Lisa Abraham: The 2026 Abu Dhabi International Arabian Horse Championship
by
Lisa Abraham
April 16th, 2026
The 2026 Abu Dhabi International Arabian Horse Championship
By Lisa Abraham
With Contributions from Christine Jamar and Claudia Darius
The 2026 Abu Dhabi International Arabian Horse Championship, organized by the Emirates Arabian Horse Society (EAHS), led by H.E. Mr. Mohamed Al Harbi, marked its 4th Edition as a globally prestigious equine event. The show, which was managed by Eidha Taleb Almenhali (UAE), took place from February 13th through the 15th. It included the participation of 335 horses and was supported by 215 owners representing eleven countries, from both the Middle East and Europe.
In 2024, the Abu Dhabi International Arabian Horse Championship achieved the prestigious classification of a European Conference of Arab Horse Organizations (ECAHO) Title show. To illustrate this importance, among ECAHO full-member countries, only eight Title shows are approved per year. Three of which can take place in Europe, while five can take place in member countries outside of Europe, and there can be only one Title classification per country annually. Furthermore, to maintain the status of a Title show, there must be over 70 horses, and at least ten percent must be from outside of the hosting country. The Abu Dhabi International Championship has been the first title show awarded to the UAE.
Christine Jamar (Belgium): The Abu Dhabi International Championship was important for us to participate in to see if our horses could compete with those in the Middle East. I was grateful for the invitation and appreciated how well we were accommodated. The stabling was excellent, and the grooms were treated well.
In 2023, the Abu Dhabi International Arabian Horse Championship moved its venue to Yas Island, one of over 200 islands comprising the Emirate, and is only 20 minutes from downtown, while an hour from Dubai. It is a premium destination offering both luxury and entertainment, with special accommodation and attractions for groups. While attending the show, guests could enjoy a visit to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, home to the fastest rollercoaster, live shows, cutting-edge simulators, and seasonal festivities; and another to Yas Waterworld, which offers six one-of-a-kind rides, pearl diving, and 24 rides with 32 individual slides. The hotels were staffed to facilitate visits and offered information, scheduling, transportation, packages, and ticketing. During my stay, the island was crowded with families of all sizes and international destinations who enjoyed its first-class hospitality and recreational opportunities.
The competition took place within walking distance of the hotel at Etihad Arena, which is a spectacular facility. According to its informative website, Etihad Arena “is the Middle East’s largest state-of-the-art indoor entertainment venue”. It has a guest capacity of 18,000 and hosts prominent international entertainment, including top musical/pop concerts and
Broadway productions. This was the perfect venue to host the Abu Dhabi International Championship, a WORLD-CLASS equine event.
The International Panel of Judges: Dr. Abderrazak Hmidani (MA), Anna Stojanowska (PL), Bérengère Fayt (BE), Claudia Darius (DU), Carmelo Zaragoza Giménez (SP), Joseph Polo (US), Marek Trela (PL), Michaela Weidner (DU), Paula Bohmer (BE), Robbie den Hartog (NL), Tarek Hamza(EG), Urs Aeschbacher (CH), and William Oppen (AR). The Ringmasters were Jasem Al Haddad (KW) and Bart Beckers (BE).
The Abu Dhabi International Competition followed the ECAHO system of rules concerning all aspects and did not require qualification. For the Qualification Classes, in which the judges rotated, scoring was recorded on a scale of 1-20. The categories of evaluation included: TYPE, HEAD & NECK, BODY & TOPLINE, LEGS, and MOVEMENT. If a tie were to occur, the horse with the highest score in TYPE prevailed. If that failed to resolve the tie, the score for MOVEMENT decided. If the tie remained, then one judge was chosen by random ballot to decide. The Championships were judged comparatively. In the Championships, ties were resolved by the highest Qualifying Class score. If that failed to resolve, then the rules for the Qualifying Classes were applied. For presentation, the horses were allowed one stand-up. After the initial movement into the ring, the horses were immediately required to walk for the judges. Once the judges were satisfied, the horses stood for evaluation.
Claudia Darius: I was most impressed with EAHS’s decision to implement the scoring division of HEAD and NECK. This subject has been an ongoing discussion within the Judges Instructor Group and workshops, and it is two-sided. On the one hand, this procedure can negatively affect the overall score. For example, it is nearly impossible for a horse to score a 20 for both HEAD and NECK as individual evaluations. So in this method, instead of getting a 20 for HEAD AND NECK, a horse may receive a 20 for NECK, but 18.5 for HEAD, thus resulting in a lower overall score. On the other hand, separating the two categories allows for a more transparent and accurate evaluation. It also provides better feedback to breeders, owners, and spectators regarding the overall quality. For me, this was a highlight. This was risky, and I admire that EAHS took the step anyway, especially with their ECAHO Title show. As judges, this division gives us greater latitude to evaluate horses, which in turn provides breeders with more specific information.
My work outside of the Arabian Horse Industry caused me to retire from my media work for three years. Before this, I had worked for the EAHS on multiple occasions, and they also offered me my first opportunity upon reentering. It has been a source of great pride for me to work with people who strive for excellence and are not afraid to lead. On multiple occasions, I have either witnessed or participated in conversations with H.E. Mr. Al Harbi, asking for opinions or thoughts on experiences with their shows. In addition, at shows he is present and communicative. I have great respect for this mentality. The accelerated pace of international growth EAHS has experienced is evidence of Mr. Al Harbi’s leadership, and the professionalism and dedication of his entire staff.
For a FULL-SIZED gallery of Images of the Abu Dhabi International Arabian Horse Championship by Lisa Abraham:
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For Arabian Essence TV show coverage and results of the 2026 Abu Dhabi International Arabian Horse Championship:
https://www.arabianessence.tv/events/abu-dhabi-international-ahc-2026/1066/
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For EAHS Calendar of Events and Terms of Conditions:
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Follow the Emirates Arabian Horse Society on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/emirateseahs/
Lisa Abraham is an International Journalist and Photographer from the United States. Although she freelances for various media, her primary dedication is to Arabhorse.com as a Premier Contributor and Representative.