Currently an estimated 13,000 Arabian horses are in training in the UAE
22 June 2016, Abu Dhabi, UAE ~ Marking the Holy Month of Ramadan with a Suhoor gathering, the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival invited all persons involved in the Arabian horses in the area to a gathering – including owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys – many of whom participated in the recent World Arabian Horse Racing Conference in Rome, Italy. The Festival embraces both flat racing and endurance under the slogan, One World 6 Continents Abu Dhabi The Capital. All guests were treated to a feast and there was also a draw with prizes on offer.
The event was attended by HE Saqr Al Raisi, UAE ambassador to Italy and a number of the UAE ambassadors besides Adnan Sultan, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, 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), Dr. Abdulla El Reyes, Director of the National Archives, Sultan Al Aouda, representative of the National Feed and Flour Production and Marketing Company, main partner of the Festival, and Musallam Al Amri, Director of Al Jazira 1 & 2 Stables and Al Wathba Farm in France, Essam Abdulla, Director of the Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ahmed Saeed Al Marzouqi, representing the Judiciary Department and other representatives of the sponsors of the festival.
Sawaya said the gathering has been staged under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan after the end of the 7th conference to bring together all the Arabian racing community to strengthen the ties between them pointing out that the invitation was equally directed to the flat-racing and endurance fraternities.
HE Saqr Al Raisi congratulated His Highness the President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his brother His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Their Highnesses the Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the other emirates on the holy month of Ramadan and thanked His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for his directives to support the Arabian horse around the globe. He also thanked Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Mother of the UAE for her support and contributions to the success of the Festival.
Essam Abdulla thanked HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his support for the Arabian horse which has greatly helped the society in carrying out its duties saying that currently an estimated 13,000 Arabian horses are in training and this puts the UAE at the top of the Arab countries. “UAE exports around 500 horses every year to the Gulf and Europe as well as to other parts of the world while it imports 250-300 horses as per the official records of the society,” he said. Saudi Arabia comes second with 11 to 12 thousand horses in training, according to Abdulla.
Ramadan 2016 began on Monday, 6 June, and will continue for 30 days until Tuesday, 5 July. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of daylight fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief.
~ end supplied report