The 27th annual Darley Awards sponsored by the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, and HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, President of the General Women’s Union – Chairwoman of Motherhood and Childhood Supreme Council, is set to be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on Friday.

The champions in the 11 categories will be named during celebrations ceremony which will be held at the Hollywood Theatre in Los Angeles, USA.

The prize-presentation ceremony will be attended by Dr Wadoda Badran, Director-General of the Arab Women Organization, HE Abdulla Al Subosi, General Consulate of the UAE Embassy in Los Angeles, Sami Jassim al Boenain, Chairman of the International Federation for Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), Lara Sawaya, Director HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival Chairman of Ladies Racing Committee (IFAHR), Ali Mosa Al Khamiri, director of Fubai Equestrian Club, Kinsman Wright, Darley Award Chairman, as well as Dennis Juliet, from the Arabian Racing Cup besides the festival’s sponsors and a big number of Arabian horse breeders, owners, jockeys and lady jockeys from around the globe.

According to Lara Sawaya, the staging of the Mother of the UAE Darley Awards and the US Darley Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood is a new challenge for the festival and continuation of its achievements which have been accomplished throughout the previous editions around the world.

“The ceremony will have its peculiar features as the focus would be on nominating the best in each of the 11 categories of the festival,” she said.

“The ceremony will start at 7.30pm (LA time) with all guests passing through the Red Carpet, followed by the Cocktail party for all breeders, owners, trainers and jockeys involved in the Arabian horse races. Thereafter, the winners of the Mother of the UAE Darley Awards would be announced at the international 11 categories,” she added.

Best Breeder Category, Best Owner category, Best lady Breeder category, Best lady Owner category, Best lady trainer category, Best lady jockey category, Best filly category, Best achievement category, Best lady photographer, Best lady journalist and Best media report.

“The authorities which nominate their candidates for the awards should ensure the authenticity of their nominations considering the great value and importance of the Awards which carry the name of the Mother of the UAE.

“Winners in the various categories would receive appreciation trophy besides a hat designed by the world famous Polish designer Rafael.

“I would like to thank HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, for their strong support and backing for the festival,” she said.

Sawaya reiterated that the festival has been always showing the way pursuant to the vision and directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan. She pointed out that the staging of the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Awards in the Hollywood, the capital of the world cinema, is a new challenge for the festival which it will win thanks to the determination of the persons involved.

“Three candidates have been nominated for each category, and the winner would be selected=”true”=”true” therefrom,” she said.

Regarding the US Darley Awards, they also contain 11 categories; five candidates have been nominated for each category to compete for the Award. The categories are: Three YEAR OLD COLT OR GELDING, 3 YEAR OLD FILLY , 4 YEAR OLD COLT OR GELDING, 4 YEAR OLD FILLY , OLDER HORSE, OLDER MARE, OWNER, BREEDER, TRAINER, JOCKEY, HORSE OF THE YEAR.

Meanwhile, Sawaya clarified: “The success of the festival is underlined with its continuity and promotion of the Arabian horse worldwide. And the staging of the HH Sheikha Fatima Awards in Hollywood is crowning for such success to introduce the importance of the festival to the world.

“There is another indicator of the festival’s success as represented in the participation in the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition and hopefully this trend will continue.”

Denise Gault, US Darley Award chief steward, said: “The partnership with the festival is a great honour for the officials of the Awards and I would like to thank HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak for their support of Arabian horses worldwide which has its positive impact in the restoring of the value of this noble creature. We are hopeful that the Arabian Horse Racing Committee in California would stage this international event up to the reputation which the festival and the Oscar of the Mother of the UAE have acquired over years.”