Abu Dhabi: Nearly 200 riders and teams from 22 nations will in action over the next two days in Compiegne, France, with the support of the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.
Many of the UAE’s leading riders, including European Open champion Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri and his son Khalifa Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri, who has won many rides in the UAE this season, will be representing the Al Wathba Stables, which are owned by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The UAE riders will be taking part in the 160km ride on Friday and the 160km ride and Nations Cup on Saturday.
Lara Sawaya, Director of the Festival and Head of the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) Ladies Racing, said: “This is the first set of rides that we will be supporting and on July 27 we will be supporting the 120km 2013 FEI World Endurance Championship for Juniors and Young Riders, which will take place in Tarbes, also in France.”
“The Shaikh Mansour Festival is already well known here in France and the rest of the world for the huge efforts in promoting Purebred Arabian racing, and now with this support for endurance races. This is a first for the festival outside of the UAE.”
