RECORD-BREAKING ENDURANCE PRIZE MONEY ON OFFER AT UK AND ITALY EDITIONS OF HH ENDURANCE FESTIVAL

Dubai UAE

Sallam Mohamed

The Toscana Endurance Lifestyle 2018, supported and sponsored by Meydan, provides the perfect platform for the His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Italy Endurance Festival. Meydan Group has been the headline sponsor for the Toscana Endurance Lifestyle in 2016 and 2017, and this year they have announced a record-breaking prize pool of 1 million Euros, doubling last year’s prize and incentives fund for the festival. The 2018 running includes a series of prestigious rides scheduled for 27 July 2018 in Pisa, including a CEI2* 120 km ride and a CEI1* 81 km ride

Azizi Developments, a major Dubai-based real estate developer and Pillar Partners of the Dubai World Cup, will also be sponsoring the Festival as part of its partnership with Meydan that extends to international events

The venue is the San Rossore Racecourse in Pisa, one of the great endurance venues in the world that is rich with racing tradition dating back to 1829. It now hosts several world endurance events, making it the perfect setting to highlight the significance of the HH Endurance Festival, the most prominent ride on the Dubai endurance calendar

The His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Festival is one of Meydan Group’s two key endurance events in Dubai organised annually by the Dubai Equestrian Club. The other is the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival. Meydan Group has ensured that both festivals now have international editions held at premier endurance venues in Europe

In the United Kingdom, Euston Park is gearing up to host Britain’s largest and Europe’s richest endurance festival, the H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum UK Endurance Festival on 16-19 August, 2018. With 1 million pounds announced as the prize and incentives pool, this is the highest-ever prize money offered for an endurance festival in Europe

The 2017 running of the festival saw a remarkable 356 riders from 32 nations participate in the H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Festival UK Endurance Masters.  Combined with the 150 national entries for the festival, such made it the largest endurance event ever held in Europe. Riders from as far afield as Australia, South America and the United States travelled to the UK for the festival. This year, the numbers are expected to be even higher

The three-day festival features the best International, National and Pony Club Riders. An Athletes village supports the festival, offering top international riders the very best facilities and infrastructure. The Endurance Festival is located in the beautiful parkland of the Euston Park Estate and includes CEI3* 160 km, CEIO2* 120 km, CEIOYJ2* 120 km, CEI1* 80 km and CEIYJ1* 80 km International Rides. National rides have also been scheduled along with the Pony Club National Championships

Meydan Group has been sponsoring, organising and hosting world-class equestrian events in the disciplines of flat racing, endurance, dressage, show jumping and eventing. These objectives are in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

His Highness’s contribution to the world of equine sport has been incomparable and, as a result of his unstinting patronage and guidance, the sport of endurance riding has been steadily increasing its footprint

These are more than endurance rides. They act as the platform upon which sporting, economic and commercial links are strengthened between the UAE, Dubai and Europe