More than 100,000 visitors attended the first Bahrain Animal Production Show (BAPS), which concluded at the Endurance Village, Sakhir, last night.

The three-day event, known as Mara'ee, was the first international showcase of animals and agricultural technology in the Middle East.

Thousands of animals from several countries were showcased at the event, which was officially launched by His Majesty King Hamad on Wednesday.

Visitors to the event's final day enjoyed a variety of activities, including dog and horse shows, sheep-shearing demonstrations, Lipizzaner Stallions show, a marching band, presentations by photographer Annie Griffith and journalist Joe Bourne Jr and an operetta.

The dog shows featured breeds like the Labrador Retriever, Jack Russell Terrier, Dalmatian, Saluki, Siberian Husky and Rottweiller.

Focusing more on local breeds, horses included the Bahraini, the Arabian, the Anglo-Arabian, the Snow Arabian, the Endurance Arabian, the American Quarter and the Pinto breeds, alongside mules, donkeys, ponies and camels.

Attractions for children included a petting zoo containing cats, goats, squirrels and a selection of birds and fairground rides.

More than 120 companies from Bahrain and abroad exhibited at the event, which is hoped will become a regular fixture in the calendar in the coming years.

Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi was delighted with the success of the event, despite it being so packed on Friday that many visitors had to park their cars up to half a kilometre away.

'Based on our success and the overwhelming support and attendance, our plan is to have a full review of the show in order to determine whether we have a yearly or biannual event,' he said.

'We would like to develop the show further.

'We were surprised to have more than 100,000 visitors, so we will ensure a detailed traffic plan for our next event,' Dr Al Ka'abi said.-TradeArabia News Service