Abu Dhabi: Around 120 riders from across the globe will be descending on the capital to take part in the FBMA Show Jumping Cup which gets underway at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on February 26.
A total prize money of Dh400,000 is up for grabs and the tournament is being held annually as part of the FBMA calendar. Apart from the riders from UAE, the event has also attracted riders from Kuwait, Syria, Egypt, Qatar, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
The event will feature three categories — junior, young riders and professional — and it will also have riders from Denmark, Britain and USA.
The two-day event is held under the patronage of Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, chairperson of Family Development Foundation and Chairwomen of the Supreme Council of Motherhood and Childhood.
Coordinated by Shaikha Fatima Bint Hazza, chairwoman of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA) and President of the Abu Dhabi Ladies Club, the event is supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club among others.
“The FBMA Show Jumping Cup is a culmination of efforts put in by FBMA intended at encouraging Emirati women and young ladies to practice and take a keen interest in equestrian sports,” said Adnan Al Nuaimi, General Manager of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, while speaking at the press briefing yesterday.
Talal Al Hashemi, Technical Affairs Director of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, lauded the efforts of the Academy stating: “The event will go a long way in developing sports for women in the UAE and help emerging talents to reach international standards.”
Fatima Al Ali, a representative of the FBMA, emphasised that the cup is a significant event of the year and that the academy has expanded the competition’s scope to give more riders a chance to be a part of it.
