Dubai: Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, FEI President from 2006 to 2014, was awarded the prestigious Longines Ladies Award in a unique ceremony at Hampton Court Palace in the UK.
The Award, which was instituted in 2013, celebrates the achievements of women who have consistently succeeded at the highest level in equine sport.
Princess Haya, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was honoured as the sole recipient of the 2015 Longines Ladies Award by the jury of Louis Romanet, Chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), Nathalie Belinguier, President of the International Federation of Gentleman and Lady Riders (Fegentri) and FEI President Ingmar De Vos.
“We are here to celebrate the extraordinary career of an exceptional, unique and elegant lady. An Olympian, a humanitarian, a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and former President of the International Equestrian Federation. Of course, I am speaking of Her Royal Highness Princess Haya,” Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice-President and Head of International Marketing at Longines, said.
“Many of us in the room have had the immeasurable pleasure of working alongside Princess Haya. Millions more people around the world will experience the positive impact she has had on equestrianism — the sport she loves, the sport we at Longines love — for generations to come.
“She has transformed the wealth and profile of the International Equestrian Federation. She has shown the same fearlessness in tackling controversial issues for the sport as she did as a rider. Her outstanding elegance as a competitor, a leader, and a woman working tirelessly for the good of equestrian sports is why Her Royal Highness Princess Haya is the winner of the 2015 Longines Ladies Award.”
Princess Haya, who last December joined Princess Anne, the Infanta Dona Pilar de Borbon (ESP), and Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh (GBR) as an FEI Honorary President, said she was humbled to receive the award in front of so many friends.
“It’s a massive honour to be the winner and the recipient of this award,” Princess Haya said. “I have so many people to thank and I accept this award on behalf of the many women who have helped me along the way, and of course the many men. The fact is that horses bring out the best in people and it’s all about working together. And Longines will always be the cement that unifies our two families of racing and horse sport.”
FEI President Ingmar De Vos said: “The Longines Ladies Award recognises the success and achievements of elegant women at the very highest level of the global horse sports industry.
“Princess Haya has had a profound and long-lasting effect not only on equestrian sport and all those involved in it, but also on countless women outside the sport, who have been inspired by her determination, her strength and her integrity.
“The Longines Ladies Award is a wonderful tribute to her consummate sportsmanship and leadership both on and off the field and her ability to empower individuals and communities around the world. It is an honour for me, the FEI family, and the many supporters around the world of Princess Haya’s tireless dedication in supporting and growing equestrian sport worldwide to be a part of this celebration.”
Louis Romanet paid tribute to Princess Haya’s role in promoting collaboration at the top level of equestrian sports: “She was a very good and very elegant show jumping rider before becoming an outstanding President of the FEI for eight years. Princess Haya was elected as the first President of the International Horse Sports Confederation, which we created together in 2014 as a formal vehicle of cooperation between the FEI and IFHA.”
Nathalie Belinguier said: “Princess Haya has a spirit of competition and excellence. She especially illustrates this in her elegance as a woman, the way in which she ran the FEI, which she directed marvellously well. Her noble way and her class have shown us this.”