Husseinia Horse and Camel Racing Festival concludes [Archives:2006/919/Last Page]

archive
February 9 2006
A participant jumping over four Camels in the festival.Photo by Fouad Al-Harazi
A participant jumping over four Camels in the festival.Photo by Fouad Al-Harazi
HODEIDA, Jan. 7 – The Al-Husseinia Horse and Camel Racing Festival (Al-Hajn) concluded last Saturday in Husseinia, Hodeida province. The event involved horses and camels from different governorates, horseracing clubs, military academies and those interested in horse taming.

Nabil Al-Mahbashi, General Manager of Al-Hodeida Youth and Sports Office, pointed out that the festival is the first of its kind in the sense of its immense participation. He indicated the six-day festival drew approximately 200 horse racers and 300 camel racers competing in 1,200-meter, 1,600-meter and 2,200-meter distances.

He mentioned that camel jumpers numbered 38, indicating that jumping over six camels was the contest's topmost prize. The most prominent jumpers are Buttaili, Buhaider and Fishini. The festival included participants from Hodeida, Taiz, Abyan, Ibb, Al-Jawf and Marib.

On Saturday, President Ali Abdullah Saleh inaugurated the Husseinia Racetrack for horse and camel racing. Incorporating separate tracks for each, the venue was designed according to international standards and specifications. It includes three main stages with the capacity for 40,000 fans, plus 28 stables with service annexes at a total cost of 359 million Yemeni Riyals.

The festival's concluding ceremony included popular dance, various events' sporting parades and prize distribution to winners.

President Saleh ordered appropriate parties to adopt the festival and hold it annually with the main objective of upgrading horse and camel racing skills levels.

Al-Husseinia is located north of Zabid city in Rama'a Valley, 80 km from Hodeida. Formerly known as Fashal, it currently is named for Hussein Bin Salman Bin Abi Qasem Al-Ahdal, the town's first inhabitant in 870 Hijra calendar. The town later was expanded by Al-Zaraniq tribe, a prominent Tihama tribe.

“Al-Zaraniq” was an adjective branded upon Tihama desert inhabitants. Al-Zaraniq tribesmen characteristics have not changed since olden times, when they were known to possess slim physiques and were famed as good runners.
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