The Higher Steering Committee of the annual Pink Caravan Ride - a pan-UAE breast cancer awareness initiative by the Friends of Cancer Patients charity (FoCP) - has ended conducting the necessary physical tests for potential riders who applied to participate in the 2015 Pink Caravan Ride, which will kick off on March 16th, to raise community awareness about the importance of undergoing regular examinations and early detection tests.
The committee received more than 250 applications from promising candidates, both male and female, from across the country. The candidates underwent proficiency tests at Furusiyya Equestrian Club in Dubai under the supervision of horse riding instructors and equine specialists, to ensure they possess the proper skills to ride with confidence and are able to control the horse. The assessment was attended by committee members, and also garnered interest from crowds consisting of members of the public.
The riders expressed their pride and desire to participate in this year’s Pink Caravan Ride, valiantly wishing to be part of the Pink Caravan event to raise hope and breast cancer awareness among the UAE community.
Ameera Binkaram, Chairperson of the Higher Steering Committee of the Pink Caravan Ride, said, “Over the past four years, the Pink Caravan has consistently conducted such tests to ensure the horse riding skills of the candidates.”
She pointed out that participation in the ride demands a particular skillset and requirements that should be met by each and every candidate in order to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
She noted that the Pink Caravan campaign has consciously chosen to employ horses because of their profound connection to chivalry, an ethos that is deeply rooted within the Arab heritage and universally associated with altruism and magnanimity. ‘We draw on these noble values by presenting equestrian riders a chance to join our annual ride, so that they can inspire and motivate others through such a unique altruistic expedition. Consequently, this encourages volunteer riders to courteously cooperate with one another and engage in group work, together reaching the goal of dispelling fears and misconceptions surrounding breast cancer, and encouraging community members to undergo regular examinations.”
The Pink Caravan seeks to bring about a positive change to the community with regards to its misconceptions surrounding breast cancer and early detection, while offering free breast cancer examinations to all across the country, to both Emiratis and Expatriates. It also aims to unify efforts to fight breast cancer and promote the culture of voluntarism and charitable work.
The committee announced that it will choose 110 riders from promising candidates who meet the participation requirements and criteria, who are experienced riders. Potential riders should also be over 14 years of age.
The chosen riders will join the Pink Caravan Ride 2015, starting from Sharjah on March 16th, where they will journey through the seven Emirates, wrapping up the tour in Abu Dhabi on March 25th.
The  riders will be divided into 10 groups, with each division consisting of 15 riders assigned to a one-day horseback ride according to their preference of route, distance and location. The riders will spend around 7-8 hours on horseback every day, with the estimated average daily ride ranging between 30 and 40km.