Under the Patronage of HRH Prince Saud Bin Naif Al Saud Governor of the Eastern Province

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1 22 to 25 Feb 2018

2 Under the Patronage of HRH Prince Saud Bin Naif Al Saud Governor of the Eastern Province

3 About the Asharqia Arabian Horse Festival

4 Asharqia Arabian Horse Festival is an innovative world-class event dedicated to the preservation and perpetuation of the purebred Arabian horse. 01 Celebrate the Arabian breed and its unique legacy. The Festival will: 02 Honor the heritage of the Arabian horse as one of Kingdom s national treasures.

5 03 Feature inspirational educational, historical, art & cultural elements. 05 Attract national, regional and international attendees. 04 Combine equestrian competition & positive entertainment 06 Showcase more than 400b topquality Arabian horses from the Kingdom, the region and around the world.

6 Our goals Inspire attendees by illuminating the influence of these horses in the realms of art, history, science, archeology, and literature. Use the universal love of the horse to build bridges between cultures and countries, with an emphasis on Saudi Arabia as the homeland of the Arabian breed. Expand awareness and share knowledge of the unrivalled historical legacy of the Arabian horse. Explore the unique role of the Kingdom in the heritage of the world s most influential horse breed. Create a new annual event in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia that will embrace the mission of Saudi Vision 2030.

7 Festival Events to be held at Sport City in Dammam, and King Fahd International Airport Highway

8 ASHARQIA ARABIAN HORSE CLASSIC Held under the auspices of the King Abdulaziz Arabian Horse Center (KAAHC), the governing body of Arabian horses in Saudi Arabia, and sanctioned by the European Conference of Arab Horse Organizations (ECAHO), the international commission of Arabian horse competitions. In the Classic, purebred Arabian horses that are the best of the best from within the Kingdom will compete for prestigious championship titles. Classified as Class C national show and open to purebred Arabian horses registered in (KAAHC) studbook.

9 The Gulf Straight Egyptian Arabian Horse Cup Today, The Gulf Cup will celebrate the descendants of these horses, known today as Straight Egyptians as they return back to the land of their ancestors. Classified as class S international show and open to purebred Arabian horses recognized as Straight Egyptian by the Pyramid Society, an international organization devoted to these unique Arabian horses. During the 19th century many of the finest Arabian horses, prized for their beauty and distinguished bloodlines, migrated from Saudi Arabia to Egypt and from there to the rest of the world. Held under the auspices of the King Abdulaziz Arabian Horse Center and sanctioned by the European Conference of Arab Horse Organizations (ECAHO).

10 Shuhada Alwajeb Endurance Cup An elite group of riders from within Saudi Arabia and GCC countries will compete in the 100 kilometers primary race. In addition, this event will also include two qualifying races of 40 and 80 kilometers. The sport of endurance racing, where horses compete in long distances, is dominated by the Arabian breed. This race, held in honor of the martyrdom of soldiers who lost their lives defending Saudi Arabia, will be run under the auspices the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation and sanctioned by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the international governing body of equestrian sports.

11 Festival Events Proposed to be held at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture

12 Seminar Where It All Began Our seminar is a unique blend of history, art, archeology, literature and science featuring renowned international experts. The subjects and speakers have been carefully chosen to appeal to an astute global audience of Arabian horse breeders, while simultaneously attracting a broad audience, including students, who are interested in the global cultural contributions of the Arabian horse and its heritage in the Kingdom.

13 Dr. Doug Antczak, VMD, Ph.D Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine, Cornell University, New York, USA Dr. Antczak is a leading equine geneticist at Cornell University, one of the top-rated veterinary institutions in the world. He was instrumental in the Horse Genome Project, developing a research herd of horses, including the mare Twilight, whose DNA was the source for the horse genome sequence. With an enduring passion for horses, Dr. Antczak s research has taken him around the world. His current genetic research includes exploring the genomes of the Arabian horse breed as well as other desert-adapted animals, such as the oryx and the camel.

14 Abdulaziz Al Qurashi Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abdulaziz is an expert on the Arabian horse in Arabic literature. His research has lead to fascinating theories on how the literature and poetry of the past is not only a unique cultural contribution of Saudi Arabia, but also an important insight for modern Arabian horse breeders as to the vital characteristics of the breed that must be preserved.

15 Dr. Sandra Olsen Curator-in-Charge KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, The University of Kansas, Kansas, USA Dr. Olsen is a zooarcheologist specializing in horses, as well as an equine art expert. Her collaboration on projects sponsored by the Layan Cultural Foundation of Saudi Arabia and dedicated study of the Kingdom s rock art depicting horses has led to intriguing observations about the history of the breed in the Arabian peninsula.

16 Other speakers Karen Kasper, internationally renowned equine artist and specialist in the history of the Arabian horse in art. Judith Forbis, world-famous Arabian horse breeder and author, and founder of The Pyramid Society. Cynthia Culbertson, Arabian horse historian and author, and cocurator of the world s first international exhibition on the Arabian horse.

17 Art & Archeology Exhibition The Art & Archeology Exhibition for the Festival will feature two distinct elements. The first, The Arabian Horse through the Eyes of the World will feature three of the world s greatest contemporary artists whose subject is the Arabian horse in painting, sculpture and photography. The second element, reflecting the Seminar theme of Where it All Began will focus on photographs of the fascinating rock art of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which features the Arabian horse. This exhibit will combine photographic images of this ancient with modern images of Arabian horses, demonstrating the compelling connection and continuity between past and present.

18 Gigi Grasso, Turin, Italy The work of Gigi Grasso revolutionized the Arabian horse in contemporary photography. His stunning images are featured in numerous books documenting these magical horses around the world. Gigi has an amazing ability to capture the spirit and character of the horses he photographs while eloquently capturing the landscapes and cultures of the countries where they reside. His experience as a horseman and horse breeder, as well as his work in documentary filmmaking and graphic arts make his photographs a visual delight to all who behold them. Through the lens of Gigi Grasso, the world truly experiences the joyful essence of the Arabian horse.

19 Karen Kasper Kentucky, USA When Karen first encountered the Arabian horse her heart was filled with joy and she began to dream of her hands creating one of these exquisite animals. Her journey as a sculptor had begun. Today, Karen is widely known as the world s premier portrait sculptor of Arabian horses and her art in the Orientalist genre rivals that of the 19th century masters. In addition to being treasured by royal and private collectors, Karen s work has also been displayed in museum exhibitions held at the British Museum and the International Museum of the Horse. Her perspective on the Arabian horse in art has also made her one of the breed s most highly acclaimed lecturers.

20 Ali Al Mimar Ontario, Canada Ali Al Mimar, a classically trained artist, graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad, Iraq in 1985 and the College of Fine Arts, Baghdad in Today, he is considered one of the world s finest painters of Arabian horses and his work is featured in collections around the globe. Ali s work transcends the physical beauty of the Arabian horse to become a symbol of nobility and Arabian heritage. His use of color and mastery of painting techniques make him unique among artists who choose to portray the Arabian breed.

21 Richard T. Bryant New Mexico, USA Richard T. Bryant is an awarding-winning photographer whose work has been featured in National Geographic, Smithsonian, Natural History, Nature s Best Photography, and Audubon, with more than thirty covers to his credit. His photography has also been featured in multiple museum exhibitions and graces many books including Stories in the Rocks, Exploring Saudi Arabian Rock Art. This work documenting Saudi rock art used emergency photography techniques such as robotic cameras and polynominal text mapping to capture the wealth of rock art within the kingdom. Richard has taught photography at many venues and has also been selected to judge several prestigious photographic exhibitions.

22 Festival Manager Mr. Mohammad Al Matrodi Chair of the Art and Education Committee Mrs. Cynthia Culbertson