Key points came to the fore during the session that focussed on Marketing, Future and Innovation during the final day of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Fourth World Arabian Horse Racing Conference at the Centre de Congrès Pierre Baudis in Toulouse, France on Saturday, June 8

HE Asim Mirza Al Rahma, the UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Poland ; HE Abdul Rahman Ghanim Al Mutaiwee, UAE Ambassador to the United Kingdom; HE Mohammed Ahmed Mahmood, the former  UAE Ambassador to Germany;  HE Sulaiman Hamed Al Mazroui , UAE's Ambassador to Belgium and HE Saqr Nasser Ahmed Al Raisi, UAE’s Ambassador to Portugal attended Friday’s sessions (June 8)... Read More

16 runners in fray for HH Sheikha Fatima race
Quality field for Sheikh Zayed Cup in Toulouse

With all those who participated in the 4th World Arabian Racing Conference 2013 in attendance the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Horse Flat Racing Festival will host on Sunday, June 9 two class races at the Toulouse racecourse here in France.

The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup, which will be run as a Listed Race while for the first time the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race will see 16 lady jockeys competing to win and book a berth at the season-ending world championship race in Abu Dhabi... Read More

UAE envoy to Poland conducts draw for HH Sheikha Fatima race

Jockeys share their passion, problems at World Arabian Horse Racing Conference in Toulouse

The second day of the fourth edition of the World Arabian Racing Conference 2013 began at the Centre de Congrès Pierre Baudis in Toulouse with jockeys revealing their reasons for them taking to the profession.

Soon after the session, His Excellency Asim Mirza Al Rahma, the UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Poland along with Jerome Rambaud, Head of Toulouse Racecourse picked the draw for the lady jockeys for Sunday’s HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR) race. Noted race commentator Derek Thompson conducted the draw and introduced the lady jockeys to the conference attendees which included over 75 journalists... Read More

Interview with Lara Sawaya, director of the Sheikh Mansoor Global Festival Why was Toulouse chosen this year? Toulouse is the centre for Arabian racing in France. That is why this conference is very important for the region and for the Purebred Arabian community in general. Was it your choice? We wanted to hold the conference in France and that is why we held talks with Yves Plantin (President of AFAC). It had already been announced last year, at the conference in Berlin. It remained to find a location. On another note, we have already said that the 5th edition will be held in London in 2014... Read More

Challenges of Breeding Arabian horses

With Derek Thompson as moderator, the opening session at the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference dealt with the topic of breeding and some important remarks were recorded

Khalid Al Naboodah (UAE) and Ali Al Haddad (Iraq) highlighted the challenges they face in breeding in the UAE while Kathy Smoke and Sam Vasquez said breeding was not a problem in states it was more of an economic factor that baulked Purebred Arabian horse racing.  “Breeding is a challenge for us in UAE. We import everything and the weather is not helpful. We are fighting hard and struggling against many internal and external factors and above all the tough weather conditions pose the real challenge,” Al Naboodah said. “I believe in the importance in the mother’s bloodline, but I don’t agree it’s 75% for the mother against 25% for the stallion. I think its 50-50,” the UAE owner said... Read More

World Arabian Horse Racing Conference opens in Toulouse

Leading officials, experts, veterinarians, trainers and jockeys connected with Purebred Arabian Horse Racing began deliberations in the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Fourth World Arabian Horse Racing Conference which began at the Centre de Congrès Pierre Baudis in Toulouse, France on Thursday, June 6

HE Abdullah Al Shamsi, Second Secretary at the UAE Embassy welcomed the delegates on behalf of Mohammed Meer El Raessi, UAE Ambassador to France while Mr. Sami Jassim Al Boenain, Chairman, International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) and Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, IFAHR Vice Chairman and Representative of Emirates Racing Authority also greeted those attending the three-day conference. All three officials hailed the support and thanked His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for having the conference for the fourth year... Read More

HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Fourth World Arabian Horse Racing Conference opens in Toulouse, France on Thursday

Some of the Purebred Arabian Racing world’s top officials, experts, veterinarians, trainers and jockeys will be participating in the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Fourth World Arabian Horse Racing Conference which begins at Centre de Congrès Pierre Baudis in Toulouse, France on Thursday, June 6.

“The inaugural event was held in Abu Dhabi in 2010 the next in The Hague in The Netherlands in 2011 and last year we staged it in Berlin,” said Ms Lara Sawaya, Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Head of International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) Ladies Racing... Read More

UAE officials, IFAHR chief hail World Arabian Racing Conference

Toulouse, France
The fourth edition of the World Arabian Racing Conference which begins on Thursday at the Centre de Congrès Pierre Baudis in Toulouse has been welcomed by officials who. have highlighted the need for such an annual event .

“The World Arabian Racing Conference, an annual event of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival which is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), has been one of our most successful endeavours in cementing the place of Purebred Arabian racing at all levels,” said HH Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority... Read More

PROGRAMME
June 5
Press Conference at the Toulouse Capitole

June 6
10 am
Opening Speech of HE Mohammed Meer El Raessi UAE Ambassador to France
Speech of Sami Al Boenain IFAHR Chairman
Speech of Matar Al Yabhouni Board Member of Abu Dhabi Sports Council
Speech of ERA Representative

Breeding Session – Moderator Dereck Thompson (UK)
Speakers: Marie Ange Bourdette (FR), khalid Al Naboodah (UAE), Ali Al Haddad (IRAQ), Kathy Smoke (US), Catarina Genberg (Sweden), Gulnar Gullerce (Turkey), Martial Boisseuil (FR)

Vetting and Nutrition Session - Moderator: Liz Prize (UK)
Speakers: Dr Gonzalo Aebornoz (Argentine), Dr Sefian Alami (Morocco), Dr Robert La Caze (FR), Dr Frank Penide (FR), Mariam Al Shenazi (UAE), Dr Gulsah Kaya Kanasi (Turkey), Dr Andrew Dalgleish (Scotland), Dr Mohammed Al Machmoum (Morocco)

Racing and Training Session - Moderator: Pat Buckley(Ireland)
Speakers: Georgina Ward (UK/ Oman), Jean Francois Bernard (FR), Jerome Rambaud (FR), Stephen Higgins (UK), Ernest Ortel (South Africa), Karen Karin Van Den Bos (Holland), Sultan Khalifa (UAE), Gillian Duffield (UK), Faysal Al Rahmani (UAE)

Welcoming Dinner: L' hotel d'Assézat Fondation Bemberg

June 7
Jockeys Revelation 1st Session - Moderator: Susanna Santesson (Germany)
Speakers: Saleema Taleei (Oman), Duygu Fatura (Turkey), Delphine Dubois (FR), Denise Gault (US), Veronika Aske (Norway), Saeed Al Mazrouei (UAE), Ahmed Aljteibi (UAE), Nikita Makleen (Australia)

Jockeys Revelation 2nd Session Moderator: Susanna Santesson (Germany)
Speakers: Jirayr Habibian (Armenia)‎, Ahmad Abdelrazik (Egypt)‎, Jean Pierre Degaste (FR), Pam Cordrey (Sweden / UK)‎‎, Nicolas Cordrey (Sweden / UK), Yasir Mabrouk (Sudan / UAE)‎, Izeta Selimanjin (Croatia), Paul Marie Gadot (FR)‎

Women in Racing Session - Moderator: Liz Prize(UK)
Speakers: Harriett Rochester (UK), Jaci Wickham (South Africa), Salha Al Ghurair (UAE), HE Lulwa Al Awadi (Bahrain), Dr Wadouda Badran (Egypt), Genny Hanes (UK), Nelly Philippot (Belguim), Lara Sawaya (UAE)

Cocktail Fusion at Galleries Lafayette

June 8
Marketing, Future and Innovation Session - Moderator: Saeed Mubarak Al Hajiri (UAE)
Speakers: Sheikh Hamed Bin Khadem Bin Buti Al Hamed (UAE), Sami Al Boenain (Qatar), Hasan Ismaik (UAE), Boutros Boutros (Lebanon), Stephen Bowey(South Africa), Yves Plantin (FR), Richard Lancaster (UK), Wayne Hodes(US), Matar Al Yabhouni (UAE), Lara Sawaya (UAE)

World Arabian Horse Racing Conference Workshop

World Arabian Horse Racing Conference Award Gala Dinner at the Augustin Museum

June 9
Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup
H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship (IFAHR)