On October 28, the nation’s Leader Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov attended festivities held at the International Akhalteke Equestrian Complex on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Independence. From early morning, the atmosphere of general enthusiasm and high excitement filled the air at the International Akhalteke Equestrian Complex. The Cabinet members, Leaders of Mejlis, military and law enforcement bodies, ministries and agencies, governors of velayats and Ashgabat, heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited to Turkmenistan, ambassadors of Turkmenistan to foreign countries, representatives of public organizations, the mass media, residents, and guests who had arrived in the Turkmen capital to attend the festive celebrations in honor of the 25th anniversary of the country’s sacred Independence assembled in the beautifully-sited complex at the foot of the Kopetdag mountains. ... The automobile of President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov approached the International Equestrian Complex. At the entrance, the Head of the State was enthusiastically greeted with loud applause from the event attendees. Welcoming the ambassadors and representatives of foreign countries, the nation’s Leader expressed his gratitude for their active participation in all festive and other events, organized in Turkmenistan, the country of peace, friendship and harmony, where people of many nationalities live as a united nation. President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov entered the festively-decorated complex. The nation’s Leader, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey Yıldırım Tuğrul Türkeş (who offered his warm greeting to the Head of the State) and other ceremony participants proceeded to the main building of the complex. On the way, they made a stopover at the exhibition of Turkmen producers. The Head of the State began his get-acquainted tour with exhibition stands of the agricultural sector. The President of Turkmenistan and guests examined a stand with flowers grown by local farmers, and small cages with partridges, porcupines and rabbits. Nearby was a bunch of fluffy stalks of Akbugday wheat, the well-known variety, which was first cultivated by our ancestors. Flour, macaroni and various bakery products were also on display. Huge traditional flat bread, churek, with a congratulatory message was the focus of attention. One of the major agricultural crops in our country is cotton, production of Turkmen growers, who have reported on successful fulfillment of the state order on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the country’s Independence having produced 1,000,050 tons of “white gold”! The President of Turkmenistan and ceremony attendees also became acquainted with textile products: threads made from Turkmen cotton. The country’s regions also presented handcrafted textile products – homespun silk used to make the traditional keteni fabric, national clothes decorated with peculiar ornamental motifs which differ in every velayat, women’s shawls, men’s karakul hats, jewelry, horse accessories, kitchen utensils, and old clay vases (tunçe kuyze), and others. A thematic section of the exhibition “Building materials industry” featured various types of cements, products of the fast-growing chemical industry, such as carbamide, different fertilizers, etc. Large aquariums with live fish, one of them with fingerlings, and the other one with adult individuals - clarid catfishes attracted particular attention of the guests. The exhibition showcased a wide range of goods of the trade sector: numerous different-type food products, soft drinks, natural juices, canned goods, and others. The exhibits of oil and gas section - oil-and-gas products and petrochemicals, pipes of different diameters, and other facilities. The construction sector demonstrated a model of the Ashgabat’s unified power system, which is being constructed by specialists of the well-known American and Turkish companies, “General Electric” and “Çalyk Enerji”. Stands in the transport-communication section displayed models of the Turkmen satellite. As for science and education, healthcare, sport and the youth organization, visitors evinced much interest in stands exhibiting volcanic muds and other therapeutic muds, sea salt and salt from Lake Mollakara, mineral water, etc., medicinal plants, recipes and instructions on how to apply them, described in detail in the encyclopedia authored by President of Turkmenistan, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the country, Doctor of Medicine Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov. An exhibition stand, which provided an insight into the development of national culture and the country’s tourist sector, proudly displayed book products – scientific and literary works by the Head of the State, books on art, university and school textbooks. The President of Turkmenistan showed keen interest in antique jewelry. On his way, the Head of the State witnessed a combat between two wrestlers – a student of the Turkmen State Institute of Transport and Communications Resul Dovlenov – the medal winner at the Junior World Belt Wrestling Championship and his rival Shirmurad Ataev – a student of the Turkmen Agricultural University, our country’s many-time winner. R. Dovlenov, who won the combat, received young of camel as an award. At the entrance to the hippodrome, performing groups gave a vocal and dance performance. After praising the performers’ artistic talent, the nation’s Leader entered the building to applause from the spectators and proceeded to his seat. On behalf of the whole nation, the event host expressed profound gratitude to the nation’s Leader for his many-side work aimed at spiritual revival and prosperity of the native country, and congratulated the Head of the State on the 25th anniversary of Independence. Then, festive horse races started. Akhalteke horses showcased their speed in seven events. Three-year-old horses took part in the first heat for the prize of the financial-economic and banking sector. Sumrug, a dun mare from the Akhalteke Equestrian Complex of the President of Turkmenistan) came first. It was ridden by master jockey Ch. Yazdurdyev. Sumrug covered a distance of 1,800 meters in 2 minutes 01.4 seconds. Meledon, light-bay stallion from the Akhalteke Equestrian Complex, came second (2 minutes 01.6 seconds), ridden by jockey B. Agamyradov. Ridden by jockey I. Durdyev, Gairat, light-bay stallion of the State Border Service finished third (2 minutes 01.7 seconds). The second 2,400-meter event was held for the prize of the oil and gas complex. Ridden by jockey O. Yalkabov, Etmek, a dark bay stallion from stables of the Interior Ministry, showed the best time (2 minutes 39.1 seconds). Black Garagum (the State Migration Service) came second in the event (2 minutes 39.4 seconds). Chestnut Alsekil (the Prosecutor General’s Office) finished third – 2 minutes 40.1 seconds. The third heat was run over a distance of 2,800 meters for the prize of the trade sector. Ridden by Y. Saparov, chestnut Alchep (S. A. Niyazov Turkmen Agricultural University) came first with the best time – 3 minutes 08.5 seconds. Dark bay Garachai (belongs to Y. Bekdurdyev) came second (3 minutes 08.6 seconds). Chestnut Alsakar (the Prosecutor General’s Office) won third place (3 minutes 08.7 seconds). Four-year-olds and older horses took park in the fourth 2,800-meter heat. The horses competed for the prize of transport and communications complex of Turkmenistan. Ridden by B. Begmedov, chestnut Jigalibek (the State Customs Service) has come the first and showed the best time – 3 minutes 06.7 seconds. Chestnut Kopetdag (the Supreme Court) took the second place and chestnut Gerchek (the Interior Ministry) was the third to finish – 3 minutes 08.7 seconds and 3 minutes 09.5 seconds respectively. Four-year-olds and older horses contested in the fifth 2,800-meter heat for the prize of the construction, power and municipal services sectors. Bay Serkede (the Ministry of National Security) came first – 3 minutes 13.5 seconds. The stallion was ridden by master jockey E. Kichigulov. Black Gurgun (the Akhalteke Equestrian Complex of the President of Turkmenistan) was second to finish – 3minutes 15.3 seconds. Gray Gyrgaplan (the Prosecutor General’s Office) has come the third (3 minutes 15.6 seconds). The sixth 2,800-meter event was held for four-year-olds and older horses for the prize of the industrial sector of Turkmenistan. Ridden by master jockey B. Agamyradov, Bay Kemer (the Akhalteke Equestrian Complex of the President of Turkmenistan) came first, having covered the distance in 3 minutes 11.4 seconds. Bay Ulker (belongs to G. Kyyasov) finished second in the heat (3 minutes 11.5 seconds). He was ridden by Y. Saparov. Ridden by jockey B. Amansahatov, black Aknazar (the Ministry of Justice) came third (3 minutes 16.7 seconds). Distance of the final race was 2800 meters in which four-year-and older racers took part. In these competitions the struggle was for the grand prize, announced by President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov in honor of the 25th anniversary of Independence. In the intense and exciting competition gray Gyokyayla of Akhal-Teke horse complex of the President of Turkmenistan came first. Racehorse, driven by master jockey B.Babaev, showed the result 3 minutes 14.2 seconds. Blue-dun Keimirdon (the Akhalteke Equestrian Complex of the President of Turkmenistan) finished second in the final heat – 3 minutes 14.3 seconds). Black Perhat “Baharly” horse farm of the oil and gas sector) took third place – 3 minutes 16.8 seconds. The races held to mark the anniversary of sacred Independence were particularly spectacular.