Spectators taking part in fun activities held on the sidelines of QNB Qatar International Show Jumping Championship at QEF’s Outdoor Arena on Saturday.
Organisers are expecting another huge crowd at this week’s Al Rayyan International Show jumping Championship which will be held from November 23 to 25 at the QEF’s Outdoor Arena.
While Qatar riders have been excelling at the show jumping championships being staged in Qatar for the past two weeks, folks with young kids have been attending these events in large numbers, organisers said yesterday.
Appreciating the large turnout of people, President of the Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF) Hamad Abdulrahman Al Attiyah said: “Our events are getting better and bigger. The activities around the venue are a hit with families and children. We want the kids to come out and enjoy the proceedings and have fun at the same time.”
Omar Al Mannai, Commercial Manager, Al Shaqab, said: “At QEF too we have fun zones around the venue. Pony rides and other fun activities for kids. We have a collaboration with Al Bedaya to support local Qatari entrepreneurs and promote local products and services in the form of savoury food and beverage outlets and outdoor cafes. Also, there are raffle draws for fans which are a big hit with the audience.”
Commenting on the arrangements, a female spectator at the event on Saturday said: “Lot of kids around here are having fun. I also can go around with ease and watches the horses jump. I also have a raffle draw ticket and hope to get lucky.”
The equestrian events which began with the hosting of the Longines Global Champions Tour at Al Shaqab last week and saw the QNB Qatar International Show jumping Championship conclude at the Qatar Equestrian Federation’s (QEF) Arena in Al Rayyan on Saturday has seen several thousand people flock to these venues.
While Al Shaqab had painting exhibitions, Bazaar for entrepreneurs and costumes on display by Qatari women designers, besides kids’ fun zone, the events at QEF also have various food stalls, fun-zone for kids and raffle draws with lap tops, ipads and mobile phones in prizes.
Four lucky spectators at QEF were handed out these prizes after the final round of the international show jumping championship, the Grand Prix event of which was won by Qatar’s Olympic rider Sheikh Ali bin Khalid Al Thani.
Following the coming weekend’s Al Rayyan championship, the national equestrian series Hathab will resume with the fourth competition.
QEF and Al Shaqab, member of Qatar Foundation, have forged a new alliance for the 12-leg competition of Hathab for Qataris and residents offering a total prize-money of QR1 million.
Hathab, meaning “Canter” in Arabic, is an initiative of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee.
It is aimed at improving the standard of horse riding among Qatari youths while encouraging the involvement of private stables and individual horse owners to grow awareness of horsemanship as part of Qatar’s history and tradition.
