Al Shira'aa: "I Came To keep this Show Free from the Forces Turning Equestrian Sport into a Greedy Business"

Opinion

H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, owner of Al Shira'aa stables in the UAE and sponsor of major international competitions such as Hamburg and Hickstead, recently ended her collaboration with the Falsterbo Horse Show after accusations were made of sport-washing against the Swedish show organizers. On social media a hate campaign raged against the sponsor, volunteers backed out of the show and ticket sales allegedly dropped. It led to the withdrawal of the sponsorship.

Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan has now issued a lengthy three-page statement shedding light on the situation from her perspective.

Statement

As we formally withdraw from our sponsorship of the Falsterbo Horse Show, in agreement with the Falsterbo Horse Show Foundation, I speak now with clarity, dignity, and responsibility — because silence has become impossible.

We entered this partnership not for gain, but from a deep belief that equestrian sport should serve the public — not private profit.

As a woman, I feel I am a born giver. My life’s mission has been to bring professional riding back to the people. This is the heart of Al Shira’aa, and this is why we chose Falsterbo: for its history, its identity, its soul — and its country. A country I never imagined would be portrayed as the complete opposite of what it claims to stand for.

I do not think or believe that everyone in Sweden is like this — I am not generalizing or even suggesting it. But the media has shocked me with its inhumane, cruel, racist, and at times violent portrayals of Al Shira’aa and myself. What people may not realize is that bad news sells — and this kind of narrative has been relentlessly promoted, not responsibly challenged.

What we encountered in return has revealed a very sad reality — not the Sweden I thought I knew, or the one presented through global media. I believed this nation would be proud to be supported by someone from outside, someone who deeply respects foreign cultures, heritage, and history. But instead, a dark side was revealed — one marked by rising hostility, nationalism, and hate.

Since our involvement was announced, we have faced not only aggressive media attacks, slander, and abuse — but violent threats. Not just against my team, which I hold deeply — but against me personally. Even more heartbreaking, the family behind the Falsterbo Horse Show — who have dedicated their lives to its tradition — have also received threats and hate. No one should be subjected to fear simply for loving and protecting a piece of their culture.

As a successful businesswoman, I am speaking — as someone who stepped forward to help preserve something others had walked away from, including Swedish companies — I ask openly: Why am I being attacked? Is it because I am a successful woman, or because I am Muslim, or because I am Arab?

I had blind faith in the sweet dream of Sweden. I know the value of preserving heritage, culture, and the love of horses and their wellbeing. I know that not all of Sweden is like the ones the media are empowering.

But while I believe in freedom of the press and of speech — as my grandfather once expressed in videos still available online — I must ask: Is this what I deserve when I offered support, when many Swedish companies and businesses closer to your country didn’t even try to support your own nation’s oldest horse show?

I believe in freedom of expression — but I do not believe in using it as an excuse for hate, violence, racism, and attempts to ruin my brand, Al Shira’aa. But I am a very lucky person — I have an amazing team that is like a family to me, all from different cultures, working together, keeping our extended families united.

Is this what you call freedom of expression — insulting someone who came here with deep respect for your dear Sweden?
I believe in safety, I believe in respect, and I believe in your rights. But openly insulting me and my brand — a brand I spent many hard years building — is not freedom, it’s harm. Your insults, your hatred, and your falsehoods have already come dangerously close to damaging my reputation, and I will never allow that.

Words may not matter — but actions do.

This speaks volumes. And it has been one of the most painful and shocking experiences in my public life.

Let me be clear once more: I did not come to Sweden for attention — certainly not for Al Shira’aa. I am proud to say my work speaks for itself. My brand is known globally, and we have never sought headlines.

I came with respect — to protect heritage, to honor your country’s culture, and to give back to the horses I love. To keep this show free from the forces turning equestrian sport into a greedy business — something I’m sure many have seen creeping into the horse world.

My mission — always — has been to bring this sport back to the people.

And I have done this quietly, across the world, for over a decade — through events such as the Hickstead Derby and Royal Windsor Horse Show Dressage, and many others. Never for headlines. Always for horses, history, and humanity.

For more than ten years, Al Shira’aa has supported the most traditional and respected horse shows in the United Kingdom and Italy. We then extended our commitment to Germany’s historic Hamburg Derby. And when I turned to Sweden, it was because of the same deep respect — for the history and culture I hoped to help preserve.

May I ask — why are you angry with me?
Is it because of the lack of local support from within your own country?

There are many ways to make a point. But violence, intimidation, and racism are not the answer.

Our mission was to help protect these historic events from commercial takeover and to return the sport to the people it belongs to — the fans, the families, the horse breeders, and the culture that built it.

What happened here was not failure. It was rejection. Not because of business — but because of who I am.

Racist voices — amplified by silence — made it clear we were not welcome. And worse still, no one within Sweden’s equestrian leadership stood up to defend what was right.

That silence speaks louder than any words.

We now leave Falsterbo with dignity and open eyes.
We supported this show when no one else did.
We brought international attention and respect to it.
And we walk away — not because we lost, but because we refused to stay silent and compromise what we believe in.

Al Shira’aa will continue to support equestrian sport wherever it is respected and welcomed.

And those who chose hate over heritage will have to answer one day — not to me, but to the sport, the people, and the legacy they failed to protect.

With that said, I wish nothing but peace, reflection, and renewal for Sweden — a country with so much beauty, culture, and talent.
I hope that one day the loudest voices will no longer be those of hate.
I truly wish happiness, healing, and understanding for the Swedish people — and even for the media.

There will be no further comment.