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The course
160 kilometres from Butheeb International Endurance Village at Al Khatim, ridden as six loops over desert sand, natural tracks and gently undulating ground. Every loop ends in the same place: a vet gate, where the horse decides whether the day goes on.
How the day unfolds
A World Championship in endurance is a single ride of 160 kilometres, in a single day, against the clock. But the clock is only half of it. At Butheeb the distance is split into six loops of 31, 29.9, 30, 29, 20.1 and 20 km, each starting and finishing at the Village, with the two shortest loops ridden last as the day warms.
Riders leave together before dawn, 05:45. After every loop they present their horse to the Veterinary Commission, sit out a mandatory hold, and go again. The first horse home that passes the final inspection is the World Champion. The horse judged to be in the best condition after the finish wins an award of its own.
New to endurance? Start with Endurance explained, then come back to the loops.
Butheeb International Endurance Village, Al Khatim, Abu Dhabi. All six loops leave from and return to the Village; the vet gate, the crewing area, the stables and the finish are all here.
All times are Gulf Standard Time (GST, UTC+4). Leaders' arrival times on this page are estimates; the live timing page shows the real ones on the day.
Presentation within 15 minutes of arrival (20 minutes at the finish), heart rate 64 bpm or below, inspection completed within 60 seconds. Holds of 50 minutes after Loop 1, 40 minutes after Loop 2 and 50 minutes after Loops 3, 4 and 5.
Course map
The loop tracks around the Village, to scale, with the water points where crewing is allowed. Each loop has its own page: the track, the crew, where to watch and what happens at the vet gate.
Loop by loop
| # | Loop | Distance | Cumulative | Crew points | Hold after | Leaders in / out (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dark & Dawn Loop 1 · the mass start from the Village | 31 km | 0 → 31 km | 3 | 50 min | 07:10 / 08:00 |
| 2 | Light & Pace Loop 2 · 29.9 km | 29.9 km | 31 → 60.9 km | 3 | 40 min | 09:20 / 10:00 |
| 3 | Sand & Speed Loop 3 · 30 km · past halfway | 30 km | 60.9 → 90.9 km | 5 | 50 min | 11:20 / 12:10 |
| 4 | Ridge & Resolve Loop 4 · 29 km | 29 km | 90.9 → 119.9 km | 6 | 50 min | 13:30 / 14:20 |
| 5 | Crews & Crowds Loop 5 · 20.1 km | 20.1 km | 119.9 → 140 km | 4 | 50 min | 15:15 / 16:05 |
| 6 | Home & Glory Loop 6 · 20 km · the finish | 20 km | 140 → 160 km | 7 | Final inspection | 17:00 |
Leaders' times are estimates at a pace of about 22 km/h plus presentation and hold times, from the 05:45 start.
How a loop works
The same six steps, six times. The clock runs from the moment a rider leaves the Village until the horse is presented at the vet gate, so a quick recovery is worth as much as a fast loop.
The rider's time starts as they cross the out-line. On Loop 1 everyone leaves together at 05:45; after that, each rider leaves when their hold ends.
Marked track, crew points for water and cooling, officials and vets stationed along the loop. Riders manage pace, footing and the horse's temperature.
Crossing the in-line stops nothing. The clock keeps running until the horse is presented, so crews cool the horse fast and get its heart rate down.
Within 15 minutes of arrival (20 at the finish) the horse is presented to the Veterinary Commission: heart rate at or below 64 bpm, measured electronically, plus gait, hydration and metabolic checks, all completed within 60 seconds. Pass, and the loop time stops. Fail, and the horse's day is over.
A mandatory rest of 50 minutes after Loop 1, 40 minutes after Loop 2 and 50 minutes after each of the later loops. Cooling, water, feed, and a recovery inspection in the last 15 minutes before the horse leaves.
When the hold ends the rider is released onto the next loop. After Loop 6 there is no hold: the final inspection decides whether the result stands.
