Around Emirates
Sunday, January 20, 2002
A class apart
Jordan’s Princess Haya talks about show jumping, a royal life and charity
By Mildred Fernandes
Haya bint Al-Hussein defies stereotype. The striking Jordanian princess lives
with most of the trappings of royalty but none of its self-importance. It is
obvious in the way she talks to horse handlers and riders alike at the Dubai
Equestrian Club, accepting advice, sharing laughs and offering sincere thanks.
Fresh from an effortless win in the six-bar contest at the Maktoum International
Show jumping Challenge on Friday, she talked to Gulf News about her motivations
and her life.
After an international athletic career that began at 13, Princess Haya has
represented the hopes of her country and the Middle East at the International
Equestrian Federation, the Pan Arab Games and the Sydney Olympics.
Career
At 27, she continues to work hard at propelling her own career as a horsewoman
and charity worker, away from the pomp and protocol of royal life.
“I believe that people earn their right to be anything they want to be,” she
said, responding to a question on the role of monarchy in an increasingly
egalitarian and democratic world.
“I’m very proud to be part of the state in Jordan, and I know that my family has
had to work very hard to manage the country responsibly and be strong leaders to
the people,” she said. “They were raised to be able to shoulder that
responsibility, and they’ve earned it through all the work.”
It’s a message she has taken to heart. She has chosen to earn her successes on
her own, with toil and stress, rather than relying on the name and access her
position brings.
Princess Haya left Jordan seven years ago for Ireland, hoping to carve a name
and reputation for herself independent of the family connections. Since then,
she has become one of the youngest show jumpers on the international circuit.
She has cut her stable team down from 14 horses to five, which means more and
better time to focus on each horse’s strengths and weaknesses.
She has also moved her European stable operations three times, most recently to
France where she is now based. Paris has also allowed her to cement her
commitment to charity work, which had been relegated to a back burner in the
past.
Ambassador
She is now a United Nations goodwill ambassador, and campaigns against child
abuse on the Internet for the Innocence in Danger group. She is also chair of
Sport and Solidarity – a group that raises money from sports events to help
children around the world – and the international Olympic Aid.
The causes that are closest to her heart, however, are back home in Jordan. She
is honorary president of the Queen Alia Foundation for the Hearing and Speech
Impaired, an appointment she prioritises because of its connection to her
mother.
“it (the foundation) was something my mother thought of just before she died,”
said Princess Haya. The foundation was set up by the Princess’ grandmother as
both a memorial and a way of helping deal with the pain of her loss. “I’m very
proud of that foundation and the work I do there because of my mother,” said
Princess Haya, who has taught herself English and Arabic sign language.
Hearing Princess Haya talk about her family provides an insight into her softer
side, the one that is normally hidden inside a tough shell.
Memories of her mother, Queen Alia, reading fairytales to her as a little girl
remain with her. When she is homesick or confused, Princess Haya said, she
rereads one or two of those books – The Velveteen Rabbit and The Snow Goose, in
particular – to help.
The Princess was particularly close to her father, renowned. Statesman King
Hussein and his death in 1999 left a huge void. It was also family pressure that
made her withdraw from one of her favorite equestrian ventures – racing.
During a stint as a flat jockey in Ireland, she fell from a horse, only to be
trampled by another close behind. The severe accident resulted in many broken
bones and a well-intentioned request from her father. “I would have loved to
carry on racing if I could have,” Princess Haya said. “I think racing is the
best thing horses do naturally – endurance may be the next best thing.”
Princess Haya does return to racing for charities or special events, but is best
known as a world-class show jumper. She recently qualified for the World
Equestrian Games to be held in Spain this summer.
“If you get a good horse, it’s about being a pilot,” she said. Princess Haya is
a role model for not only the Arab world, and young Arab women, but also for
young people and parents the world over.
Her views on education and her own experiences with it, are particularly
refreshing. Princess Haya herself graduated in Politics, Philosophy and
Economics from Oxford University, and admits to having had a tough time.
“I knew I wasn’t a math or science-oriented person,” she said. “Economics was
hard on me, but I had a great time wrestling with philosophy.”
To this day, she enjoys arguing against Rene Descartes and indulging in Sufi
philosophy. “The programme wasn’t easy by any means, but the breadth of the
knowledge itself really appealed to me,” she said. It’s very unfortunate for
children to be locked into a course of study that’s directly related to a
career.”
Princess Haya’s own career is looking bright. Last week marked the first time
she competed in the Middle East. In the past, she has been a proud
standard-bearer for Jordan and the Arab world in international circles, and she
has brought that experience back with her.
“There is quite a lot of pressure here in the Emirates,” she said. “Here it’s a
newly emerging sport, so you can get away without having technical finesse.”
As the bar set lower, more and more people are able to qualify. That, Princess
Haya says, will only change as the UAE opens itself up to international
competitions, competitors and standards.
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