In Memoriam – H. H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

HH. Sheik Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the second son of Sheikh Zayed, the founder of the United Arab Emirates, died on 18 November at the age of 64. The Sandhurst Military Academy graduate previously served as deputy prime minister, but then became the president’s representative, a post he held until his death.
In Arabian horse circles, he was known by his Bouthieb initiative and the establishment of the Heritage Arabian Racing Club (HARC).

H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan with the author of these lines.
Foto: Pamela Burton, www.horsereporter.com

The Bouthieb Initiative is a horse-friendly variant of middle-eastern endurance rides that feature speed limits, stricter metabolic parameters and technically challenging tracks, etc. The “Bouthieb Protocol” has been implemented since the 2015/2016 season and is used as the sole set of rules for all CENs in Bouthieb. Sh. Sultan also started the Bouthieb Academy, where locals learn to ride for free and learn horsemanship.
The Heritage Arabian Racing Club (HARC) was used to sponsor races with Arabian horses from bloodlines that usually have no chances on the racetrack, but whose preservation is important and worthy with regards to the diversity of the gene pool. The European Championship for HARC horses, which took place in Ghlin at the beginning of November, was one of the most important races and sponsored with € 20,000.
The current President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, announced his brother’s death in a statement by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs stating that the country would officially mourn and drop the flags for three days from Monday.
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