The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival have made plans to ensure today’s (Friday) Sheikha Fatma Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ladies Endurance Cup at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba will be an event to remember for all the right reasons.

While some of the top lady riders will participate in the 100-km event, there will be a series of events on the sidelines for girls aged between 6 and 9 years at a ‘Fatma Wathba Land’.

“The 100-km ride will be run in four stages of 33kms, 27kms, 24kms and 16 kms. The riders will vie for a share of the Dh 350,000 on offer. The ride will get off to a mass start at 7.00 am,” said Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.

Ms. Lara Sawaya, Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and Head of Ladies racing in IFAHR outlined a series of prizes and mementoes for both the participating lady riders as well as the children who attend Friday’s ride.

“All lady riders in both the Sheikha Fatma Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ladies Endurance Cup and the HH the President’s Cup ride on Saturday will be given an 18-carat rhodium-plated bracelet with a Green Tourmaline stone and with a picture of Sheikha Fatma Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the ride logo,” Ms. Sawaya said.

In addition, there will be a themed ‘’Fatma Wathba Land’ where about 70 girl students wearing Sheikha Fatma Bint Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ladies Endurance Cup T-shirts, will be joined by girls of similar age from the public in fun and games.

“Three girls from the children present will be given a pony each while two more will be selected=”true”=”true” to avail free riding classes at the riding school. Two children (Each accompanied by a family member) will also win tickets to a trip to Paris and a visit to Disneyland,” Ms. Sawaya explained.

“It will be a festival atmosphere and the right stage to get the young girls to know more about horses and horse sport and this is the sole aim of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival,” she added.

Nafez Abara of SAS Investment, one of the sponsors of the ride said, “We are extremely proud to be associated with this event and we thank HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs for this opportunity.”

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival is organized by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and co-ordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare and Fegentri with Emirates airlines as the official carrier and sponsored by Invest AD, Al Rashid Investment, Areej Al Ameerat, Mauzan, Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2013, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Wathba Stud Farm and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.