This Festival is a celebration of the Arabian Horse and has been put into operation to uphold and develop the equestrian disciplines in which this extraordinary animal competes. This quality and horse lover ‘paradise’ is held under the patronage of His Royal Highness, Prince Khaled Bin Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud. When you speak about Prince Sultan, you speak about a once-in-a-lifetime horseman. He is a strong and unique personality. He is a myth. He is indeed the real Arabian myth. He is not only Sultan Alkahir (Sultan of Charity). Prince Khaled is also an unparalleled political leader, Sultan of generosity for the entire humankind and his beloved nation. His stud farm is one of the best equipped in the whole of the Gulf area. Stretching over more than 400 hectares, Al Khalediah Stables (AKS), have a fully equipped internal equine clinic in which the experienced and well trained staff has obtained a considerable number of medical successes, ranging from reproduction to embryo management methods. This state-ofthe- art hospital with highly specialized staff is available also to breeders. Prince Khaled’s boundless passion for the Arabian horse, which has ‘contaminated’ the entire Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, made it possible for such a majestic event to be held also this year, opening its doors last January 2018 in the headquarters of His Highness’s farms in Tebrak city, west of Riyadh. Prince Khaled’s main goal is to support the Arabian horse with increasingly more dynamism and turn this into one of the most popular rendezvous throughout the show season. The Festival managed to capture the interest of all the experts and specialists of the breeding industry who all gathered to witness a very well-organized show with a significant attendance of spectators. A lofty number of guests from all over the world flocked there thanks to the kind-heartedness of Prince Khaled who spared no expenses in making this competition etched in everybody’s mind and very successful. The response from breeders was really good, including many horsewomen who had to make some minor outfit changes but, most of them, appreciated the invitation and realized that Saudi Arabia is beyond doubt a magic land that is worth discovering. Shuttle buses were available to guests for the transfers. During these journeys they could admire some exclusive landscapes and the desert in its entire splendor, with lights that, depending on the time of the day and unlike any other place in the world, constantly changed colors and created a surreal atmosphere. The Organizing Committee consisted of: HRH Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, President of the event; Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Saud; Prince Nawaf bin Faisal bin Fahd Al Saud; Eng. Abdullah bin Fahd bin Sweilem; Gen. Ayed Al-Jeaid; Eng. Sami Al-Nohait; Mr. Mutlaq bin Mushrif. There were eight judges: Dr. Mohamed Machmoun (Morocco); Mrs. Sylvie Eberhardt (Germany); Dr. Marek Trela (Poland); Mr. Tom Husebye (Norway); Mrs. Marianne Tengstedt (Denmark); Mr. Christian Moschini (Italy) Mrs. Maria Cristina Valdes (Spain) and Mrs. Claudia Darius (Germany). The Disciplinary Committee was composed by: Dr. Niels Ismer (Germany); Dr. Malak Benamar (Morocco); Dr. Gianpaolo Teobaldelli (Italy); Mr. Turki Mohammed Al Mugbel (Saudi Arabia); Mr. Saad bin Abdullah Al Qassim (Saudi Arabia). The role of Ring master was given to the entertaining Mr. Philip Jenkins (UK) and hisassistant Mr. Waleed Al Haddadi (Saudi Arabia). The Show started on January 25th, 2018 at 10:00 Asia/ Riyadh (08:00 - Europe/Rome) featuring the Yearling to three-year-old fillies and colts. It went on Thursday with mares and stallions aged four to 10-years and over, as well as exciting specialty classes exclusively for Desert Bred Fillies, Colts, Mares and Stallions. It ended on January 27th, 2018 at 19:00 Asia/Riyadh (17:00 - Europe/ Rome). From the Royal gallery and the guest stands, the view was just lovely. In the Yearling Fillies category, the victory and the title of Gold Champion medal was awarded to TEEJAN AL MUAWD (ALEXXANDERR x ADH JUST DIVINE) bred by AL MUAWD STUD and owned by SONS OF ABDULLAH BIN MOHAMMED AL SUBAIE - AL MUAWD STUD. Silver medal for SN ROZ (QAIS x NAFOORAH) bred and owned by TALIB BIN NASSER BIN MOHAMMED AL MUSTANER - AL SALMANIYA STUD. Bronze medal for HALA AL SAYED (ALEXXANDERR x BINT AL SHAMAL) bred and owned by KHALID BIN SAEED BIN ABDULLAH AL SAYED - AL SAYED STUD. In the Yearling Colts category, the victory and the title of Gold champion was assigned to ADMIRAAL (EMERALD J x HANIYYAH) bred by MR. M.A AL SUBAIE and owned by SONS OF ABDULLAH BIN MOHAMMED AL SUBAIE - AL MUAWD STUD. Silver medal for DINAR AL MUAWD (EMERALD J x MAYSAA AL KHA) bred by SONS OF ABDULLAH BIN MOHAMMED AL SUBAIE and owned by NAIF FAHAD ABDULLAH AL OUIDAH. Bronze medal for MAHER AL SAYED (ALEXXANDERR x MERA AL SAYED) bred and owned by KHALID BIN SAEED BIN ABDULLAH AL SAYED. The title of Champion Junior Filly was awarded to VENICE MI (ALLEGIANCE MI x VALENTINE MI) bred by GREG, JULIE & JANE FARRELL and owned by SONS OF ABDULLAH BIN MOHAMMED AL SUBAIE - AL MUAWD STUD. Silver medal for MAYAR IV (KANZ AL BIDAYER x ABHA QAWATIN) bred by ALI BIN HUSSAIN BIN ALI SMAA and owned by SONS OF ABDULLAH BIN MOHAMMED AL SUBAIE - AL MUAWD STUD. Bronze medal for HAIFA ED (KAHIL AL SHAQAB x PRESTIC) bred by NASIR BIN ABDULLATIF BIN AHMED AL-FOZAN and owned by ABDUL AZIZ BIN IBRAHIM BIN ABDULAZIZ AL BARGASH - AL SAKAB STABLES. The Champion Junior Colt title went to GABEL ATHBAH (EKS ALIHANDRO x MEQBILAT ATHBAH) bred and owned by ATHBAH STUD/ H.R.H.P. ABDULAZIZ BIN AHMED. Silver medal winner MADAGASCAR J (EXCALIBUR EA x MISSISSIPPI J) bred by BVBA CHRISTINE JAMAR and owned by AL OSOOL STUD. Bronze medal winner MISHAAL AM (ABHA QA x SARA AL MOHAMA) bred and owned by AL MOHAMADIA STUD / HH PRINCE ABDULLAH. The fabulous DONNA MOLTA BELLA SRA (DA VALENTINO x RD FABREANNA won the title of Champion Senior Mare. She is bred by GROSSMAN DAN OR MAUREEN and owned by AL SAQRAN ARABIAN HORSE STUD. Silver medal winner SHIRIN BY AISHA (WH JUSTICE x AISHA BY MISSOU) bred by AZ. AGR. LA LEZZIOLA DI GURIOLI ANDREA and owned by ATHBAH STUD / H.R.H.P. ABDULAZIZ BIN AHMED BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD. Bronze medal winner BINT HAZY AL KHALEDIAH (EL PALACIO VO x HAZY AL KHALEDIAH) bred by HRHP KHALID BIN SULTAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD - AL KHALEDIAH STABLES and owned by ALORASIA STUD. Gold Champion Senior Stallion was ABHA QATAR (MARWAN AL SHAQAB x ZT LUDJKALBA) bred by GANADERIA SES PLANES and owned by AL OSOOL STUD. Silver medal winner AL KHATAB AL THANI (AL BATRAN x HANAN) bred and owned by SONS OF HUSSAIN BIN MOHAMED NOOR BASHA - AL SAWARY STUD. Bronze medal winner WH YORK (MARWAN AL SHAQAB x WH MONECA REN) bred by WENDELL P HANSEN and owned by ALI BIN MOHAMMED BIN ALI AL ALI - AL ARAB STUD. Prince Sultan Arabian Horse Festival definitely lived up to the expectations and was truly beyond belief. We would like to congratulate and praise the Organization, Makshaff Services Ltd. led by the event manager Mr. Salah Al Ali who worked hard on this majestic event. The Saudi TV made a live broadcast of the show, which was attention-grabbing right until the end of the Final Championship. Also this year the show could be seen live via the Web and journalists could do very good thanks to a fully operational modern media center. The Festival was a true gala for Arabian horse enthusiasts – an international event on a grand scale. Arabian Horse Magazine highly recommends not missing its next edition in year 2019 again in the genuine homeland of the Arabian horse!