Dubai: Fans of Arabian horse shows know that Dubai is the place to be in March, when the emirate stages the annual $4 million (Dh14.68 million) Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship (DIAHC).
This year is no different as some of the best Purebred Arabian horses vied for honours on the opening day of the event at the Dubai International Trade Centre.
Heavyweights Ajman Stud launched their bid to win the major prizes on offer with Nastya OS, a German-bred former Junior Champion Filly, comfortably winning Class 1, for one-year-old fillies.
Nastya OS was bought out of Germany's Osterhof Stud last year to stand at the Ajman Stud, home of some of the finest Arabian horses in the world.
She scored 91.88 points from the six-judge panel during yesterday's presentation to easily hold off Ghanadir Al Zobair (91.38 pts) and Salwa Al Bidayer (91.13 pts).
Shortly after, AJ Sawahi gave Ajman Stud their second success of the afternoon when winning Class 2 for two-year-old fillies.
The 2011 All Nations Cup Gold Champion, AJ Sawahi notched 93.50 points to beat off Ghazalat Al Khaledia (92.88 pts), representing Saudi Arabia's Al Khalediah Farm while Denmark's UL Sid Parma (91.88 pts) was third. Ajman Stud were denied a straight hat-trick when AV Dalia, owned by the Dubai Arabian Stud and Arabian Valley Stud, won Class 3 for three-year-old fillies by the narrowest of margins from Lutfina AA, a recent winner at the Abu Dhabi International Show.
The judges gave AV Dalia higher marks for body topline and legs but could not split the pair when it came to scoring the head and neck and movements during the display.
Earlier in the day horses owned by Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan saw his horses claimed their share of the spotlight, with AL Abjar W'Rsan bagging the Racing Championship for Mares and Geldings and SM Mantra taking the Endurance Championship for Stallion.
The three-day competition, which is a showcase of the heritage, beauty and agility of the world's finest Arabian horses, is held jointly with the Dubai International Horse Fair, the Middle East's largest equine exhibition.
The event was inaugurated by its patron Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, as enthusiasts, professionals and suppliers in the industry filled the halls of the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
More than 200 exhibitors from 35 countries are participating at Dubai International Horse Fair this year, with eight new countries, including Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Holland, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal and Sweden, which join countries as far afield as Argentina, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and the US.
