The National Holiday of the Turkmen Horse, almost a contemporary of independence, was established in 1992 and has since been celebrated with great enthusiasm and at a high organizational level.
Preparatory activities for the event begin at the start of April and gain momentum towards the last Sunday of the month, when the celebration is held. Thus, in early April, in accordance with the Resolution "On holding competitions on the occasion of the National Holiday of the Turkmen Horse " dated November 16, 2012, the President of Turkmenistan signed an order to launch traditional competitions, the results of which would be announced on the eve of the festive date. These include the competition "The Most Beautiful Akhal-Teke Horse," the final of which will take place in the city of Arkadag on April 26, as well as a creative competition among art figures for the artistic interpretation of the beauty of Akhal-Teke horses in works of visual and decorative-applied arts, print media, and photography.
The cycle of events includes annual meetings of hippologists from various countries in the format of the International Association of Akhal-Teke Horse Breeding, which prominent foreign horse breeders and owners strive to join for competitions. Equestrian competitions are held in several stages — contest, marathon, races. At the end of the year, horse breeders, seyis, and riders with many years of experience who have made a personal contribution to the development of the industry are encouraged with state awards and commemorative gifts.
It should be noted that in many countries, there is a steady increase in interest in opening horse farms and jockey clubs specifically for Akhal-Teke horses. In this regard, the traditions of Turkmen horse breeding, the methods of national schools of seyis training, or horse training, attract great attention from professionals around the world. This is the result of efforts to popularize Akhal-Teke horses, the vibrant events of the annual horse month in Turkmenistan, and the activation of international cooperation both by the Ashgabat-based International Association and the State Association "Turkmen Atlary." This has been facilitated by bilateral and multifaceted cooperation with the UN and its specialized agency—UNESCO, as well as other authoritative international organizations, all under the leadership of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov. This is also the outcome of extensive work aimed at improving the entire spectrum of activities in Akhal-Teke horse breeding and the state's care for preserving historical and cultural heritage.
