Amsterdam, July 13: Officials of the Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival, International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) and Emirates Arabian Horse Society (EAHS) met at the Renaissance Hotel in Amsterdam to chalk out details for the First-ever World Arabian Horse Racing Conference to be held in Abu Dhabi from September 23-25.
The Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Flat Racing Festival in association with Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) and Emirates Arabian Horse Society (EAHS) had announced the first-ever World Arabian Horse Racing Conference in Abu Dhabi from September 23-25.
The three-day event will be held on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2010 (ADIHEX) in co-ordination with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC).
Speaking to members of the media after the meeting, Sami Jassim Al Bunain, IFAHR Chairman said, “We have drawn a list of personalities and will finalise a list of 20 once we have their confirmations. These officials will then constitute four different panels which as of now are broadly divided into cultural and historical aspect, breeding, racing and training of Arabian racehorses and future of Arabian racing.”
“The response from around the world has been very encouraging and we must thank Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs,” said Mats Genberg, IFAHR Secretary.
“We expect between 60 to a 100 experts from various fields to take part in the panel discussions and this will possible be the richest assembly experts who have Arabian racing in their heart,” Genberg added.
IFAHR Vice Chairman Mohammed Essa Al Adhab said, “The UAE leaders have always supported Arabian horse racing and this conference initiated by Sheikh Mansoor will help in collecting a lot of ideas on promoting Arabian horse racing and also help in finding solutions.”
Essam Abdulla, Director General of Emirates Arabian Horse Society (EAHS) said his organization was closely involved in the conference. “We are keen to focus on the breeding aspect and its related subjects and have much to offer and exchange expertise with others in the conference,” Abdulla said.
Lara Sawaya, Director of Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Flat Racing Festival said, “Today’s meeting was a huge success and the list of potential subjects were also finalized.”
“From the Festival’s side I would like to announce that one of our sponsors Invest AD is supporting our move to create the first ever free-to-download application connected with Purebred Arabian racing. Starting with the Festival’s race series and the Wathba Stud Farm supported races, a lot of useful and important data concerning the horses will be easily available.”
“This will be an I-pad and I-phone application and with over three million I-pads already sold, will be free to down load and use. It will be unveiled during the conference and HH Sheikh Mansoor will ‘touch-start’ the endeavour,” Sawaya said.
HSBC bank, Invest AD, Bonyan International Investment Group LLC, Areej Al Ameerat are sponsors of the conference with Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2010 (ADIHEX) and Wathba Stud Farm also supporting the event.
—Agencies