RIYADH – Riyadh Emir Prince Faisal Bin Bandar attended on Sunday evening the closing ceremony of the second edition of the Saudi Arabian Horse Festival at the International Equestrian Resort. The 8-day event was held in partnership with the Diriyah Gate Development Authority. Speaking to reporters, Prince Faisal noted that the festival's slogan "Ubayah in Diriyah" and the deep historical meanings that it carries, indicates that the festival's organizers achieved the correct equation while holding this event. The emir also referred to the significance of national heritage of horses and their role in unifying the Kingdom at the hands of King Abdul Aziz and during the preceding periods of Al-Saud imams in building this entity up to the reign of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman who provided support and attention to horses in various fields and competitions, in addition to cultivating love for horses, especially purebred Arabian horses. Prince Faisal thanked Prince Salman Bin Faisal, chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Ubayah Championship, and all those who worked hard to make this event a great success. Prince Faisal Bin Bandar presented prizes to owners of the following first three winners of the championship. They are Amber Al-Reed from the stud of Al-Alam, Di Rowaj from the stud of Al-Zayed, and Mutaghatras from the stud of Ahmed Muhammad Suleiman from the United Arab Emirates. During the ceremony, Prince Salman Bin Faisal, chairman of the Organizing Committee of the festival, delivered a speech in which he thanked Riyadh Emir Prince Faisal for the care and support that the "Ubayah in Diriyah" Festival received, and the success achieved in supporting the purebred Arabian horses. For his part, Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, said that the authority, through its partnership in the Saudi Arabian Horse Festival, aspires to achieve the targeted goals in the cultures, aesthetics, and history of the Arabian horse, and the heritage that it preserves. The festival, which was aligned with the Kingdom's Vision 2030, is named after Ubayyah, the mare of King Abdul Aziz, founder of modern Saudi Arabia. events. The International Championship for Purebred Arabian Horses and the "Pride of Diriyah" auction were the major events of the festival that also saw many sports, cultural and entertainment events. There was also a living museum for purebred Arabian horses, whose breeds date back to the era of the imams. There were also dynamic shows of horses and jockeys designed specifically for "Ubayyah in Diriyah" along with the arena for horse training and riding.
