Over 100 lady riders for HH Sheikha Fatima Cup on Saturday, 28 November

27 November 2015, Abu Dhabi, UAE ~ Over 100 lady riders are expected to start in the Saturday 28 November endurance ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“The 100-km event is being sponsored by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival, National Feed & Flour Production Company, National Archives and Al Masoud. The top five who finish the ride will be awarded 4WD cars each,” said Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, ADEC Director General.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival 2016 Ladies Series

In a major boost to lady riders, 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) said the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup will be a series this year.
“Under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, three endurance races will be staged in Europe in 2016 and carry the name of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup which will become a series and culminate with the final in Abu Dhabi,” she said.

A CEIO Endurance Ride in Portugal by the end of April 2016 will carry a purse of €10,000, the French leg on 21 September will coincide with the World Championship for Young Horses (Global Festival Sponsored) with €10,000 prize money, and there will be one in Italy (tba).

“We will be requesting the FEI to introduce a ranking/rating system for the lady riders and horses in the series. Anyway based on the national teams performance (best timing of three of the 5-member team) in the three rides in Europe, the top three teams of riders and horses will be transported to Abu Dhabi to take part in the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup Final with a cash prize of €20,000,” said Ms Sawaya.

Prize Money Awarded For September Ladies Endurance Ride

Meanwhile, prize money will be awarded at the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival Gallery at the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival for the winners of the Verona, Italy, endurance ride sponsored by the Festival in September. The Italian Ladies team will receive €5000 and the UAE Ladies team will receive €3000 for their performance in the 2015 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup.

Prizes ~ Cash and a Car

Horse racing fans have been encouraged to attend Saturday’s ride and the Festival will be parting with DH 30,000 in cash, six iPhones 6S and 5 Mini iPads, all through a free raffle draw. “There is also a car to be won as a Grand Prize in the raffle,” Ms Sawaya said.

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.