Syrian horse racing championship
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One of the race winners at Berri Al-Sharqi, in Hamah governorate, Syria. All photos: Hasan Belal for The National -
Racing at Berri Al-Sharqi in Hamah governorate -
A young spectator watching the races -
A group of spectators near the finish line -
One of the jockeys with his assistant before a race -
A race fan from out of town arrives to watch the events -
Men in traditional dress at the races -
A group of the Syrian state representatives observe a minute of silence before the racing begins -
Volunteers preparing the race area for the event -
Volunteers erect temporary structures the day before the event -
Set-up operations on the day before the race meeting -
Preparations continue after dark with the help of light from mobile phones -
Preparations continue into the night with volunteers using mobile phones for lighting because of the lack of electricity -
Cleaning the stables is a daily chore in Berri Al-Sharqi -
Men record the racing for posterity -
A horse and rider at full tilt on the desert track -
Faisal, 14, after winning one of the races -
Faisal and Ahmed celebrate after the final race of the day
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