FEI Group VII Finals kicked off on 14 April 2026, making history with inaugural under-25 class

By Admin - April 16, 2026

FEI Group VII Finals

The FEI Group VII Finals, which began on 14 April 2026, at the Longines Arena in Al Shaqab, saw over 100 riders from around the region compete. Spanning four days, the championship will see junior, youth and senior athletes chasing a total prize purse of €318,000.

In a milestone addition, the Under-25 (U25) class makes its event debut this year. The category, sanctioned by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), is meant for riders ages 16 to 25 and has already been established in Europe and the United States.

Running alongside the Longines Global Champions Tour, contributing to international rankings, and providing a vital route for emerging talent to gain experience at top level - the U25 class are an integral component of the LGCT Championship series.

Horses are in the ring from 5 pm to 8:30 pm, starting with junior and youth classes at 110cm & 120cm high, and then U25 class at135cm.

The second day also features individual and team competitions across all categories at heights from 110cm to 140cm.

On Friday, after a local junior class at 2 pm, team competitions for juniors and youth will take place. The feature of the day is the U25 Grand Prix at 145 cm, starting at 21.30h. After a full afternoon of junior and youth competitions, this championship concludes on Saturday with heights up to 135cm.

Sheikh Talal bin Khalid Al Thani, the tournament director, said: “The Qatar Open Squash Championships has witnessed consistent growth in both organisation and performance level. He said Qatar was very much rising in prominence on the international equestrian scene, and that it was keen to develop the sport.