ABU DHABI: The fourth edition of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy (FBMA) International Show Jumping Cup 2017 kicks off Friday morning, and will run until Saturday evening at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
The event is free and open to the public, with competitions starting from 8:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Around 120 riders from 19 countries around the world are seeing action in six categories and competitions. The show jumping events vary according to internationally-recognized classes and categories that determine obstacle height, course length and other factors. Competing classes are available for female and male, local and international, young and adult riders.
Big names in the world of equestrian from the Middle East region, Europe and America will take part in the two-day competition, including representation from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. Riders from Great Britain, France, Poland, Denmark, the United States of America, Canada and Ireland arel also entered, in addition to Austria, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Puerto Rico and Spain.
The largest number of riders are UAE nationals, with 42 participants across all six categories. In keeping with FBMA’s broader goals, the competition provides a special platform for women, who form the majority of Emirati participants. A number of them have experienced successes at previous editions of the International Show Jumping Cup, such as Nadia Taryam, who competes for the Sharjah Women’s Sport Club and came second in the 2016 Medium Tour category. Maitha Al-Hajri is a 22 year-old Emirati show jumper with a number of local and international wins under her belt. Nadin Khalifa Al-Maskari won first place at the Longines Small Tour category in 2014 and 2015.
Both days of the Cup will feature variations of the CSICH, CSIY, CSIJ, CSYH1*, CSIL2* and National Ladies’ categories.
This year, the event introduces for the first time the family-friendly Equestrian Village, an interactive activity zone full of fun and educational equestrian-themed games and events that engage visitors with the contemporary horse-riding disciplines, as well as Emirati equestrian traditions.
The Equestrian Village, open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily will provide the whole family with unmissable fun experience, offering popular children’s games, such as egg and spoon races, snakes and ladders and sack races. Additionally, activities such as balance beams, in which children can put their balancing skills to the test, or ‘pin the tail on the donkey’ and ‘horse shoe throwing’ games that provide fun equestrian-themed accuracy games for children of all ages, will ensure a perfect day out.
Art displays and live music performances will be carried out over the course of the Cup by resident artists Rachael Calladine and Alexey Strelnikov. In addition, a local arts and crafts market will be sure to impress visitors with a range of equestrian-themed artisan products.
The fourth edition of the International Show Jumping Cup is held under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, president of the General Women’s Union, CEO of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Higher Council for Motherhood and Childhood and “Mother of the Nation.”
The event enjoys the support of Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF), International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC). Al-Shira’aa Stables, Longines, Healthpoint Hospital, Yas TV, Marriott Hotel Downtown, Etihad Airways, Majid and Emirates Arabian Horse Society are the sponsors.
The event is free and open to the public, with competitions starting from 8:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Around 120 riders from 19 countries around the world are seeing action in six categories and competitions. The show jumping events vary according to internationally-recognized classes and categories that determine obstacle height, course length and other factors. Competing classes are available for female and male, local and international, young and adult riders.
Big names in the world of equestrian from the Middle East region, Europe and America will take part in the two-day competition, including representation from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. Riders from Great Britain, France, Poland, Denmark, the United States of America, Canada and Ireland arel also entered, in addition to Austria, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Puerto Rico and Spain.
The largest number of riders are UAE nationals, with 42 participants across all six categories. In keeping with FBMA’s broader goals, the competition provides a special platform for women, who form the majority of Emirati participants. A number of them have experienced successes at previous editions of the International Show Jumping Cup, such as Nadia Taryam, who competes for the Sharjah Women’s Sport Club and came second in the 2016 Medium Tour category. Maitha Al-Hajri is a 22 year-old Emirati show jumper with a number of local and international wins under her belt. Nadin Khalifa Al-Maskari won first place at the Longines Small Tour category in 2014 and 2015.
Both days of the Cup will feature variations of the CSICH, CSIY, CSIJ, CSYH1*, CSIL2* and National Ladies’ categories.
This year, the event introduces for the first time the family-friendly Equestrian Village, an interactive activity zone full of fun and educational equestrian-themed games and events that engage visitors with the contemporary horse-riding disciplines, as well as Emirati equestrian traditions.
The Equestrian Village, open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily will provide the whole family with unmissable fun experience, offering popular children’s games, such as egg and spoon races, snakes and ladders and sack races. Additionally, activities such as balance beams, in which children can put their balancing skills to the test, or ‘pin the tail on the donkey’ and ‘horse shoe throwing’ games that provide fun equestrian-themed accuracy games for children of all ages, will ensure a perfect day out.
Art displays and live music performances will be carried out over the course of the Cup by resident artists Rachael Calladine and Alexey Strelnikov. In addition, a local arts and crafts market will be sure to impress visitors with a range of equestrian-themed artisan products.
The fourth edition of the International Show Jumping Cup is held under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, president of the General Women’s Union, CEO of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Higher Council for Motherhood and Childhood and “Mother of the Nation.”
The event enjoys the support of Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF), International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC). Al-Shira’aa Stables, Longines, Healthpoint Hospital, Yas TV, Marriott Hotel Downtown, Etihad Airways, Majid and Emirates Arabian Horse Society are the sponsors.
