Sheikh Hamdan wins Saudi Arabia’s Al Ula endurance race

The 120km endurance race, held in Al-Ula saw more than one Royal in attendance as Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed saddled up as he rode to success on Saturday.

Dubai’s Crown Prince claimed his second consecutive title during the running of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla on Saturday.

The 120-kilometre race is commissioned by the Royal Commission for AlUla and the organizers of the Winter at Tantora festival in association with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation and offers SAR15 million ($4 million) in prize money for the winning riders. The event is considered to be one of the most important endurance races in the region, with 200 competitors from 17 countries taking part.

The event was attended by Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Chairman of the General Sports Authority in Saudi Arabia; Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director-General of the Department of Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai; and Saeed Humaid Al Tayer, CEO of Meydan Group.

On the stands were many Royals cheering and supporting the young Crown Prince that included his father Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.

The Emirati prince donned the Kingdom’s flag on his shirt and a Saudi Arabia-UAE motif on his helmet, as a display of unity with Saudi Arabia.

The Crown Prince has always been keen on trying out thrilling sports and has much love for the wildlife as can be seen on his official Instagram handle.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup is regarded as one of the most important endurance events. Last year’s race saw 200 riders take part.