‘Adeeb Athbah’ crowned champion of UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses in Libya

The horse Adeeb Athbah was crowned champion of the seventeenth leg of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses, held yesterday at the Al Watan Shooting and Equestrian Club racecourse in the city of Benghazi, within the calendar of the 33rd edition of the Prestigious Cup, which recorded its presence in Libya for the second consecutive year.

The Cup series is staged with the support of the wise leadership, reflecting its commitment to developing the Arabian horse racing industry and supporting owners and breeders in countries around the world, encouraging them to acquire and breed the Arabian horse and to elevate its standing at the most important international racecourses and races.

The UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses race was run over 2,000 metres on dirt, with 15 elite Arabian horses taking part, as part of the Third Libya Heritage Carnival, which featured 16 horse races over two days.

Adeeb Athbah, owned by Al Watan Club, trained by Nasser Smeiri and ridden by Salim bin Al Habib Al Farchichi, delivered a powerful performance that carried him first across the line in a time of 2:34.25.

RB To The House finished in second place, while Hatem came home third, AA Burning Down finished fourth and Lord de Lardous completed the first five home.

With this victory, Adeeb Athbah joins the roll of champions of the Libya leg of the Prestigious Cup, becoming the second horse to claim its title after Afjan, who took the first edition staged in Benghazi in 2025.

The Al Watan Shooting and Equestrian Club racecourse drew a notable public turnout of more than 5,000 spectators, who engaged with the race and the strong competition among the participating horses, in a scene that reflected the interest Arabian horse racing commands in Libya and the standing of the Prestigious Cup among equestrian enthusiasts.

The race and the crowning of winners were attended by Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Falconers’ Club, Abdulla Mubarak Al Muhairi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, and Saeed Khalifa Al Muhairi, representative of the Higher Organising Committee of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses, where the leading finishers were honoured and the Libya leg trophy was presented to the owner of the champion horse.

Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of the UAE President’s Cup for Purebred Arabian Horses, affirmed that the success the Libya leg has seen for a second consecutive year reflects the growing presence of the Prestigious Cup and its considerable value within the Arabian horse racing community.

He said that the Benghazi race delivered a distinguished competitive standard that reflected the readiness of the participating horses and the strength of the challenge for the title, noting that the significant public turnout confirmed the standing of the Cup. He also valued the efforts of every participant and those who organised the event.

Al Dhaheri added that the Cup continues to achieve its goals thanks to the vision and sustained support of the wise leadership, opening wider horizons for Arabian horse owners and breeders, alongside strengthening the presence of Arabian horse racing and developing it across different countries.

He noted that holding the race in Libya for a second consecutive year represents an important step in the development and expansion of the series, expressing his hope to build on the success achieved in Benghazi in a way that serves the Arabian horse and highlights the UAE’s commitment to safeguarding this heritage and strengthening its presence on the international stage.