The founder's horses
King Abdulaziz kept one of the largest stables in the Arabian Peninsula, with an office dedicated to the horses' care. He held races among his sons and watched from a hill north-east of Riyadh, and the city's al-Malaz district takes its name from Malaz al-Khayl, the horse races once run there.
The Obaiya Arabian Classic is named after Obaiya, the mare King Abdulaziz rode when he entered Riyadh. Purebred Arabians, known for their agility, balanced body and short, broad back, weigh between 360 and 450 kg.
Keeping the line
The King Abdulaziz Arabian Horse Center began in 1961 as the Arabian Horse Center in Dirab and took its present name in 1998. Its main site lies about 35 km south-west of Riyadh, and it keeps the surviving purebred horses whose lineage goes back to King Abdulaziz's own.
The centre is the official authority for Arabian horse matters in the Kingdom, registering horses, licensing stables and approving imports, exports and auctions through eight branches. In 2018 it counted 28,360 registered horses and 8,200 owners, and its 3,137 foals in 2016 ranked first in the world for purebred Arabian births.