Dubai: Dubai Equestrian Club and Dubai Racing Club, the two largest horse racing organisations in the Middle East, are joining hands to host the Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum on 23 October at the Meydan Racecourse.
More than 200 decision makers from a range of international companies specialised in the equestrian industry will participate in the Forum. Opportunities emerging from future projects in the sector worth $400 million are on top of the Forum’s agenda.
The Forum brings together horse owners, breeders, and industry professionals to showcase the latest technologies, products, and services relating to the equine industry.
Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Equestrian Club and Dubai Racing Club, said: “Supporting the growth and development of the equestrian industry has always been one of our highest priorities. We have always been committed to extending support to various sectors which serve equestrian clubs and stables and are keen to ensure that the products supplied to the industry are of the highest standard. The Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum brings together the industry’s best suppliers to showcase their products and services.”
Noel Greenway, Managing Partner, Great Minds Event Management, said, “The UAE offers exceptional investment opportunities for equestrian suppliers worldwide. This event provides a platform for equestrian companies to network and explore new partnerships and business opportunities.”
Racing and Equestrian Sport in the UAE
The UAE is home to some of the best equestrian clubs in the world, which have witnessed great growth and gained global appreciation. This makes them the ideal target market for new products, services, and suppliers, with an average spending power of more than US$100 million (AED367 million).
The annual cost of caring for a racehorse training in the UAE is about US$30,000 (AED 110,000). The total money spent by the sector in the country for racehorse training is US$570 million (AED2.09 billion).
Dubai has a proud history of horse racing, having hosted its first flat race in October 1981 in the Nad Al Sheba area. This progressed to the foundation of Dubai Racing Club in 1992 and the flagship Dubai World Cup meeting in 1996, which strengthened the UAE’s and Dubai’s profile as a global racing hub. The local horse racing sector took another leap forward in 2010 with the opening of the iconic Meydan Racecourse, which became the new headquarters of the Dubai World Cup with a capacity to accommodate more than 60,000 spectators.
Dubai Racing Club organises racing events at Meydan Racecourse from November to April of each year, including the Dubai World Cup (DWC). A glittering night of racing, the DWC has total prize money of $30.5 million across nine races, including $12 million in prize money for the Dubai World Cup’s Group 1 race.
Meydan Racecourse plays a major role on the international horse racing map, and Dubai Racing Club supervises 15 stables dedicated to training horses.
The Dubai Equestrian Club was established in 2002 to organise Endurance, Showjumping, and Dressage at local and international levels at the Dubai International Endurance City and Emirates Equestrian Centre. Dubai Equestrian Club supervises 32 Endurance stables, including M7 Stables, F3 Stables and MRM stables.
