Under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak 10th FBMA International Show Jumping Cup to take place

Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, President of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the 10th FBMA International Show Jumping Cup will take place in the emirate.

Organiserd by Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA), more than 300 of the best riders from around the world will compete in the 10th edition of the FBMA International Show Jumping Cup.

Established as one of the most respected competitions on the international equestrian circuit, this year’s event will take place from 26-29 January 2023 at Abu Dhabi’s Al Forsan International Sports Resort.

It will feature more than 330 horses, ridden by more than 300 riders as they compete across 20 classes from six different categories for a total prize pool of AED800,000 – the largest in the event’s history in recognition of the 10th milestone edition.

The categories include: CSICH-A, CSIJ-A, CSIY-A,* Nationals Special, CSIYH1* and the main showpiece CSIL2*. The event provides a special platform for female riders and showjumpers from across the UAE and internationally.

Among the 34 countries that will be represented include the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Great Britain, USA, India, South Africa and China.

Details of the cup were revealed during a press conference at Al Forsan International Sports Resort, attended by Her Excellency Dr. Omniyat Al Hajeri, FBMA Vice Chairwoman; Shamsa Al Hanaee, Media Section Head at Abu Dhabi Sports Council; Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Chief Executive Officer of UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation; Mohamed Al Nakhi, Vice President of the Show Jumping Committee and Assistant Event Director; His Excellency Sultan Al Kaabi, Chief Executive Officer at Al Forsan Group; and other key officials of FBMA and strategic partners.

The annual FBMA International Show Jumping Cup, is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, President of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood “Mother of the Nation” and the guidance of H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and the President of the Abu Dhabi and the Al Ain Ladies Clubs.

Organisers have also revealed it will host a Professional Photography Workshop that will be taught by Hind Al Raeesi, an Emirati photographer that specialises in sports and portrait photography.

Running on 28 and 29 January from 3pm-5pm, participants will be taught the basics of photography using their smart phones, the important angles to take a distinctive and high-quality pictures, and methods of editing using professional editing programmes. They will also receive exclusive tips that help will them as a photographer.

Besides the show jumping action, there are a wide range of activities and food trucks for all to enjoy.

Her Excellency Dr. Al Hajeri said: “Since we held the first FBMA International Show Jumping Cup in 2013, the event has gone from strength to strength and is now one of the flagship events not just on the FBMA calendar but also on Abu Dhabi’s sporting calendar.

“The 10th edition signifies how far the competition has come – which has contributed to the growth of the sport and provided opportunities for females of all ages and nationalities to participate on a global platform and succeed in sport. It is truly wonderful to see many women are embracing show jumping and we hope their participation this week will inspire the younger generation to follow in their footsteps so they can strive in sport and become the best individual they can be in life.

“As an organisation, we are committed to play our part in empowering women to realise their ambitions through sport and encourage them to adopt a healthy lifestyle that will have a positive impact on their everyday lives.”

Mrs Al Hinai said that Abu Dhabi Sports Council supports all equestrian tournaments, which expresses the UAE's heritage and reflect the importance of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Championship.

She said: “We at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council co-operate with the Equestrian Federation and the International Equestrian Federation in organizing the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Festival, which started on 11 January, and its activities will continue until next 12 March. It will witness six various tournaments including four show jumping championships, and two championships at Al Forsan International Resort in Abu Dhabi.”

She indicated that the competitions of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Show Jumping Championship will see the participation of over 300 male and female riders, representing 34 countries, with 75 male and female riders from the UAE participating including 7 female riders from the Fatima Bint Mubarak Sports Academy.

She added: "We wish the best of luck to the participants in the 10th Fatima Bint Mubarak Show Jumping Championship and hope they can achieve success in what will be a great event.”

Mr Al Suwaidi said: “The Emirates Equestrian and Racing Federation is pleased to be supporting the Fatima Bint Mubarak International Show Jumping Cup which provides an excellent platform to support professional jockeys and emerge local talent. “The Emirates Equestrian and Racing Federation is proud to be the strategic partner for this major international tournament in which elite female jockeys from different countries of the world participate, and we hope everyone aspires to succeed in the competition.”

To help deliver a successful tournament, organiser FBMA has forged key collaborations with leading organisations with Longines and Abu Dhabi Sports Council being the Platinum Partners. Moreover, FEI and UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation are Strategic Partners, and Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, who is the Main Partner. In addition, Etisalat is the Telecom Partner while Yas is the Official Media Partner, ADCB is the Exclusive Banking Partner and Al Shira’aa Stables are Gold Partner while Al Ain Water is the Official Hydration Partner. Finally, Emirates Arabian Horse Society and Abu Dhabi Police are Supporter Partners.