BARKA: The National Day Local Endurance Cup over a distance of 100 kilometres for the 2025/2026 season concluded at Al Mahamid Endurance Village in the Wilayat of Barka, under the organisation of the Oman Equestrian Federation and Racing, The event was held under the auspices of Azzan bin Qasim al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism, and attended by Sayyid Mundhir bin Saif bin Hamad al Busaidy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Equestrian Federation and Racing, along with officials, horse owners, trainers, veterinarians and endurance racing enthusiasts.
The competition, which was contested over three demanding phases, witnessed strong rivalry among participating horses and riders, reflecting the growing standards of endurance racing in the Sultanate of Oman.
Huboob Muscat secured the gold medal and first place, delivering an outstanding performance for owner Hala Al Turki, ridden by jockey Mahmoud bin Said al Saeedi and trained by Hamad bin Said al Saeedi, demonstrating excellent stamina and tactical discipline throughout the race.
Commenting on the technical and veterinary aspects of the competition, Dr Ahmed al Jassasi, the event’s attending veterinarian, highlighted the high level of preparedness of the horses, stating that “the participating horses met the required veterinary standards and showed strong recovery rates during the inspection stages, which reflects the professionalism of the trainers and the effectiveness of the health and welfare protocols applied during the race.”
Finishing in second place and claiming the silver medal was Splendacrest Nolapur, owned by Mundhir bin Taghlab al Barwani, ridden by Hood bin Ghalib al Fauri and trained by Saleh bin Salem al Balushi, Trainer Saleh al Balushi owner of BLUE STABLE expressed his satisfaction with the result, noting that the horse delivered a consistent performance across all phases, added that the race provided valuable experience and confirmed the team’s readiness for future endurance events.
Jockey Hood al Fouri also praised the organisation and course design, explaining that the race required careful pacing and strategic decision making, emphasised that finishing on the podium in a National Day event was a significant achievement and motivation for upcoming competitions.
The bronze medal and third place went to Fayjab, owned by Murbat Al Sultanate, ridden by Khalid bin Abdulrahman al Zadjali, and trained by Mohannad bin Ibrahim al Balushi. Mohannad al Balushi described the result as a positive outcome, stating that the horse showed promising endurance and responsiveness and that the experience would contribute to further development in future races.
In addition to the main 100 km competition, the event included the qualification of several horses over 40 km and 80 km distances, as part of the Federation’s ongoing efforts to prepare horses and riders according to international endurance standards.
At the conclusion of the event, winners in the top positions were officially crowned, and individuals who contributed to the success of the race and course organisation at Al Mahamid Endurance Village were honoured, including Said bin Matar al Saeedi and Mohammed bin Salim al Maliki, Several sponsoring companies were also recognised, notably Al Said Stables, Al Saadi Stable, Taterunk Middle East, and Al Ain Al Mutatawira Company.
The ceremony concluded with Sayyid Mundhir bin Saif al Busaidy, Chairman of the Board of the Oman Equestrian Federation and Racing, presenting a commemorative gift to the patron of the event, reaffirming the Federation’s commitment to advancing endurance racing and promoting equestrian sports in line with the significance of National Day celebrations in the Sultanate of Oman.
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