Children get a closer look at an Arabian horse at Al Shaqab, yesterday. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula
Public can get a closer look at the beauty of around a thousand of most prized Arabian horses and learn more about their place in Qatar’s heritage at Al Shaqab for free.
Al Shaqab, a member of Qatar Foundation, ensures promotion and appreciation of the Arabian breed, hosts the Royal Stable and cultural legacy handed over from generation to another, according to Fahad Al Marri, Protocol and International Relations Coordinator at Al Shaqab. He delivered a lecture on ‘The History of Horses in Qatar’ yesterday by taking audience on an informative journey into the world of Arabian horses at the Qatar National Library.
Fahad Al Marri, Protocol and International Relations Coordinator at Al Shaqab, with an Arabian horse.
“The horse breed that originated in the Arabian Gulf has been an important part of Qatari life for many centuries. Vision, foresight and a passion to preserve and perpetuate the Arabian horse in Qatar led Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, to establish Al Shaqab in 1992,” Al Marri said.
“Within an amazingly short period of time, Al Shaqab bred three World Champion stallions, Gazal Al Shaqab, Al Adeed Al Shaqab and Marwan Al Shaqab. Today, champion offspring of these stallions enhance the pedigrees of Arabian horses in Qatar and worldwide,” he added.
Fourteen of the 17 horses in Qatar which have won the World Championship Arabian Horse Show in Paris, are from the Al Shaqab.
“The horses in the Al Shaqab are the really lucky ones, they get the best care at a most luxuries place,” said Al Marri.
His lecture highlighted the welfare of Arabian horses and how they are cared for, in keeping the Qatar National Library’s July focus on animals, their future and their interactions with humans. After the lecture, a group of attendees visited Al Shaqab, which stands as an enduring tribute to the Arabian horse and the tradition of equestrian excellence that has co-evolved with this breed in Qatar.
Al Shaqab’s breeding philosophy is to preserve the Arabian breed and to produce horses that are beautiful, athletic, and have great moral character and kindness. With state-of-the-art facilities, Al Shaqab also ensures the horses are physically strong to carry their riders to faraway places – just as they did in the past. Visitors to Al Shaqab get a guided session through the compound and an orientation of equestrian discipline, facilities, horse shows, breeding centre and a photo session with the Arabian horses.
