Royal ride

The country’s richest endurance race promises to be a desert spectacle

The fourteenth edition of the HH The President of United Arab Emirates Endurance Cup is shaping up to be the most exciting one yet.

Every year, riders from all over the world storm the vast desert for a challenging long-distance race marked by speed, strength and stamina.

First staged in 2000, the 160-kilometre cross-country race is the UAE’s richest endurance event in terms of prize money and competitors. But what does it take to ride such a great distance through desert sands? And how did the sport of long-distance riding begin? We brushed up on our endurance knowledge ahead of the event to find out all this and more.

The history

With the domestication of the horse came a new method of long-distance travel. But following the invention of the automobile, the horse population quickly declined. By necessity, the US Cavalry continued to ride horses over long distances, perfecting a swift and effortless method of transportation. Distance riding soon caught on and became the fastest growing equine discipline despite its challenges.

However, it wasn’t until the 1950s following Wendell T Robie’s ride along the Pony Express from Nevada to California in under 24 hours that the sport of endurance racing became an official competitive discipline. Craving a sport that involved “rapport with one’s horse, companionship on a trail and the opportunity to share the incomparable scenery”, Robie established the 100 Mile Tevis Cup, a one-day ride that is still held to this day.

The history of endurance riding in the UAE is a much briefer one. The Emirates Equestrian Federation held the first modern desert race in January 1993 where camels were pinned against horses in a 40km run through Dubai’s rolling dunes. Endurance racing is arguably the most popular of equestrian disciplines in the country, partially due to a huge love of horses and unwavering support from various members of the country’s royal family. Following the UAE’s hosting of the World Endurance Championship in 1998 and clinching of the title in 2008, the UAE has made its mark in the international endurance scene.

What is endurance riding?

Endurance riding is the ultimate test of a horse and rider’s long-distance fitness, where the combination is pinned against the clock in a test of speed and stamina. The rider must make effective use of his/her time, setting a pace according to his horse’s capabilities, the terrain, climate and distance. Although the course is timed, the focus is on completing the race in good condition rather than being the first to cross the finish line.

Both the start and finish will be wide and long in order to allow for several horses to pass through at the same time. This is often the best place for spectators to catch the action. All competitors start the race at the same time following a countdown and signal.

The course is split into phases, or loops, with mandatory timed stops – known as hold time. These stops include halts for a veterinary inspection or ‘vet gate’ where each horse must be presented within an established time frame of reaching the gate. Due to the strain that the distance, speed and terrain put on each horse it is essential to monitor their heart rate and overall condition. After the vet has done an inspection, he will decide whether the horse is fit to continue the race or not.

A course will be clearly marked with flags, ribbons or paint to help riders navigate the cross-country terrain and gauge their distance. Each competitor is given a course map beforehand showing mandatory halts and the rider must complete the course in the correct order and direction.

As the race is a test of stamina, the horse and rider combination must remain the same throughout the ride. A jockey’s trainer or horse owner will drive alongside the team as they ride each loop. While the team in the car are not allowed to provide any assistance, they offer essential moral support to fatigued riders.

The winner is deemed the first horse/rider combination that finishes a course in the shortest time having successfully passed all final veterinary inspections.

Abu Dhabi hosts a number of endurance races from 40km qualifiers to 240km three-day events as well as ladies endurance rides.

The President’s Endurance Cup

The capital’s annual endurance cup was initiated in a bid to establish the Emirates as a cornerstone for international endurance racing. Since its inception, the race has proved a success, with competitors from all over the world flocking to the capital to ride across the serene desert.

The race will be split into six loops, with each circuit decreasing in distance but increasing in hold time. The initial loop is 34km with a hold time of 30 minutes, while the final loop will be 16km. In between each loop, the horse and rider team must untack (remove the saddle), wait the mandatory hold time and the horse must undergo a veterinary health check before being allowed to embark on the next loop.

Although riders will compete individually, they can also form teams so scores may be accumulated.