TEHRAN – A national festival featuring beauty of Turkmen horse will be held on Wednesday at pastures lands near Kalaleh, northern province of Golestan.

Over 300 horses will compete in the event, which will bring together horse breeders, dealers, trainers, riders and owners from all over the country.

“The festival is aimed at boosting tourism and rural economy as well as safeguarding genetic heritage of the Turkmen horses as it caters to vitality and happiness in the community,” IRIB quoted Mohammad Heydari, the provincial tourism chief, as saying on Sunday.

The Turkmen horse is noted for its endurance, bravery, smartness, and slender bodies yet its breeding is actually one of the toughest in the world.

Such animals are dominantly found in pasture lands of Turkmen Sahra, a region sandwiched between Iran and Turkmenistan.
AFM/MQ/MG