Dubai: The death of veteran Purebred Arabian handler Jean-Francois Bernard has cast a shadow over the sixth annual World Arabian Horse Racing Conference that opened in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday.
Frenchman Bernard, who won the 2013 Dubai Kahayla Classic (G1) with Mamum Monlau, was one of the most accomplished Arabian trainers. His death late on Tuesday came after a long battle with a complicated illness.
Bernard is also remembered for saddling the inaugural winner of the HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival in 2009, when Simmbad won the first overseas running of the Zayed Cup at Duindigt racecourse in the Netherlands.
“He was a dear friend to the Festival and was one of the trainers for Shaikh Mansour [Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs].” said Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the Festival. “He was very popular and successful as an Arabian horse trainer and we will surely miss him.”
Meanwhile, more than 400 delegates from over 80 countries have assembled in Poland for the three-day World Arabian Horse Racing Conference, which is held under the banner of the Festival.
Azim Mirza Al Rahma, UAE Ambassador to Poland, officially opened the conference and said: “The UAE always cares for Purebred Arabians and this event is a tribute to the late President Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was the first and foremost in protecting and caring for Purebred Arabian horses.
“This is being continued by the present UAE leadership.
“This conference is important for Poland, which has a rich history of Arabian horses, as well as to all the countries participating here. This event also boosts UAE-Polish ties on many fronts.”
Agnieszka Marczak, President of the Polish Jockey Club, said Poland was privileged to be chosen to stage the conference.
“Poland is a country whose history is entwined with Arabian horses and we hope over the next few days you enjoy our Polish hospitality,” she said.
