Turkmenistan celebrates new holiday to enormous national dog breed

The central Asian nation of Turkmenistan has been celebrating a new national holiday on Sunday to its national and very large Alabi dog bread with an awards ceremony.

The new holiday took place on the same day as a festival celebrating the Akhal-Teke horse breed, which Turkmenistan also considers part of its national heritage ceremony.

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has encouraged veneration of the breed as a symbol of national heritage. The award was presented by the president’s son, Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Berdymukhamedov. He appeared at the ceremonial opening of a new complex for the breeding of Alabay dogs in the country’s capital, Ashgabat, according to state media.

Alabay dogs are widely used by many traditional herders in Turkmenistan. They are among the world’s largest dogs, weighing up to 80kg (175lbs). Last year, president Berdymukhamedov unveiled a 19ft(6m) golden statue of an Albay dog in the capital.