DUBAI/WAM
The 16th edition of the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival, held at the Dubai International Endurance City in Seih Al Salam, will conclude on Saturday, 6th January. Organised by the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club, in collaboration with the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, the festival will conclude with the primary race, the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup, over a distance of 119 kilometres (km), which is sponsored by Emaar Properties and has a total prize of AED1,690,000. The festival features four races, three being held over the previous days: the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Race for Ladies over 101 km, the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Race for Private Stables over 101 km, and the Yameem Cup for Horses over 119 km. The final race, the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup over 119 km, will take place tomorrow. The festival’s total prize money is AED5 million.
Major General Dr. Mohammed Issa Al Adhab, Board Member and the General Manager of the Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club, highlighted the significance of the 119 km race as the festival’s main event, as it is associated with the name of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, a prominent figure in endurance sports with notable achievements, including winning the world title in Normandy, France, in 2014.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan has an impressive record of achievements. After winning his second successive CISM World Military Endurance Championship in March 2014, he was crowned world champion of the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Normandy, France, organised by the International Equestrian Federation. Sheikh Hamdan then went on to win the 2015 His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup for the second year in a row. He also stressed the continued excitement of this year’s edition, which showcases over 15 years of fierce competition among different stables.