Jordan's princess Alia at Arabian horse competition

The Arabian horse competition will be held by the state-run Al-Zahraa Arabian horse stud station on Friday October 17.

The three-day contest, to be held under the auspices of Egyptian Minister of Agriculture Dr. Yousef Wali, will bring together the best Arabian horses from Arab countries as well as major European stud stations.

Dr. Khalil Soliman, the station's director-general, said 160 horses, colts, and ponies from the station will take part in the contest, which will be attended by foreign and Arab diplomats working in Cairo. In addition horses from Arab and European states will also be displayed in the event.

Soliman said the contest's jury will be presided over by Jordan's princess Alia, a famous horse-woman. The jury also includes famous breeders from Italy and the UK, he said. Station sources said this year's contest would work as a rehearsal for a massive festivities to be held next year to mark the station's centenary. Established in 1898, the station is the oldest and most prestigious in the world.

Soliman said that prices of the horses that won the contest's trophies multiply several times, Al Wafd daily said today.