All set for Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup

Mohd Ahmad Mohd Ghanim Al Marri wins the 2019 Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup aboard Fagor. - Dubai Equestrian Club

The 119km Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup will be the highlight of the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup Festival, which draws to a close on Saturday.
The Festival, sponsored by Emirates Airline, began on Monday and comprised of four rides, catering to a wide range of riders and horses-including female riders and mares - adding variety to this celebration of endurance riding.
The event is being hosted by the Dubai Equestrian Club at Dubai International Endurance City, a purpose-built, state-of-the-art endurance facility.
Named for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, the week-long festival opened with the  119km Dubai Crown Prince Ride for Ladies on Monday.
This was followed by the  119km Dubai Crown Prince Ride Restricted to Private Stables/Individuals on Tuesday and the 119km Yamamah Endurance Cup for Mares on Wednesday. The Yamamah Endurance Cup is quite significant, as it is named after the mare the Crown Prince rode to win the 2014 World Equestrian Games Endurance gold medal in France.
The finale, the 119km Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup, will be flagged off on Saturday. An impressive international contingent is expected to participate, as usual. They will compete alongside local talent.
The Festival is an important stop on the Arab endurance calendar and draws inspiration from Sheikh Hamdan and his continuous efforts to help develop and grow sport in the region.
"The Crown Prince Endurance Festival is a prominent competition on the Dubai Equestrian Club programme and one that we host with great pride," said Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, General Manager of DEC.
"Each year, we witness a growing number of international and local athletes making their mark during this competition. And while victory in this event carries great prestige, even competing and completing this ride allows athletes to surpass their own previous performances. These small victories are equally important to us as we build and help develop the sport of endurance riding in the region.
"The United Arab Emirates has a rich equestrian heritage, and the flag is kept flying high through the vision of our leaders His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. Horse welfare is at the heart of our operations and we have a highly qualified team of veterinary experts and medical facilities, in keeping with international standards, to carry out the stipulated tests during the course of each ride," he added.
sports@khaleejtimes.com