MUSCAT: Omani owned horse Qaed Al Thanaa claimed an impressive 12th-place finish at the World Endurance Championship for eight-year-old horses in Portugal, highlighting Oman’s presence at one of the most demanding events in international endurance racing.
Organised by the International Equestrian Federation in Barroca d’Alva, Portugal, the 120 km championship featured 109 horses from 26 countries. The race was divided into four stages of 40 km, 30 km, 30 km and 20 km.
Qaed Al Thanaa completed the full distance at an average speed of 21.03 km per hour, steadily improving his position throughout the competition. He was 35th after the first stage, moved to 26th after the second and 18th after the third before finishing 12th overall.
The horse competed as part of an Omani-French partnership combining the experience of Omani trainer Abdullah bin Saeed al Balushi, who previously supervised the famous Jabal Al Rais during its golden period, with AA Stables and French trainer Elizabeth Hardy.
Owner Anis bin Mohammed al Maamari said the World Championship was not an isolated target but part of a long-term project aimed at returning Al Rais Stud to top-level endurance competition.
“We wanted to combine the accumulated experience of Oman’s golden generation with the enthusiasm and knowledge of a new generation of Omani trainers, while also benefiting from international expertise,” Al Maamari said.
The team studied a number of leading French endurance horses before selecting Qaed Al Thanaa based on pedigree, physical structure, development potential and qualifying results. The aim, he said, was not to buy a horse for one race, but to build a long-term sporting project around him.
A key step came at Compiegne, France, on June 21, 2026, where Qaed Al Thanaa competed with rider Inza in a two-star 120 km race. He finished 11th at an average speed of 18.1 km per hour, securing his qualification for the World Championship.
Al Maamari said the team travelled to Portugal not simply to participate, but to measure its progress against the best horses in the world. The difficulty of the competition was underlined by the fact that only 56 of the 109 starters completed the race, while 53 were eliminated.
He said finishing 12th was therefore a significant achievement, particularly given the horse’s steady progress through the stages.
The championship also featured another Omani participation involving trainer Saeed bin Salim al Balushi, who entered two horses he had qualified for the World Championship for young horses. His twin sons, Moayad and Muhannad, rode the horses with the support of owner Mundhir al Barwani, representing Blue Stable and Oman.
Although the riders were unable to complete the competition as hoped, their participation marked an important first appearance at the World Championship. Al Balushi and Al Barwani stressed that the result was not the end of their journey.
They expressed confidence that the team has the ability to reach the leading positions in future competitions and continue qualifying horses capable of competing at the highest international level.
For Al Maamari, the World Championship is only the beginning. Qaed Al Thanaa is still eight years old, and his performances in France and Portugal have provided encouraging signs of further development.
The immediate priority, he said, is recovery before the Omani and French technical teams review the season and prepare the next programme.
“Jabal Al Rais gave us unforgettable memories, but we are not trying to replicate him. We wanted to revive the spirit that created that successful era,” Al Maamari said. “Qaed Al Thanaa is the first real result of combining that experience with a new generation and international expertise. We have built a strong foundation, and there is still much more to achieve.”
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