Over 200 endurance riders with 28 International Young Riders Invited

9 February, 2017, Abu Dhabi, UAE ~ Over 200 endurance riders will head out on the desert track for the prestigious HH The President of the UAE Endurance Cup, held on Saturday, 11 February 2017 at the Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

On Sunday, 12 February 2017 an equally important card of flat races – HH The President of the UAE Cup for Purebred Arabians and Thoroughbreds – will be held at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club race course.

Dr Ghanem Al Hajeei, Secretary General of the Emirates Equestrian Federation with Lara Sawaya (r) and Najla Nasser from National Feed and Flour

Endurance

The HH The President of the UAE Endurance Cup, one of the most prestigious rides in the Abu Dhabi endurance calendar, will be run over a distance of 160km and in six phases of 40 km, 33km, 24km, 23km, 20km and 20 km.

Over 240 horses will be reviewed for vet-in on Friday, 11 February, with 28 invited riders competing from Algeria, Bahrain, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain and Slovakia.

Addressing a press conference at Abu Dhabi Anantara, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, said the FEI CEI-three star ride is one of the most prestigious continuing endurance rides in the world.

“The winner of the ride will get a Mercedes-Benz while the second-placed rider will win a Range Rover Sport 3.0 HC. The eight other riders in the top ten will all be awarded a Nissan Patrol SE T. A cash prize of Dh 100,000 will be presented to all the riders who complete the ride,” he said. The ride will have a mass start at 6.30 am.

Others who addressed the press conference included Dr Ghanem Al Hajeei, Secretary General of the Emirates Equestrian Federation, Mubarak Al Nuaimi-Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Khaled Hussain, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare, Najla Nasser from National Feeds and Flour, Dr. Stefano Daneri, Ahmed Al Qubaisi from Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Ahmed Saeed from Abu Dhabi Judiciary Department, Pat Buckley, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Humayun Alam from Al Masoud Automobiles, Jean-Pierre Allegret, President of the ground jury for the event, Dr. Gregory Ghyorous, President of the Vet Commission and Daniel Fenaux, Foreign Technical Delegate.

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), while thanking His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said, “Under their guidance the Festival has spread to many countries and growing further.”

In a forward step for both organizations, Ms Sawaya announced that the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival and the Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF) will be cooperating with each other in organizing national and international endurance events worldwide.

Flat Racing

On Sunday, 12 February Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club’s turf race course will witness the highly competitive HH The President’s Cup (Group 1) run over 2200 metres while the Thoroughbreds race in the HH The President’s Cup (Listed) over 1400 metres.

“The prize money for the HH The President’s Cup (Group 1) for Purebred Arabian horses is Dh 3,000,000 (Three million) while the HH The President’s Cup (Listed) for Thoroughbreds will carry a prize fund of Dh 380,000,” Al Nuaimi said.

The weekend’s events are being held under the directives of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi under the banner of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Festival.

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 carriers, in cooperation with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare and sponsored by Al Aweer Stables, Ayadii LLC, Global United Veterinary Services LLC, Bloom, Petromal, Rise General Trading Co. LLC, Hayatna, Wathba Stallions, Abu Dhabi Falconers Club, Emirates Falconers Club, Mohamed Bin Zayed Falconry and Desert Physiognomy School, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Omeir Travels, Dr Nader Saab Switzerland, Laboratories Fadia Karam Cosmetics, YAS Channel, 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 2017, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.

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