Racehorse from Kazakh President’s stables featured in Chinese, Russian in‑flight magazines
Images of a rare Akhal-Teke horse belonging to the President of Kazakhstan have appeared in foreign in-flight press, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The May 2026 issue of Rossiya Airlines' in-flight magazine featured an article titled "Heavenly Horse of the Great Steppe," dedicated to Akzhan, Akhal-Teke mare gifted to the President of Kazakhstan. The Head of State named it Akzhan.
A similarly vivid piece describing the “wings of the steppe" was published in the Chinese in-flight magazine "Wings of China."
In recent years, Kazakhstan's cultural symbols have increasingly drawn international attention. Such features in in-flight magazines serve as powerful tools of cultural diplomacy, reaching a vast audience of business travelers and tourists during their journeys.
Akzhan’s story is also highlighted in Tengri magazine, published by Air Astana, distributed among passengers of major international routes.
Akzhan, purebred Akhal-Teke mare, is described as a proud and intelligent horse and a favorite of President Tokayev. International publications emphasize her lineage: Akzhan is a filly of purebred Akhal-Teke horses Ganatly and Tabys. The horse's name, translated from Kazakh, means "Pure Soul."
Special attention is paid to her rare Isabella (cream) coat, found in only 3% of the breed worldwide.
"Its coat has a unique optical effect: the finest hairs refract light, creating a satiny, almost ethereal sheen," one article explains.
The authors add that in steppe culture, the Isabella horse has long been considered a symbol of good fortune and prosperity.
Earlier, it was reported that Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had visited the stables of the Presidential Affairs Department.
