Muscat, January 05: The Omani annual Royal Horse Race Festival at Al Adiyat horse race track in the wilayat of A’seeb took an interesting turn this year by boosting its traditional touches and female participation.
Sultan Qaboos of Oman attended the festival with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minster of the Presidency Affairs in UAE were the honoury guests. The festival was also attended by members of the royal family and top Omani officials and managed to attract huge crowds from the public and horse races fans.
The festival included Six rounds, five of which were allocated for pure Arabian horses, one for Thoroughbred and a number of assorted interesting programmes and performances by horsemen and horsewomen from the Royal Cavalry.
At the first round, “Ras Madraka” for pure Arabian horses for 1100 meters (for horsewomen riders) Al Sabiqah ridden by Fatimah bint Rashid al Manjiyah came first, “Al Mutafawiq” ridden by Suhailah bint Mubarak al Shuhiyah came second and “Bashoshah” ridden by Ramalh bint Khalil al Zadjaliyah came third.
Horsewomen riders performed spectacular acts which took the breath of the audience. Omani women pride themselves in their equality with men.
At the second race “Ras Al Jinz” for pure Arabian horses for 1600 meters “Mutafan” of the Royal Cavalry ridden by Asa’ad bin Ali al Siyabi came first, “Rubi De Carrere” of the Royal Oman Police ridden by Hamoud bin Mohammed al Hajri came second and “Karte D’or” of the Royal Cavalry ridden by Yasser bin Jameel al Sunaidi came third.
At the third round “Ras Al Ruwais” race for pure Arabian horses for 1100 meters “Bade’a” of the Royal Cavalry ridden by Said bin Bati al Badi came first, “Al Nasr” of the Royal Cavalry Ridden by Asa’ad bin Ali al Siyabi came second and Muhal of the Royal Cavalry ridden by Yasser bin Jamil al Sunaidi came third.
At the fourth round “Ras Al Duqum” for thoroughbred horses for 1600 metres “Lavarone” owned by Mohammed bin Nasser al Araimi and ridden by A’mir bin Salim al Ghunaimi came first, “Exclusive one” owned by Salim bin Suleiman al Fairouz, ridden by Amm’ar bin Abdul Rahim al Balushi came second and “Olympic city” of the Royal Cavalry, ridden by Said bin Bati al Badi came third.
At the fifth round “Ras Hasik” for pure Arabian horses for 1600 metres “Sabaeh” owned by Humaid bin Sultan al Mahrouqi and ridden by Abdullah bin Humaid al Mahrouqi came first, “Dorki Lotois” owned by Said bin Suhail al Makhini and ridden by Badr bin Mohammed al Hajri came second and “Mag De Carrere” owned by Sayyid Munthir bin Saif al Busaidi and ridden by Ibrahim bin Khamis al Miqbali came third.
At the sixth round “Ras al Had” for pure Arabian Horses for 2000 metres for His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s Cup “Qadeer” of the Royal Cavalry ridden by Ahmed bin Saif al Hadhrami came first, “Mudalal” of the Royal Cavalry and owned by Said bin Bati al Badi came second and “Al Wadea” of the Royal Cavalry and ridden by Hamoud bin Hamad al Husaini came third.
The Royal Cavalry horsemen and horsewomen presented a number of interesting shows and performances including military procession of carriages and mounted riders, rescue riding display, combined horses display, musical display on coaches, traditional equestrian display, dancing horses display, vaulting display, rakdh al ardha, horse sleeping (traditional show), al habout and Zzamil show and the arrival of Ladies endurance race display.
The festival also included Troika display, mounted bands procession, children’s military parade, skill-at-arms display, sword skills art, arrow shooting, the grand children pony race.
The Festival also included parade of disabled children, equestrian skills and trick ridding display, combined musical ride, combined musical drive. Trotters display, combined horse procession from various sections, and a “26” in hand carriage drive (a new record achievement by the Royal Cavalry in terms of the pure Arabian horses that drag carriages) and set free in the green paddock.
—Agencies