Conference on purebred racing focuses attention on their significant role as trainers and riders.
Delegates at the Second World Arabian Racing Conference yesterday highlighted the role of women in purebred Arabian racing and said a majority of the trainers and riders were women.
With tomorrow’s Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Fegentri Cup making a debut in the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Racing Festival, the UAE’s Shaikha Najla Al Qasimi said the UAE took a very short period to put women equestrian competitors on the international stage.
“If you look at history you will see that world horse racing saw women’s involvement as early as the 1850s, and then recently in 1940s women were allowed to be trainers and then it was as late as in 1969 women jockeys began to take part,” Shaikha Najla said.
“But in the UAE lady riders have been of international level at a much faster pace and with the UAE having been founded only in 1971 that is fast,” she said.
American representative Kathy Smoke highlighted the role of women in Arabian racing. “I have seen Arabian horses seem to relate to my younger women in the stables, something that is inherent in women… in nurturing. The Arabian horse is so incredibly intelligent they prefer to be nurtured and I always tell my staff, ‘use them don’t abuse them’.”
On Thursday afternoon, one of the finest assembly of top class trainers were seen in action as the packed hall lapped up every bit of their experience and expertise. Four of France’s top trainers Jean-Pierre Totain, Erwan Charpy, Eric Lemartinel and Alban De Mieulle were joined by two equally accomplished lady trainers, Gillian Duffield from the UK and American Tracey Nunley.
On a suggestion that the distances for Purebred Arabian races should be increased, Charpy said varied distances will be a problem for trainers while Totain said fans wanted to see exciting finishes which would not be possible if the distances were three or four miles.
Duffield said: “We did have a lot of long distances races in the UK and there were hardly any runners.”
Nunley said: “The difference between thoroughbreds and Arabians is that owners involved have more passion. I am so happy that through this conference we can make Arabian racing more popular and let people know from where the thoroughbreds came from!”
UAE Presidents Cup wins pride of place
For the first time in its history, Kentucky’s Churchill Downs racecourse will today host the UAE Presidents Cup for Purebred Arabians. It is the third round of the UAE Presidents Cup series and boasts a prize purse of $50,000 (Dh183,630). The event is organised by the Emirates Equestrian Federation.
