Morocco's Premier Equestrian Venues Prepare for International Competitions

The picturesque cities of Tétouan, Rabat, and El Jadida are poised to become essential destinations for equestrian enthusiasts in Morocco, gearing up to host a series of prestigious competitions that will attract elite riders and horses from across the Mediterranean region. The schedule includes two 4* competitions followed by a spectacular 5* event, all taking place under the spotlight of the renowned Salon du Cheval, with participation expected from over fifteen nations.

Tétouan kicks off the festivities today with a CSI4*-W (World Cup) event, complemented by a CSI2*. This exciting inaugural stage is hosted within the exceptional facilities of the Moroccan Royal Guard, conveniently located near the historic medina. It serves as an opportunity to showcase the impressive roster of participants, many of whom have traveled to compete in the entire tour. Highlighting the event are numerous European competitors, including the talented young rider **Ioli Mytilineou** from Greece, **Edouard Schmitz** from Switzerland, **Leon Thijssen** from the Netherlands, and **Sasha Barthe** from Switzerland, along with a strong Brazilian delegation led by **Yuri Mansur**. Naturally, Moroccan riders are eager to showcase their skills on home turf, led by the country's top-ranked FEI competitor, **Abdelkebir Ouaddar**, who will compete with Larsino (Diamant de Semilly, SF) this opening weekend, alongside **Abdelslam Bennani Smires**, the winner of the 2025 Tétouan Grand Prix with the SF Mister d’Eclipse. Under the guidance of our Olympic champion from Rio, Philippe Rozier, they aspire to shine before their local audience on courses designed by Gregory Bodo (Tétouan), Santiago Varela Ullastres (Rabat), and the illustrious Uliano Vezzani (El Jadida).

In addition, a select group of French riders will be competing throughout the stages, including **Arthur Le Vot**, **Alix Ragot**, **Jeanne Sadran**, and professional rider **Julie Anne Verneuil**, who is based at the Royal Equestrian Club of the Strait, located to the west of Tangier.

Among the featured horses, a variety of Selle Français can be spotted, whether under French or foreign colors. Notable mentions include **Fleur des Joanins** (Norton d’Eole, SF), bred by **Stéphane Monier** and trained by Baptiste Coupérie and David Giffon, who is the full sister of the promising 7-year-old horse Jolicoeur des Joanins, ridden by Olivier Perreau. Another highlight is **Festival Semilly** (Tornesch, KWPN), born at the breeding facility of Anne-Sophie and Richard Levallois, who was a finalist at 4/5 years old before being exported to Switzerland at the age of 8, where he is currently ridden by Anthony Bourquard, who also travels with **Flanagan Semilly**. The talented **I Am The Folie** (Untouchable 27, KWPN) is also making waves, having been crowned the 4-year-old champion in 2022 with her breeder **David Bourgeot**, and at just 8 years old, she is already competing at 1.45m with the Greek rider Ioli Mytilineou. New to the scene in France is **Gatsby Diamond** (Diamant de Semilly, SF), bred by **Arnaud Guillermo** and consistently ridden by Portuguese rider Ricardo Gil Santos. Lastly, the impressive **Ideale l’Herminière** (Putch des Isles, SF) is an 8-year-old horse bred by **Erwan Challier**, who shares ownership with his rider Majid Djaidi.

In the **CSI2*** event this weekend, we also encounter **Firenze du Cèdre**, a half-brother to the champion Dubai du Cèdre, this time by Toulon, who was trained by British rider Chad Fellows before heading to the United Arab Emirates, where he has been ridden by Eissa Yousuf Abdulla Al Mulla and then by Fatima Intan Yousuf Abdulla Al Mulla, who at just 18 years old, is competing with him this week in Tétouan. Notably, she previously rode **Granit de la Mûre**, a half-brother to the international horses Enjoy (also under Emirati colors) and Eté de la Mûre.

As reported by leperon.fr.

Stay tuned for our team’s live coverage next week as we bring you updates from the FEI Nations Cup in Rabat!

Photo credit: Morocco Royal Tour 2026 (photo: Sarah Bedu/MRT)