Dubai 2015 - Emirates Equestrian Centre

Dubai
Show Jumping
Championship
2015
CSI***-W Dubai FEI World Cup Arab League
Official Programme
Thursday, 29th – Saturday, 31st January 2015
Emirates Equestrian Centre, Dubai, UAE
GOLD SPONSORS:
Officials
Event
programme
Event Committee Members
Mr. Frank G. Gabriel Jr – Executive Director
Col. Mohammed Essa Al Adhab
– General Manager
Mr. Paul McAuley – Show Manager
Ms. Lisa Hareb – Show Secretary
Mr. Donald D’Silva – Show Accountant
Ms. Sarah Tregoning – Press Officer
Mr. Tony Terry – Press Officer
Ms. Claire Grey – Planning & Sponsors
Ms. Chenelle Van Schalkwyk
– Planning & Sponsors
Ms. Nirmala Lestari – Planning & Catering
Appeal Committee
President – Mr. Yap Mou Soon (MAS)
Member – Mr. Steven Wilde (GBR)
Ground Jury
Mr. Khalil Ibrahim (UAE) – President
Mr. Ronan Sugrue (IRL) – Member
Mr. Karim Badaro (LIB) – Member
Ms. Christine Gruber (UAE) – Member
FEI Veterinary Delegate
Dr. Cristina Garcia Cantu (MEX)
Timekeeping & Scoreboard
Emirates Equestrian Centre
Emirates Equestrian Federation
Quarantine Supervising Veterinarian
Dr. Tom Morton
Foreign Judge (Appointed by FEI)
Ms. Brigitta Gass Mahdi (SUI)
Course Designer
Mr. Robert Ellis (GBR)
Assistant Course Designers
Mr. Bernardo Costa Cabral (POR)
Mr. Yousif Mahmoudi (UAE)
Chief Steward
Mr. Ali Mohajer (IRI)
Assistant Stewards
Ms. Alessandra Ceselli (ITA)
Ms. Lynn Al Redha (UAE)
Ms. Lauren Hattin (CAN)
Ms. Clare Sapire (ZA)
Mr. Abdul Raouf (UAE)
Treating Show Veterinarian
Dr. Dinisio Felix (Dubai Equine Hospital)
Farrier
Mr. Tom Runnalls
Manager International Stables
Ms. Christine Khairallah
Manager National Stables
Ms. Lilian Sternvad
Ms. Jennifer Forde
DAY 1
DAY 3
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Gates Open 11:30am
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Gates Open 11:00am
12:30pm Class 1
DUBAI EQUESTRIAN CLUB
WELCOME STAKES
Prize Money: AED 50,000
12:00pm CLASS 5
LONGINES ACCUMULATOR
Prize Money: AED 116,000
3:30pm Class 2
EMIRATES AIRLINE TWO PHASES
Prize Money: AED 84,000
DAY 2
Friday, January 30, 2015
Gates Open 1:00pm
2:30pm Class 3
GULF NEWS DUBAI CUP-QUALIFIER
FOR CSI-W DUBAI GRAND PRIX
Prize Money: AED 150,000
5:00pm Class 4
LONGINES SPEED STAKES
Prize Money: AED 65,000
3:00pm CLASS 6
EMIRATES AIRLINE DUBAI GRAND PRIX
FEI WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Prize Money: AED 245,000
6:15pm CLASS 7
EMIRATES EQUESTRIAN CENTRE
Prize Money: AED 30,000
Leading Rider Awards
LEADING RIDER
Prize Money: AED 10,000
LEADING UAE RIDER
Prize Money: AED 10,000
Sponsored by FBH Stables
& Emirates Equestrian Centre
A few words
from Emirates
Equestrian
Centre’s
Paul McAuley
Welcome all competitors and spectators
to our biggest event of the season, the
Dubai Show Jumping Championship. As a
CSI***-W show, the three-day event is one
of the highlights of the Arab League Show
Jumping Tour.
Every year we see top international
competitors from GCC countries and further
afield take to the show ring alongside the
best local talent in front of an enthusiastic
and informed crowd. This is also a great
place to see the stars of the future, both
equine and human, compete in the ring.
Since the 2014 renewal of the Dubai Show
Jumping Championship last January we
have seen members of the Dubai Show
Jumping Team take part in the Asian Games
in Incheon, South Korea, as part of the UAE
team where they finished a credible
fourth overall. Now we welcome back those
high-class competitors, who include our
own Abdullah Al Marri and UAE Olympian,
Sheikha Latifa Bint Juma Al Maktoum and
The Emirates Dubai Grand Prix winner,
Hamad Ali Al Attiya of Qatar.
From its inception in its current format in
2007, the Dubai Show jumping Championship
has offered the spectacle of show jumping
at its very best as well as a unique day out
for all the family and it is this inclusive ethos
that continues to attract visitors to the show
every year. Pony rides, bouncy castles, a
rodeo ride and face painting all add to the
party atmosphere. You don’t need to be a
show jumping enthusiast to enjoy this event
– there is something here for everyone.
Of course none of this would be possible
without the support of many people and
companies including our sponsors, the
official airline, Emirates; Longines, the
official timekeeper and Gulf News, the
official newspaper. There are many who work
hard behind the scenes to make this event
“At EEC we encourage
all levels of rider and
pride ourselves on our
facilities and the super
events that we organise
and host every year.”
a success from the riders and their grooms
to the Organising Committee the Ground
Jury and the Arena Crew. To those people I’d
like to say a big thank-you. To find out more
about the roles of some of these people,
read on – in the pages of this programme we
have Q&As with our commentator, Steven
Wilde and the President of the Ground Jury,
Khalil Ibrahim.
And while the Dubai Show Jumping
Championship may be our big event, we
also operate a full calendar of equestrian
disciplines from high-level dressage at
the FEI World Dressage Challenge and the
Dubai Dressage Championship as well as
National Show Jumping and Dressage shows
to eventing and our British Horse Society affiliated branch of Dubai Pony Club.
Our fully-qualified instructors can give
lessons to all standards from beginners to
Prix St George in dressage to Grand Prix
jumping. If you are just visiting Dubai we also
offer Desert Hacking to experienced riders.
At EEC we encourage all levels of rider
and pride ourselves on our facilities and
the super events that we organise and
host every year.
You can stay up-to-date with all
the action at EEC via our website
www.emiratesequestriancentre.com and see
all the behind-the-scenes news, images
and show results on our facebook page at
www.facebook.com/emiratesequestriancentre.
Here’s to another fantastic three days of
top-flight show jumping.
Paul McAuley
Manager – Emirates Equestrian Centre
Emirates Equestrian Centre
What We Can
Offer You
The Main Arena
Emirates Equestrian Centre is a top-class
facility offering all you need for you and
your horse. EEC is the only fully approved
British Horse Society (BHS) riding and training
establishment in the Middle East. It offers the
highest standard of livery care to horse
owners, maintains a string of classy riding
school horses and ponies, and delivers
35 event days per season of jumping,
dressage and cross country.
More than 250 students take lessons every
week at EEC with trainers catering to all
levels of ability, from complete beginner to
advanced. Desert hacks and pony rides
for young children can also be arranged.
The centre offers a full calendar of events in
show jumping, dressage and cross country,
throughout the season. These range
from training shows to top international
competitions such as the Dubai Show
Jumping Championship.
The Dubai Pony Club has been in existence at
EEC for more than 30 years, providing riding
lessons on the flat and over jumps,
horsemanship lessons, mounted games,
treasure hunts and fancy dress. The highlight
is the annual Pony Club Camp. Youngsters
can also train towards the Pony Club exams,
a series of qualifications that are recognised
worldwide. Along with lessons for our young
riders we also have the EEC Dubai Pony Club
which is fully affiliated.
For more information
Visit www.emiratesequestriancentre.com
or email [email protected]
or call 050 5537986.
Arena Restaurant
F&B Vendors
Arena Restaurant
An array of food, soft beverages and snacks
will be available for purchase to all spectators
who will be attending the three day event.
The restaurant is situated in a prime location
close to the main arena and offers an
opportunity to enjoy the event at the heart
of the action. Food and beverages will be
available on a cash basis in the family area,
located on the lawn. The catering will be
provided by Bab Al Shams Desert Resort
& Spa. Package starts from AED 275.
Admission
Free admission to the event for all
three days.
Sponsors
Emirates Airline
Longines
Today, Longines follows its vocation in
the field of sports timekeeping, namely in
equestrian sports (show jumping, flat racing
and endurance competitions), gymnastics
(artistic and rhythmic gymnastics), archery,
alpine skiing and at Roland-Garros.
The passion of Longines for equestrian
sports began in 1878 with the design of a
chronograph featuring an engraved jockey
and his mount. By 1912, the company
had partnered for the first time with an
international show jumping competition.
Emirates is a global connector
of people and places. With a
fleet of over 200 fuel efficient
aircrafts, the multi-award
winning airline flies to 140 destinations
across six continents. In 2013, Emirates
launched a host of exciting new routes;
Warsaw, Algiers, Tokyo Haneda, Stockholm,
Clark, Milan-New York, Conakry, Sialkot
and Kabul. The airline is the world’s largest
operator of the Airbus A380. The Emirates’
version of the double decker is equipped
with an Onboard Shower Spa for First Class
passengers and an Onboard Lounge for First
and Business Class travelers. Emirates is also
the industry’s largest operator of Boeing
777s with more than 130 in the fleet. A total
of 380 aircrafts, worth US$ 164 billion, are on
the order books. In May 2013, The Emirates
Group, which includes dnata, announced
its 25th consecutive year of profit, despite
the continuing tough international business
environment. For the 2012/13 financial year,
the group posted a AED 3.1 billion (US$845
million) net profit, up 34 per cent from the
previous financial year. Emirates’ ambitious
expansion plans have been supported by the
opening in Dubai of the world’s first purposebuilt A380 concourse. The facility started
operating at the beginning of January 2013
and was declared fully operational on 10
February 2013.
Longines is the Official
Partner as well as the
Official Timekeeper
and Watch of the Dubai Show Jumping
Championship. Based in the Swiss town
of Saint-Imier since 1832, the watchmaker
Longines can look back on a long tradition
typified by the elegance and the excellence
of its products. The Swiss watch brand has
generations of experience as the official
timekeeper at world championships and as
a partner of international sports federations.
Since the last quarter of the 19th Century,
the company has been developing various
types of technology for timing different
disciplines with increasing precision, as
well as producing chronographs and timed
performances at numerous competitions.
The company acquired a remarkable fund of
experience in an infinite variety of sporting
activities, at all levels of competition.
Nowadays the Swiss watch brand is a major
player in the world of equestrian sports.
As regards Show Jumping, Longines is the
First Top Partner as well as the Official
Timekeeper and Watch of the FEI (Fédération
Equestre Internationale) and gives its name
to the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping and
to the Longines Rankings. Besides the Dubai
Show Jumping Championship, Longines’
commitment includes important events and
competitions such as the Furusiyya Nations
CupTM, the President Cup presented by
Longines, the Longines Global Champions
Tour, the Longines China Tour, the Longines
Equestrian Beijing Masters and its Longines
Grand Prix, the Longines Hong Kong
Masters, the Longines Los Angeles Masters,
the Emirates Longines Show Jumping
League, the Longines Athina Onassis Horse
Show, the Longines CSI Basel and the
Hampton Classic Horse Show.
As a member of the Swatch Group, the
world’s leading manufacturer of horological
products, Longines has outlets in over
140 countries.
Sponsors
Gulf News
monthly traffic of around 3.3 million unique
visitors and nearly 25.6 million page views in
2014. As acknowledged by Forbes
Middle East, gulfnews.com is the No. 1 online
newspaper in the UAE and No. 3 in the
Arab World. It is also the only English
newspaper to make it to the top 10.
Specialised online classifieds verticals
catering to specific needs have been
launched. These include GNproperty.com,
GNcars.com, GNcareers.com and
GNclassifieds.com
Also very active are the group’s social media
tools i.e. Facebook, Twitter, SMS breaking
news, various Apps, GN TV and Gulf News at
Midday directly from the newsroom.
Gulf News, published
by Al Nisr Publishing
LLC, is the flagship publication of GN
Media, which is one of the largest and most
progressive multimedia organisations
of the Gulf, with activities spanning print
media to digital media and broadcasting.
Operating units under the GN Media
umbrella include newspapers, magazines,
broadcasting, digital media, contract
publishing, commercial printing, niche
publications and distribution. All GN Media
products have a unique distinction in that
they are ‘leaders’ in their respective genres.
GN Media newspapers include Gulf News,
Tabloid, Weekend Review, Classifieds, Jobs &
Careers, Residential Properties, Commercial
Properties, Freehold and XPRESS. Magazines
include Alpha, Aquarius, Friday, InsideOut,
Property Weekly, WatchTime, Wheels &
Wheels Arabic.
The group’s electronic media includes the
portal gulfnews.com, which has average
The distribution arm of GN Media boasts the
largest pan-Emirates print media distribution
network. It also has a highly successful Direct
Marketing section catering to various belowthe-line activities. Gulf News is the leading
English language newspaper of the region - a
position it has occupied for many years. This
fact is validated by the BPA Worldwide audit
for the six month period ending in June 2014,
confirming an average daily circulation of
109,906 and the IPSOS MediaCT - NRS UAE – 2013 survey. In fact, Gulf News
reaches more readers than all the other
English dailies combined. Apart from its
industry dominance, Gulf News also leads
on the social and cultural front through
its sponsorship of nearly every major
international and local event, whether
sporting, commercial or social. Gulf News
has been associated with the Dubai Show
Jumping Championship since its inception
and is proud to support this prestigious
event again this year.
A weekend of
Family Fun
A minute with
Khalil Ibrahim
International Show Jumping Judge Khalil
Ibrahim has set his sights on a judging
spot in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de
Janeiro. We talk to him about his goals
and aspirations...
Khalil Ibrahim, the President of the Ground
Jury at Dubai Show Jumping Championship,
is a man on a mission. He has ambitions to
be the first Arab show jumping judge at an
Olympic Games.
And he is heading in the right direction.
Ibrahim is a Level 3 FEI-qualified
international show jumping judge and was
recently the President of the Ground Jury at
an Asian Games, taking a seat in the judges’
box in Incheon, South Korea where the UAE
team finished fourth this summer.
A former competitor and one of the original
members of Dubai Show Jumping Team,
Ibrahim has also done duty as the team’s
trainer in 2001 before studying to be a judge.
“I’ve been very happy to have achieved a
lot in judging and to fly the flag for the UAE
on the international jumping circuits,” said
Ibrahim. “To be part of the Asian Games was
a big honour and next I am hoping to go to
the Olympics in Brazil as a show jumping
judge. I would become the first Arab to
achieve this and it is something that I have
been working towards for a long time so
Insha’allah, let’s see what happens.”
Ibrahim, a regular rider at the Dubai Show
Jumping Championship, began competing
during the 1980s and toured on the
European circuit in places like the UK, Ireland
and Germany. This experience of being a
competitor helps him as a judge. “I’ve been
part of the show jumping scene in Dubai for
a long time,” he said. “Some of the younger
generation do not know I was a rider myself
and they are surprised when they see me
schooling horses now, but having been
a competitor helps me understand the
pressures these guys are under during a
competition.
“I’ve been very happy
to have achieved a lot
in judging and to fly
the flag for the UAE
on the international
jumping circuits.”
“After I finished competing I took my FEI
exam to become an AI [Advanced Instructor]
and trained the Dubai Show Jumping Team
for a while. After that I focused on judging so
I could get my qualifications and now I travel
around the world as an international judge.”
Ibrahim is a regular on the top-tier Global
Champions Tour of show jumping, has
judged at many of the world’s biggest
events and also helps to train new judges
through Emirates Equestrian Federation-run
FEI courses.
The role of a judge, says Ibrahim, is to
ensure that the rules of the competition
are adhered to, that safety measures
are observed and that the results and
distribution of prize money are correct.
“Some people see us as being against the
rider but that is not the case,” said Ibrahim.
“We are here to interpret the rules and make
sure the competition runs smoothly. In some
cases competitors have trained for years for
big events, the judges are trained to ensure
that the welfare of the horse is respected
and that a level playing field is provided
for all athletes participating in the event. If
there is an altercation we can intervene with
an official, authoritative and fair reaction.
That’s why we study and take exams to
make sure that judges have knowledge of
the rules and accepted behaviours.”
A judge’s role starts before the day of the
competition even dawns, during the ‘Trot
Up’, when a veterinary official checks that
none of horses are lame. On the day of the
event, the judges, alongside the course
designer, will walk the course for each class
to double check the distances between
fences and ensure that the jumps conform
to the conditions of each class in terms of
height and difficulty. The judges have the
power to insist on alterations to the course
if it does not reach the required standard.
Once the class starts, the President of
the Ground Jury will ring the bell and each
competitor then has 45 seconds to go
through the timing equipment before they
incur penalty points. Judges will then watch
each round with an eagle eye and record all
penalties or eliminations incurred for knock
downs, refusals, falls, losing the way, circling
and time faults.
“We must also be aware of the conditions
of the day,” said Ibrahim. “We have to
pay attention to anything that is going
on outside the show ring that may cause
problems for the horses and riders. For
example we have had loose dogs that come
into the ring which can spook the horses
and cause a hazard or riders that can’t
control their horses. In that case we would
ring the bell to stop the round until we have
cleared the problem.”
Just like the competitors, Ibrahim and
his fellow judges must also cope with the
stresses of a big event.
“There can be a lot of pressure when
there are large amounts of prize money
or international honours at stake,” said
Ibrahim. “But as you get more experience
you learn to deal with it better. It is a big
honour to be involved in events like the
Dubai Show Jumping Championship. This
show will always have a fond place in my
heart as it’s our biggest show jumping event
and it’s where I started off as a competitor
and now where I am the President of the
Ground Jury.”
2014 Highlights
2014 Highlights
A minute with
Marion Hughes
Marion Hughes is an Irish international and
Olympic show jumper and a regular rider
at the Dubai Show Jumping Championship.
She is married to fellow show jumper,
Miguel Bravo and they have three children,
Molly, Marta and Matilde. When in the
UAE Hughes rides for Sheikha Maitha Bint
Mohammed Al Maktoum’s Team Z 7.
How did you become a professional
show jumper?
I have been riding since I could walk and
have always being passionate about horses.
I hunted from eight years of age and was
very active in the Pony Club. This was an
amazing experience for me. We had the
benefit of a great trainer for Pony Club
Games which we did at most gymkhanas.
We also did show jumping. It was a lot of
fun but at the same time we were learning
how to be athletic and quick thinking on
the ponies. Our team, Kilkenny, which was
made up of myself and five cousins, won
the Dublin Show in the main arena for three
consecutive years. As show champions from
Ireland, we even got to travel to Windsor in
England to compete. All of this was amazing
fun, but it also taught us how to deal with
exposure at a high level and pressure.
Looking back at the start of your
career as a junior, can you identify a
favourite pony and what did you achieve
together?
My favourite pony was Bright Ruby who won
a gold medal at the European championships
for me in Sodar, Germany in 1984. She was a
full Thoroughbred that never grew very big.
She stood at just 145cm but she had a
high stride.
“I love competing
and we were lucky to
find someone here with
the same passion and it
all went from there.”
What circuits do you currently
compete on?
It’s very busy. I currently compete on the
Vilamoura Portugal Tour, the Mijas Spain
Tour, the European Circuit, the Irish Circuit
and of course I am in the UAE during the
winter season, so I’m travelling a lot.
You have had an association with
Sheikha Maitha for a number of years
now – how did that come about?
Joe Conway, another show jumper from
Ireland, is a good friend of ours and he
introduced us to this wonderful place
five years ago. I originally came out here
to give a clinic with my husband, Miguel
Bravo. I have bred horses all my life and
then produced horses to top level. I love
competing too and we were lucky to find
someone here with the same passion and it
all went from there.
What has been your biggest career
success to date?
My biggest success so far was competing
in the 2004 Athens Olympics with a horse
called Fortunus. We bought him when he
was six years old and produced him to that
level, so it was a very special moment.
You’ve already achieved so much, but
what are your ambitions for the future?
I would love to compete in next Olympics in
Brazil, if Ireland qualify a team.
You’ve had the chance to see the
evolution of the Middle Eastern show
jumping scene over a number of
years. How has it developed, specifically
in the UAE?
We competed in Middle East in 1995 on
borrowed horses and it’s amazing the
changes that have come about in 20 years.
Riders from this part of the world are
winning individual and team medals at
Olympics and championships and these
achievements really drive home the fact
that there are some really serious riders
here now. There are accomplished UAE
riders like Abdullah Al Marri who are waiting
quietly to produce their own horses for a
chance at world medals. I really admire the
horsemanship that people like [Dubai Show
Jumping Team trainer] Alice Debany have
brought to UAE.
Looking at the future, what challenges
does show jumping face as it competes
for participation in a crowded
sporting sphere?
We just need to remember that the sport
should be available for everyone not just the
elite few. It’s a shame that nations now have
to qualify for the Olympics. It’s getting to be
nearly an impossible dream unless you have
a very strong national team.
What advice would you give to aspiring
show jumpers in the UAE?
I would advise them to keep investing
in good young horses as the facilities
and infrastructure are great here in the
UAE. I think a plan should be drawn up to
encourage this. For example there could be
a Young Horse Finals competition, which
could be based on successful models
already in existence in countries like Ireland.
What would you be doing if you were
not a professional show jumper?
I love horses so I would probably still be
involved in breeding and producing them.
My three girls, Molly, Marta and Matilde
would be happy if I just got into ponies full
time, and dedicated all my time to them
as it feels like they want to win every pony
class in Ireland!
A minute with Equine Commentator
Steven Wilde
You may not recognise his face, but if
you are a follower of international show
jumping you will surely know Steven
Wilde’s voice. Wilde is the man who leads
spectators through each class during a
show, throwing light on the mysteries of
top-level show jumping. He commentated
at the 2012 London Olympics and is a
regular on the Longines Global Champions
Tour. He has been involved in the Dubai
Show Jumping Championship for many
years – and he just keeps coming back
for more…
How long have you commentated at the
Dubai Show Jumping Championship?
My first was in 2007 at the old Nad al Sheba
site and was one of my first foreign
assignments. I was terrified!
What other events do you commentate at?
I commentate full time and am lucky enough
to have been involved in everything from
the London Olympics and several European
Championships, through to the World
Endurance Championships. I’m also heavily
involved in the Longines Global Champions
Tour, which takes me everywhere from
Monaco to Shanghai. I work a lot in America
and have worked across the Middle East
from Qatar to Saudi Arabia and of course the
5* Nations Cup show in Abu Dhabi in Feb.
Do you come from an equestrian
background?
My family have all been involved with horses.
My mother rode on British show jumping
squads in the 1970s and won several
international titles. This meant I grew up
surrounded by the greats such as David
Broome. I’ve taken after my father and
been involved in running events through to
international level and I am now a consultant
to several large-scale events. My sister
and mother have both won classes in the
International Arena at Hickstead - one for
hunters and the other for show jumping,
which is nice, as I now head the commentary
team there.
How did you get into commentating?
I got into commentating really on the
suggestion of other people, who all thought I
should “give it a go” and so I did, at the Winter
Championships for Dressage and Jumping
in the UK. I intended to cover one class and
finished up booked for the two weeks! I was
very nervous and I was helped every step of
the way by an old family friend and eventually
I got some confidence but I never intended
for it to develop into what it has.
What is the biggest event you have ever
commentated at and do you get nervous?
The biggest event was undoubtedly the
London Olympics in 2012. Walking out into
the stadium at Greenwich was amazing, with
massive packed stands hanging on your
every word. It was absolutely terrifying but
the most exhilarating and proudest thing
I’ve done so far. Seeing so many faces you
knew in the crowd was amazing and the
icing on the cake came when Great Britain
as a nation did so well, winning a host of
gold medals.
How important is the role of a
commentator at an event like the Dubai
Show Jumping Championship?
My aim is that people come away having
“The standard of riding
has risen and risen
and so has the quality
of the events.”
had an enjoyable day and not only have they
seen good sport but also they’ve learned
something. We get a number of people who
haven’t been show jumping before and we
want to encourage them and make it fun so
they want to come back. It’s then good for
everyone involved, for sponsors, organisers,
riders and supporters. I’m there to tell
the story and help people understand the
narrative.
You’ve worked at a lot of show jumping
events in the Middle East – how has the
scene developed over the years?
The standard of riding has risen and risen
and so has the quality of the events. The
past five years especially has seen a
significant rise and the level of riding has
developed with the use of top trainers,
the quality of the horses sourced and the
commitment of the riders involved.
Who would be your ‘one to watch’ for the
future?
This is a hard one as there is a host of
young talented riders in the region who now
need continued support. Sheika Latifah
Bint Juma Al Maktoum is one of a group
from the UAE who keep making big strides,
driving themselves to higher levels. They
will be based in Europe during the summer
to develop those skills further, they are a
motivated group and working with trainers
like Alice Debany Clero to gain new steps all
the time.
You must be away from home a lot for your
job – what’s it like to travel so much?
I’m probably away more than I’m home, but I
get to see great sport in some breathtaking
places and while I get to do that it gives
me massive motivation to get going every
day. It can be extremely tiring with quick
turnarounds and a big schedule but I’ll take
that any day over being at home wondering
what to do next. I’m very lucky to do what
I do and while I’m allowed to do it and
still being invited by kind and generous
organisers, I’ll live with the travelling
because the rewards are far higher!
If you weren’t a commentator what do you
think you would be doing?
I would be working in some form of sports
management; that is something I find
fascinating. Within the sport, I’m also an
international judge so I would be still around
I hope but in a different role and realistically
it would give me chance to be at the
racetrack more often, which is a passion.
Cigar To African Story Decades of Memorable Moments
20th Dubai World Cup
#20thDWC
March 28, 2015
Be a part of history
Be a part of the world’s richest horserace
– tickets for the Dubai World Cup start at
AED450 – visit www.dubairacingclub.com
Dubai World Cup – Saturday, March 28,
2015
The history of the Dubai World Cup, from
Cigar to African Story, Nad Al Sheba to
Meydan, has taken many twists and turns
through the years.
On Saturday March 28, that story will achieve
a major new chapter as the 20th winner of
the world’s richest race is anointed.
Yet it is the 19 previous renewals of the
2000m race that bring the 20th running into
sharp focus. The members of the Dubai World
Cup Hall of Champions and the contribution
they and their connections have made to
racing are responsible for the status the
US$10m contest occupies as one of the most
famous horse races ever run.
1996 Winner - Cigar
There was the audacious victory of American
superhorse Cigar at Nad Al Sheba in 1996,
whose trainer likened the journey to Dubai
to a “trip to the moon” and Singspiel’s rainhit, washout year in 1997. Few race fans
will forget the record-breaking time of
the well-named Dubai Millennium, Sheikh
Mohammed’s favourite racehorse, in 2000 or
the epic duel between Pleasantly Perfect and
Medaglia d’Oro in 2004. Sheikh Hamdan Bin
Rashid Al Maktoum’s South American raider,
Invasor was key in 2007 while American
darling, Curlin swept all before him in 2008.
Well Armed still holds the record for the
biggest win with his 14-length victory in
2009 and Brazilian runner, Gloria de Campeo
was the first Dubai World Cup winner after
the race transferred from Nad Al Sheba
to Meydan. In 2011 Victoire Pisa gave the
Japanese a first Dubai World Cup win in the
same year that a devastating earthquake and
tsunami resulted in the tragic deaths of more
than 15,000 in Japan. Animal Kingdom, US
and Australian-owned, trained in the US by a
Brit and ridden by a Costa Rican, represented
one of the race’s most international winners
while the most recent winner, African Story
brought the tally of Godolphin-trained Dubai
World Cup victors to six.
So much has happened during the Dubai
World Cup, yet there are still many stories
waiting to be told during the adrenalin-fueled
two minutes between the gates springing
back and the finish line.
This season the Dubai World Cup will be
staged for the first time on Meydan’s new dirt
track – a fact that can’t fail to add a whole
new dynamic to the day.
Yet the spectacular race is not the whole
story of the Dubai World Cup. The contest
is the highlight of a day of racing worth a
staggering $30m. Renowned as Dubai’s
biggest sporting and social event, it brings
down the curtain on the three-month Dubai
World Cup Carnival and boasts a high-class,
nine-race card featuring six Group 1 races
and three Group 2 races.
2014 Winner - African Story
Crowds are treated to the best on-track
action as well a day of luxury and hospitality
in Meydan Racecourse’s glamourous trackside venues.
Opened in 2010 and built to replace Nad Al
Sheba Racecourse, Meydan’s iconic steel and
glass grandstand provides a stage equal to
the splendour of the Dubai World Cup and
the venue for the Dubai World Cup Ceremony
and concert.
Created through the vision of HH Sheikh
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice
President and Prime Minister of the UAE
and Ruler of Dubai, Meydan is the beating
heart of racing in Dubai.
Get interactive with Dubai Racing Club
and Dubai World Cup on Twitter via
@DRC_Meydan or @DWC_Meydan or on
Instagram @drc_meydan and like our Dubai
Racing Club or Dubai World Cup Facebook
pages. We’ll keep you posted with behindthe-scenes news and pictures.
Hall of Fame
2009 Ramzy Al Duhami riding Riverstone
2010 Abdullah Al Shabatly riding Goldex
2014 Hamad Ali Al Attiya riding LB Casanova
2013 Sheikha Latifa al Maktoum riding Peanuts de Beaufour
2012 Abdullah Al Shabatly riding Larkhill Cruiser
2011 Abdullah Al Shabatly riding Columbia
2008 Khalid Al Eid riding Al Riyadh
2007 HRH Prince Abdulla Bin Meteb Al Saud riding Saudia
A Breakfast with Champions
Meydan
Stable Tours
Kids
Entertainment
The Dubai Show Jumping Championship offers fun kids activities such as pony rides,
bouncy castles, a rodeo ride and face painting.
Each tour begins with a lavish five-star buffet
breakfast at The Meydan Hotel’s Farriers
Restaurant. Guests will then be transported
to Dubai Racing Club’s stables for the start
of an approximately 1.5 hour tour. Visitors
will be shown round the stables, tack room,
feed room, farrier’s room and the equine
swimming pool or treadmill where horses
are conditioned.
The tour will then head to Meydan Grandstand,
where guests will view the Jockeys’ Dressing
Rooms, Horse Connections’ Lounge, Parade
Ring and Saddling Enclosure, which are all
used during the March 28 US$29.25m Dubai
World Cup day.
Meet Dubai Racing Club’s horses and see
how they are trained on an official Meydan
Stable Tour.
A Meydan Stable Tour gives guests access
to the track’s four-legged stars and their
trainers as well as the private areas of the
grandstand including the world’s most
luxurious jockeys’ dressing room and the
weighing room.
Tours are now being offered each Tuesday
and Wednesday until April 8, 2015 with the
exception of a two-week break from March
18-31, 2015.
Guests can view the exact spot where the
winner of the Group 1 US$10m Dubai World
Cup will answer a photo call on Saturday,
March 28th before an adoring public.
Tours also take in the interactive race to
excellence exhibit which documents the
history of the Dubai World Cup.
The tour costs AED250 for adults and
AED150 for children aged four to 12. Please
note that children younger than four years
old are not permitted on the stable tours.
Advance booking is required, please
contact: [email protected]
or call +971 4 381 3405.
E11 – Sheikh Zayed Road
Distance from
Mall of the Emirates
(MOE): 50k
Mall Of
The Emirates
D63
Burj Khalifa
E44 – Al Khail Road
Umm Sequim Road
Nad Al Sheba
E66
E311 – Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road
Motor City
D63
Arabian Ranches
E611 – Emirates Road
Al Quadra Road
Emirates
Equestrian
Centre
Dubai
International
Endurance City
E66
Bawadi
D40
Bab Al Shams
D63
Al Ain Road
D40
Al Lisaili
EEC GPS Coordinates: Latitude N24 49.286 Longitude E55 14.510
Emirates Equestrian Centre
For more information please contact:
+971 50 553 7986, +971 50 558 7656,
www.emiratesequestriancentre.com
or [email protected]
Like us on facebook.com/EmiratesEquestrianCentre