April 4, 2014, Los Angeles, USA – M. Satya Narayan ~ HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival helped lift the status of Purebred Arabian racing to a new high when the Dolby Studio in Los Angeles (the old Kodak Studio) staged a glittering night of the Darley Awards with the Powell brothers sharing six of the 22 awards on offer.
While the 2013 HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival Darley Awards for Arabian Racing in USA saw Mark Powell and his younger brother Scott pick up three awards each, the popular HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards catered to a much broader section of women and female horses in Purebred Arabian racing at Friday’s ceremony.
So Big Is Better (Burning Sand x WW Mirror IMage by ZT Ali Babba) the winner of 25 firsts in 54 starts and the the winner of the 2013 Santa Anita President’s Cup Breeders’ Cup, commandeered Older Horse (born, 2004) and the coveted Horse of the Year Award. He is now retired to stud.
Shayel Aldhabi (Bibi De Carrere (FR) x ANSHOUDAT FARAH (AE) by Chaikh), the UAE-bred mare owned by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, served as a solid reflection to the success of UAE’s local breeding program when winning the Best Old Mare Award while in the same HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards, HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs saw his 3-year-old filly Lorra top its category.
The Darley Awards, organized by the US Arabian Racing Cup, also revived a special category award after a gap of ten years and honored Sheikh Mansoor and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak for their support to Arabian racing around the globe.
It was an exciting evening at Hollywood’s most iconic theatre when the red carpet was laid for the cream of the Purebred Arabian racing fraternity of the USA and international guests. In true Oscar style the honorees for the black-tie event made the same walk down the red carpet in front of the theatre that is a trademark of the Oscars. This time, the guests were interviewed by noted race emcee, Derek Thompson, also hosting the Awards.
The imposing and magnificent Dolby Studio came alive to the passionate support of the Arabian horse family as top achievers of the US as well as the international ladies awards gave identification world-wide to the honored.
HE Abdulla Al Subosi, General Consulate of the UAE Embassy in Los Angeles welcomed the gathering while Dr Wadoda Badran, Director-Genral of the Arab Women Organization; Bahrain’s Shura Council member Lulwa Awadhi; IFAHR Chairman Sami Al Boenain; Lara Sawaya, Director HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival Chairman of Ladies Racing Committee (IFAHR); ADEC’s Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi; DEC’s Ali Moosa Al Khamiri; Invest AD’s Sheikh Hamdan Al Sharqi; ADSC’s Salah Al Marzooqi along with the Stewards of the Arabian Racing Cup – Denise Gault, Dr Kinsman Wright, Dianne Waldron, Nancy Blewet, Deborah Mihalof, Michelle Morgan and Sam Vasquez among others gave away the Award and Honors.
Ms Lara Sawaya and Musallam Al Amri, Racing Manager for Sheikh Mansoor, received HH Sheikha Fatima and HH Sheikh Mansoor awards and expressed their total satisfaction over the success of the event held in a historic venue and on such a large scale for the first time event. Ms Sawaya also presented an award to Ed Murphy, Manager of the Dolby Studio, and recognized the success of the evening. The event was televised by Abu Dhabi TV.
A Gala dinner will be held on Saturday to place an emphatic and artistic stamp on the final evening of the two-day event.
Award Winners:
The 2013 HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival Darley winners (USA):
3 YEAR OLD COLT OR GELDING – Thess Is Awesome
3 YEAR OLD FILLY – Dhaan
4 YEAR OLD COLT OR GELDING – Smoke House
4 YEAR OLD FILLY – Mahra T
OLDER HORSE – So Big Is Better
OLDER MARE – Ms Dixie
OWNER – Mark Powell
BREEDER – Bill Waldron
TRAINER – Scott Powell
JOCKEY – Juan Torres
HORSE OF THE YEAR: So Big Is Better
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HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards (International)
Best Breeder: Renée -Laure Koch – France
Best Owner: Manuela Daverio Scharfenberg – Germany
Best Trainer: Karin Van den Bos – The Netherlands
Best Jockey: Rachel King – UK
Best Life Time Achievement: Nelly Philippot Hermanne – Belguim
Best Old Mare: Shayel Aldhabi (AE) – UAE
Best Filly 3 yrs old: Lorra – France
Best Filly 4 yrs old: FARH – France
Best Lady Journalist: Noelle Derre – France
Best Lady Photographer: Pamela Burton – USA
Best Racing TV Presenter: Amanda Roxborough – USA
The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organized by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with Arabtec Holding PJSC as the Official Partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), Al Rashid Investment, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2014, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Abu Dhabi Sports Channel and Racing Post.
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