Alkass Digital
Commercial Manager of Al Shaqab and Vice-Chairman of the Organising Committee Longines Hathab, Omar Al Mannai yesterday confirmed that the Qatari equestrian events will be held during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to promote the first ever football showpiece to be hosted in the Middle East and the Arab world.
Al Mannai told Qatar News Agency (QNA), that equestrian sport is one of the beloved sports, linked to the customs and traditions of many countries around the world and an aspect of tourism in the country, adding Qatari equestrian will have a strong presence in the World Cup through the organisation of various events.
He pointed out that the distinguished international facilities in Al Shaqab - a member of Qatar Foundation, will be open to visitors during the World Cup, especially since Al Shaqab is located in the vicinity of the World Cup Educational City Stadium.
Al Shaqab is a leading global center in the world of horses, and is committed to the preservation of the Qatari heritage by promoting Arabian horses and reaching the highest levels in horse welfare, production, equestrian education, research, and development, Al Mannai said.
The state-of-the-art facilities at Al Shaqab make it one of the aspects of tourism in the country that will have a major role during the World Cup, he stressed.Speaking about the Qatar Equestrian Tour Longines Hathab, organised jointly by the Qatar Equestrian Federation and Al Shaqab, Al Mannai said that the championship is in continuous development and is witnessing a rise in the level of technical riders, evident in the riders’ participation in the first two rounds of the championship this season.
Many of the riders were perfectly prepared to participate in the tournament through external camps, in addition to buying new horses, which had a clear impact on the development and rise of the technical level and the intense competition to get on the podiums, especially in the Medium and Small tours which witnessed large participation, he highlighted.
Al Mannai added the equestrian schools in Qatar are among the important tributaries of the Qatari national teams and local championships.
He noted that the international tournaments organised by Al Shaqab annually will be held on schedule.
He revealed that local competitions to be organised by Al Shaqab for the riders of Al Shaqab Equestrian Academy will start in October and continue until the end of the season.