Under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Emirates Racing Authority (ERA), ERA and Dubai Racing Club announced a partnership to launch an initiative to train and recruit UAE Nationals to supervise races.

The joint initiative aims to provide ERA with a professional Emirati stewarding team that is capable of supervising races, in line with the leadership’s vision of empowering young nationals across all fields, including horse racing. As part of the initiative, Emiratis will engage in a number of theoretical and scientific programmes led by experienced professionals with a long history in this field.

Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of ERA and Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, said, “The initiative stems from our leadership’s belief in the importance of investing in UAE nationals and empowering them in the field of horse racing, which is an integral part of our Arab and Islamic heritage and history. We also strongly believe it is time for UAE nationals to engage in the administration of races through this initiative, which is aimed at building national aptitude in this line of work. We are excited to see young Emiratis showcase their skills and develop them throughout the programme, while most importantly, to learn and innovate, as well as to create solutions and ideas that will contribute to the future of our races. I would like to thank H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan for supporting the launch of this one-of-a-kind programme in the region, where our races have become a global success.”

Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Director-General, ERA, expressed his utmost gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook Al Maktoum for their continuous support towards empowering Emirati youth in the equestrian sector, especially in horse racing, while offering them the opportunity to enroll in a training programme that develops their skills and knowledge in this field and creates opportunities for them to take part in this great sport.

The 2021/22 UAE racing season is set to begin on Friday, 29th October at Jebel Ali, with Meydan Racecourse hosting the first of its 22 meetings on Thursday, 4th November. Meanwhile, Al Ain Racecourse will see its first race meeting on 5th November, while the Abu Dhabi Racecourse races will begin on Sunday, 7th November and the prestigious Dubai World Cup meeting is set to take place on 26th March, 2022.

To learn more about the application process and criteria for applying to the programme, please contact info@emiratesracing.com.