UAE Equestrian Season 2026–2027: A Major New Chapter for Arabian Horses, Endurance and Racing
The UAE is preparing for another major season of equestrian sport, bringing together Purebred Arabian horses, endurance racing, show jumping, dressage and flat racing across some of the country’s most important venues.
The programme for the 2026–2027 horse racing and equestrian season has been approved under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court.
According to the official programme reported by the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the season will include endurance competitions at Al Wathba, Arabian horse beauty championships and major racing fixtures in Abu Dhabi.
For more coverage of the region’s equestrian world, visit Al Badia Magazine.
Arabian Horses Take Centre Stage
Purebred Arabian horses remain at the heart of the programme.
The Emirates Arabian Horse Society will stage an extensive championship calendar beginning with the EAHS National Arabian Horse Championship on October 27–28, 2026, followed immediately by the UAE National Arabian Horse Championship from October 30 to November 2.
The programme continues through the winter with the Emirates Arabian Horse Society National Championship – Al Dhafra from December 25–27.
One of the major international highlights follows in February, when the Abu Dhabi International Arabian Horse Championship takes place from February 18–21, 2027.
These events continue the UAE’s longstanding role in preserving, breeding and internationally promoting the Purebred Arabian horse.
Readers can discover more stories about the breed through Al Badia’s Arabian horse coverage.
Al Wathba Prepares for a Major Endurance Season
Endurance will also play a central role.
The Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba will host the Union Day Cup over 120 km on November 29, followed by a series of important races throughout the season.
Among the headline events is the prestigious UAE President’s Endurance Cup, which will be contested over 160 km on January 31, 2027.
Ladies’ endurance also features prominently in the calendar, including the H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak for Private Owners – Ladies Endurance Cup and the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ladies Endurance Cup.
The season will culminate in further major endurance competition during the Abu Dhabi Festival in March.
Follow more endurance racing stories on Al Badia Magazine.
World Endurance Championship Comes to the UAE
There is another major reason 2026 will be important for UAE endurance.
The FEI Endurance World Championship for Seniors is scheduled to take place at Butheeb in the UAE on December 19, 2026.
The FEI officially lists Butheeb as the venue for the 2026 World Championship, putting the Emirates at the centre of international endurance competition this December.
Hosting a world championship alongside such an extensive domestic programme further demonstrates the UAE’s importance within international endurance sport.
64 Race Meetings Across the UAE
Flat racing will be equally busy.
According to the Emirates Racing Authority’s official 2026–2027 calendar, the UAE season begins on October 22, 2026, with 64 race meetings across five racecourses.
Meydan will host 17 meetings, Abu Dhabi 16, Al Ain 14, Jebel Ali 11 and Sharjah six.
The UAE President Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 12 with prize money of AED 8 million.
Meydan will ultimately bring the season to its spectacular conclusion with the US$12 million Dubai World Cup on March 27, 2027.
Explore more horse racing coverage from Al Badia.
Show Jumping and Dressage Join the Calendar
The season extends far beyond racing and endurance.
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club will stage a local show jumping championship in October, followed by the FEI Jumping World Cup from January 6–10, 2027.
The UAE President’s Cup Showjumping follows from January 13–17.
International dressage arrives in February, while the prestigious Longines League of Nations is scheduled for February 10–14, bringing another important international competition to Abu Dhabi.
Heritage Meets the Future
What makes the UAE’s equestrian calendar distinctive is the breadth of disciplines it brings together.
Arabian horse breeding and showing preserve traditions deeply connected with Emirati and Arab heritage. Endurance celebrates the extraordinary stamina of horse and rider. Racing attracts international competition, while jumping and dressage connect the UAE with the wider global sporting calendar.
The 2026–2027 season therefore represents more than a collection of competitions.
It demonstrates how the UAE continues to combine equestrian heritage with modern sport, technology, international competition and horse welfare.
With major championships beginning this autumn and continuing through spring 2027, another important chapter in the UAE’s equestrian story is about to begin.
Discover the latest regional and international equestrian stories on Al Badia Magazine.
From Al Wathba endurance to Arabian horse championships and world-class racing, the UAE prepares for an exceptional equestrian season
