100 races, events in 90 countries for 2018
7 February 2018, Abu Dhabi, UAE ~ Announced as part of the 2018 HH Sheikh Mansoor Global Arabian Festival, the prestigious 160-km HH The President of the UAE Endurance Cup ride will be held on Saturday, 10 February, and the Group One HH President Cup flat race for Purebred Arabians will be held on Sunday, 11 February 2018.
The Festival is marking its’ 10th year which also is the year that the UAE is celebrating 100 years since the birth of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE and a passionate promoter of Purebred Arabian horses.
10 February, 11 February
The 160-km HH The President of the UAE Endurance Cup will be held at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba on Saturday while the HH President Cup will be part of Sunday’s flat race meeting at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
Giving details of Saturday’s President’s Cup endurance ride, Adnan Sultan said, “The prestigious ride has attracted 214 riders with 46 of them coming from all over the world. A total of ten cars will be given to the top rider while a cash award of Dh 100,000 will be given to each of the remaining riders who complete the ride.”
“For Sunday’s HH President Cup Group 1 flat race, the total prize money of offer is Dh. 2,500,000,” he added.
An Endurance Series With 5 Races in 5 World Capitals
Ms Sawaya said: “The year 2018 marks the 10th year of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival and also marks the 100th birth anniversary of the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The Festival will organize a 100-mile endurance series to mark the 100th birth anniversary and this will include five races in five world capitals – Fontaine Bleu Paris in France, followed by the second race in the Spanish capital Madrid, the third in Brussels, Belgium the fourth in Lisbon, Portugal and the final in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi- the capital of Purebred Arabian horses in the world,”
40 Top Flat Races in Series
The Festival’s 2018 calendar also includes 10 races each in the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup series, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship series, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship series and the HH Sheikha Latifa Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Pony Championship series.
23 Wathba Stallion Cup Grassroots Series
The Wathba Stallions Cup will once again focus on the grassroots level 23 races will be held in the UAE and another 27 races outside the country in the Wathba Stallions Cup series, stated Ms. Sawaya.
World Arabian Horse Racing Conference, Madrid, Spain
China and Romania will join the Festival in staging the events in 2018 and Madrid, Spain will be the host for the annual World Arabian Horse Racing Conference.
Darleys Hollywood, California
“Hollywood, California, will again be the venue for the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Awards and the US Darley Awards. The highlight during the Darley Awards will be the US$100,000 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Stakes race that will be run at Santa Anita race course.”
World’s Richest Race for Purebred Arabians
“The Festival will also take part in important shows and events to showcase the progress and finally the curtain will come down in November in Abu Dhabi when the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies and Apprentice finals will be held along with the world’s richest race for Purebred Arabian horses – the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Crown Jewel Cup, a Group 1 race with a prize fund of Euros 1.2 million,” continued Ms. Sawaya.
The 7 February 2018 Press Conference, held at the Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort in Abu Dhabi, was attended by Ms. Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, General Manager of Wathba Stallions, 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), Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Edward Hamod, Director of National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Co. LLC, Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director of Global Promotions-Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, Yakoob Al Saadi-Director of Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, Abdulrahman Al Rumaithi from Abu Dhabi Youth Council, Nadim Lahad of Emirates Airline and other representatives of sponsors and sports bodies.
Ms. Sawaya thanked all the sponsors while the sponsor’s representatives also expressed their delight at being part of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival.
“The Festival has received tremendous support and inspiration from His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the Emirates, President of the General Women’s Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and we thank them for that,” said Ms. Sawaya.
“We welcome the cooperation and partnership with the Abu Dhabi Youth Council and we will see a lot of UAE youth taking part in the Festival’s events and get acquainted with heritage sport of the UAE.”