RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — International judge and equestrian coach Dr. Hatem Hassanein has signed an agreement to lead and train the first European team preparing to participate in the 2026 FEI Endurance World Championship. Scheduled to take place in AlUla Governorate on November 26, 2026, this landmark agreement marks the first time a European team will be led by a Saudi coach and team director.
The European team consists of six male and female riders who will compete in the grueling 160-kilometer endurance race. Professional preparations, including reciprocal training visits and camps between Europe and Saudi Arabia, have been underway since early this year to ensure a strong performance at this prestigious global event.
Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Hatem Hassanein stated:
“I previously led the Saudi Arabian national team in 1996, where we won the World Cup in Qatar with me serving as the team’s coach and director. Today, we are bringing that glory back by leading an international team in one of the world’s most significant and competitive endurance championships.”
Dr. Hassanein added that the upcoming phase will feature joint training camps between Europe and the Kingdom. These camps will involve exchange visits, tactical planning, and advanced technical strategies designed for optimal preparation. In Saudi Arabia, training will take place at the Al-Sarem Al-Battar Academy in Riyadh, in collaboration with strategic partner Al-Gharra Center.
Highlighting his athletic record, Dr. Hassanein noted that he won the Silver Medal in the European Endurance Championship (200 km) in both 1996 and 1997—major global achievements in equestrian sports at the time. Looking ahead, he revealed plans for 2026 to qualify a Saudi female equestrian team under the “Female Riders Program” he launched three years ago, preparing them for the 2027 World Cup, alongside establishing a dedicated junior team for endurance racing.
Dr. Hassanein emphasized that equestrian sports in Saudi Arabia are undergoing a major qualitative transformation aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing global economic, political, and athletic prominence.
About Dr. Hatem Hassanein
Dr. Hatem Hassanein is one of the most prominent figures in the equestrian world. Born in the United States and educated in Austria, he is the son of the late Mahjoub Hassanein, former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Petroleum. Dr. Hassanein developed a passion for equestrianism at the age of six, mastering various disciplines including show jumping and endurance racing, achieving notable milestones since the 1980s.
His distinguished career includes participating in the 1996 World Cup with the Saudi national team, serving as an international judge at the 1998 World Cup in Barcelona, founding the first Saudi female equestrian team, and playing a pivotal role in discovering, supporting, and developing male and female Saudi riders across the Kingdom.
