The Emirates News Agency reported that 81 horses will compete in the fifth leg of the Emirates Arabian Horse Global Cup in Shanghai this week as part of the third edition of the international series. The event falls under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court and Chairman of the Emirates Arabian Horse Society. It is supervised by Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Arabian Horse Society and Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee for the cup.
According to the Emirates News Agency, the fifth leg in Shanghai will feature classes for yearling fillies, yearling colts, junior fillies, junior colts, senior mares and senior stallions with championships to follow. The competition is organised by the Emirates Arabian Horse Society in cooperation with Chinese authorities and is expected to draw participants from across the region and beyond. A high level of competition is anticipated given the growing international profile of the series.
The mention of 81 horses to compete in fifth EAHGC leg in Shanghai aligns with the pattern of increasing participation seen in prior stops of the third edition, the Emirates News Agency indicated in its coverage. The first leg in Australia and the second in Bahrain attracted solid fields while the third leg in Morocco featured 179 horses belonging to nearly 50 owners according to a WAM dispatch from May 2026. The fourth leg in Arizona saw 44 horses representing 22 owners take part, a separate Emirates News Agency report from September 2026 showed.
A WAM assessment of the second edition of the EAHGC found that a total of 791 horses owned by approximately 460 participants competed across all legs with prize money reaching AED 3.986 million. That edition produced 488 winning horses and 342 winning owners, confirming the championship’s international growth according to the Emirates News Agency. The third edition builds on those figures by staging events on multiple continents to broaden access for owners and breeders worldwide.
The Emirates Arabian Horse Society has stated that the cup supports the preservation of purebred Arabian horse heritage while promoting the breed globally. Events such as the upcoming Shanghai leg include judging by an international panel and award gold, silver and bronze medals in each championship category. The series continues to expand its reach with the sixth leg scheduled for Italy in November followed by the final in Brazil later that month according to the Emirates Arabian Horse Society schedule.
