Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The second edition of the Saudi Arabian Horse Festival will begin on Jan. 10. The festival, with the slogan of “Ubayyah in Diriyah” will be held under the patronage of Riyadh Emir Prince Faisal Bin Bandar at the International Equestrian Resort.

The 8-day festival, which aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, will see many sports, cultural and entertainment events.

The festival is named after Ubayyah, the mare of King Abdul Aziz, founder of modern Saudi Arabia.

Addressing a press conference, Prince Salman Bin Faisal, chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee of the festival, said the festival will be held in partnership and support with the Diriyah Gate Development Authority. He lauded the role of the Equestrian Authority headed by Prince Bandar Bin Khaled Al-Faisal, and the Saudi Equestrian Federation headed by Prince Abdullah Bin Fahd Bin Abdullah in supporting the event.

Prince Salman praised the distinguished efforts of the King Abdulaziz Center for Arabian Horses for purebred Arabian horses, along with their owners and equestrian sports. He noted some of the festival’s activities, which targeted various segments of the Saudi society, will be held for the first time in the Kingdom with the support of the Ministry of Culture.

The festival’s most prominent event is the International Championship for Purebred Arabian Horses, category B. It will start on the third day of the festival and will last for four days under the supervision of the King Abdulaziz Center for Arabian Horses and be judged by a group of international juries. As many as 350 purebred Arabian breed horses from different countries will participate in the event for which the value of prizes will exceed SR2 million.

The “Pride of Diriyah” auction event will start at 6:00 pm on the opening day during which 40 purebred Arabian horses of rare breeds will be exhibited, and part of the auction profits will be donated to charities.

There will be a living museum for purebred Arabian horses, whose breeds date back to the era of the imams. It would be an opportunity for visitors and participants to watch one of the most important and famous horse breeds of Imam Faisal Bin Turki and King Abdul Aziz and hear the stories that speak of Ubayyah, the mare of King Abdul Aziz.

There will also be dynamic shows of horses and jockeys designed specifically for “Ubayyah in Diriyah”, as well as the Nomas Knights horse that will highlight the harmony between horses and humans, along with the Arena Horse training and riding, which is a luxurious restaurant arena that suits the tastes of visitors, and other events that will open its gates for visitors at 4:00 daily.