Today in Buftea (just 20 km from Bucharest), we’re living endurance at the highest level. The start was given at 06:30, and by 15:00 the finish and vet-gate areas are intense: horses cooled with water, heart rates monitored, teams working to the second. For many, the final vet check is next — the decisive step before results become official. Tomorrow (Sunday) at 12:00: awards ceremony. We’re rooting for all riders and their horses!

The FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Riders & Juniors is, for three days, the most loved event in the country and the only one of its kind in Eastern Europe. It’s actually the first FEI world championship ever held in Eastern Europe.

Now at the 14th edition of the Shagya Cup, the competition is organized in Buftea, where such spectacular events have already become tradition.

This year brings participants from Romania and around 30 countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, China, and even Australia and the United States. The event is organized by the Romanian Equestrian Federation (FER), in partnership with the FEI, Clubul Sportiv Shagya, and the National Agency for Sport.

Participants

Country • Athlete • Horse

Algeria — Zine Eddine Gueddoul — Assila
Australia — Eadie McWilliam — Larntainey Silver Treasure
Australia — Poppy Kettlewell — OSO Irazu
Bahrain — Faisal Hameed Dakeel Al Anezi — Fizz Fageole
Bahrain — Isa Hameed Dakheel Al Anezi — Hurricane Kazan
Bahrain — Jaber Bader Jaafar Abdulaal — Ermine Dartagnan
Bahrain — Saud Mubarak Salem Sabt — Faraon de Mouss, Bolt de Venelles
Bahrain — Sh. Ahmed Salman Ahmed Abdulla Alkhalifa — Djozoula du Barthas
Bahrain — Sultan Abdulaziz Mayoof Alromaihi — Haqtar du Carrelie
Belgium — Clara Darmstaedter — NF Astrid AA 90 63
Belgium — Lara Lemaire — Inaya Al Rius
Belgium — Rani Lips — Goldikova de Luriecq
Brazil — Diogo de Oliveira Martins — CP Latifa
Brazil — Eli Peres Steinbruch — Joao Endurance
Bulgaria — Deyan Kutelov — Takim Al Azhar
Bulgaria — Radost Bakalova — Tanzania
Bulgaria — Yoana Kyumyurdzhiyska — Prizma
China — Jiahe Sui — Eiwa de Bozouls, Elbayad d’Etensonnives
China — Jinnuo Huang — Stuart Little CM 35 28
China — Lizhen Zhang — Granada
Croatia — Maja Tasliđić — Vezer
Switzerland — Julie Curchod — Gasby du Sauveterre
United Arab Emirates — Ahmad Abdulrahman Ahmad Ezzadin Albastaki — Dragon Feuillée
United Arab Emirates — Ali Abdulla Ali Bin Zayed Alfalasi — Gorosti Pagadi
United Arab Emirates — Essa Abdulla Essa Ali Abdulla — Geste La Majorie
United Arab Emirates — Essa Rashed Mohammad Saeed Almazrouei — Al Fatina
United Arab Emirates — Majid Jamal Zaal Binkrishan Almheiri — Castlebar Cadabra
United Arab Emirates — Rashed Ahmad Seghayer Alktebi — Hadeer
United Arab Emirates — Rashed Mohamed Atiq Khamis Almehairi — Shardell Jaeger
Estonia — Katriin Kalle — Kotkas
Finland — Linda Lampinen — Abduhl
Finland — Saana Nieminen — Amogjar Al Payral, Bengali Shama
Finland — Viljami Häggblom — Eleanor, Fast and Furious Rio
France — Chloé Cayuela Schwartz — Fiona de Lagarde
France — Justine Guillard — Azoum du Porhoët
France — Lou Biannic — Erminig El Quibi
France — Pablo Tomas Arnaud — Shaailan’al Hfifa
France — Pol Jacob — Pot Made, Harlem Armor
France — Victor Fabre Carlus — Bamos de Kerdraon
Germany — Celina Hüttl — Olympia Al Samarra
Germany — Josefine Hüttl — Saiide Al Samarra
Germany — Paula Reckelkamm — Sofiia Al Samarra
Italy — Anna Ginetto — Katim di Pegaso
Italy — Emma Giacosa — Ancoralei CHM
Italy — Giorgia Paganini — Glinkaya Cabirat
Italy — Giulia Moniz — Wento Secondo
Italy — Martina Saviori — Milagro Bosana
Libya — Abdulwadud Daebaj — Shams Alasil
Libya — Malik Lagha — Alyamamah
Libya — Mohammed Abu Shaybah — Hamam
Libya — Muetaz Alzureedi — Rafal
Libya — Nouri Merwan — Lahf
Malaysia — Abdullah Faqeh Muhamad — Fujairah du Roc’h
Malaysia — Ahmad Athif Haidar — Djawad du Barthas
Malaysia — Ahmad Haziq Farhan Ahmad Faris — Gentleman Valarbin AA
Malaysia — Muhammad Nurhan Fawwaz Nurhairi — Fogo
Malaysia — Wan Nur Irdina Aisya Wan Mohd Kamaluddin — Gondor de la Fichade
Norway — Aranka de Goijer — Inshirah
Norway — Ingrid Marie Jerdal Lervik — Va Aishman
Poland — Jakub Chmielowiec — Vacpan
Poland — Michal Bochenek — Farilla
Portugal — Antonio Lopes Avo — SW Janulma, Firam Farell AA 50
Portugal — Manuel Maria Pereira — Nassau de Pallares
Portugal — Vasco Maria Pereira — Ainhoa Okeygo
Portugal — Zoe Pedro — Nero das Tapadas
Romania — Ana Iarina Cosma — Fedro dei Laghi
Romania — Andreea Alina Beatrice Cristache — Amani de Pawi
Romania — Ianna Bancioiu — Wiki on Ice
Romania — Mario George Savin — Shaman
Romania — Mihai Tiberiu Popescu — Chimura
Romania — Raul Alexandru Lujerdean — Altair
Romania — Sofia Elena Berevoianu — Lady in Red
Slovakia — Monika Ivancikova — Pesto
Spain — Candela Hernani Amado — Valima AA 50
Spain — Celia Soler Capdevila — F Ghazwan Al Shaqab
Spain — Clara Latorre Sala — Bonasa du Vrihou
Spain — Gerard Casas Maxenchs — Tro de Masferrer
Spain — Guim Casellas Molera — Yash de Vinyoles AA 66.82
Spain — Manel Ferrer Miralles — Pikaro de Torre
Spain — Marc Salvans Viñet — Maver Tennessee
United States — Annamaria Clarke — Southern Justice
United States — Jax Beloberk — Highh Treason
United States — Lila Reeder — Cricket MHF
United States — Uma Kraskin — Maggies Nchanted Pipi
United States — Vanessa Erickson — Leno
Sweden — Emma Schuber — Mississippi EA
Tunisia — Ayoub Aloui — Ibn Al Maury
Tunisia — Haithem Rouissi — Emir El Arz
Tunisia — Mohamed Baatout — Kinchassa Frida
Tunisia — Youssef Jawadi — Inayet
Turkey — Asya Bingöl — Karsiyakali
Turkey — Ela Nur Teker — Fingir
Turkey — Ömer Faruk Pehlivan — Rasha by Nurachi
Hungary — Petra Bartos — Behdi Gidran-31 (Solya)
Hungary — Rozina Márkus — Lodiji

What is endurance riding (in brief)

Endurance is a long-distance, time-controlled discipline (typically 80–160 km) ridden over marked loops, with periodic veterinary gates (vet gates). At each control, vets assess key parameters (heart rate, locomotion/soundness, hydration, etc.). Only horses fit to continue may proceed, and the final vet check validates the official result. The essence of the sport is horse–rider management, rhythm, and welfare first.

Roots & sport status

• Modern landmark: Tevis Cup (USA, 1955) — the famed “100 miles in one day.”

• Since 1982, endurance has been an FEI discipline; the first World Championship took place in 1986 (Pratoni, ITA). The sport has steadily grown in technical standards, safety, and international reach.
  

About FER and the co-organiser role

The Romanian Equestrian Federation (FER) has governed equestrian sport in Romania since 1930, as an FEI member. As FER President Marilena Mladin told TVR Info on the evening of 18.09.2025:

“This is the largest equestrian event the Romanian Equestrian Federation has organized since its founding. It is a recognition of our years of work proving we can be a reliable partner. We gained international visibility and thus the credibility to host this championship.” — Marilena Mladin, FER President

What does ‘co-organiser’ mean?

Sharing the event’s core responsibilities: course design and homologation, infrastructure (stabling, vet gates), rules & officiating (with FEI), safety, volunteers, protocol, and communications. In short, FER is in the event’s “engine room,” alongside its partners.

Why Buftea?

Știrbey Palace, picturesque lakes, and wooded areas offer an ideal natural setting.

The trails around Lake Buftea reward rhythm, hydration strategy, and efficient cooling — exactly what defines strong endurance teams. Did you know? A Boeing 747 — one of the world’s largest aircraft — landed at Henri Coandă Airport with elite horses for the Worlds, showcasing top-tier logistics.

Scenes from today: teamwork, calm, and detail

Cool-down with cold water, walking out, quick checks; presentation at the vet, total focus. A lesson in teamwork and horsemanship, where every second counts and every detail matters. (Photos: Club Sportiv Shagya, source.)

See you all tomorrow at 12:00 — fingers crossed!

We’re with every athlete: fair sport, smart pacing, and the cleanest possible vet checks.

EQUITANA supports the event as a sponsor and will offer 20 horse-care packages at tomorrow’s awards ceremony. Our colleague Daniela Negoiță (Senior Sales Manager) will represent us.

For 14 years, EQUITANA has been here for horses and riders—Romania’s most complete equestrian store (based on customer feedback). If you’ve shopped with us—good or not-so-good—we’d love your honest review. It helps us learn and do better for you.

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