Mideast in Pictures: Arabian horses on show as Egypt's Sharqiya festival opens

SHARQIYA, Egypt, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The 29th Sharqiya Arabian Horse Festival opened on Wednesday in Egypt, bringing together 167 purebred Arabian horses from Egypt and abroad for beauty and obedience competitions.

The three-day festival, held at a sporting club in the city of 10th of Ramadan, features participants from six countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Italy, alongside local breeders.

"Over 29 editions, the festival has come to reflect the identity of Sharqiya, whose emblem is the Arabian horse," said Lobna Abdel-Aziz, deputy governor of Sharqiya. "Each year it grows in popularity as we welcome not only local breeders but also participants from abroad."

This year's lineup includes 104 horses in beauty contests and 63 in obedience trials, Abdel-Aziz said.

The festival has become one of Egypt's leading cultural tourism events. Sharqiya is home to nearly 80 percent of the country's Arabian horses, and the festival is recognized by the World Arabian Horse Organization.