The involvement of the horses was complemented by an Azerbaijani Cultural Pavilion that encapsulated the very essence of Azerbaijan. It displayed colourful handmade carpets, national dress, literature, architecture and cay (black tea) from a samovar, all accompanied by the strains of Rafiq Rustamov, one of the foremost exponents of mugham on the Azerbaijani tar, and other musicians and singers. Members of the Azerbaijani State Dance Ensemble were unable to resist the temptation to dance to the captivating music and performed impromptu dances for a delighted audience, who clapped along to the music.
This attracted a great deal of interest from the multinational crowd, many of whom had travelled from around the world to this remarkable celebration of all things equine. All attendees were full of curiosity about the Azerbaijani Karabakh Horse, the genetic development of the breed; its use in historic military campaigns; and the background to chovkan, the Azerbaijani antecedent of polo. They also asked questions about the country, its geopolitical position, and indicated a great interest in its tourist potential.
Lionel Zetter, Director, TEAS said: “The presence of the Azerbaijani Karabakh Horse at the Royal Windsor Horse Show is extremely significant. Six decades after Zaman entered the Royal Mews, 15 examples of the breed will be seen dancing and trick-riding. Azerbaijanis are well aware of the significance of the Karabakh. Like hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis, the horses were forced to feel Nagorno-Karabakh by invading Armenian armed forces. I am sure that the horses, like the internally displaced persons, would wish to return to their ancient ancestral lands.”
As would be expected, the story of the Karabakh Horse is inextricably interwoven with that of the ongoing Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1993, as the flames, explosions and sounds of bombs resounded, dedicated employees of the Agdam Stud moved the breeding stallions to stop them falling into enemy hands, followed by the mares and foals. Many of the pregnant mares perished en-route, and eventually the ‘refugee horses’ were kept at Baku racecourse. They were subsequently moved to Agdam, not far from their birthplace, but with sufficiently different climate to necessitate a period of acclimatisation. There are currently around 1000 Karabakh horses in the world, and they are facing extinction.
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