EXPRESSIONS IN HOUSTON, TX “The Arabian Horse: Lore & Legend” – A conversation with Michael Byatt
On January 28th, 2020, the Qatar America Institute hosted Houstonian and renowned Arabian horse breeder, Michael Byatt, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Michael Byatt was invited to speak to a sold-out audience in his capacity as an internationally known Arabian horse breeder and rider who helped develop the Arabian horses at Qatar’s Al Shaqab Equestrian Center. The program was moderated by Diana Untermeyer, the cultural advisor to the Qatar-America Institute (QAI). The discussion centered around the importance of horses within both American and Qatari societies. The conversation delved into the role of horses in the development of the various nations, the uniqueness of the Arabian Horses and their physiology, the impact of Arabian horses in historical military figures, and the overall state of the modern equestrian community.
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2020 Annual Report
The event received national coverage through the American media outlet Horse & Country, as well as local coverage in the magazine “Covering Katy” and through the ABC News local affiliate (ABC 13).
Prior to January 28th The production behind this event began in December of 2019. A series of graphics and mailing lists were compiled to maximize the footprint of both QAI and the event itself within the city of Houston. Equestrian
“When I first went [to Qatar] in 1994, there were two roundabouts getting from what was then the only hotel, the Sheraton Hotel, to the equestrian club and it took about 15 minutes to get there…. 20 years later it took 3 hours to get across the town because it had grown so much and the skyline was so amazing. And then now it’s back to 15 minutes because they’ve managed to build a superhighway system … because their ability to say that their narrative is ‘we can do it.’ And that’s the way they embarked in the Arabian horse too. They were determined to tour the world, to buy the best blood stock that was available in the world, and they did with great taste because you can’t always do it with just money…” —Michael Byatt, January 28, 2020
@QatarAmerica | qataramerica.org
