Saeed Al Dharif teaches mounted archery at his farm in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. Pawan Singh / The National
Saeed Al Dharif teaches mounted archery at his farm in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. Pawan Singh / The National
Saeed Al Dharif teaches mounted archery at his farm in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. Pawan Singh / The National
Saeed Al Dharif teaches mounted archery at his farm in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. Pawan Singh / The National

Emirati mounted archery expert teaches ancient tradition to new generations


  • English
  • Arabic

In just a few generations, the UAE has gone from crossing the desert by camel to a spacefaring nation orbiting the planet. Yet, amid such rapid development, the country still holds tradition and heritage close to its heart.

Horseback archery today might seem like a thing of the past, but it was once a state-of-the-art innovation – one that helped the Rashidun armies simultaneously defeat the two strongest empires in the world.

Emirati Saeed Al Dharif is keeping alive this ancient skill. The 62-year-old began practising archery as a child and has a long background working with horses. He says mounted archery has enjoyed a recent renewed surge of interest.

Saeed Al Dharif first teaches his students how to shoot a bow and arrow from the ground. Pawan Singh / The National
Saeed Al Dharif first teaches his students how to shoot a bow and arrow from the ground. Pawan Singh / The National

“Each year, new hobbies emerge – the latest being archery, which has historical roots going back to the era of the companions of the Prophet Mohammed, who wielded the bow and arrow,” he says.

Having traversed the Arabian Peninsula, and endured well through the Ottoman Empire, mounted archery has found a new generation of fans through a wave of popular historical Turkish TV dramas, Al Dharif says.

Four years ago, determined to generate a passion for archery in the UAE, he began honing his craft

Training at his farm in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, after mastering archery from the ground, he started conditioning his horses to the sounds of arrows being fired.

Once the horses were ready, he then learnt to shoot from the saddle, before going on to compete in tournaments in Turkey.

Al Dharif attributes a renewed interest in mounted archery to the popularity of historical Turkish dramas. Pawan Singh / The National
Al Dharif attributes a renewed interest in mounted archery to the popularity of historical Turkish dramas. Pawan Singh / The National

As he documented his exploits on Instagram, people across the UAE started getting in touch, asking him to train them too.

“Every Arab possesses an innate passion,” says Al Dharif. “All they need is someone to open the door for them to channel their enthusiasm.”

He believes the most important part of mounted archery is remaining calm and keeping the horse relaxed. A nervous rider makes their horse anxious; making riding and shooting harder.

Encouraged by the popularity of his mounted archery lessons, Al Dharif is now planning to open a camel training school, where he will teach students how to handle and ride camels.

He said he has been impressed by mothers in Abu Dhabi who encourage their children to get out of their homes and engage in outdoor activities.

However, Al Dharif believes that any activity that has an element of danger should be learnt slowly and carefully. This is why he teaches his students archery first, and then equestrianism if they have no horse-riding experience.

“It is necessary to enjoy the experience and not put oneself in danger,” he says.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

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TRAP

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Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

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Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

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The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

Updated: September 24, 2023, 3:07 AM`