A horse auction in Libya... confirms the passion for the horse in a country devastated by violence

Aerial view of the horse show and sale.

AFP

Dozens of buyers and enthusiasts of horses gathered in Libya's third largest city, Misurata, spotted an elegant mare passing in front of them, during an auction that reflected the importance of equestrianism in local culture in a country devastated by years of violence.

"I present to you the horse La Paris," says the auctioneer loudly and enthusiastically, as the mare passes her shiny brown fur on an open track.

Young men in white shirts drive the horses, one by one, on the green grass, in front of the - exclusively male - auctioneers seated on white plastic chairs.

Some who came with their children use horse description sheets or numbered wooden plaques to protect themselves from the scorching sun, before waving them up for auction.

"The auction aims to introduce the breeders' horses (...)", says one of the auction organizers, Hussein Shakki, adding that "the horses came from the west, east and south, from all the cities of the country."

He points out that some horse owners "only want to breed them, and have not participated in any competitions or auctions."

Within three days, nearly 150 horses participated in the auction and display, and the owners of 96 of them found buyers, and the “highest price” reached 40,000 Libyan dinars (about 8,000 dollars) for a gray and white-furred mare, which participated in 21 races in France, And she won some of them, according to the auction manager, in front of a crowd of fans, visitors and potential buyers.

sales promotion

The event was held in the port and city of Misurata, which is described as the commercial capital of Libya, located about 200 km east of the capital, Tripoli.

The horse occupies a prominent place in Libyan culture, and has been celebrating equestrian arts everywhere for centuries by organizing races and parades.

Despite the chaos prevailing in Libya since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011, equestrian activities in the country of about seven million have allowed the traditional saddle-making prowess to be preserved.

The first day of the auction was devoted to the sale of dowries, the second to the mare, and the third to the sale of stallions.

The catalog distributed about horses included a description of English horses, from well-known purebred Arab species that are distinguished by their speed, endurance, and beauty of their stature, which is also taken into account when selling them.

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