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A step in the right direction

DEN HAAG (NETHERLANDS) - Shaikha Najla Al Qassimi, UAE ambassador to Sweden, says love for Arabian horses touches the hearts.

Speaking on the second day of the World Arabian Horse Racing Conference at the Hilton Hotel Ballroom here on Friday, the first UAE woman ambassador said the racing community is grateful to Shaikha Fatima bin Mubarak, Chairwoman of the UAE General Women’s Union, and Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, for their strong support and backing of the country’s women sport.

“By sending Fatima Al Marri and Shathra Hajjaj to ride in the Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Fegentri Cup at the Dundight Racecourse on Sunday, we are only knocking on the doors,” she said.

“It’s a step in the right direction, but that’s not everything. I don’t deny that government support and backing is badly needed at the early stages of the process to make things move, but the effort should be endless. Sportswomen should work hard to show the best of them and convince the others that they will not live in the shade. Horse owners and trainers should be satisfied with the talent and competency of the women jockeys otherwise they will not give them their best horse, or at least give them some promising rides.

“It’s like that. I would like to see our girls riding because they are competent and not because they are well supported UAE women. There’s no point of remaining amateurs for good. They must educate themselves to go professional very quickly or give way,” she said.

Shaikha Najla spoke about her personal experience as the first UAE woman ambassador who rode the train from the first station. “I’m a professional diplomat. I don’t deny to have received all assistance at the beginning of my career. This was very natural and should be expected in a closed traditional society like ours. But the real challenge is to make your presence felt with true professional conduct and performance.

“I appreciate the situation might be different with women sports. There are some obstacle and barriers need to be removed, and the government is working on them. Fortunately, when it comes to horse racing, he society will look at it from a different angle.

“And provided that, the rules and directives of Islamic Sharia is observed as regards the dress code and appearance, the way is paved for every woman rider to show her talent,” she said.

“We are not planning to make woman physically strong, but we would like to see them healthy and fit, because horse sport in particular will never make the woman lose her soft touch. This is the difference between horse riding and other tough games and that’s why we encourage our girls to go for the challenge,” she concluded.