Around 150 riders chase eleven 4W Drive cars on offer for Saturday 5 December ride

4 December 2015, Abu Dhabi, UAE ~ 150 riders are expected to take the trail in the 120-km National Day Cup endurance ride which marks the 44th anniversary of the UAE’s National Day and is being held under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC).

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADEC said. “The National Day Cup ride is very prestigious and a large number of top stars both from the UAE and international riders will be participating. There will be 11 4WD cars on offer for the top 11 who successfully complete the 120-km ride which will be run in four stages of 40kms, 35kms, 25kms and 20kms.”
Dr. Abdulla Elreyes, Director-General of the UAE National Archives, Stefano Daneri representing National Feed & Flour Production & Marketing, Ahmed Al Marzouqi representing IFHRA and Abu Dhabi Sports Court and 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) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) also attended the press conference.

Speaking about the endurance series of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup for teams in 2016, Ms Sawaya said the Festival has received the approval of the FEI and confirmation of its President Manuel De Sousa for the rating of the series and added that efforts are on to introduce a points system for the series.

The series begins with the first ride in Portugal, second in Italy and third in France before culminating in the final in Abu Dhabi.

Festival stand at Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival

Ms Sawaya confirmed that a Grand Draw for the public who visited the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Stand at the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival will be held on Saturday, 5 December 2015 at 7.20 pm and will be live on YAS Sports Channel and Emarat Channel.
“An amount of Dh30, 000 will be drawn for 10 winners with another six Iphone 6, and five IPads to be given away. The grand prize includes 2 cars (4WD Pathfinder Full Options). Winners should be present in person to qualify for the prize,” Ms Sawaya said.

National Day

National Day (Arabic: اليوم الوطني‎; Yawm al watani) is celebrated on 2nd December each year in the United Arab Emirates. It marks the UAE’s formal nationalization from the British Protectorate Treaties which ended on 1 December 1971 and the eventual, federal unification of the seven emirates in 1971 which combined to form the modern-day country, headed by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the federation’s first president. Grand celebrations are held across the country to mark the event.

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, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, 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 2015, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Yas Channel, Omeir Travels, Racing Post, Paris Turf and Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics.

~ end Sh Mansoor press release