Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan opened the 17th El Jadida Horse Show on Monday at the Mohammed VI Exhibition Park. This year’s edition is themed The Horse in the Service of Humanity and runs until October 18. It brings together breeders, equestrian professionals, institutions and international participants for a week of competitions, exhibitions and cultural events.
On arrival, the Crown Prince was welcomed by Moulay Abdellah Alaoui, president of the Horse Show Association, and reviewed a Royal Guard contingent.
He was also received by regional and local officials, representatives of the Agriculture Ministry, members of the association’s board and the event’s sponsors. Guests at the opening included Türkiye’s ambassador Mustafa Ilker Kilic and Oman’s ambassador Khalid Salim Ahmed Bamakhalif. The United Arab Emirates sent a sizeable delegation, among them Mohamed Ahmed Al Harbi of the Emirates Arabian Horse Society and Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei of the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, while Ahmed Bin Khalfan Al Lamki represented Oman’s Royal Cavalry. Rashed Al Kaabi of the UAE Presidency and UAE chargé d’affaires Omar Al Tunaiji also attended.
The Crown Prince toured stands for breeders, institutions, handicrafts, international exhibitors and Morocco’s regions, and visited a children’s village called Faris Traveling Across Morocco, which is designed to introduce younger visitors to the country’s equestrian heritage. He then watched show jumping, artistic displays and vaulting by Moroccan and international riders. At the Tbourida arena, 18 troupes known as sorbas, each from a different region, performed the traditional mounted display also called fantasia.
Tbourida combines horsemanship, coordinated riding and ceremonial practice, and UNESCO added it to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021. Its place at the centre of the opening day reflects the show’s double role as a sporting event and a showcase of Moroccan tradition. The Crown Prince closed his visit with a commemorative photograph alongside the moqaddems who lead the 18 participating troupes.
This year also brings a step up on the sporting side. The Mohammed VI Grand Prix for show jumping has been raised to CSI 5*-W status, moving it higher on the international show-jumping calendar. Alongside the competitions, the programme includes conferences and round-table discussions on the horse’s role in agriculture, culture, sport and society, as well as recreational activities for families. The Horse Show Association organises the event every year in El Jadida, on Morocco’s Atlantic coast.
