Riders from Rabiya dominate inaugural horse race in Mosul’s Shallalat

MOSUL – Riders from Rabiya claimed top honors in the first 1,800-meter horse race held in Mosul’s Shallalat area, where 14 competitors from Mosul, Rabiya, Zummar, and Hamdaniya took part. The event, open to both male and female riders, was organized in preparation for upcoming equestrian competitions, including a women-only race in Nineveh governorate.

Participants from Rabiya attributed their strong performance to a deep-rooted local horse culture. The subdistrict is home to 15 stables, each housing about 10 horses.

Naif Jassim, 17, took first place. “I came from Rabiya subdistrict and won first place. This is my first victory, and I’ve been riding horses for nine years,” he told 964media.

Yasser al-Shammari, who placed second, said: “I came from Rabiya and my horse is from Zummar. I won second place. The competition was fair, and the organization was excellent.”

Rafat Abbas, a member of the Rabiya Horse Racing Committee, said the area has become a center for equestrian sport. “The area most interested in horse racing is Rabiya. We started this activity in 2018, and every year we hold four races,” he said.

Female equestrians also took part in a demonstration during the event. “We came today just for a demonstration at the invitation of the race,” said Sana Ahmed. “I started training at Mosul Equestrian Club two years ago. I have loved horses since I was eight years old, and I learned to ride in less than a month. It was easy to learn.”

The event is part of a broader revival of horse racing in Nineveh, with organizers now preparing for the “Race of Champions” on Oct. 10. That competition is expected to draw participants from across Iraq and possibly from neighboring Syria, and will help select Iraq’s representative for upcoming international tournaments.