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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Nov 2008 : 3:18:06 PM
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I'm really cheesed off now. We have booked to go to Dubai for 1 wk then on a cruise on the Arabian Sea. When we booked there were no dates for the show or the world cup, or I couldn't find them so we took a chance and booked to go on 21st March, seems like i'm going to miss both now 
Obviously i'm looking forward to the trip but it would have been much more special if we could have taken in a day at the show which was my idea. We are staying on the Arabian Peninsula at the new Hilton Ras al Khaimah resort & spa. Sounds lovely although it is some way from Dubai city. Have been before and stayed at the Jumeriah Sheraton, it was wonderful and the food was out of this world although quite pricey. This time we're all inclusive so won't matter.
Duabi is like a building site in many respects but still a wonderful experience. |
Welshpool
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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2008 : 10:05:38 AM
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Update: I was so dissapointed thinking I was going to miss the show, I rang Virgin Holidays and have managed to change the date of our booking to the week before  Hubby not so pleased though, it's cost a bit more . I haven't told him it's 3 days either yet. I'll save that till we get there I think. 
I am so delighted this will really make my holiday. |
Welshpool
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LIV
Gold Member
England
705 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2008 : 10:28:49 AM
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Oh, that's good news. It would have been awful to have missed it by a week!
Will probably see you there!! |
     
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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2008 : 7:47:31 PM
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Yes maybe nearer the time we can see if any other A-liners are going and meet up?
Are you taking any horses Liv or just spectating? |
Welshpool
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LIV
Gold Member
England
705 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2008 : 8:59:55 PM
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Sue
Yes, am sure there will be other folks going.
No, I'm not taking any horses but will probably want to bring a whole load home with me!!
Liv |
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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2009 : 10:56:26 AM
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Hi,
I know one or two of you were planning on going to the show. As it is only 4wks away I have been trying to find out more so that I can plan which day I want to be there whilst on holiday in Duabai. I'm sure the web site did have a programme on before christmas but now it has no info, just says 'coming soon'. I have e-mailed to try to get more info but have received nothing. Not very impressed  It does say it is free entry for the public but I think you have to register, does anyone know, do you have to do this before you arrive? I will be very upset if I get there then can't get in, particularly as our hotel is some distance away. |
Welshpool
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mirage
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1457 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2009 : 12:55:20 PM
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Try contacting the organiser Jenny Malton. She is very helpful and a quick phone call will probably answer all of your questions.
Jenny Malton
Show/ Event Secretary
Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship
Dubai World Trade Centre
Jennifer.Malton@dwtc.com
www.diahc.ae
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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2009 : 8:11:49 PM
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Yes thank I have done now. They don't seem to have finalised their programme yet.
Thanks again.
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Welshpool
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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2009 : 11:01:00 AM
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No doubt I will upset one or two people on here but I have to say that after so looking forward to this show I was dissapointed to say the least. I Haven't been to many shows in UK for last few years but was under the impression that the way arabs are shown in the UK has improved and the behaviour of a minority is now frowned upon. Well maybe I was being naive to think it would be better in the UAE or just didn't really give it much thought before I went but I was horrified to see some of the behaviour of the grooms and handlers especially with the yearlings on the Friday. For each horse that entered the ring to very loud music and enough to scare them to death anyway, there were at least a dozen young men and women waving bin bags on the end of whips, banging whips and anything else they could get their hands on as loudly as they could on seating and the arena walls and screeming like Banchees. Couldn't get hold of a catalogue to see who was who and couldn't hear the commentary most of the time, for what could only be described as ridiculous behaviour. Eventually an Official did try to stop them but only after it had gone on for most of the day. I sincerley hope that the British Judge in attendance had something to say and was influential in trying to get it stopped. What a sad and sorry sight it left me speechless and in the main resulted in horses being so hyped up and stressed they couldn't show their natural beauty or their paces. I certainly won't be thinking of going again in the future.
Sue |
Welshpool
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Edited by - Sue J on 02 Apr 2009 11:03:49 AM |
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LIV
Gold Member
England
705 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2009 : 8:48:26 PM
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Sue, couldn't agree with you more!
The lack of information was our main moan. We weren't aware that the trade fair was directly linked to the show and that you couldn't get in on the first day until that opened. We wandered up the hall to what we thought must be the entrance to the show and asked if we could go in. We were told to go to the office so we did but the chap in the office didn't understand me and so popped into a cupboard and came out with a little box with 'Royal' badges. He told me to put them on and then we went to watch the inhand racehorses. We were the only people there and we were sure that we shouldn't be sitting there as it looked far too plush and we'd not paid for a table. My mum felt really uncomfortable being there so as soon as the trade fair opened we left to look round and then went to sit in the stand at the end of the arena.
We wanted a catalogue but couldn't find them anywhere. We bought a halter from a stand and asked where the man had got his from and he kindly let me have his and said he'd get another. For the next two days we were approached by people asking us where we'd got our catalogue from but we weren't much help as we'd been given it. Without a catalogue there's very little point in watching the show! We couldn't see the scores either or read anything on the big screens.
The lunch break went on for 2 hours and there was absolutely nothing to do apart from wander round the same trade stands that we'd been round countless times. We managed to drag out a whole two hours in the coffee shop opposite one day and had to keep buying drinks so they didn't tell us to clear off.
I had expected the show to be something really special, considering the overall prize money but I can honestly say that it was quite a disappointment. A couple of the stallions that I would have liked to have seen were not there and I'd seen most of the others at Towerlands. The endless bin bag waving got on our nerves too and I thought it a bit too much to be doing that at the yearlings. They told some of the men to stop but still let it go on, and the racket in the collecting ring was ridiculous.
We had a nice holiday in all but I wouldn't go to watch again. At one point I did have to ask myself quite what on earth I was doing there. I felt like I had gone off showing altogether.
Liv
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Sue J
Gold Member
Wales
914 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2009 : 9:44:54 PM
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Hi Liv,
I'm glad it wasn't only me that felt like this and like you, I thought the show would be something really special and instead I was just very dissapointed with the whole thing. |
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SueN
Bronze Member
England
169 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2009 : 12:25:47 PM
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I was in Dubai seeing my children, whilst this show was being held. I had been asked to pick up a catalogue for someone, so with my youngest daughter we decided to go to the show for a couple of hours. The catalogues had sold out on the first day.
Not having seen Arab being shown for a number of years, my daughter was amazed at how the Arab had changed, and thought that they looked like cartoon characters. I was in the collecting ring watching the Junior Female Championship assemble. A very attractive grey filly was in the collecting ring, and after a few minutes, all animals were being posed. I would have to say that most of the animals looked absolutely terrified. The length of the whips were ridiculous.
The grey filly was trying desperately to stand up to resemble a rocking horse, when for no reason whatsoever, her handler slashed her very hard across both shoulders. I desperately looked around for a D.C. but could not see any. The fillies were run one by one into the ring to the screams and shouts of total idiots. My daughter was absolutely disgusted with the behaviour of the handlers, and asked how on earth could any of these animals could be judged if not one of them walked, let alone trotted out probably.
We could only stand this sort of cruelty for a few minutes. It is so sad for the breed that, the limbs look like spiders legs, and these extreme heads look like sea horses - this is not what the Arab was meant to be. Unfortunately this is all to common in the world of Pure bred showing, and unless we start going back to a more sensible way I dread to think what will happen to the breed.
The only thing that I can liken this too was what it must have been like in Roman times in the auditoriums for the gladiators, when the crowds were baying for blood. |
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