Saudi Horse Festival begins with horse auction
A horse is displayed during an auction at the Saudi Horse Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xinhua)
A horse is displayed during an auction at the Saudi Horse Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xinhua)
A horse is displayed during an auction at the Saudi Horse Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xinhua)
The Saudi Horse Festival kicked off in the capital Riyadh on Monday with a horse auction that generated more than one million Saudi riyals (US$270,000), local media reported on Tuesday.
The auction featured 40 rare breed stallions and mares, and around 120 people attended the event, according to local newspaper Saudi Gazette.
The mare called Bromma Bahamas was sold at auction for the highest price of 180,000 riyals. A portion of the proceeds from the auction will go to charity, the report said.
Another important event of the festival is the International Championship of Purebred Arabian Horses, which is scheduled to take place on the third day of the festival, with the participation of 350 horses from different Arab countries and prizes worth more than 2 million riyals.
The eight-day festival is the largest international gathering of horses in the region.
Equestrian shows will be staged to illustrate the harmony between man and horse, as well as cavalry shows.
The festival also includes art competitions and live music performances.