Ameer Al Arab became the first winner of an international Purebred Arabian race in Romania
1 July 2018, Ploiești, Romania ~
Ameer Al Arab, the 5-year-old son of Nizam, under jockey Atanasov Valentin, won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Wathba Stallions Cup at the Hipodromul Ploiesti on Sunday, 1 Jul 2018.
Later Erika Georgesco also made history when she won the HH Sheikha Lateefa Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan International Pony championship race to book a berth for the final race in November in Abu Dhabi.
Organized by Ploiesti CSM in collaboration with the Romanian Arab Race Association and the Romanian Hippic Federation, the Wathba Stallions Cup has been the biggest race for Purebred Arabians to be staged here and along with the HH Sheikha Lateefa Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan International Pony championship race, attracted a crowd of over 8000 fans at the Hipodromul Ploiesti.
Dr Ahmed bin Saeed Al Matroushi, UAE Ambassador to Romania, Adnan Al Nuaimi, Director of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and 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) along with other Romanian officials gave away the trophies.
Ms Sawaya also expressed her delight at the great success the races had achieved and said, “It is not only the Year of Zayed as UAE marks the 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan but also 100 years since the independence of Romania.”
She also confirmed that the Bulgarian jockey Atanasov Valentin has also been invited for the November finals.
“This Romanian capital of Bucharest was named as host for the 2019 edition of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s World Arabian Horse Racing Forum (WAHRF). After the success of Sunday’s two races by the Festival we are sure that next year’s event will make a huge impact in this part of Europe,” 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.
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