Record line-up and purse set for 5th Endurance Cup in AlUla

ALULA: The fifth Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup is set to have its largest line-up when it begins in AlUla on Saturday.
“This year we have a record number of participant countries, we have 51 countries this year, a very high number of female athletes (26 percent) and we have top riders from around the world,” Camille Martin, director of development for the equestrian sector of the Royal Commission of AlUla, told Arab News.
“For the first time, we have a ride that is 160 km, which is one of the most challenging competitions in the world. This is preparation for the World Endurance Championship that we (AlUla) will host in 2026,” Martin said.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup will take place from Feb. 10-11 and consists of two races, the 120 km and 160 km distance competitions across AlUla’s desert terrains.
Prize money is SR15 million ($4 million) for the 120 km and SR5 million for the 160 km.
Organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla, the competition is in partnership with the Federation Equestre Internationale and Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation.
Leading up to the Endurance Cup the Royal Commission of AlUla held a press conference in the Al-Fursan Equestrian Village on Friday to announce details of the competition.
Nizar Fakhoury, executive director of Destination Development at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said that the event aimed to celebrate the heritage of the sport in Alula.
He also highlighted that, alongside the races, the Endurance Cup would host multiple activities for attendees to take part in.
“(There will be) 17 activations in total, one of the first activations will be a number of talks delivered by some of the best equine experts in the world, they will be coming to AlUla to deliver these talks,” Fakhoury told Arab News.
“Another (activation) will be award-winning photographers to display their artwork and to be sold to the public,” he said.
Fakhoury said that there would be an array of activities for children to take part in.
“For the first time we want to integrate children at an early age to be exposed to horses so they can fall in love with horses and hopefully they can grow up to ride horses as well,” he said.
In the evening, equestrian-themed Hollywood films will be shown alongside the retail store opportunities and F&B outlets.
The completion is set to start on Saturday morning with more than 200 of the world’s professional riders and trainers competing in a rigorous long-distance endurance circuit in AlUla.