Under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, the Bahrain championship for local breed horses will kick off tomorrow, Thursday.

The event, organised by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (BREEF) at the Military Sports Association’s field in Al-Raffa, will mark the inauguration of the first round of the Emirates Arabian Horse Global Cup series in the Middle East, running from March 14 to 16.

The championship, hosting 151 Arabian horses, adheres to the regulations of the European Conference of Arab Horse Organisations (ECAHO), with oversight from 8 judges and 4 disciplinary committee members. Additionally, 3 arena directors accredited by the European organisation will ensure the smooth conduct of competitions.

The initial day of competition will witness qualifying rounds for one-year-old fillies, two- to three-year-old fillies, and four-year-old mares and above, leading up to the finals.

On the second day, qualifying rounds will be held for one-year-old colts, two- to three-year-old colts, and four-year-old stallions and above. The third and final day will feature various participating categories.

Sara Taheri, Vice-President of BREEF, commended the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, emphasising that it reflects his unwavering commitment to supporting equestrian activities, particularly Arabian horse beauty shows, as part of efforts to preserve Bahrain’s rich equestrian heritage.

Taheri also highlighted the significant contributions of His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of BREEF, in aligning programmes with the vision outlined by His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa to bolster equestrian sports, especially Arabian horse beauty shows.

She commended the massive participation in the championship, which underscores the dedication of stables and owners to enriching equestrian sports.

Taheri extended her best wishes to all participants and appreciated the support of partners and sponsors, inviting all horse enthusiasts to witness the competitions of this prestigious sporting event.

BNA