On August 15, 2023, the San Sebastián racetrack in the Kingdom of Spain will host the Wathba Stallions Cup, dedicated to purebred Arabian horses aged only three years. The race covers a distance of 2000 meters and offers a prize of 10,000 euros. The event is sponsored by the Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Festival.
The organization of the event is under the directives and encouragement of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Minister of Presidential Court and Chairman for the Emirates Arabian Horse Society. This initiative aims to develop the global horse racing industry, support the preservation of purebred Arabian horse breeds, and encourage breeders’ interest and care for these horses across different continents.
A total of 9 horses will participate in the race, led by “Namour Al Shahania” owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, supervised by François Rohaut, and ridden by Valentin Seguy. Other competing horses include “Khalisa De Faust” ridden by M. Meyer, “Shehrazad” ridden by Michael Foulon, and others.
The event also includes races such as the Jewel Crown of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Zayed Cup, the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Cup, the Wathba Stallions Cup, and the International Purebred Arabian Horse Racing Summit.
The festival, which started on January 11 of the same year, has seen strong engagement, with new races added in the 2023 season. It features the organization of 152 races, both locally and internationally, with races categorized into different tiers.
The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Horse Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed as strategic partner, The National Library & Archives as the official partner , MUBADALA as the official partner ,Emirates Airline as the official carrier, Etisalat as official sponsor & sponsored by Al Massood Automobiles Nissan, Areej Alameerat, Omeir Travels Agency, YAS Sports TV, Viola Communications, the UAE’s General Women’s Union , Emirates International Endurance Village, Emirates Arabian Horse Society & Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.