2nd Annual Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum to be held at the Meydan Grandstand from 5-6 March

Dubai Racing Club and Dubai Equestrian Club, the two largest horse racing organisations in the Middle East, have announced that the 2nd Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum will take place from 5 to 6 March, 2022 at the Meydan Grandstand in conjunction with Dubai World Cup Carnival’s Super Saturday.

With a focus on ‘GCC Forum for All GCC Equestrian Procurement’, the two-day exhibition and conference will welcome more than 500 international and regional industry suppliers, buyers, producers, horse owners, breeders, industry professionals and technology partners as well as experts and racing clubs from the Middle East and beyond.

Opportunities emerging from future projects in the sector worth $400 million will be on top of the Forum’s agenda. The event, to be attended by more than 250 stables, 350 buyers and 75  suppliers, will feature series of panel discussions and presentations on industry issues and opportunities. Participants will also have the opportunity to win more than 250 giveaways and prizes.

Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook, Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, stressed the importance of the event in providing a platform for various stakeholders, including suppliers, sellers, buyers, importers, industry experts and racing clubs, to explore the massive opportunities for the industry’s growth. The two-day event will also allow experts to help identify challenges that stand in the way of the multi-billion-dollar industry, he said.

Dubai Racing Club recently announced an enhanced racing calendar for the 2021/22 season, which will now include a four-race ‘Jumeirah Series’ on turf launched for the Classic generation, in addition to an exciting new race for Super Saturday. The addition of new races increases the total prizemoney for the racing season to over $40 million.

“The introduction of new races within the framework of the Dubai World Cup Carnival is part of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai’s efforts to continually improve Dubai’s equestrian offering and also to support racing both within the UAE and overseas,” Sheikh Rashid said.

The Dubai World Cup Carnival, which began on 13 January at the Meydan Racecourse, the largest horse-racing hub in the Middle East, features several new races for 2022. The popular Super Saturday card, scheduled for 5 March will welcome the addition of a new race in the form of the US$300,000 Ras Al Khor over 1,400 meters on turf.

Following the success of the first edition, the 2nd Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum is likely to see a number of announcements being made that will boost the industry. The region’s only equine industry exhibition that brings all stakeholders under one roof, will strengthen the coordination among all players that will help the multi-billion-dollar equine industry grow.

International and regional exhibitors will be showcasing their latest technologies and innovations for the equine industry including feed & nutritional products, flooring & bedding products, veterinary products & services, apparel, stable technologies and many more.

Welcoming the industry stakeholders to the 2nd Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum, Major General Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, Board Member and General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club and Dubai Racing Club, said: “The main objective of hosting this event is to meet with various equestrian suppliers and procure products for our upcoming seasons. As such, I strongly encourage all the regional and international suppliers to showcase their offerings at this exclusive gathering of equestrian professionals from across the GCC.”

Noel Greenway, Managing Partner, Great Minds Event Management, said: "The high level of success of the 1st Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum, inaugurated by Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook, Chairman of Dubai Racing Club, in October 2021 has encouraged us to plan the second edition within six months. This underlines the vibrancy of the equine industry in the Middle East and its resilience amid the pandemic.”

“Organising the second edition in quick succession demonstrates our strong commitment to the region’s equine industry and the market opportunity for all suppliers. The 2nd Dubai Equestrian Procurement Forum will build upon the first-edition and we will see greater international and regional participation for the two-day event.”

Dubai has a proud history of horse racing, having hosted its first flat race in October 1981 in the Nad Al Sheba area. This progressed to the foundation of Dubai Racing Club in 1992 and the flagship Dubai World Cup meeting in 1996, which strengthened the UAE’s and Dubai’s profile as a global racing hub. The local horse racing sector took another leap forward in 2010 with the opening of the iconic Meydan Racecourse, which became the new headquarters of the Dubai World Cup with a capacity to accommodate more than 60,000 spectators.

Dubai Racing Club organises racing events at Meydan Racecourse from November to April of each year, including the Dubai World Cup (DWC). A glittering night of racing, the DWC has total prize money of $30.5 million across nine races, including $12 million in prize money for the Dubai World Cup’s Group 1 race.

Meydan Racecourse plays a major role on the international horse racing map, and Dubai Racing Club supervises 15 stables dedicated to training horses.

The Dubai Equestrian Club was established in 2002 to organise Endurance, Show Jumping and Dressage at local and international levels at the Dubai International Endurance City and Emirates Equestrian Centre. Dubai Equestrian Club supervises 32 Endurance stables, including M7 Stables, F3 Stables and MRM stables.