Al Shaqab
History. Centuries before natural gas and petroleum gave prominence to Qatar as one of the world's fastest growing economies, the country was known for its prized Arabian horses. When the Al Thani ancestors, the ruling family of the State of Qatar, migrated out of the Arabian Desert three centuries ago to settle in Qatar, the Arabian horse was a vital part of daily life. The Arabian horse played an important role in the founding of Qatar. Al Shaqab takes its name from a historic battle against the Ottomans. Taking place in the town of Al Rayyan in  1893, the Battle of Al Wajbah, or Al Shaqab as it is also known, saw the Qataris, led by Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, defeat the Ottomans. This historic battle eventually led to Qatar's independence. The emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani established Al Shaqab in 1992. In honour of his ancestor, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, he chose to establish the breeding farm at the site of the Al Shaqab battle. In 2004, Al Shaqab became a member of Qatar Foundation. Facility. Spread out over 980,000 square metres and with a stable capacity for more  than 400 horses, Al Shaqab also stands out for its dynamic architectural design, with a central horseshoe shape. The equestrian center features facilities such as: Breeding. Al Shaqab's breeding philosophy is to preserve the Arabian breed and to produce horses that are beautiful, athletic, and have character and kindness. They must be physically strong to carry their riders. The breeding program is divided into three categories: International Arabian horses, combining all Arabian bloodlines; Straight Egyptian Arabians, as defined by The Pyramid Society; and the traditional Qatari bloodlines of the past. The three World Champion Stallions are key to the  program and are among the finest Arabian horses: Gazal Al Shaqab and his son, Marwan al Shaqab head the International Arabian section and Al Adeed Al Shaqab leads the one for Straight Egyptians. The Stallions bred by Al Shaqab include: Endurance. Al Shaqab's Endurance Department was developed to promote and further build interest in Qatar's equestrian heritage. Since its development in 1997, Al Shaqab has risen as one of the world's top Endurance competitors. In 2008, the Al Shaqab team achieved its greatest international success. Representing the State of Qatar at the World Endurance Championship in Terengganu , Malaysia, the team finished second out of the 24 competing countries to earn the silver medal in the competition. Al Shaqab's Team competes annually throughout the Middle East and Europe, having its largest campaigns in Qatar and France. In recent years, the team has also travelled to competitions in South America, United States and East Asia. Home of the Qatari National Team, the Endurance Center at Al Shaqab prepares Qatari competitors for national, regional and international endurance events, including the European Championships, the Asian Games, and the FEI World Equestrian Games. The current team, headed by Sheikh Mohammed Bin  Hamad Al Thani, is a group of Qatari officials and riders.