170,000 expected for sports exhibition

Year-on-year attendance to double, but authorities tighten rules for weapons licences.

The Emirates Falconers' Club and the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage are organizing the event.

Abu Dhabi // Organisers of this year's Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) are expecting more than 170,000 visitors from around the world to pour through their doors next week. Representatives from major international racecourses, including Ascot and Newmarket, will join more than 500 companies from 37 countries taking part in the fourth annual event, which opens tomorrow - today for VIPs - and runs through Saturday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Hotels in the capital are filling quickly ahead of the influx of delegates and visitors. Emirates Falconers' Club (EFC), which is organising the event along with the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, said its expectations of success were due to an aggressive marketing campaign, which included representatives travelling to England, France, Germany and Russia. Abdullah al Qubaisi, the ADIHEX director, said: "Last year we received 86,000 visitors but by intensifying the marketing for this year we expect the figures to double.

"Feedback from the Gulf countries particularly suggest many VIPs and prominent participants will be present this year. Hotels are fully booked for the exhibition dates, but we know many exhibitors and visitors have relatives or acquaintances in the country so they will manage." Organisers anticipate sales will match last year's total of Dh80 million (US$21.8m), which came mostly through the sale of weapons.

A security committee will be on hand to oversee the licensing of hunting weapons in co-operation with Abu Dhabi Police. The head of the committee, Lt Col Hamid Said al Afrit, who is in charge of the police department's bureau of criminal investigations, said all necessary preparations to provide "a safe security environment that meets the requirements of organising the exhibition and preserving the safety of visitors and participants" had been taken.

"This exhibition has proved its importance by having achieved concrete success over the past years," he said. "It is a suitable opportunity to seal business deals, meet with people interested in heritage activities, discuss different methods used in hunting and exchange ideas and experiences." Participants exhibiting hunting weapons or those wishing to purchase them are required to obtain a certificate of good conduct from relevant authorities ahead of the exhibition and submit it to licensing office set up at the event.

Lt Col Afrit explained: "There will be a new mechanism for buying and selling weapons while we will closely follow companies which import arms." Among the weapons for sale will be three limited edition rifles made by VO Gun and Rifle Maker Sweden in honour of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan; the late founder of the nation, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi; and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, respectively.

Mohammed Khalaf al Mazrouei, chairman of the organising committee, said one of the major aims of this year's exhibition was to promote the idea of balancing the UAE's heritage and the environment, with a focus on sustainable hunting. "The equestrian aspect of the exhibition is just a part of it," he said. "The aim is to promote the UAE culture." ADIHEX's beauty contests for falcons, camels and salukis are favourites for visitors.

With this in mind, organisers have added a new pageant to this year's event - purebred Arabian horses under three years old - to encourage horse owners to produce better strains. There will also be auctions of falcons, horses, and camels. About 80 of the UAE's top camels, donated by ADIHEX's sponsor, Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the EFC, and Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, will be auctioned to subsidise camel research.

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