First Yemeni Horsemanship Club [Archives:2000/23/Business & Economy]

Yasser M. Ahmad,
Yemen Times
The word horse has lots of connotations, it is the symbol of strength and dignity and speed. As for Arabs, horses were very much associated with their life, it is a time-honored relationship. They were highly appreciated and estimated. They used to be the good company and were a necessity for their life. Arabs used to be proud of them and gave them names suggesting their vitality and vigor. Their love for them was magnificently depicted in poetry. They are also mentioned in the Holy Qura’an. This has made many well-to-do people as well as kings, princes, compete to obtain horses and boast about the different pedigrees they possess.
Strength and vitality of the body, speed, cleverness, and elegance are some of the characteristics of the Arab horse. However, horses have actually been threatened with extinction. In our country, for example, there used to be many horses. However, in course of time they started to disappear.
In order to face the challenge, the authorities are aware of this hazard so they sought to retrieve the situation by establishing the Yemeni Horsemanship Club. On Monday, 30.5.2000, the club, located in Heziaz, was inaugurated. It belongs to Al-Swarri Industrial Group and is under the supervision of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The club was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Abdul Karim Al-Iryani while he was attending the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the unity on May 22.
Club director, Hashem Ahmad Hussain Al-Swarri said “This is the first club of its kind in Yemen established for sports purposes. We are also planning to hold horse races in the future.
The club cost YR100 million, distributed over 20,000 shares. The overall area of the club is 850 “lebnah” equals 11 square kms. The racecourse is 300m long and 10m wide and the turf of hurdle-jumping is 50m X 100m.
The club also includes health centers and a modern cafeteria. There are also green fields, a tennis court and a hall for hunting training.”
Mr. Ahmad Ali Abullah Saleh is the chairman of the board of the club. On the inauguration party there was a magnificent display of horses reflecting the good training these horse-riders have gone through.

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