Emirates Jumping Team Final Preparations Ahead of Asian Games Team Competition
(MENAFN- Dark Horse Communications)
All UAE horses pass veterinary inspection and complete final arena warm-up ahead of Thursday’s opening Jumping competition
Tokyo, Japan – 30 September 2026
The Emirates Jumping Team completed its final preparations for the opening day of Jumping competition at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 on Wednesday, with all horses passing the veterinary inspection before the UAE combinations took to the main arena at JRA Equestrian Park for the warm-up round.
With the first medals of the Jumping programme to be decided on Thursday 1 October, the horses were presented for the mandatory veterinary inspection before each combination was given 90 seconds in the main competition arena to familiarise themselves with the surroundings and jump a practice course.
The session offered the horses and riders an important opportunity to experience the arena ahead of Thursday’s Team competition, with all four combinations completing their final preparations in good form.
The UAE has been drawn third out of the ten competing teams in the starting order for Thursday’s Team competition, which gets underway at 09:30 JST at JRA Equestrian Park.
The UAE will be represented by Sheikha Latifah Bint Ahmed Al Maktoum and Cornet XL, Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi and Enjoy de la Mure, Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi and Hudson de Vains, and Humaid Abdulla Khalifa Al Muhairi and Mentos.
Speaking ahead of the Team competition, Sheikha Latifah Bint Ahmed Al Maktoum said it was an honour to once again represent the UAE at the Asian Games, having previously won individual silver and helped the UAE secure team silver at Guangzhou 2010.
“Cornet is feeling great and I know he will give me everything he has. He’s a huge horse with a big heart and we have a really special bond. We learnt a lot together in Aachen at the FEI World Championship this year and we’re going into the arena tomorrow with a plan. I’m very proud to be representing the UAE again and hopefully we can deliver a strong result for the team.”
The four combinations bring significant Olympic, World Championship and Asian Games experience to Tokyo as the UAE looks to build on its team bronze medal at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou.
William Funnell, Chef d’Équipe of the Emirates Jumping Team, said the riders and horses have been in good form throughout the season and arrived in Japan well prepared for the challenge ahead.
“We’ve had a strong season and the horses have travelled well and settled into Tokyo nicely. Everyone is looking forward to getting started tomorrow. We know the standard of competition here will be high, but we have four experienced combinations and we’re focused on our own performance. The team is ready and we’ll go out there tomorrow and give it our best.”
Among the UAE combinations competing in Japan is Omar and Enjoy de la Mure. Omar returns to the Asian Games three years after claiming individual silver and helping the UAE to team bronze in Hangzhou.
The pair have since represented the UAE at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where they reached the Individual Final, before delivering another major Championship performance at the FEI Jumping World Championship in Aachen this summer, finishing 13th individually.
Thursday’s competition marks the beginning of a new-look Jumping programme at the Asian Games, with three sets of medals available for the first time.
Alongside the Team competition, two separate Individual titles will be contested. Group A will be decided over 1.45m in the opening round and 1.50m in the Final, while the newly introduced Group B will be contested over 1.55m courses. Each athlete may compete in only one Individual competition.
Omar and Enjoy are entered in Group B, where they will line up alongside several experienced Championship combinations, including Saudi Arabia’s Ramzy Al Duhami and Untouchable 32 and Abdulrahman Alrajhi and Lorenzo ES, as well as seven-time Olympian Taizo Sugitani and Quincy 194 for host nation Japan.
Before attention turns to the Individual titles, the focus is firmly on Thursday’s Team competition. Saudi Arabia arrives as defending champion having won team gold at four of the past five Asian Games, including Hangzhou, while Japan competes on home soil after claiming team gold at the FEI Asian Championships in 2025.
Thursday’s Team competition will take place at JRA Equestrian Park, the venue that hosted the Jumping competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Courses will be designed by Dutch Level 4 Course Designer Louis Konickx, who returns to the venue five years after serving as Technical Delegate for Jumping at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The Asian Games Jumping programme continues on Saturday 3 October with the opening rounds of the two Individual competitions, before both Individual champions are crowned on Sunday 4 October.
All UAE horses pass veterinary inspection and complete final arena warm-up ahead of Thursday’s opening Jumping competition
Tokyo, Japan – 30 September 2026
The Emirates Jumping Team completed its final preparations for the opening day of Jumping competition at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 on Wednesday, with all horses passing the veterinary inspection before the UAE combinations took to the main arena at JRA Equestrian Park for the warm-up round.
With the first medals of the Jumping programme to be decided on Thursday 1 October, the horses were presented for the mandatory veterinary inspection before each combination was given 90 seconds in the main competition arena to familiarise themselves with the surroundings and jump a practice course.
The session offered the horses and riders an important opportunity to experience the arena ahead of Thursday’s Team competition, with all four combinations completing their final preparations in good form.
The UAE has been drawn third out of the ten competing teams in the starting order for Thursday’s Team competition, which gets underway at 09:30 JST at JRA Equestrian Park.
The UAE will be represented by Sheikha Latifah Bint Ahmed Al Maktoum and Cornet XL, Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi and Enjoy de la Mure, Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi and Hudson de Vains, and Humaid Abdulla Khalifa Al Muhairi and Mentos.
Speaking ahead of the Team competition, Sheikha Latifah Bint Ahmed Al Maktoum said it was an honour to once again represent the UAE at the Asian Games, having previously won individual silver and helped the UAE secure team silver at Guangzhou 2010.
“Cornet is feeling great and I know he will give me everything he has. He’s a huge horse with a big heart and we have a really special bond. We learnt a lot together in Aachen at the FEI World Championship this year and we’re going into the arena tomorrow with a plan. I’m very proud to be representing the UAE again and hopefully we can deliver a strong result for the team.”
The four combinations bring significant Olympic, World Championship and Asian Games experience to Tokyo as the UAE looks to build on its team bronze medal at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou.
William Funnell, Chef d’Équipe of the Emirates Jumping Team, said the riders and horses have been in good form throughout the season and arrived in Japan well prepared for the challenge ahead.
“We’ve had a strong season and the horses have travelled well and settled into Tokyo nicely. Everyone is looking forward to getting started tomorrow. We know the standard of competition here will be high, but we have four experienced combinations and we’re focused on our own performance. The team is ready and we’ll go out there tomorrow and give it our best.”
Among the UAE combinations competing in Japan is Omar and Enjoy de la Mure. Omar returns to the Asian Games three years after claiming individual silver and helping the UAE to team bronze in Hangzhou.
The pair have since represented the UAE at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where they reached the Individual Final, before delivering another major Championship performance at the FEI Jumping World Championship in Aachen this summer, finishing 13th individually.
Thursday’s competition marks the beginning of a new-look Jumping programme at the Asian Games, with three sets of medals available for the first time.
Alongside the Team competition, two separate Individual titles will be contested. Group A will be decided over 1.45m in the opening round and 1.50m in the Final, while the newly introduced Group B will be contested over 1.55m courses. Each athlete may compete in only one Individual competition.
Omar and Enjoy are entered in Group B, where they will line up alongside several experienced Championship combinations, including Saudi Arabia’s Ramzy Al Duhami and Untouchable 32 and Abdulrahman Alrajhi and Lorenzo ES, as well as seven-time Olympian Taizo Sugitani and Quincy 194 for host nation Japan.
Before attention turns to the Individual titles, the focus is firmly on Thursday’s Team competition. Saudi Arabia arrives as defending champion having won team gold at four of the past five Asian Games, including Hangzhou, while Japan competes on home soil after claiming team gold at the FEI Asian Championships in 2025.
Thursday’s Team competition will take place at JRA Equestrian Park, the venue that hosted the Jumping competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Courses will be designed by Dutch Level 4 Course Designer Louis Konickx, who returns to the venue five years after serving as Technical Delegate for Jumping at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The Asian Games Jumping programme continues on Saturday 3 October with the opening rounds of the two Individual competitions, before both Individual champions are crowned on Sunday 4 October.
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