Equestrian Sports

Throughout the world the Arabian horse is one of the most sought-after breeds. Beautiful, intelligent and loyal, it has a bloodline that dates back thousands of years.

In Saudi Arabia, owning and breeding horses has always been popular with both city dwellers and bedouin alike. The founder of the modern Kingdom, King Abdul Aziz, owned a famous stable, and the Arabian Horse Research Centre in Dirab owns a breeding stock of several hundred stallions and mares, most of which are descendants of his horses.

Horse racing used to take place at the old stadium in Malaz, but now it is held most Thursdays and Fridays between September and April at the newer Equestrian Club a few hundred metres north of Janadriyah.

Although men only can watch from the stands, families are able to watch the spectacle from the excellent restaurant facilities located over the stands. Betting is prohibited. You can telephone 01 254 0222 to get further information.

If you want to ride, rather than watch others, there are numerous clubs and facilities around the capital, but in most cases you will need to register as a member. The International Equestrian School in Malaz not only teaches people to ride but also puts on horse jumping, polo and other events.

There’s an equestrian centre, too, at the northern end of the Diplomatic Quarter and you may well see bridleway signs near the perimeter walk.

The Equestrian Club race track is on the Thumamah Road just north of Janadriyah.

24 58.98’ N; 46 46.97’ E

Cricket

If football is the game of choice for most Saudis, then cricket is the favourite for most visitors from the sub-continent.

Drive round Riyadh any Friday morning and you will see impromptu matches being played in many areas – most notably in the large car parking area next to the stadium in Malaz.

There have been rumours circulating Riyadh for many years of plans in the pipeline for the creation of a cricket stadium specifically to cater for the needs of the Indians and Pakistanis in particular.

Riyadh Railway Station

It may not be to everyone’s taste to go all the way to a railway station simply to see ... the railway station ... but whether you’re a rail enthusiast or not you should definitely find the time to see Riyadh’s splendid edifice hidden away in the heart of the old town.

Of course, if you want to make an excursion to the east coast, then the four-times-a-day trains* to Dammam via Hofuf and Abqaiq leave from here and as you’ll need to purchase your tickets at least a day in advance of travel, there will be plenty of time to see the wonders of the place.

It really is a most impressive building, harking back to the 1980s. It was designed by Italian architect Lucio Barbera and pride of place must go to the array of six brass chandeliers positioned just outside the main concourse entrance.

* Tenders have been invited for work on a new 950km single track line from Riyadh to Jeddah, via Taif and Makkah, as well as a 115km cargo-only line from Dammam to Jubail.

Describing a route to get to the railway station is well nigh impossible as there are so many loops and twists that you would get lost attempting to follow it.


Suffice it to say that if you get to the area just south of Malaz you should then look out for the railway station signs which guide you through the labyrinth of one-way streets, and you’ll find it without too much difficulty. Although there is a pay car park at the station, there is ample free street parking outside.

Entrance: 24 38.9’N ; 46 44.4’ E

Zoo

If you are interested in animals, Riyadh has one of the best zoos in the Gulf region.

Located near the old Malaz racecourse, it was built in 1957 to house the various animals that had been presented to the first three kings as gifts; but of course it has grown since then.

The zoo is made up of a number of gardens and wildlife-themed parks and boasts over 1,400 examples of about 350 species. Many are on the endangered list.

The best way of seeing the animals is on one of two trains that carry visitors on a 20 minute journey through the park. You can get booklets, which are published in both Arabic and English, about the indigenous animals of the region.

The downside of this attraction is that families cannot visit together. The zoo has men-only days and female-only days, so fathers can take their sons and mothers can take their daughters, but parents cannot go with their children together.

Admission is SR10 (children are SR5) and men’s visiting days are Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am to 1pm and 3.30pm to 6.30pm and Fridays 2pm to 6.30pm. Women may visit Sundays and Tuesdays 9am to 1pm and 3.30pm to 6.30pm and Thursdays 9am to 6.30pm.

The zoo is easily found on Al Ihsa Street a few blocks south of the Pepsi Cola factory. From the Kingdom Centre, take the Fahd Highway south to Makkah Road and turn eastwards. Go over the first fly-over and take the next exit, turning right at the Pepsi roundabout. The zoo is on your left one block north of the Malaz stadium.

24 40.5’ N 46 44.4’ E