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Qatar’s deep connection with its past is epitomised by its love for Arabian horses and equestrian sports in general. Every year, the country organises multiple competitions and events at the national, regional and international levels.

The third edition of the Katara International Arabian Horse Festival (KIAHF 2023), being held under the patronage of HH The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, will kick off at the Katara Cultural Village on Wednesday. Horses from 18 countries are expected to take part in it.

The festival, jointly organised by the Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF), Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) and Katara, will run until February 11.

While the Arabian Peninsula Horse Championship will be held from February 1 to 4, the Auction will be on February 6. The Title Show will run from February 8 to 11. Numerous cultural events and more than 30 activities, including exhibitions, art workshops, competitions and live art shows, will also be held.

Throughout the festival, the audience will be treated to the sight of an artist working on a horse-sized stained glass artwork. A total of 15 flower shops will participate in an accompanying event on the Ibn Al-Reeb Street.

A number of exhibitions — including Interactive Mirrors — will be held on the event’s sidelines. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani Museum, Qatar National Library and the Postal Stamp Museum in Katara will present collections of stamps featuring horses and equestrianism.

Painting and poetry competitions will also be a part of the event.

The total prize money for the festival’s horse show competitions will reportedly amount to over QR17m this year, in addition to in-kind prizes. Of this, a purse of QR13,900,000 has been allocated for the Title Show.

In December, Qatar will host the World Championship for Purebred Arabian Horses. Katara signed an agreement with the National Centre for Agricultural Exhibitions and Competitions in France by which the 2023 and 2025 editions will be held on Qatar’s shores. It will be the first time the competition is being held outside France in 40 years.

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