The countdown has begun for the21st edition of the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship (DIAHC) , one of the world’s foremost beauty competitions for Purebred Arabian horses which will take place at its original home at the Dubai World Trade Centre in March.
The much-anticipated championship, which attracts the best show horses from around the world, will be held on from March 22 to 24, as part of the build-up to the 2024 $30.5m Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan racecourse.
The announcement came at a judges selection draw held at DWTC, that attended by Qusai Obaidalla, DIAHC Director & Board Member, Khalid Alhammadi, SVP DXB Live DWTC, Abdullah Lootah, Assistant VP Production & Delivery DXB Live DWTC, Rashed Alabbar, Director Operations DXB Live DWTC, and Adel Alfalasi, DIAHC Executive Manager.
The championship was conceived by the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, former Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, who was once of the most influential owners and reeders of both thoroughbred and Purebred Arabian horses through his breeding empire at Shadwell Estate in Newmarket, England.
Celebrating its twenty-first edition, the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship is regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious horse competitions, making it a an unmissable event for owners and elite stables of Arabian horses .
The competition, which carries total prize purse of US$4 million, will be held at the purpose-built Zabeel Halls 4, 5, and 6 over three days. As it has been in the past, the event will be open to the public free of charge.
Coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, this year’s event will feature a distinct aura of heritage and tradition, allowing horse enthusiasts, sports enthusiasts, and families to enjoy special Ramadan evenings filled with fun activities for visitors of all ages.
The Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship showcases the beauty of Arabian horses, one of the oldest and most distinguished global horse breeds thanks to centuries of careful breeding and expert equestrian stewardship.
The show’s 10 judges, and two reserve judges, were selected by a raffle draw from a pool of 18 highly experienced judges. All of the invitees have participated in judging panels at a previous edition of the Dubai International Arabian Horse Championship.
The draw selected Gianmarco Argano and Cristian Moschini from Italy, Nikolaus Jung and Claudia Darrius from Germany, Eric Gear from France, Christine Jamar from Belgium, Renata Schibler from Switzerland, Ali Mohamed Al-Sharawi from Egypt, Eliys Ebrahim Faraj from Bahrain, and Joe Polo from the United States of America. The draw also selected the reserve judges: Marianne Tengstedt from Denmark, and Urs Aeschebacher from Switzerland.
Registration for horse owners and stables to enrol their horses in the championship will be open later this month.