The White Breed
Arabian Horses in Qatar
The tiny Emirate of Qatar on the Persian Gulf is one of the world’s wealthiest countries. It is also the Mecca for international thoroughbred Arabian horse breeding. Only in the late 1990s did Qatar’s emir, Sheik Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani began to develop his enthusiasm for Arabian horses. Since then, the market has boomed in his tiny emirate, and the ruling Al-Thani family has cultivated a reputation for breeding the purest horses. When visiting Qatar’s princely stud farms for racehorses, one quickly understands why the best specimens are bred here. We see posh ranches, noble architecture with colonnades, wellness centres for horses. These are generally secluded, not far from the desert, where tranquillity and concentration reigns. Here, enormous swimming pools for training quadruped musculature are a matter of course, as are diet plans and individualised care. When it comes to the well-being and the breeding of horses, nothing is too expensive for the sheik. Jockeys from the US and Europe train with the horses, while stud managers from Holland and Australia are a common sight. To be sure, prayer is as much a part of the daily routine as the care of the quadruped charges. But when it comes to business, there is a vigorous exchange between west and east. The most important date of the year is that of the "Qatar International Festival of the Horse" in Doha, the nation’s capital. Breeders from all over the world display the finest horses of the Arab world. Glamorous displays, races through the desert, excursions to the celebrated falcon market in Doha, and a visit to the camel racetrack: here is a programme straight out of a storybook.
