Dubai: For Purebred Arabian horse enthusiasts, only one word can describe the prospect of watching some of the best of the breed compete at the 10th Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship (DIAHC) next week — exciting.
The annual equine “beauty pageant”, which is a competition for Arabian horses, showcasing their beauty, agility and heritage, will be staged over three days at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from Thursday, March 21.
It is the most prestigious competition of its kind in the world, with close to 300 horses from over 25 countries set to compete for prizes valued at $4,000,000 (Dh14 million).
The event is run under the auspices of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance.
While acknowledging that the prize money helps improve the quality of horses participating in the Championships, the event’s General Manager Qusai Obaidullah said: “Horse shows like the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship have several roles to play, but perhaps most important among them is to promote the Arabian horse and to showcase it as a very special breed.
“The DIAHC also aims to promote the breeders of Arabian horses and those involved at the studs and various organisations.
“In addition, the show attracts some of the best Arabian show horses who have participated in stringent qualifying competitions in order to be eligible to compete for the top prizes on offer in Dubai.”
The competition, which is organised independently by the UAE Arabian Horse Organisation, will for the first time include the yearling classes for fillies and colts.
Obaidullah explained: “Previously yearlings, or one-year-old horses competed in a category for horses aged one to three. Upon review, we found that it was unfair to pit a very young horse against another who is a year or two older, who is more developed and more mature.
“As a result of this we have decided to introduce a new class for juveniles, which we hope will be very competitive and will also make the breeders happy.”
In addition the DIAHC will include categories for fillies and colts two-year-old, fillies and colts three-years-old, mares and stallions 4-6 years old, mares and stallions 7-9 years old and mares and stallions 10 years old and over.
All categories will culminate in the Championship classes for the most exquisite horses.
The Championship once again will be enhanced in 2013 with the staging of the Dubai International Horse Fair, which will open alongside the Championship. The Horse Fair is the largest equestrian exhibition in the region and caters to everyone in the equestrian world from trade to consumers.
Both these events are open to the public free of charge.
