Equestrian Festival 2023 at Souq Waqif begin with fun filled excitement
The Souq Waqif Equestrian Festival 2023 commenced on February 21, 2023 on the western side of the souq. This festival runs until February 28, 2023 and involves the fourth edition of the Souq Waqif International Arabian Horse Show, which includes the participation of numerous horses. The Private Engineering Office is hosting the festival’s organising committee, with a large number of horse owners from Qatar and other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Argentina, participating. The festival has been successful from the first day and is expected to attract more visitors as it progresses, with activities that appeal to all.
Fierce competitions
The festival began with a performance by the army band and the first rounds of the mare beauty contest, where the horses were evaluated on factors such as head, neck, chest, and limbs in addition to gait and agility.
The first activity of the festival consisted of the qualifiers for the Purebred Arabian Horse Championship, Class A, which involved the participation of 151 horses. The qualifiers are set to take place for three days. In the competitions for two-year-old fillies (1b), the first place was secured by Rayana Al-Nasser, owned by Al-Nasser Stud, while Subha Mudar, owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Ali Al-Thani, and Reem Al-Jamil, owned by Al-Jamil Stud, secured the second and third places respectively. In the competitions for three-year-old fillies, the first place was secured by Di Hanina, owned by Al-Jood Stud, while Mutarat Al-Inaya, owned by Al-Yameen Stud, and Manouh Al-Basha, owned by Ali Mubarak Al-Khayarin, secured the second and third places respectively.
Generous prize money
The organizing committee of the festival has set aside financial rewards amounting to QR6.4 million, which will be distributed among the first-place winners. In the qualifying stage, equal prizes will be given to winners from first to eighth positions, with prizes ranging from QR45,000 to QR9,000.
For the finals stage, the first-place winner and the recipient of the gold medal for colts and fillies aged two and three years will be awarded a financial prize of QR100,000, while the second-place silver medalist will receive QR70,000, and the third-place bronze medalist will receive QR40,000.
In the category of mares and stallions, the gold medalist will receive a prize of QR150,000, the silver medalist QR100,000, and the bronze medalist will receive QR50,000.
High number of participations
Seven judges from countries such as Morocco, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK evaluated the participating horses. The festival is also witnessing considerable participation from the GCC region, with 58 horses, which is also considered the highest since the launch of the event. Numerous horses from different Qatari studs across the country are participating in the festival, which adheres to the highest international standards across all its aspects, including the organisation and facilities. The festival also involves high standards for the winning horses, which are strictly applied by the international judges while ensuring equal opportunity for all participants.
Convenient location
This event is a great opportunity for horse owners and equestrian fans to meet and exchange their views and experiences regarding their shared passion for horses. The festival is also popular, with an excellent turnout of visitors, thanks to its convenient location on the Souq Waqif premises. The venue was prepared carefully to provide the participants with the best experience, with areas designated for horse owners and participants and others for the general public and families.
