At the Shanghai Juss International Equestrian Centre, 81 horses representing around 35 owners competed on October 6 and 7. AJ Sbran won the stallion gold medal at the fifth round of the Emirates Arabian Horse Global Cup's third season. Emirates News Agency, known as WAM, reported that the round concluded on October 8.
The Shanghai competition was the Arabian Horse Global Cup's first event in the city. Organisers described the stop as part of the series' international expansion and an effort to promote purebred Arabian horses among Chinese owners and breeders.
AJ Sbran leads the stallions
Owned by Dai Tongtong, AJ Sbran took the top stallion title. Sinmar Al Badayer, owned by Wang Renwei, won silver. Fa Ja Yi, owned by Normaimaiti Abulimiti, finished third and took bronze.
The Emirates Arabian Horse Society and Chinese Arabian Horse Society were working together under a memorandum of understanding. The organisations said they would exchange expertise, improve care for purebred Arabian horses and support breeders in line with international standards.
Five competitions formed part of the festival
Officials at the closing day included Khalid Mohammed Al Shehhi, the UAE chargé d'affaires in China; Mohammed Ahmed Al Harbi, director general of the Emirates Arabian Horse Society and deputy head of the cup's organising committee; and Mohammed Najib Al Razihi, the UAE's acting consul general in Shanghai. UAE students studying in China also attended.
Alongside the Arabian horse competition, the festival hosted four other international events: show jumping, dressage, young riders' competitions and polo. Visitors could also see the Shanghai International Horse Exhibition and an educational exhibition about horse culture. Shanghai Observer reported that organisers wanted to make equestrian sport more accessible to the public, rather than keep it limited to professionals. Shanghai has hosted international events in other sports too, including the event covered in this Shanghai Grand Prix report.
The cup's third season features rounds across several continents. Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, vice-chairman of the Emirates Arabian Horse Society, heads the organising committee. The cup aims to support Arabian horse owners and breeders, preserve the breed's heritage and strengthen its international presence. Organisers said the China round would support the purebred Arabian horse sector and bring more owners and breeders into the series. Independent reports on the event gave no financial figures, prize fund or official attendance estimate.
