By Cécile Adonias
Libya has remained active in the market for both thoroughbreds and Purebred Arabians, and in recent years has made a real leap forward, not only in the quality of horses purchased, but also in the budgets invested. Numerous Libyan industry professionals are active across Europe. This provided the opportunity to speak with Ali A. Aneizi, General Director of Al Watan Club, located in Benghazi.
Ali A. Aneizi has been surrounded by horses since early childhood. While his family was mainly involved with sport horses, his passion for racehorses quickly took over. An engineering graduate, he is a true businessman, currently running several companies. But Ali never lost sight of his passion and joined the National Society of Arabian Horses in 2002. A few years later, he joined the Libyan Horse Racing Authority, based in Tripoli, where he is now a board member. Since Libya is a member of IFAHR (International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities), Ali holds one of the two national representative seats - the second is assigned to a representative from the Tripoli region. In his early days, Ali mainly owned Purebred Arabians. Over the years, however, the number of thoroughbreds in his stables has steadily increased, to the point of now outnumbering the Purebred Arabians. He has his own training center in Benghazi. As equestrian activity expanded, Ali’s brother took over the management of his companies, freeing him to focus fully on racing. Ali became General Director of Al Watan Club, which was founded by His Excellency General Saad Khalifa Haftar, who remains the club’s current President. It is the largest club in Libya, offering a variety of activities: equestrian sports, horseback riding, falconry, shooting, and more. Recently, and with support from Abu Dhabi, camel races have been organized in the desert outside Benghazi, with the goal of preserving local tribal traditions. The Benghazi racecourse currently features one main sand track and three training tracks. As part of its development, a new racecourse will be inaugurated in eighteen months, the Benghazi Futur Hippodrom, with involvement from Jean-Pierre Deroubaix (FBA). It will be located next to the new international airport of Benghazi, which should help in welcoming foreign participants. The complex will include a dirt track, a grass track (the only one in Libya), training tracks, 600 stalls, a show arena, a space for equestrian sports, and another for show horses. Additional facilities will include hotels, residences, and a shopping center. Libya’s two main racing meetings are held in May and late October. In May, several participants from across the Maghreb attended. On October 31, a race for Arabians will be sponsored by the UAE President Cup, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed. Libya continues to grow and rise within the racing industry, with a clear long-term vision.