Arab horses on show at royal backed event
Like 0 Dislike 0 Published on 3 Aug 2015
The El Jadida Horse Show is a major event celebrating Morocco's long tradition of horsemanship.
More than a quarter of a million visitors are expected to come to the show over six days to watch the competitions and equestrian displays.
Trotting in front of the judges, these horses are competing for the honour of "most beautiful horse".
It's just one part of the seventh edition of the El Jadida Horse Show, a six day event that's expected to pull in as many as 260,000 visitors.
Throughout the show, there are national and international competitions, including the third stage of the Moroccan Royal Tour 2014, which sit alongside the more local "most beautiful horse" prizes.
Organised over an area 90,000 square meters, it's a bustling, event-packed show and reflects the popularity of horses and horse culture in Morocco.
Horse riding and breeding is closely associated with the Moroccan royal family.
The King used to attend Friday prayers on horseback and horses are commonly used during state occasions.
As such, the show is backed by King Mohammed VI.
But whether a competitor, breeder, or simply an enthusiast, organisers say the show is a great way to meet those with a shared love of all things equine.
"Old and new Moroccan horse breeders have nowhere to compete so this is the best way to improve horse breeding in the country without talking about the dialogues and side conversations that take place outside the arena between the breeders to exchange their experiences and to build practical and professional relationships to talk about horses pedigrees," says Dr. Mohammed Machmoum, the Technical Director of the El Jadida Horse Show.
This year's theme is "Equestrian tourism in Morocco", with speakers and dialogues going on throughout the six days, to discuss how to boost Morocco's equine tourist industry.
The event has also attracted 120 exhibitors who are here to show-off their horse related wares.
The Moroccan army, as well as the police and gendarmerie, are here to inform visitors about what they do - and to highlight their long association and history of working with horses.
Qatar which has made a name for itself by winning prestigious races including the L'Arc de Triomphe in France, is a regular at the event.
For the Racing & Equestrian Club of Qatar, the show is an excellent opportunity to show the world the progress it is making in this field.
Saad Mubarak Al Hajti is the Head of Media at the Racing & Equestrian Club of Qatar.
"Because the horse show in El Jadida is a yearly event where many countries are present, we came to it to show the high level reached by equestrian activities in Qatar locally and internationally. Qatar has some of the best Arab thoroughbreds in the world," he explains.
Although it was only started in 2008, in just six years the horse show has become a major space where professionals meet, as well as a place where traditional craftsmen can show off their masterpieces.
Ornate stirrups sit alongside traditional saddles embellished with gold thread and horse designs.
The family of Hicham Sekkat has been making traditional saddles in the imperial city of Fes since 1896.
Traditional saddles are time consuming and need the skills of around fourteen specialists, Sekkat says.
Gold, silk, leather and wool are used to make them.
"Year after year, we have to show something new to the visitors who should know that no less than fourteen artisans work together to create this masterpiece. Every year, the horsemen who take part in the traditional art of Tbourida must be seen in a new garment," he explains.
In Morocco, no big event is complete without the ancestral art of the traditional horse ride, the Tbourida or Fantasia.
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