Sultan unveils book on Arabian horse racing

Abu Dhabi: A 300-plus page book, encapsulating the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, was launched on Wednesday at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2013.

Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) launched the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival Year Book 2012 soon after inaugurating the Book Fair 2013, which runs until April 29.

Received by Lara Sawaya, Director of the Racing Festival and Head of Ladies Racing in IFAHR, Shaikh Sultan wrote a message for Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and toured the stand which was uniquely designed as an “open book”.

Shaikh Sultan was accompanied by Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi, Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi.

In his foreword to the book, Shaikh Mansour said: “It is my great pleasure to be able to introduce this, the second edition of the annual book commemorating the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival. Our primary aim in holding this Festival is to honour the memory of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s efforts to preserve and promote the traditional heritage of the people of the United Arab Emirates and their forebears.”

“This year’s event is particularly special because it follows the recent recognition of the inaugural Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival as one of the UAE’s top sporting achievements of 2012,” Shaikh Mansour said.

Shaikh Sultan said in his message: “The chronicling of these events and achievements in the Year Book was another world achievement, it being the first book devoted to a Purebred Arabian race series. The second edition of this Year Book gives TCA Abu Dhabi another reason to celebrate the world-wide success of this unparalleled Festival.”

Sawaya said the presence of Shaikh Sultan and his message for Shaikh Mansour was a great honour for the Festival.

“It is a documented fact now that the support the Festival has received is reflected in the success of the Festival’s activities,” Sawaya said.

“For the third year, we have taken the most important position at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair and a lot of visitors have been touring the stand and getting acquainted with the activities of the Festival. This second edition of the Festival’s Year Book is a proud moment for us.”