QREC Chairman Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, Acting CEO Bader Mohammed Al Darwish and Racing Manager Abdullah Rashid Al Kubaisi with representatives of sponsors for the H H The Amir Sword Festival 2024. PIC: Juahim/QREC
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) yesterday announced full readiness to host the H H The Amir Sword Festival 2024, which will be held from February 15-17 at the Al Rayyan Racecourse.
A group of new partners were also revealed for the Festival in order to ensure the success of the prestigious event and its emergence befitting the global status that Qatari horse racing has achieved.
QREC Chairman Issa bin Mohammed Al Mohannadi, addressed the media, club members and horse owners at the club’s headquarters apprising about the preparations of the prestigious event.
A file photo of action during the H H The Amir Sword Festival at Al Rayyan Racecourse.
QREC’s Acting CEO Bader Mohammed Al Darwish and QREC Racing Manager Abdullah Rashid Al Kubaisi along with Salem Khajim Al Athbi, Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Communications Department and representatives of the partners sponsoring the Festival were also present.
The QREC Chairman said all preparations have been made to stage the highly-anticipated Festival.
“All arrangements related to the festival have been completed, whether in terms of entries of international horses or other arrangements. I confirm that the festival will be a major carnival for Qatari and international equestrianism, in a manner befitting the status reached by Qatari horse racing.”
Regarding the new identity of the club and the festival, Al Mohannadi said: “The club’s name in Arabic has now been made synonymous with name in English. Also, there is a new identity for the festival, which is linked primarily to Qatari heritage through the “ghutra” or “shawl” that reflects and consolidates the heritage and inheritance of the State of Qatar, which we cherish in addition to the symbolism it aims to achieve through its association with the “Al Sabiq” heritage championship, which is held with every major event of the club. We view the Al Sabiq championship as the origin of horse racing in Qatar during which the riders wear the ‘Al Ghatra’.”
The new identity logo of the festival has a shot of raising one’s pride to the top which appears as an expression of the start. Likewise, the “Al Sabiq” championship is in the interest of developing the riders and raising their level. A number of the riders who are participating in the “Al Sabiq” championship were selected and they participate as horsemen in the club’s track races and this is a great gain for the club as part of the Board of Directors’ endeavour to develop horsemen and expand the base of their participants in races, and even qualify them to participate in external races on the largest tracks in the world, explained Al Mohannadi.
Providing details of partnership agreements with sponsors, Al Mohannadi said: “We have signed partnership contracts to contribute to the success of the races and events organized by QREC.”
Al Darwish said: “Announcing the partners is an important step for us on the path to organizing the Festival, given that the club is keen to reach the best level of success and come out with this year’s edition of the most expensive festival in a manner most appropriate. We have support from the officials and also the sponsors who have been with us from the very beginning and participate in sponsoring the major stages of the Festival and have a role with us in achieving the desired goal at this great festival.”
He added: “The Festival is held over three days and on each day there are a strong group of races. On the final day, we will look forward to six international races with participation of horses from abroad. This adds to raising the level and strength of the competition to top each race, in the order in which they are held: The Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup, second category, for purebred Arabian horses, the Qatar International Cup, first category for purebred Arabian horses, and the Dukhan Speed Cup, third category for purebred Arabian horses. Sponsored by the Breeders’ Cup, the Al Rayyan Mile from the second category of purebred horses, the His Highness the Amir’s Trophy from the first category for purebred horses, and the His Highness the Amir’s Sword from the first category for purebred Arabian horses.”
