Artists from Turkmenistan were awarded cash prizes following a creative competition focused on portraying Ahal-Teke horses in contemporary art, reports "Turkmenistan: Golden Age."

The competition was held as part of the World Equestrian Games in the Netherlands and included categories for painting, sculpture, carpet weaving, jewelry making, and photography.

A work by Arslan Atahanov, an instructor at the State Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan, received high praise from the jury in the "Painting" category. His canvas depicts a snow-white steed, adorned with traditional national trappings, set against the backdrop of the Independence Monument, while white doves soaring in the clear blue sky symbolize the country's independent and neutral status.

The work of Ogulmaral Amanjayeva, a chief specialist at the "Turkmenhaly" State Association, was recognized as the best in the "carpet weaving" category.

Bahar Pirgulyeva, a lecturer in the Carpet Weaving Department at the Academy of Arts, was awarded second place.

The winner in the "Photographic Art" category was Vitaly Osovsky—a Ukrainian artist and photographer, a member of the International Association of Ahal-Teke Horse Breeding, and a practitioner of the rare hippological genre of the equestrian portrait.

Patyk Patykov, an instructor at the State Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan, was named the winner in the "Sculpture" category. In the field of jewelry art—specifically the category evaluating horse trappings—Arslanmurat Sahedov, an instructor at the Turkmen State Special Art School, took first place.