Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum and Nadia Taryam will be the flag bearers for the host nation once again during the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA) International Showjumping Cup this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
The other leading riders who will be challenging for the FBMA Cup are Saudi Arabia's Dalma Malhas, Dubai-based Dane Tina Lund and Jordan’s Sara Al Armouti.
Malhas, 28, is the first woman from Saudi Arabia to win a medal (bronze) at the Youth Olympic Games – in Singapore in 2010. She also qualified for as a wildcard for the 2012 London Games but missed the competition after her horse Caramell KS suffered an injury.
Last year, Dubai-based showjumping instructor Alice Debany Clero won the FBMA Cup.
The three-day competition, exclusively for female riders, gets underway at the Al Forsan International Sports Resorts on Thursday and conclude with the grand finale FEI CSIL 2-star FBMA Cup on Saturday.
“The FBMA Cup is an excellent initiative and a unique competition in the showjumping world,” Major General Ahmed Naser Al Raisi, president of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, said at the launch of the event on Monday.
“It’s one of the rare showjumping events exclusively for females and we see it growing all-round in terms of numbers, quality and popularity, attracting some of the leading riders and horses from around the world year after year.”
The seventh staging of the FBMA Cup this year sees 125 riders from 29 countries in 17 different competitions across the three days.
Khalid Al Junaibi, the event’s technical director, said the event has come a long way since its humble beginnings.
“The FBMA Cup was first staged to provide the females riders, particularly the Emiratis and riders from the region, more opportunities to compete.
“In terms of growth, we have around 50-plus Emiratis competing at various levels this year. When we first started, we could hardly find a handful.
“That’s a big improvement and we are confident some of them are on the right track to reach good levels.
“Of course we have some established riders like Sheikha Latifa and Nadia, and several others at a good level and ready to compete at the international circuits. It’s a matter of time.”
The first day’s competition kicks off at 10am and the second day’s action at 9am. The final day’s competition starts at 9.30am and conclude with the FBMA Cup at 6.30pm.
