THE HAGUE – All arrangements are well in place to host the second edition of the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference at the Hilton Hotel here during the month of June, it was announced on Monday.
With over 100 experts, scientists and vets along with 32 speakers in the equine fields as well as horse breeders, owners and trainers, the three-day function is expected to draw the attention of the international media and other parties involved in the industry.
The conference will also support the ladies’ Fegentri race scheduled to be held on the final day of the conference in which two UAE lady jockeys , Fatima Al Marri and Shagra Al Hajjaj will make debut at the Duindigt Racecourse.
The Press conference was attended by Sami Al Bunain, chairman of IFAHR, Mohammed Al Adhab, vice-chairman of IFAHR, WJ Ruiter, treasurer IFAHR, Abdulla Al Qubaisi, director of Communications ADACH, Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival and Sahmma Al Ketbi on behalf of Nora Khalifa Al Suwaidi, director of the Emirates General Women Association and chairperson of the UAE Women Sport.
Speaking to newsmen during the international Press conference, WJ De Ruiter, chairman of the Dutch Arabian Horse Committee, treasurer of IFAHR and member of the executive committee said they are extremely happy to host the event close to the racecourse which saw the biggest field of Arabian horses lining up for honour in the Al Wathba Cup last Sunday.
“The conference will be held over three days from June 16 to 18, and culminates with a special racing day (Emirates Day) which is expected to see more than 4,000 spectators packing the Duindigt Racecourse,” he said.
“What makes races popular is the prizemoney and in this connection, I would like to thank Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for providing us with the basic requirement for staging successful races,” he added.
Speaking about the peculiar characteristics of the Arabian horse, Ruiter said it’s not an easy job to train a horse with different mind and passions like the Arabian horse unless you treat him as equal as others.
“They are special creatures that require special people who have passions with the Arabian horse,” he pointed out.
“And as it is the case in football, you need money to develop talent, we also need money to improve races and ensure the purity of the Arabian horse which we take it as our basic objective.
“Though Al Wathba Cup has provided a prizemoney of €6,000, it still works and people from around Europe and Holland have sent their horses to take part.
“Last Sunday we had 13-horse line-up and this has never been the case before,” he said.
“Shaikh Mansoor has put the train on the rails and the train is moving. We want to keep it moving. Shaikh Mansor’s effort to keep the ball rolling by supporting 40 Arabian races around Europe is paying dividends. This man has done the job. He’s a doer and not a talker,” he said.
“The conference is a new chapter in races. I would like to thank the UAE for supporting us. I would like also to thank the Dutch Jockeys Club for organising the biggest trotting race on the final day of the conference. It’s the major racing event of our season. People will come from everywhere to see amateur women jockeys riding Arabian horses on that day and this will equally put women in the spot,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Abdulla Al Qubaisi said they are back again after less than a year from the inaugural edition of the conference which was held last year in Abu Dhabi to announce the preparations for the second meeting. “This is a clear indication that we are on the right track and have come close to our ultimate objective by looking after the Arabian horse thanks to the strong support of our wise leadership.
“Arabian horses are part of our culture, history, heritage and passions and caring of, developing, promoting and improving the capabilities of this noble creature set the best example of our love and dedication to our past.
“The UAE have hosted a number of conferences, seminars, races and panels to promote the Arabian horses which count to more than 200,000 horses around the globe,” he said.
Sami Al Bunain, chairman of IFAHR said: “We would like to thank the UAE and Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan for all what they have been doing for us. Abu Dhabi has become the capital of the Arabian horse and races.
“We came to realize that the initiative of Shaikh Mansoor to launch the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference was a courageous step in the right direction. We were worried that it was a move to create a second body, but we came to understand that it was a brilliant idea that added to our efforts and did not deducted from them,” he said.
“The federation is an umbrella for organisational matters, but we need educational methods and scientific researches to boost our march,” he said.
Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival said: “We are now assembled again once again to announce the second edition of this much-awaited and important conference which has raised many crucial issues last year in Abu Dhabi in promoting Arabian horse racing and preserving the noble breed.
“I’m delighted to announce that the first-ever book on Purebred Arabian races series will be published and distributed by us.
“The publication reflects the success of the Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Racing Festival and serves as a record of events and achievements,” she said.
Mohammed Al Adhab, Vice-Chairman, IFAHR said: “The UAE initiative aimed at promoting the Arabian horse. We are truly obliged for the men who were behind the great move.”
According to Nora Khalifa, the UAE woman has become a major player in the sports scene and the equestrian field is not an exception.
