A total of 147 horses and accompanying staff have returned safely to Europe after being stuck in Doha, Qatar, following the cancellation of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Doha. The event, which was scheduled to take place at the Al Shaqab Equestrian Centre in Doha last week, was cancelled two days prior to show start due to the current situation in the region – with grooms and horses already on-site.

“Two horse flights from Doha have now landed back in Europe and we are delighted to confirm that all 147 horses are safely home,” a spokesperson from LGCT told World of Showjumping on Monday. 

“In challenging circumstances, we are incredibly grateful for the extraordinary efforts made to organise these flights at the earliest possible opportunity. The Doha Tours team, local authorities and Qatar Airways worked tirelessly to ensure the horses could leave as quickly and safely as possible,” the spokesperson continued. “We want to thank everyone who worked around the clock over the past week – especially the Doha Tours team and all those involved in getting the horses and people home safely. While we’re disappointed not to have started the season in Doha as planned, we look forward to returning to Al Shaqab in the future. Our attention now turns to Miami Beach for the 2026 season kick-off.”

Prior to the LGCT of Doha, the Doha Equestrian Tour 2026 had been running for six weeks. "Three events remain: the Qatar Olympic Committee Cup, the Al Shaqab Cup and the Qatar Equestrian Federation Cup," the Doha Equestrian Tour shared in a press release following the cancellation of the LGCT of Doha. "The Tour will resume as soon as the government allows public sporting events and the FEI can send the required stewards and judges. We are ready to bring the Doha Equestrian Tour back on track as soon as the situation allows, and we have already demonstrated in recent days that we are well structured and prepared to restart quickly."