“We start with Muscat in Oman on January 20 and in total we will see 108 events being worked off in the six continents during the year 2017,” she said.

“Algeria is a country that will make its debut in staging the Festival’s events and following the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor regarding the huge potential there, we are staging three Wathba Stud Farm Cup races and one leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship (IFHRA),” Ms. Sawaya said.

“Algeria is a fertile venue for racing with good potential and hopefully the Festival will support and help to develop the races there including the development of the infrastructure, where ever it is possible,” she added.

“They already have 130 horses in racing during the 10-month season plus one breeding center, but they have no rating or handicapping system. Algeria will also join IFHRA (International Federation of Horse Racing Academies) after the next general meeting in February and that will raise the number of member countries to 52 nations,” Ms. Sawaya said.

“We have also added one Apprentice event to the Oman calendar while breaking new ground in the USA with Mammoth Park hosting the first ever Arabian race in its history. Turkey will also be a new venue f while Germany is back in the Festival’s calendar. In endurance, Spain will be part of the Festival for the first time,” she said.

At the top of the racing programme is the Festival’s 14-race Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup series which will, culminate in the Euros 1.2 million Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Crown Jewel (Group 1) race on November 12 in Abu Dhabi. The HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship series will work off 14 events around the globe while the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Apprentice World Championship series will see 12 races before the grand finale.

Ms. Sawaya also announced a new Wathba Stud Farm Championship Cup in Abu Dhabi where the top horses of the Wathba Cup races in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain will compete in the Dh 150,000 Wathba Stud Farm Championship Cup which will be run on the November 12 finale.

“Three of the top performing horses in the Wathba Stud Farm Cup, based on points earned, will be competing in the Sheikh Zayed Cup to be held on the sidelines of the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference in Morocco from May 1 to 7, 2017,” Ms. Sawaya explained.

“Furthermore, special rates for nominations from Wathba Stallions are on offer for UAE breeders including free nomination for the winners of selected=”true”=”true” races at Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. These are from top stallions that include Raaziq, Mushrae, Areem, Lahib, Naseem and Musharab,” said Ms. Sawaya, who heads Wathba Stallions.

“The prestigious Darley US Awards and the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Awards will be held at the Dolby Studio in Hollywood on March 31 while on the sidelines, the US $ 100,000, HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Stakes will be held at the Santa Anita Park,” she stated.

An equally expanded programme for endurance rides under the Festival’s umbrella was announced which included the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies CEIO Cup and the World Championship for Young Horses. The rides will be spread over France, Portugal, Hungary, Spain, Italy and Belgium. “We will also make a few changes to strengthen the UAE Ladies team that will take part in the rides in Europe,” she added.

Meanwhile, the partners, associates and sponsors of the Festival once again pledged their strong support and backing for the huge effort towards promoting the UAE history, heritage and culture.

The National Archives was represented at the press conference by Dr. Abdulla Raisi, Salama Al Qubaisi represented General Women’s Union, Ahmed Al Qubaisi from Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Mubarak Al Nuaimi from Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, Ahmed Al Mazrouei representing the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Stefano Daneri and Munira Almarzouki representing the National Feed and Flour Production Company, Nadim Lahad from the Emirates Airline, Khalid Khalifa Al Nabooda representing the breeders and owners, Pat Buckley from Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Faisal Al Rahmani, representing Al Ain Equestrian Club.

HH Sh.eikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Conference for Education