The country of Turkmenistan has found a unique way to celebrate this enormous dog breed of the nation. Turkmenistan on Sunday dedicated a national holiday for its national Alabai dog breed. There is already a gilded monument erected by the longtime leader of the nation. An ode was also written in the past for the same.
The new holiday was scheduled and celebrated on the same day as the National festival celebrating its Akhal-Teke horse breed. The festival is a strong mark of their culture and heritage. Dogs and horses are a source of national pride as they were used by many traditional herders.
There were a series of events that took place to mark the event and celebrate it within the country. The festival included a competition to find the best of the breed. They were marked on the basis of appearance and quickness. President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov awarded the courage prize to a border guard service dog for his service. Deputy prime minister Serdar Berdymukhamedov presented the prize. The prize included a car for the dog’s handler and a medal for the dog.
A race for Akhal-Teke, the national animal of the country also took place. It is a Turkmen pure horse breed and is known for speed, endurance and distinctive metallic gloss.
The capital city of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat has a gilded Alabai statue erected last year by the Government. The country also has a gold-coated statue of President Berdymukhamedov seated on a horse at another street junction.
President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has a very special bonding with the Alabai breed. In 2017 he gifted an Alabai puppy to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. He also has authored a 272-page book dedicated to the breed.