JEDDAH: The three-day Jeddah Arabian Horse Show kicked off on Thursday with the showcasing of the first five classes of fillies and mares aged one to nine. The event at the City Horse Stable was in the presence of Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Ahmed Bin Abdul Aziz, chairman of the board of directors of International Arabian Halter Horses Company. A panel of local and international judges from Germany, Belgium, Egypt, Palestine, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, evaluated the horses’ conformation during the trot, stand and walk. Each horse was individually examined and rated according to its type, head and neck, body and topline, legs, and movement, based on a 20-point system. The highest marks on Thursday were awarded to the horse Ebaa Athbah, a two-year-old filly who belonged to Prince Abdul Aziz, receiving a total of 92.8 out of 100. On Friday, four classes of colts and three classes of stallions were showcased. The colts were one to three years old, while the stallions were four to ten. The final award of the night was to Girlan-bey, the beautiful grey stallion belonging to Ghazi Bashir Mokhalad Al-Otaib, which scored 92.2 out of 100. The third and final day was an action-packed contest of KSA-bred fillies, mares, colts and stallions, plus the senior and junior championships. The senior stallion championship was won by Mohammad Al-Malki’s horse. Dr. Salem Al-Barrag, executive vice president of Athbah stud company, said: “I hope this event will help us develop the structure of the Arab course, as I have loved horses ever since I was a kid.” Abdullah bin Mahmoud, a 34-year-old horse owner, told Arab News: “To be part of this tradition is a big responsibility, because you need to be careful about the message you give to the next generation and the people who are watching us as we tell them about our culture, religion and our ancestors. It is up to us how we portray it to them.” “Ever since I was a kid, I have loved horses,” he said. “All Arabs are tied with horses. Throughout our history we have been keeping the finest horses.” Abdullah strongly advised Arabs who are not interested in horses to re-evaluate and at least teach their children to love these magnificent creatures. Omar Zamzami, a former horse owner who attended, said: “I have attended contests before, but this one has been my favorite so far.” The championship was concluded with a celebratory Hijazi dance.