Our WAHO Live! Abu Dhabi 2025 coverage is kindly sponsored by Rifat Arabians Australia
Friday 4 April
Well, it is finally here! Some two-and-a-half years after Abu Dhabi was announced as the next hosts of WAHO at the 2022 Jordan Conference, we are in the United Arab Emirates ahead of what is set to be a sparkling ten days of events.
Before I go any further, I have to thank HH Sheikh Mansour for his incredible sponsorship for this year’s WAHO Conference. The generosity shown has enabled so many people to come, as with the Emirates Arabian Horse Society, Sheikh Mansour is covering the cost of the WAHO pre-conference tours and the Heritage of the Emirates Days; the WAHO registration fee; the gala dinner; plus all flights and hotel for media. Truly, thank you.
First things first, what do we have to look forward to? The short answer is – lots! Although there is already a change of plan as many of the studs in the Heritage of the Emirates Days from 10-12 April are no longer taking part. This is a real pity as so many people were looking forward to stepping foot into some of the most famed and revered Middle Eastern breeding farms and seeing the horses there. Dubai Arabian Stud is still part of the tour, and I know this visit will be a real highlight for many. It truly is a shame that the other farms are no longer involved, as it now clashes with GCAT Riyadh, as WAHO truly is a chance to share your horses with the world. I have just been talking to some people from Australasia, and they are bitterly disappointed as this was the main reason they came – to see the Arabian show stars in the flesh. The new itinerary is still being finalised, but I will share it here once it is completed.
Before I share the coming days ahead of the Conference, I must be terribly British and talk about the weather, but we are in for something of heatwave this weekend, which could be a challenge for many. This afternoon is, according to BBC Weather, 40°C, feels like 46°C, and it will be like that for several days, with Sunday a cooler feels like 44°C and Monday calming down to feels like 40°C. Phew!
Onto the itinerary as it stands, and I will show you WAHO through my eyes.
Tomorrow is the official first day of WAHO, but I always like to begin my coverage early to whet your appetite for what is ahead, plus I know many people cannot make it to the Emirates this time around, so this is their way to be part of what is happening. If you haven’t already listened to my podcast on WAHO, you can do so below.
Tomorrow, we will begin bright and early with the Saadiyat Island Cultural Tour, which starts with a guided tour of Louvre Abu Dhabi, housed in the innovative building designed by architect Jean Nouvel. The collection in Louvre Abu Dhabi bridges Eastern and Western art, and it is sure to be a wonderful visit. Opening with one of the jewels of Abu Dhabi will certainly be a great way to open the event!
After lunch, we will go to the Abrahamic Family House, a unique, multifaith complex that includes a mosque, a church, and a synagogue. The Abrahamic Family House promotes dialogue and understanding among different faiths, and goodness knows, the world needs a lot of that right now!
The rest of the day is free for us to do as we will with – which I rather suspect will revolve around meeting up with the international WAHO family as they arrive into town!
Sunday 6 April sees us going to Al Ain, something I am really looking forward to! It will be a long day, but I think it will be worth it. Referred to as the Garden City, Al Ain blends a rich cultural heritage with natural beauty. It is home to a number of historical sites and museums, and is focused on preserving the history of the Emirates as well as promoting the arts.
This bespoke tour will include visits to Al Ain Museum and Sultan Fort, Al Jahili Fort, and a guided walk through a section of Al Ain Oasis – which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is also a chance to go to the Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum and a traditional souq. The tour ends with a scenic drive up the winding mountain roads of Jebel Hafeet. It may be billed as a long day, but it very much will be worth it!
The final day of the pre-conference tours will see us enjoy an Abu Dhabu city sightseeing tour, taking in the spectacular Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – the cover image for this day’s report, as taken my myself from a moving car! The mosque is absolutely beautiful and I am very much looking forward to returning there. The tour will also include Qasr Al Hosn Fort, which is the oldest building in Abu Dhabi, and the House of Artisans, which explores the rich heritage and traditional crafts of the UAE. We will also visit Qasr Al Watan, the Presidential Palace, which looks absolutely stunning.
There are five different pre-conference tours on offer, so everyone will be off doing different things until that evening when we all come together for the welcome reception and dinner at the conference hotel, which is the St Regis Saadiyat Island Hotel.
It is then onto the conference itself – but that will have to wait for another day!
Please check back daily for the latest report, which will be posted in the evening UAE time, plus highlights on @thearabianmagazine on social media. A huge thank you once again to Rifat Arabians Australia for sponsoring our WAHO coverage, and enabling my live reporting. See you tomorrow!
