- World’s most prestigious equestrian endurance event takes place 8-9 February 2025
- The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup offers the sport’s richest prize money
- Al Mutadil Endurance Cup provides a challenge of skill, ahead of the Endurance World Championship 2026
- Event concludes a memorable season for equestrian endurance in the Kingdom
AlFursan Endurance Cup 2025
AlUla, Saudi Arabia, 29 January 2025:
The historic oasis of AlUla is gearing up to host one of the Gulf region’s most prominent endurance events, with the highly anticipated AlFursan Endurance AlUla 2025 set to kick off next month. In an atmosphere filled with excitement, the event will mark the culmination of a vibrant equestrian season amidst the stunning desert landscapes that highlight AlUla’s beauty and rich heritage.
Taking place from 8 to 9 February 2025, this elite endurance event will feature two prestigious competitions: the 120km Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup (CEI2*) and the 160km AlMutadil Endurance Cup (CEI3*). The 2 events will attract 320 riders from over 66 countries, setting a new global record for endurance competitions.
Organised by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) in partnership with Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation (SAEF), The AlFursan Endurance AlUla 2025 promises a thrilling and unparalleled challenge for riders, pushing their endurance, skill, and determination to the limit as they navigate two grueling courses under the supervision of the international federation.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup will feature the largest prize pool, with SAR 15 million on offer, while the AlMutadil Endurance Cup will be contested for a prize pool of SAR 5 million. The lucrative prize money reflects the event’s status as one of the most important equestrian endurance competitions in the world.
The AlFursan Endurance AlUla is a vital event in AlUla’s ambition to become a global leader in endurance sports, leading to the FEI Endurance World Championship 2026. Supported by top-class facilities at AlFursan Equestrian Village, the riders will compete in a setting that combines AlUla’s captivating landscapes with Saudi Arabia’s rich equestrian heritage.
The event also signifies the RCU’s dedication to transforming AlUla into a leading international destination for equestrianism and concludes a memorable equestrian season in the region. As AlUla solidifies its status as a prime destination for equestrian sports, economic opportunities continue to grow within the local community, providing new avenues for talent development, and contributing to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
AlFursan Endurance AlUla 2025 will also feature a range of community engagement initiatives to promote equestrianism among the youth and ensure that the local population benefits from this thriving sector. Additionally, various kids’ entertainment activities, music performances, retail experiences, and other interactive activations will be available for visitors to enjoy.
AlFursan Endurance AlUla is part of the AlUla Moments 2024/25 calendar, a series of cultural and sporting events that celebrate and showcase the various attractions and beauty of AlUla.
About AlUla Moments:
AlUla Moments calendar introduces a number of festivals and events to celebrate and unlock AlUla’s stories, uncover its secrets, and celebrate local and international cultures. With 7,000 years of civilisations and home to some of the most sophisticated ancient kingdoms of antiquity, AlUla is no stranger to social gatherings and cultural celebrations.
AlUla Moments calendar comprises five festivals offering diverse experiences in art, culture, music, nature, wellness, equestrian activities, dining, and astronomy. The AlUla Wellness Festival featuring the latest practices to engage the mind, body and soul; Winter at Tantora, the original AlUla celebration of heritage, culture, fashion and music; the Ancient Kingdoms Festival offers immersive events acknowledging the ancient civilisations that lived in AlUla and its neighbouring oases in Khaybar and Tayma; AlUla Skies Festival with the popular hot air balloons and stargazing experiences; and AlUla Arts Festival bringing together contemporary and ancient art events and experiences.
In addition to the festivals AlUla Moments calendar offers a number of marquee events, including AZIMUTH and AlUla Desert Polo, along with the heritage sports events such as AlFursan Endurance Cup, along with world-class fashion, adventure and sporting events.
For more information, please visit experiencealula.com
About AlUla:
Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, in North-West Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km², includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean kingdoms reigned.
The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and comprises 111 well-preserved tombs, many with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement.
Current research also suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Roman Empire after the Romans conquered the Nabataeans in 106 CE.
In addition to Hegra, AlUla is also home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms and considered to be one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula, and Jabal Ikmah, an open air library of hundreds of inscriptions and writings in many different languages, which has been recently listed on the UNESCO’s memory of the World Register. Also AlUla Old Town Village, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes developed from at least the 12th century, has been selected as one of the World’s Best Tourism Villages in 2022 by the UNWTO.
For more information, please visit: experiencealula.com
