Text © World of Showjumping

The second leg of the Morocco Royal Tour 2025 in Rabat concluded on Sunday with a win for Saudi Arabia in the CSIO4*-W Nations Cup, presented by the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports.

“For our team, this victory had a special significance,” David Will, chef d’equipe for the Saudis – Khaled Almobty on Spacecake (Stakkatol x Kannan), Abdulrahman Alrajhi on Ventago (Van Helsing x Scendix), Ramzy Al Duhami aboard Untouchable 32 (Van Helsing x Lady’s King) and Abdullah Alsharbatly with Böckamann’s Lord Pezi Junior (Lord Pezi x Quattro B) – said in a press release from the Morocco Royal Tour. “The Tour marks the true launch of our World Cup-season, but also of our Nations Cup-campaign. With no major championship this year, we wanted to approach this Nations Cup seriously, as a way of measuring our collective level ahead of the Middle East season – which promises to be very competitive. Looking further ahead, our sights are already set on two major milestones: the Asian Games and the World Championships in Aachen, which will be our main objectives next year. The team approached this Nations Cup with confidence: Both riders and horses had shown strong form throughout the weekend, and the first round finished without a single fault. But other teams were close behind, which kept the pressure on until the end. Nothing was secured until the last Italian rider – the penultimate competitor before us – had jumped. So the win only came at the very last moment, which made this Nations Cup scenario all the more thrilling.”

Team Italy – Roberto Previtali on I’M Special Mess PS (I’M Special de Muze x Messenger), Mauro Jr Matteucci on Filippo (Kannan x Campione), Massimo Grossato aboard Bombreaker (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Darco) and Roberto Tuchetto with Heidelberg (Mylord Carthago x Flyinge Quite Easy) – placed second ahead of team Great Britain – Chloe Aston on Akito Von Rocherath Z (Arko III x Numero Uno), Jane Annett on Jywan (Etoulon x Karandasj) and Joe Whitaker aboard Hulahupe JR (VDL Bubalu x Indoctro) – in third.