When Emirati Special Olympics riders whisper to their horses, they are building a strong bond of loyalty and trust that will power them through the country’s first regional equestrian games.
Eight UAE athletes will be among about 40 riders with intellectual and developmental disabilities from 10 countries in the Special Olympics Mena Regional Equestrian Competition. The best riders from the Middle East and North Africa region were welcomed in the opening ceremony on Monday at the Abu Dhabi Police Cavalry Al Ain Stables.
They will test their skills in events covering riding, show jumping, dressage and working trails. The contest that ends on Thursday has athletes vying for a spot in the 2027 Special Olympics World Games in Santiago, Chile.
The equestrian sport is a path for the UAE to guide a team of people with disabilities from autism spectrum disorder to Down syndrome to stay calm, develop balance and improve their motor co-ordination.
UAE Special Olympics riders, including experienced athletes who did the UAE proud at the 2023 World Games in Berlin, told of their excitement.
Mahra Al Kaabi, 29, won a gold and two silver medals in equestrian events at the games in Germany two years ago. She loves the “feeling of freedom” when riding and harnessing a direct connection with the horse.
“I enjoy every moment,” she told The National. She explained how patience for both rider and horse was key. “They feel your emotions,” said Ms Al Kaabi, describing horses as sensitive, intelligent and loyal. “If you treat them with kindness, they give you more than you can imagine.”
The sport is more than mere physical exercise for Ms Al Kaabi, it is a “spiritual” experience that gives her strength and peace of mind.
Ties of trust
This will be the first international equestrian event for Emirati riders such as Mohammed Al Yamaahi, 14, who has gained confidence from training with several horses for the competition.
“Each horse has its own character,” said the Emirati athlete about creating a relationship of love and trust since he began riding five years ago.
From being a “little nervous” when clambering on to his first horse to striking a deep bond with others, he now can gauge their temperament.
“Yes, I talk to the horse,” the teenager said. “I call him by his name, encourage him to respond and reward him with apples and carrots.”
His mother Azza Al Hammadi said her son is an enthusiastic sportsman who also swims, cycles and skates. His international equestrian debut this week is a source of immense pride for the family.
“Mohammed has changed a lot since learning riding," she said. "He has grown to love animals more and his self-confidence has increased noticeably.
“His social skills have also developed and he has been able to form diverse friendships. His cognitive and physical skills have grown thanks to this wonderful sport.”
Ms Al Hammadi’s wish for her son is that he becomes “an Olympic champion representing his country and making it proud in the sport he loves".
Spreading the word
Amr Badawi, head of sports and training at Special Olympics UAE, said it has been a journey of continuous learning since the historic 2019 World Games in Abu Dhabi.
“We kept working to develop equestrian sports through workshops, training athletes and national events over the last five years and this year, we decided to host the first regional equestrian event in the UAE in Al Ain,” he said.
The aim has been to broaden participation and introduce the sport to more Special Olympics athletes.
Trial sessions were held across the country this year and the final equestrian team of four female and four males was selected from a group of 28 riders.
“It is always games that drives the Special Olympics movement, so we are in the process of growing the number of people introduced to the sport,” Mr Badawi said. “We are trying to expand the programme to have more solid sessions across all the emirates.”
Watching the more experienced Special Olympic riders encourage the newcomers fills Mr Badawi with satisfaction.
“I'm so happy with the leadership of our older riders because they are playing a great role mentoring," he said. "They play a role like an assistant coach for the younger athletes and this is a leadership skill we would like to see develop in our athletes."
The regional equestrian games are part of the UAE’s commitment of inclusive sports, to open up access across disciplines – including skiing and golf – break barriers and empower people with special needs.
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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
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
The years Ramadan fell in May
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More on animal trafficking
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
The%20specs
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
UAE v United States, T20 International Series
Both matches at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free.
1st match: Friday, 2pm
2nd match: Saturday, 2pm
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Amjad Gul, CP Rizwan, Mohammed Boota, Abdul Shakoor, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (captain), Jaskaran Malhotra, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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