AL Hajiri : the safety of everyone is our priority

The Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™️ Abu Dhabi (UAE) 2021 has been cancelled. The cancellation is a joint-decision taken by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation (UAE ERF), who have been hosting the only Middle East and Africa qualifier since 2010. The event was scheduled to be held from 20-23 January 2021.

UAE ERF Secretary General Dr. Ghanem Al Hajiri commented “The effects of the global pandemic and the lack of time are our main reasons for the cancellation, we need to provide a safe environment over the whole duration of the event for our visitors which include athletes, officials, their teams, and tourists from all over the planet who enjoy and participate in our international events every year.”

“The UAE has played host to the biggest equestrian events in the region for many years. Unfortunately, due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, there is no certainty that teams would be able to travel easily or compete equally under these circumstances, which means that we would not be able to put on a great event where the safety of everyone attending has to be our priority. We look forward to hosting future events and welcoming everyone back to Abu Dhabi and the UAE,” added Al Hajiri.

The New Zealand team clinched victory at the 2020 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Abu Dhabi for the second time in three years. The New Zealand and United Arab Emirates Showjumping teams led the standings after the halfway stage of the competition, with neither carrying over any faults after the first round.  The second-round outing for both teams proved key, with the UAE team ending up in third place at the event, which took place at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.