Five hundred Arabian horses gather in Abu Dhabi for the nation’s premier equine championship

The UAE National Arabian Horse Championship opens with exceptional competition as the Emirates Arabian Horse Society deploys its digital judging system to evaluate nearly three hundred exhibitors across four days of qualifying rounds.

The Grand Hall of Boudheib Academy has become the stage for one of the region’s most significant equine gatherings. Five hundred Arabian horses, presented by two hundred and sixty-seven exhibitors, have assembled for the UAE National Arabian Horse Championship, with judges preparing to award a total prize purse of AED4.47 million across four days of rigorous competition.

The Emirates Arabian Horse Society has employed its Rabdan digital judging system for this edition, an electronic platform that brings precision and transparency to the evaluation of these magnificent animals. The technology allows judges to assess each entry with consistency and clarity, recording detailed scores that reflect both the heritage and contemporary excellence demanded in Arabian horse breeding.

Friday’s opening day brought qualifying classes for yearling fillies across six sections, each revealing the depth of talent within the UAE’s breeding programmes. ALA Hashdeh, owned by Hamdan Mohammed Butti Al Abdouli, emerged victorious in Section A with 90.80 points, edging past Sultanat Al Dar on movement scoring after the two entries matched on overall points. Ghadeer Al Saad secured the third position with 90.1 points.

The competition continued through the fillies categories with each section producing standout performances. Al Aryam Hames, owned by Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, demonstrated particular excellence in Section D of the yearling fillies with 92.2 points, whilst D Faqeehah, presented by Dubai Arabian Horse Stud, claimed first place in the two-year-old fillies section with 92 points.

The championship schedule unfolds over Saturday and Sunday with classes spanning two-year-old fillies, three-year-old fillies, senior mares, yearling colts across multiple sections, two-year-old colts and three-year-old colts, alongside the opening qualifying rounds for senior stallions. As we reported when the Emirates Arabian Horse Society crowned its champions across six disciplines, international judges have consistently praised the nation’s organisational rigour and the calibre of horses presented. Monday will bring the final qualifying classes and the championship finals, where champions will be crowned across fillies, colts, mares and stallions in the various age categories.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This championship reflects Abu Dhabi’s enduring commitment to Arabian horse breeding excellence, a pursuit deeply woven into the emirate’s cultural heritage and contemporary equine leadership. The scale of this year’s competition, with five hundred horses competing, demonstrates the vibrant ecosystem of breeders and exhibitors the UAE has cultivated, positioning the nation as a centre of significant Arabian horse expertise and innovation.

The introduction of the Rabdan digital judging system signals Abu Dhabi’s investment in modernising traditional practices whilst maintaining the rigorous standards that international judges recognise and respect. This championship, held at Boudheib Academy, reinforces the emirate’s role as a hub where heritage and technological advancement converge, supporting a thriving community of equine professionals and enthusiasts.

Source: WAM