Endurance rides to be held in the ancient Sonian forest in the heart of Belgium
7 July 2016, Brussels, Belgium ~ The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and the Royal Belgian Federation of Equestrian Sports have jointly announced an annual international endurance festival for a three-year period starting from August, 2016.
The Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) is positioned as a major meeting for the European and International Endurance community and is scheduled annually on the 3rd weekend of August in the city of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. BEEM offers three days of endurance competition under the auspices of the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale).
The announcement of the Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) was made at a joint press conference held at the Dolce La Hulpe Brussels Hotel last week and addressed by Eugene Mathy, Vice President of the Royal Belgian Federation of Equestrian Sports (FRBSE-KBRSF), Pierre Arnold of FRBSE-KBRSF, 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), Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
“This partnership to stage the races are under instructions from HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs. We will be staging this event for the next three years,” Sawaya said.
Giving details she continued: “The main event of the Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) will be a 160-km Open international endurance ride. This year this ride will be part of the three-day event which will be held from 18 August. The venue is the area near the Dolce La Hulpe Brussels Hotel which is situated in the ancient Sonian forest and is not far from the airport.”
The Festival will also stage the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance ride and support the World Championship for young horses (under 7 years) in this venue in 2017. Belgium has also bid for the European Open championship 2017 Open championship in 2017 and that could be included in the festival next year.
Perre Arnold thanked HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival for their support and said along with the 160-km Open Championship ride there will also be rides over distances of 100kms and 120kms. Arnold said, “This ride site is in the heart of Belgium and will attract a lot of riders and endurance fans as it is very scenic and at the same time challenging. The races will take place in the middle of a 5,000-hectare forest on trails specially designed for horse riding.”
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, IPIC as Strategic Partner, 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 2016, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Anantara Eastern Mangroves Spa and Resort.
~end