The main conference business is now over, and we are on to the Heritage of the Days. Our coverage is kindly sponsored by Rifat Arabians Australia.
It has just gone 1.30pm and I think I am finally recovered and caught up with myself after the last few days. As you can no doubt tell, they have been very full and there hasn’t been much time to take a breath; I am thankful that this morning, we had time to do just that.
Today is a shorter report, with events only taking place from 5pm, but I still wanted to update you on last night as well as the days ahead.
We should now be onto the three days of the Heritage of the Emirates, but due to GCAT clashes, plus the huge number of delegates here, many of the studs were not able to accommodate us. Instead, Deirdre Hyde has worked tirelessly to put on an alternative plan, which is as follows:
Thursday 10 April: Racing at Al Ain
Friday 11 April: Dubai – souk shopping, and then a presentation and dinner at Dubai Arabian Stud
Saturday 12 April: A visit to Al Reef Stables, and then to the Abu Dhabi Turf Club for the last race of the season.
I will apologise now: having had terrible migraines the last two days, with yesterday’s nearly sending me back to my room rather than working through, I won’t be going to Al Ain today for the racing. Gudrun Waiditschka will furnish me with photographs to share here, and then I will report from Dubai as normal, maybe not tomorrow, but by Saturday morning as it will be another late return.
So, onto last night and the incredible Gala dinner at the 7-star Emirates Palace Hotel. Yes, that is right – seven stars! The dinner was held in the sumptuous ballroom, and it was a huge honour that HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan joined us for the evening.
There was a small classical orchestra playing, and as the evening began, Peter Pond presented HH Sheikh Zayed with a painting on behalf of WAHO as thank you for their wonderful hospitality.
There were members of EHS present to collect their end of season awards, making it a very celebratory event.
The dinner itself was delicious, and HH Sheikh Zayed stayed for the whole evening before making his farewells. And then it was time to start to say farewell to the WAHO family as many are flying home today. Lots of photographs were taken and it was a very cheerful end to what had been a fantastic first week of the conference.
Today has dawned a little cooler, and the falcon in the cover photo for today is Mariah, who was at breakfast. She is three years old, and many of us had our photographs taken with her. She was more interested in watching the smaller birds fly around than look at us!
Tomorrow will be the only Arabian show horse visit of the trip, and I think that everyone is very much looking forward to it.
I am now off to relax my migraines, and I will catch up with you all once the Dubai day is done!
Thank you, Samantha