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Arabian Horse Championship set for takeoff

DUBAI - The 2011 edition of the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship, the prestigious second Dubai Title Show, will be officially inaugurated at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday, it was announced on Sunday.

The three-day-event is held under the support and guidance of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and UAE Minister of Finance.

The Championship which will run for the eighth time is a competition for Purebred Arabian horses, showcasing their beauty, agility and heritage. It is run over three days culminating in the Championship classes for the most exquisite horses.

According to Ziad Galadari, chairman of the Higher Organising Committee, the Championship once again will be enhanced in 2011 with the staging of the Dubai International Horse Fair, which will open alongside the Championship.

“The Horse Fair is the largest equestrian exhibition in the region and caters to everyone in the equestrian world from trade to consumers.

Both these events are open to the public free of charge,” he noted.

“We are pleased to announce that 276 horses are registered to compete in this second Dubai Title Show, 192 horses, in the ECAHO Qualifying classes (103 UAE horses, 84 GCC horses & 5 European horses) and 84 horses are participating in the ridden classes, endurance & racing classes,” he added.

“Three Females participating in the Show are World Gold Champions and seven are World Silver or Bronze Champions. In the Dubai Show more than 20 females participating in the Show have been champion in the most important Shows from all over the World.

“Three Stallions participating in the Show are World Gold Champions and 6 World Silver or Bronze Champions! and more than 15 males participating in the Show have been Champion in the most important Shows from all over the World,” he confirmed.

Galadari said: “Twenty four countries from four continents, i.e. Africa, America, Australia and Europe are participating. They are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Poland, Qatar, Spain, South Africa, Sultanate of Oman, Russia Sweden, Netherlands, UAE, and UK,” he said.

Facts and figures: The Show will be governed by ECAHO Regulation. (European Conference Arab Horse Organization).

Concerning the competition, the horses will be judged when they are standing, walking and trotting on the following basis — type; head and neck; body & top line; legs and movement.

In the World Arabian Horse Championship 2010 held in Paris, two world gold medal winners came from the UAE namely — Junior Female World Gold Champion, FT Shaella-Dubai Arabian Horse Stud and Senior Female World Gold Champion, Bess Fa’izah-Ajman Stud; plus one World Bronze winner in Senior Female World Bronze Champion, Lady Veronica-Dubai Arabian Horse Stud.