A total of 110 purebred Arabian foals have been born since the start of the year at the historic Sultansuyu Stud Farm in Türkiye’s eastern province of Malatya, where a centuries-old horsebreeding tradition dating back to the Ottoman era continues to thrive.
Operating under the General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TİGEM), the farm was originally established in 1865 in Akçadağ district as the “Sultansuyu Imperial Farm” on a 27,000-decare estate. Since 1984, it has specialized in breeding purebred Arabian horses, a breed renowned for its endurance and performance.
Once prized as war horses during the Ottoman period, Arabian horses are now among the most sought-after breeds in Turkish horse racing. The foals raised at Sultansuyu undergo meticulous care and training before being offered for sale at auction after reaching 2.5 years of age.
Selman Kaya, head of the farm’s horse breeding department, said the animals are closely monitored from birth to ensure healthy development.
“Foals are fed exclusively on their mothers’ milk for the first 15 days. After that, concentrated feed is gradually introduced under controlled conditions. As their immune and metabolic systems develop, they receive the necessary vitamin support,” Kaya said.
Kaya noted that Malatya has remained one of Türkiye’s leading centers for Arabian horse breeding since Ottoman times and said the farm’s horses continue to attract strong interest from buyers.
The enterprise aims to sell approximately 110 foals this year and generate around 120 million Turkish Liras (about $2.5 million) in revenue. Of the total, 15 foals will be offered in elite sales, while the remainder will be marketed as racehorses.
Demand for Sultansuyu-bred horses has increased in recent years, largely due to the success of “Özgünhan,” one of the farm’s prominent stallions.
“All three TİGEM breeding enterprises produce exceptionally high-quality horses, but our current advantage is having a stallion like Özgünhan,” Kaya said.
