A village shaped around heritage.
The late Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan established Butheeb to protect the UAE’s traditional heritage sports and give horsemanship a lasting home.
Week14–20 December 2026
Ride19 December 2026
VenueButheeb · Abu Dhabi
The countdown to Butheeb.
Championship ride · 19 December 2026
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A place to learn the ride.
From amateur riders to school students, Butheeb was created to pass equestrian knowledge forward and help future riders understand the discipline.
Desert becomes the course.
Long horizons, shifting light and natural terrain make the landscape part of every decision shared by horse, rider and crew.
Every kilometre has a purpose.
Butheeb’s routes and facilities were planned for endurance rides from 40 kilometres through to the sport’s longest championship distances.
Care defines the rhythm.
Veterinary facilities, recovery periods and the close attention of crews make the horse’s condition the measure that matters most.
Prepared for sound footing.
Ahead of the 2023 championship, sections of deep sand were improved and the course was inspected again with horse and rider safety in focus.
The endurance world arrived.
Butheeb welcomed the 18th FEI Endurance World Championship: a global field meeting the challenge of a 160-kilometre course.
Thirty-seven nations, one discipline.
The 2023 championship brought 129 athletes to Butheeb, reflecting Endurance’s international reach and its shared respect for the horse.
The story rides forward.
Butheeb prepares to welcome the world again, carrying its heritage, its landscape and its horse-first philosophy onto the championship stage.
The leadership
of the UAE.
Meet the nation’s leadership, as Butheeb prepares to welcome the world of Endurance to Abu Dhabi.
Explore leadership
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
President of the UAE · Ruler of Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE · Ruler of Dubai
Your championship week.
14–20 December 2026
Butheeb · Abu Dhabi
Select a day
UAE time · UTC+4Showing Sat 19 December: Championship ride. 6 activities. Provisional programme.
Championship ride
6 activities · Provisional
Butheeb International Endurance VillageExplore the week’s timeline- 03:45
Deadline for emergency substitutions
- Before the start
Tack check at the departure gate
- 05:00–13:00
Ride desk open
- 05:45
Start of the World Endurance Championship
- Time to be confirmed
Best Condition competition; all competing horses remain overnight in official stables
- After signed results
Protest deadline: 30 minutes after results are signed
Provisional programme. Adapted from the February 2023 booklet; all 2026 dates, times and arrangements await confirmation.
01
FEI Endurance World Championship
A test of pace,care andpartnership.
Endurance rewards more than speed. Across every stage, horse welfare, tactical judgement and the bond between athlete and horse shape the performance.
At Butheeb, the landscape is part of the championship. Open desert, changing light and long horizons create a setting built for the discipline.
Event information
One discipline.
One world title.
Butheeb 2026 is dedicated to Endurance. Registration timelines and operational instructions are shared through the relevant protected portal and federation notices.
Published championship information14–20 December 2026
Arrival, preparation and championship operations in Abu Dhabi.
19 December 2026
The 2026 senior Endurance world title is decided at Butheeb.
Endurance
Long-distance competition led by horse welfare, pace and partnership.
Butheeb, Abu Dhabi
Butheeb International Endurance Village, United Arab Emirates.
Latest fromUAEERF.
1–1 of 10 stories
03
Inside endurance
The championship journey
A successful ride is built long before the finish. Every phase depends on preparation, communication and care.
01Before the ride
Preparation
Teams arrive with a complete plan for horse welfare, pace and support across every stage.
02On course
Partnership
Rider and horse respond together to distance, terrain, conditions and the rhythm of the day.
03At every gate
Horse welfare
Veterinary checks and recovery guide the competition, with the horse’s condition always coming first.
Understand the veterinary checks04At the finish
Performance
Consistency, care and judgement bring the partnership home on the world championship stage.
04
Registration access