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Rabat – After a successful first edition hosted in Marrakech, the Grand Prix of Africa is returning to Morocco’s red city from February 23 – 25, with the goal of showcasing Africa’s expertise in horse racing, as well as its know-how in promoting responsible gambling on the continent.
The 2023 Grand Prix of Africa will feature top-level horses and jockeys, and host 12 delegations from African lotteries representing multiple European sectors, according to Morocco’s Royal Society of Horse Encouragement (SOREC) press release.
The three-day event has dedicated one day to seminars to be held a day prior to the horse races. The seminar has been advertised under the theme: “The sharing of expertise; key to boost the performance of African lotteries.”
The sporting event also provides an opportunity to learn about the world of horse racing. There will be several catering spaces available, as well as a variety of fun activities for the general public.
Organizers considered last year’s Marrakech inaugural hosting of the Grand Prix of Africa to be a great success. Following Marrakech’s successful event, the event organizers chose the red city for a second time in a row as a testimony to the accomplishment and “trust placed in SOREC.”
Speaking of the significance behind the event, the Director General of SOREC Omar Skalli said: “We are thrilled that this major event will take place on African soil. Morocco affirms its willingness to develop the continent’s equestrian sectors and the revitalization of racing in Africa.”
Director General of SOREC Omar Skalli at the eighth edition of the Morocco International Meeting
Skalli also highlighted that the “event serves as an opportunity to strengthen the ties of cooperation and solidarity between our countries.”
Echoing Skalli’s statement, African Lotteries Association (ALA) President Dramane Coulibaly also named the 2022 edition of the African Grand Prix “a great success.”
Coulibaly shared his enthusiasm for the event saying, “Morocco, through SOREC, has demonstrated its ability to unite the entire ecosystem around a large-scale international event and to increase the visibility and dynamism of African racing.”
Morocco’s SOREC is organizing the event in partnership with the African Lotteries Association (ALA).
Preserving Moroccan Equestrian Heritage
Public company SOREC promotes equestrian sports in Morocco under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries.
SOREC aims to shed light on Morocco’s horse-related heritage and contribute to the development of the sector as a key for economic and social development.
In November 2022, SOREC hosted the eighth edition of the Morocco International Meeting in Casablanca to commemorate the country’s equestrianism. The event brought together national and foreign horses and their riders in an effort to support the global growth of the Moroccan racing industry.
Morocco’s national horse industry strategy aims to professionalize and expand equestrian events as part of the country’s goal of preserving and strengthening the bond between Moroccans and horses.
Read Also: SOREC’s Morocco International Meeting Celebrates Equestrianism
