H.H. Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival

Book on HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival launched

At an impressive function at the Emirates Palace Hotel on Monday night, the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival launched an attractive book recording its activities and achievements from 2009 to 2011.

HE Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Director of the Emirates General Women's Association and chairperson of the UAE Women Sport received the first copy of the book from Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Chief of Communication at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and Ms Lara Sawaya, Director of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival.

In the fore-word to the book His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs quoted two lines from a poem to highlight the role of Arabian horses.

"The horse to men represents dignity and honor, an honor so precious with treasures we acquire. Is a well known poetry that we memorize from father to son, because it captures the importance of horses in our history," HH Sheikh Mansoor said.

"The horse represents chivalry, bravery, protection, strength, prestige and victory and that's the reason why so much of our poetry is written in its honor."

"That's also why horses deserve that we persist on heightening the grand role it played in our ancestor's lives, and the support it gave them throughout the ages," he said.

"This book is dedicated to role horses played in our history, and to highlight the accomplishments we were able to do with the essential presence of horses in our lives," HH Sheikh Mansoor said.

HE Noura Al Suwaidi, who also honoured the lady jockeys from around the world who had taken part in the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies IFAHR Cup, said, "It is a comprehensive book which records all the activities of the Festival that has been promoting both Arabian horse racing and UAE culture all over the globe."

Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Director General of ADACH, said in his message in the book, "Today, with the publishing of this book, one of its kinds, we take a necessary step towards preserving this unique part of our history and to ensure that people worldwide will give it the well-deserved interest."

Abdullah Al Qubaisi, commenting on the launch, said, "The book complements what the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival has achieved over the last three years."

"This is the first such book to document a race series, both among thoroughbred and Purebred Arabian racing in the world and is a huge step forward in promoting Purebred Arabian racing," said Lara Sawaya.

The highlight of the function was an innovative fashion show directed by Rafia Helal bin Drai, which saw the models donning her exclusively-designed Mauzan abaya brand and walk the ramp displaying the book. The Emirati designer and her models received a huge round of applause from the packed hall at the gala dinner at the Emirates Palace Hotel.

The book-launch was attended by a large number of officials and members of the racing fraternity.

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Arabian Horse Society with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and with support from Invest AD, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Mauzan, La Sirene, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabala, the UAE's General Women's Union, the General Women's Union's Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2012, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.