Next week sees the opening of this year’s Abu Dhabi 2010 International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition and represents an unmissable opportunity to sample the culture and traditions of Arab life.

ADIHEX 2010 takes place from 22nd-25th September at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) and is being held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, ruler’s representative in Al Gharbia and chairman of the Emirates Falconers Club, with support from Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH).

This annual national event, unique in the region, will play host to camel auctions, saluki beauty contests, art competitions and traditional hunting and equestrian activities. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase the latest camping, hunting, equestrian and weaponry equipment, and view a designated heritage area to acquaint visitors with the deep-rooted traditions of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

Last year 573 companies from thirty-seven countries participated in the event, and the region played host to a total of more than one hundred thousand visitors.

ADIHEX, whose purpose is to highlight the culture and heritage of the UAE, also seeks to promote the breeding of hybrid birds in captivity, for use in the sport of falconry. The idea behind this is that they can be used as a substitute for the endangered wild falcons, and simultaneously raise public awareness about conservation and the protection of the environment.

ADIHEX 2010, which resides over eight halls within ADNEC, will bring together over 500 leading global brands from over 30 countries across hunting, safari, weaponry, falconry, equestrian and outdoor sporting categories.

“The specialised contests within the exhibition create an ideal setting for interaction among people interested in hunting, equestrian and heritage, in addition to providing the opportunity to witness tremendous heritage and authenticity of our Arab nobility,” said Abdullah al Qubaisi, director of ADIHEX 2010 and director of the communication department at ADACH.

This year’s exhibition will also see ADACH working together with the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan Global Flat Racing Festival and the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities as well as the Emirates Arabian Horse Society to stage the inaugural World Arabian Horse Racing Conference.

This is the first time ever that a world conference is being held with a special focus on Arabian horse racing, bringing together hundreds of experts, researchers and others involved with purebred Arabian horse racing from over 20 countries from around the world.

Opening hours for the exhibition are 11am to 10pm and tickets are AED 10. For more information, go to www.adihex.com.

Beauty of the saluki

This year’s ADIHEX will again feature a beauty contest for what is arguably the world’s most beautiful breed of dog.

Organised by the Arabian Saluki Centre, the Arabian Saluki Beauty Contest gives Saluki owners an opportunity to showcase their precious hounds – both smooth and feathered – on an international show level.

Salukis will be judged upon the standard characteristics of the breed (head, general structure, coat, movement and general impression). However, unlike European dog shows, the Arabian Saluki Beauty Contest judges not only on the standards of the breed, but also values the Saluki’s predominant roles – hunting, chasing and guarding – and psychological attributes – bravery and dominance.

Director of the Arabian Saluki Centre, Hamad al Ghanem said: “The show gives us the opportunity to highlight not only the incredible characteristics of the breed itself, but to further create public awareness in our proud cultural heritage, especially for the younger generations.

“Throughout the times and the changing generations, the traditional values and ethics of Arabian Bedouin are being forgotten and it is our duty to preserve and celebrate them for future generations.”

Arabian salukis are one of the world’s oldest breeds; history shows that they can be traced back almost 13,000 years. Originating from the Arabian Peninsula, these desert hounds, which are known for their exceptional stamina, intelligence and loyalty, were bred to assist man in chasing prey and catching it in the harsh desert climate. Arabian salukis are highly prized by the Bedouins not only for the hunting purpose, but as a companion and a member of the family.

ADIHEX highlights

Coffee time
The Arab coffee brewing competition represents the art of preparing Arabic coffee. Deeply ingrained in the inherent heritage of the Arab world, coffee brewing and its related traditions are a mark of hospitality and generosity. Coffee is also linked to late night Bedouin gatherings, which seek to revitalise the oral and poetic heritage of the region.

Poetic passion
The Nabaty poetry competition has always been a popular and integral part of previous exhibitions and makes a welcome return this year. Nabaty poetry is closely associated with the cultural history of the UAE and the rest of the Gulf and draws huge interest from local and Gulf poets every year.

The organisers have appointed a committee made up of experts in Nabaty and other traditional forms of poetry to pick the winners in this competition. They will judge the entries based on aesthetic structure of the poem in terms of language, rhyming and philosophical influences as well as the expression of “miqna”, the relationship between the hunter and his falcon, and the grief of losing one’s birds.

Dromedary deals
This year’s ADIHEX will see the world’s largest camel auction: around 80 of the UAE’s best camels will go under the hammer with the proceeds going towards camel research at the Veterinary Research Centre in Sweihan.

The Centre, which was established in 1990 with the support of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al Nahyan and HH Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed al Nahyan, consists of two main sections: Veterinary Laboratory and Camel Breeding.

Khalifa al Nuaimi, director of camel and horse auctions explained that the Camel Breeding section of the research centre is concerned with pedigree racing camels and milk-producing camels, and has also overseen many successful projects including breeding over 2,200 pedigree camels via embryo implantation.

Picture perfect
There will also be a variety of art competitions at ADIHEX 2010, focusing on the theme of heritage through a variety of techniques and methods including photographs and impressionist portraits.
Arab life in the desert has always been an attraction to artists whether they were international, Middle-Eastern or Arabs. This competition pays tribute to traditional fine arts, reflecting and documenting the lives of Bedouins in the past centuries.