Abu Dhabi: The HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival’s Friends Committee, representing Purebred Arabian horse breeders, owners, trainers and jockeys, was formed on Saturday.
The group was created after a large number of the UAE connections of Purebred Arabian racing had raised many issues during the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference in Warsaw in May.
Mattar Suhail Al Yabhouni, board member and chairman of equestrian sport at Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and Lara Sawaya — Executive Director of the Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies and Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) — addressed the members of the new body at the Anantara Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Shaikh Hamed Bin Khadim Al Hamed was also in attendance.
The meeting thanked Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, for his support and for creating another avenue to boost Purebred Arabian racing.
“We are all friends of the Festival and have passion for the Arabian horse, and without togetherness and mutual cooperation and respect to each other, we won’t be able to stage successful events,” Lara said.
She added: “The Wathba Stud Farm Cup will be staged at Al Ain Racecourse under the umbrella of the Festival with effect from the upcoming racing season, in the same pattern of the equivalent races at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and all terms and conditions, including the breeders’ bonus, apply.”
Among other issues raised by members during the meeting, one of the most important was their plea for the establishment of an equine hospital in the Western Region as, at present, breeders and owners are suffering due to the fact that Sharjah Equine Hospital is 400km away.
Al Yabhouni confirmed that arrangements are on to build a fully-equipped equine hospital courtesy of the Festival.
“All feasibility studies, plans and funds are in hand to start the construction work as soon as possible,” he confirmed.
Regarding track conditions at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club racecourse, Al Yabhouni promised to take up the matter with Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Racecourse, to replace the turf track. Many owners and trainers felt the prevailing track conditions caused injuries to their horses.
Leading horse breeder and owner Khalid Al Naboudah urged the meeting to adopt his proposal of starting the breeding calendar in October instead of March in the light of the hot weather conditions.
He said: “This could be implemented over three to four years because the hot and humid weather conditions from April onwards deprive breeders from taking advantage of the short winter period to bring up foals capable of competing against foreign-bred horses.”
