Qatar is not just famous for its beautiful pearls, natural gas, and oil reserves, but the equestrian industry is also a part of its rich heritage. The highly-prized Arabian horses have played an important role in the foundation of Qatar’s equestrian history.
Horse-racing in Qatar has grabbed the attention of people world-over, and equally that of the passionate equestrian influencers. One such man who has seized the spotlight is Hassan Al Mannai.
Al Mannai and his quest for turning Qatar into a horse racing hub have helped him gain immense popularity in the equine industry. His equestrian know-how is a perfect mix of passion, enthusiasm, and experience. As an equestrian influencer and business owner of Al Reeh Stud, Al Mannai has carved a place for all the right reasons. His venture is dedicated to preserving, improving, and breeding top class Arabian horses and has a capacity of forty or more.
Al Mannai’s passion for Arabian horses and the equine industry stems from his childhood. With time, as his fondness for horse-racing grew, he realized he could make a career in this industry by gaining experience and knowledge. To fortify his passion and understand the industry, he attended various horse shows across the globe and interacted with many horse breeders. Over the years, Al Mannai and his venture Al Reeh Stud managed to bag several medals on both national and international scale.
Al Mannai has his eyes set on taking Qatar’s equine industry to new heights. His mission is to change the perception of the equine industry in comparison to other forms of sport. He also believes that equestrian influencers are often looked upon as riders with a large social following from across the world. However, he wants people to know that there’s more to being an equestrian influencer, and one of them is the art of bonding with a horse.
Through Al Reeh Stud, Al Mannai hopes to elevate Qatar’s equine industry to its highest standards by breeding horses that are not only physically strong but also well-trained. For his dedication and contribution towards the industry, he was chosen as the representative of Qatar for a national show judge in 2017. Besides this, he was also appointed as the director of Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club in 2018 and a full-time member of ECAHO.
To add to his list of accolades, this equine influencer has also gained popularity in the hospitality and banking industry. Al Mannai is a proud owner of two restaurants, 41˚ WS and Cactus Senshi, and has worked for world-renowned brands like the Qatar National Bank and Masraf Al Rayan.
“My aim is to help my country become the leader of equestrian sport and sustain its rich cultural heritage to the best extent possible,” says Al Mannai.
Al Mannai’s vision is to inspire youth to take up this sport and educate people about the lesser-known equine industry. His hope is that his equestrian efforts will contribute to the growth of the horse sport with the goal of having Qatar as a global hub for horse riding.