More than 100,000 local, regional and international visitors attended the 14th Abu Dhabi Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (Adihex) which ended yesterday (October 8) in Abu Dhabi.

The event blended traditional culture and heritage with the latest high-tech products for hunting, as well as other outdoor sports and activities, a Wam report said.

Majid Ali Al Mansour, chairman of the organising committee and executive director of the Emirates Falconers Club, said the marked increase in international exhibitors and visitors stood testimony to the prominence of the event globally.

''The UAE has made its presence felt internationally, not only for its cultural and tourism attractions, but also for its strategies to safeguard the global eco-balance out of its conviction that civilisation is an integral part of its rich heritage,'' he added.

Adihex, which ran from October 4 to October 8 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (Adnec), celebrated the deep-rooted heritage and rich culture of the region in hunting, horsemanship and falconry, providing a setting for manufacturers to display their guns, hunting vehicles, shooting, fishing, falconry, other outdoor sports equipment and accessories, said the report.

The five-day show was organised by the Emirates Falconers’ Club (EFC), under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi Emirate and chairman of EFC, with the support of Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee - Abu Dhabi.

The 40,000-sq-m space was shared by 650 companies from 40 countries, including 146 exhibitors from the UAE, but also from throughout the region and as far away as Latvia, Poland, Germany, Belgium, UK, the Netherlands, China and Morocco.

Most of the manufacturers have been exhibiting at Adihex in past years, but 90 exhibitors participated in the event for the first time.