The 2019 Souq Waqif Equestrian Festival: A Doha Experience By Lisa Abraham ~with a forward by Judith Forbis   Boarding Qatar Airways in Dallas bound for Doha, Qatar last week, a sixteen-hour direct flight was once again ahead of me. I couldn’t help but reflect on how things had changed since I attended the first Qatar show in the early 1990’s. KLM was the airline of choice via Amsterdam with connections to Doha. There was no Qatar Airways then; now Qatar’s large fleet of jet aircraft services the world.  In those days the airport boasted two small arrival/departure buildings, now the giant Hamad International Airport, inclusive of a huge high-end shopping mall, receives international traffic 24/7.  There were

The 2018 AHO Breeders’ Championship in Egypt   ~With an Introduction to the Arabian Horse Organization with Ahmed Adel Abdul Razik By Lisa Abraham   The 2018 AHO Breeders’ Championship took place on December 13 th through the 15 th and was one of the last important shows of the year. It was heavily attended by an enthusiastic local crowd, who loyally participated from the very beginning of the show to its conclusion. Although there were many outstanding qualities of this show, the warm ties shared by the guests and participants were certainly special as it was a genuine gathering of community. However, there is another reason why the AHO Breeders' Championship had unique meaning, both to the Egyptians and to the

The 2018 Arabian Horse World Championship By Lisa Abraham   The 2018 Arabian Horse World Championship took place on November 23 rd through the 25 th . This year marked the 38 th edition of this internationally important show and was organized, once again, under the royal patronage of His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco. Horses from over 20 nations competed while guests attended from all over the world to admire those who had remained competitive to fight in this final leg of the European Triple Crown and for the esteemed World medals. For many, Paris is one of the most wonderful cities in the world. It has long been considered the city of love and romance as countless couples have begun their lifetime commitments

The 2018 All Nations Cup Festival By Lisa Abraham The 2018 All Nations Cup Festival was held on September 27-30, at the Albert Valle Hall in Aachen, German. The show was well attended by an international audience as well as viewed through out the world via live feed, compliments of Arabian Horse Global Network. For the first time, the show extended over a four-day period, which eased the intensity of long class days and provided extra time to enjoy the charming surroundings of this historic German city. Although the All Nations Cup (ANC) began in England as a show meant to travel, Aachen has been its home since 1987, and has subsequently been organized solely by the German Arab Horse Society (VZAP). For many, the ANC

The Israel Arab Horse Society: An Introduction & The Israeli Spring Show Season By Lisa Abraham The Israeli spring show season consisted of two important events which were both organized by Israel Arab Horse Society (IAHS) and in the region of Galilee. The first was the 24 th annual Arabian Horse Spring Show, which took place on March 23-24rd; and the second was the 20 th annual Galilee show, which took place on May 4-5 th .  Although the IAHS organizes many shows a year, the Spring Show was the only one exclusively for Israeli breeders, with horses born in Israel and presented by Israeli handlers. This show featured the competition of 161 horses and represented 150 owners. The Galilee Show, which was the first

The 2017 Arabian Horse World Championship ~With a Dedication to Dr. Nasr Marei By Lisa Abraham   The 2017 Arabian Horse World Championship in Paris, France took place on November 24 – 26 and under the High Patronage of His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco. Although the 37 th edition of this historically important show, it takes place as part of the much larger equine exposition, the Salon du Cheval. The Salon du Cheval, which is one of Europe’s premier equine events, is in its 47 th edition and took place over a nine-day span beginning on November 25 th .  It welcomed 150,000 visitors, 450 exhibitors and over 2,300 horses.   An American in Paris  Nancy Harvey: It has been my goal to attend the Arabian Horse World Championship

The 2017 Salon Du Cheval D'El Jadida By Lisa Abraham ~with three FULL SIZED photo galleries (links at end)   The 2017 Salon Du Cheval D'El Jadida, which took place from October 16-22 nd , marks the tenth edition of this outstanding event. Organized under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, over 220,000 visitors from all over the world enjoyed Morocco's rich equine heritage. As this was the Salon's decennial anniversary, the theme of this year's edition was "Ten Years of Pride and Passion." In his Word from the President , His Majesty Prince Moulay Abdelllah Alaoui wrote, "According to many observers, the challenge of making this an important, attractive, prestigious and internationally renowned

The 2017 All Nations Cup Festival By Lisa Abraham With a Tribute to Ignacy Jaworowski By Scott Benjamin & A Tribute to Gazal Al Shaqab By Michael Byatt The 2017 All Nations Cup (ANC) Festival, which took place from September 21-24, was a spectacular Arabian horse show with nonstop entertainment.  After the busy show season of summer, the excitement in Aachen was elevated as this was the first leg of the European Triple Crown. It was here that the farms chose who was to represent them—and all stops were pulled. Promotional output was high and so were expectations. Once again, all activities took place in the Albert-Vahle-Halle, located in the heart of the charming German city of Aachen. The agenda in Aachen is

A Personal Profile of Ali Almimar By Lisa Abraham ~ with contributions from Members of the Community   I really don’t remember when I first met Ali Almimar as I feel I have known him forever. Our paths have crossed many times all over the globe and each visit has been special. As a person, Ali is kind, warm and deeply sincere. As an artist, his work is stimulating—both mentally and emotionally; it is inspirational and has been influential throughout the entire world of Arabian horses. Like many, I am a big fan of his artwork and have been captivated by it since I was first introduced. The depth of Ali’s work is inviting as every solitary element contributes meaning and it is obvious that it comes from his heart. His paintings

  The 2017 Arabian Breeders World Cup: VEGAS! By Lisa Abraham The 2017 Arabian Breeders World Cup (ABWC), which took place from April 12 th -15, was another spectacular show and exceeded all expectations one would have of a thrilling Las Vegas venue. Just as Las Vegas is one of the most exciting cities in the world—the ABWC is one of the most glamorous shows on the planet. In its eleventh edition, it also celebrated the prestigious status as one of the world’s most important Arabian horse competitions as many of our most prominent breeders attend along with their top horses. The South Point Hotel and Casino has been the home to the ABWC since the beginning. It is a unique locale as show participants and guests can stay

Fall was in the air as the colors of the season were beginning to appear and the heat of the summer was replaced with a cool, comfortable breeze.  It was a perfect day on September 21, 2016 when Judith Forbis and I visited Dr. Hans Nagel at his Katharinenhof Stud in Northern Germany. Our visit took place just days before the All Nations Cup was to be held in Aachen where Judith, long known for her Ansata Arabian Stud and various educational activities, was to be recognized as the first person to receive the All Nations Cup Lifetime Achievement Award. After spending time walking around the stables and looking at all of Dr. Nagel’s horses, including the latest foal crop, we relaxed in the sitting room at the farm’s charming cottage. Although I have enjoyed personal friendships with both Dr. Nagel and Judith, it was an honor to experience them together in this lovely and informal setting as they shared precious memories of their influential past.

The 2017 Qatar International Arabian Horse Show By Lisa Abraham The 2017 Qatar International Arabian Horse Show, which celebrated its 26th edition, was a not only a great horse show, but also one which showcased the warm Qatari hospitality and their unbridled enthusiasm for the Arabian horse. Although the spirit was heightened in the International competition, which took place from March 10th-12 th , all the Qatar shows are a healthy combination of important competition and a reunion of respected and often lifelong friendships and mentorships. Despite the actual winners, the energy was infectious as everyone seemed happy for one another. Naturally, the International show draws competitors and enthusiasts