AlUla’s stunning landscape hosts Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup 2023

ALULA: The spectacular natural arena of the AlUla UNESCO World Heritage Site is set to host the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup 2023 on Saturday with 200 riders from 41 countries navigating 120 km of the city’s desert terrain.

Hosted by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation and Federation Equestre Internationale, the fourth version of the race will take about six hours on average to complete across the Saudi landscape.

“It’s going to be fantastic, it’s going to be electrifying” said event director, Brian Colin Dunn, who is one of the leading figures in the world for endurance and equestrian sports, during a press conference on Friday.

The event is a test of skill and stamina for riders and horses alike, as equestrians will compete in a route consisting of a 38.2 km loop, then a 32.1 km section followed by 27.3 km and 22.4 km laps.

While all equine sporting competitions require harmony between horse and rider, endurance riding requires that “it must be a pure Arabian horse,” Gianluca Laliscia, a general sports director and former world champion, told Arab News.

Horse welfare and time management by the rider also play a significant role.

Laliscia added that to qualify for this race, horses should be between five to eight years of age, as they have to be strong and capable of riding for long distances of 40 km, 80 km, 100 km, or more.

A pre-ride checkup on horses is conducted to make sure they are fit and healthy to compete. After each loop, horses are vetted to see if they are fit to continue.

“Endurance riding is the only sport in the world that once the riders cross the finish line, horses are subjected to a veterinary inspection,” Dunn said.