Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the activities and competitions of the 5th edition of the Katara International Arabian Horse Festival (KIAHF), organised by Katara Cultural Village in cooperation with the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club and the Qatar Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon Federation, kicked off Wednesday evening to continue until February 8.

The first day of the festival at Katara witnessed the visit of a number of dignitaries and Their Excellencies the ambassadors accredited to the state, in addition to those interested and media professionals specialised in covering such events from inside and outside Qatar.

The festival opened its competitions with the qualifiers for the Arabian Peninsula Purebred Arabian Horse Championship, which recorded the participation of 207 horses from 6 countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt, and will continue until February 1, 2025.

While the second Arabian Horse Tour 2025 will start on February 5. 304 horses have been registered from the following countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Oman.

It is worth noting that this championship, the Arabian Horse Championship, is sponsored by Nasser Bin Khaled Group as the diamond sponsor, Ali Bin Ali Luxury as the platinum sponsor, Ooredoo as the communications sponsor, Qatar Insurance Group as the exclusive insurance sponsor, Al Kass Channels as the official broadcaster, and social media sponsors Q-Minution and Socast. In the 1A yearling fillies category, "Qamaria", owned by Al Hamama Stud from Qatar, won first place, "Hamamat Al Salam", owned by Al Salam Stud, came in second place, and "JJ Majestica", owned by Al Nasser Stud, came in third place.

In the 1B yearling fillies category, "Anhajiyyah Al Shaqab", owned by Al Shaqab, came in first place, "Mayassa Al Zain", owned by Dr. Bashar Al Sayed, came in second place, and "Al Jawhara Abhar", owned by Abhar Stud, came in third place.

In the A4 category for yearling colts, Saif Al Wadi, owned by Al Wadi Stud, came in second place, Ragheed Al Saree’, owned by Al Saree’ Stud, came in third, and Lamah Afaq, owned by Mohammed Al Nuaimi, came in third.

In the 4B yearling colts category, De Saden, owned by Dubai Arabian Horse Stud in the UAE, came in first, Ibn Al Naif, owned by Al Naif Stud, came in second, and Al Rayyan Al Ataq, owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, came in third.

The championship competitions continue Thursday with the competitions for two-year-old fillies, three-year-old fillies, two-year-old colts, and three-year-old colts.

The Arabian Peninsula Purebred Horse Championship witnesses the participation of 14 judges, 9 of whom are on the ground for the qualifying categories and 11 on the ground for the championships. The electronic scoring system evaluates horses based on 5 criteria: type, head, neck, body, legs, and movement.

The championship follows arbitration systems according to fixed standards and clear rules recognized globally by the International Association of Athletics Federations (EAHO) and the Blue Book rules. In addition, the arbitrators must be highly qualified and have extensive experience, as they are carefully selected by the organization, in order to ensure the integrity of the competitions, maintain the structure of the championship, and deepen its spread.

The Public Institution Katara Cultural Village on Wednesday inaugurated a mural of the mare "Kaya", which won the title of champion of horse beauty competitions, on the facade of Building No. 16 in Katara. This mural was created by the international artist Fintan Scott Magee, who excelled in embodying the beauty and grace of purebred Arabian horses in an artistic style that reflects the spirit of equestrianism and the antiquity of Arabian horse breeds.

Prof. Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al Sulaiti, General Manager of the Cultural Village Foundation, stressed that this mural constitutes a qualitative addition to the cultural and artistic scene in Katara, as it reflects the status of the Arabian horse in the Qatari heritage, and enhances Katara's role as a leading destination in celebrating art and culture.
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