UAE Federation President Backs Riders Ahead of Asian Games
The president of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation has pointed to the country's showing at the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) World Equestrian Championships in Aachen as evidence that its show jumping programme is building toward next month's Asian Games in Japan.
Lieutenant General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi said the national team's participation in Germany reflected a broader federation strategy centred on youth development, describing equestrian sport as a cultural and heritage pillar that carries pride of identity across generations. He credited the backing of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of the State, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, with sustaining show jumping's development path in the country.
At Aachen 2026, organised by the FEI, the UAE fielded 31 riders and 145 entries across an event that drew world-class and Olympic-level competitors and horses in the show jumping team competition. Al Raisi framed the entry as part of a longer-term investment in enabling young riders to compete on the global stage, rather than a one-off result.
Two individual performances anchored his comments. Rider Omar Abdulaziz Al Marzouqi advanced in the individual championship rankings, qualifying for the final among the top 25, a result the federation president described as a new milestone for the rider. Separately, rider Mabkhout Al Kirbi won gold with the Sbarkasa combination in the mixed teams event at the International Youth Championship, held alongside the main World Championship.
Aachen Result Feeds Asian Games Prep
Al Raisi said Al Kirbi's result pointed to the depth of the pathway now producing UAE riders, calling it confirmation of a new generation reaching international readiness. He linked the Aachen showing directly to preparation for the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, running from September 19 to October 4, 2026, arguing that exposure to a highly competitive World Championship field would sharpen both riders and horses ahead of that competition.
The federation president's remarks framed Aachen less as a standalone championship and more as a staging point in a longer competitive calendar, with the Asian Games identified as the next assignment for riders who competed in Germany.
Youth Meet Held Alongside Championship
Al Raisi also used his statement to acknowledge the support structures behind the team's participation, thanking the country's leadership for sustained investment in equestrian sport generally and show jumping specifically. He said that backing had allowed riders to approach championships with what he described as a spirit of challenge, underpinned by consistent attention and resources.
The International Youth Championship ran concurrently with the senior World Championship in Aachen, giving younger UAE riders competitive exposure alongside the national team's senior campaign. Mabkhout Al Kirbi's gold in the mixed teams event was the standout result from that youth programme, while the federation president's comments placed it within the same development narrative as Al Marzouqi's individual final berth.
Taken together, the statement positioned the Aachen World Championship as a marker of progress for the UAE's show jumping pathway, with federation leadership pointing to both senior and youth results as grounds for confidence heading into the Asian Games in Japan.