Bartabas, the acclaimed trainer and founder the national equestrian academy of Versailles, with horsemen in 2013. Thomas Samson / AFP
Bartabas, the acclaimed trainer and founder the national equestrian academy of Versailles, with horsemen in 2013. Thomas Samson / AFP

Emirati-French Cultural Programme to feature horse show



ABU DHABI // Thirty horses from one of France’s most prestigious equestrian academies will take part in performances in Al Ain as part of an Emirati-French cultural programme.

The Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, the French embassy and Institut Francais will present the show featuring horsemen of the national equestrian academy of Versailles, in Al Jahili Fort on March 23, 25, 27 and 28. It will be choreographed by the acclaimed French horse trainer Bartabas.

“This series of shows, reflected in an equestrian choreography by a true master of equestrian art, in the iconic venue of Al Jahili Fort, is another milestone of our Emirati–French cultural programme,” said Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of TCA Abu Dhabi.

Michel Miraillet, French ambassador to the UAE, said his country was proud to present the National Equestrian Academy of Versailles, which is steeped in the French and Emirati tradition of horse training.

“This tradition will be encountering in March the Emiratis’ long-lasting relationship with horses, for an exceptional show in the heart of the Emirati nation,” he said.

“France and the UAE are both utterly committed to culture as a way to lead to peace and harmony.

“The Emirati-French cultural programme, dedicated to the celebration of the upcoming Louvre Abu Dhabi, has been thought out as a way to strengthen our relationship by presenting common passion and values to the public living in the UAE and across its borders.”

The choreography comprises more than 15 scenes punctuated by poetry.

The texts from 20th century writers such as Pierre Boulez and Nuno Oliveira – the latter a Portuguese horse trainer who inspired riders all over the world – evoke the relationships between humanity and horses. ​

newsdesk@thenational.ae

Iran's dirty tricks to dodge sanctions

There’s increased scrutiny on the tricks being used to keep commodities flowing to and from blacklisted countries. Here’s a description of how some work.

1 Going Dark

A common method to transport Iranian oil with stealth is to turn off the Automatic Identification System, an electronic device that pinpoints a ship’s location. Known as going dark, a vessel flicks the switch before berthing and typically reappears days later, masking the location of its load or discharge port.

2. Ship-to-Ship Transfers

A first vessel will take its clandestine cargo away from the country in question before transferring it to a waiting ship, all of this happening out of sight. The vessels will then sail in different directions. For about a third of Iranian exports, more than one tanker typically handles a load before it’s delivered to its final destination, analysts say.

3. Fake Destinations

Signaling the wrong destination to load or unload is another technique. Ships that intend to take cargo from Iran may indicate their loading ports in sanction-free places like Iraq. Ships can keep changing their destinations and end up not berthing at any of them.

4. Rebranded Barrels

Iranian barrels can also be rebranded as oil from a nation free from sanctions such as Iraq. The countries share fields along their border and the crude has similar characteristics. Oil from these deposits can be trucked out to another port and documents forged to hide Iran as the origin.

* Bloomberg

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