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