The Belgian mare “FARIDA P”, emerged as the champion of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Listed Cup in Belgium. The race covered a distance of 2300 meters and was dedicated to purebred Arabian horses aged four years and above. The race, with a prize of 20,000 euros, was held under the sponsorship of the 15th edition of the global festival on August 29, 2023, at the Waregem Racecourse in Belgium.
The Wathba Stallions Cup races series is organized with the support 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, with the aim of developing the horse racing industry worldwide, supporting the preservation of purebred Arab horse breeds, and encouraging breeders to care for them across continents.
The four-year-old mare “FARIDA P” won the race with a lead of 4 lengths ahead of the Dutch horse “PICASSO T”. The third place was secured by “PAPILLION T”. The winning time for “FARIDA P” was recorded as 2:28:21 minutes.
The winners were honored in the presence of Mohammed Ismail Al-Sahlawi, the UAE Ambassador to Belgium, Lara Sawaya, the Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival, and Nelly Filbot, the President of the Belgian Arabian Horse Association.
Ambassador Al-Sahlawi expressed his gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his continuous support in promoting equestrian activities and raising the profile of Arabian horses globally. He highlighted that the festival’s success is a result of His Highness’s guidance and leadership.
Lara Sawaya, the Executive Director, expressed her delight at the success of the festival in Waregem – Belgium, stating that it was the largest race of the season in Belgium, classified as “Listed” and filled with excitement and competitiveness. She extended her thanks to the attendees, the enthusiastic audience of purebred Arabian horse races, and all the organizations and institutions that sponsored the event.
The festival includes races such as the Jewel of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s Crown, the Zayed Cup, the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup, the Wathba Stallions Cup, and the International Meeting for Purebred Arabian Horse Racing.
The festival’s inaugural race started strongly on January 11 of this year. With the addition of new races in the 2023 season, the festival includes a total of 152 local and international races around the world, covering various categories such as first, second, and third-class races.
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.