19 February 2015, Qatar ~ The highly anticipated HH The Emir 24th International Equestrian Sword Festival, held under the patronage of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, began on February 19 and will run until 26 February at Doha’s Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC). The spotlight will shine on Qatar’s finest Pure Arabians and Thoroughbreds while some of the best horses from abroad will add glitter to the eight-day festival.
As part of the Festival, the 24th Qatar International Pure Bred Arabian Horse Show begins on 19 February and concludes on 21 February in the outdoor arena of the Qatar Equestrian Federation. It will be followed by the two-day 5th Qatar International Straight Egyptian Arabian Horse Show.
Being the first of its kind established in the Middle East, HH The Emir 24th International Equestrian Sword Festival is a keenly awaited week for racing and equestrian enthusiasts. The inaugural event in 1991 was held as a Pure Arabian Horse Show, but it has grown in stature over the years. This year, apart from the horse shows and international races, the Fegentri race for women jockeys will be held during the final three days of the festival from February 24 to 26.
The Festival involves three race meetings, which have attracted the best horses in the country coupled with international runners.
The opening day of the racing events on February 24 will witness the Qatar 2022 Invitational Cup, a QR one million contest for Thoroughbreds (Group III), and the Gulf Cup, a QR 500,000 race for GCC Bred Pure Arabians.
On the second day, the QR one million Qatar International Cup for Thoroughbreds (Group II) will highlight the nine event card, while the Group I Qatar International Trophy for Pure Arabians, with prize money of QR one million, will be the other added attraction of the day.
The blue riband of the season, HH The Emir’s Trophy and Sword race day, will have a total purse of QR 8.6 million on offer to the winners. HH The Emir’s Sword has a prize money of QR 3 million, while HH The Emir’s Trophy has QR 2 million in stake money.
Photos from 19 February show day.
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