UAE Team for 2026 Asian Games Announced, Rider Intending to Appeal

Dressage

UAE

The equestrian federation of the United Arabic Emirates has announced the team that will represent the UAE at the 2026 Asian Games in Tokyo on 24 - 27 September 2026.

The selection of the team was undersigned by Dr. Ahmed Naser al Raisi, president of the UAE NF, but it is unclear which persons actually selected the team.

Dressage in the UAE

The UAE is comprised of the seven emirates Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al Quwain. The history of dressage in the UAE is relatively recent compared to the country's long-standing traditions in racing and endurance.

National dressage shows were first held in the UAE in the 2010s. A landmark achievement occurred in 2023, when the UAE sent its first dressage team to compete at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Asian Games Selection

The selection policy for the UAE dressage team for the 2026 Asian Games was not made public, but was reportedly based on the three highest results achieved by the riders at CDI's between 2025 and the deadline for the nominative entry date in June 2026.

The UAE Dressage committee is chaired by Ali al Kaabi but no other "committee members" are known or mentioned on the website.

In 2025 the UAE NF launched a "National Rider Development Program" which runs in collaboration with FEI Solidarity and the FEI Group VII regional project, started in 2024. FEI Group VII is chaired by Diana Al Shaer (PLE) since 2022 and has been actively involved in boosting the development of dressage in the Middle East. She is also FEI Dressage Committee chair as of 2026.

The UAE hosted its first ever CDI competitions in Dubai, Butheeb, and Abu Dhabi in the early spring of 2026. The second in Abu Dhabi was cancelled mid-way due to airstrikes in the Middle East caused by Trump's military engagement in Iran.

The UAE Team

The UAE riderstruly contended for an Asian Games team spot ended up travelling to Europe to compete and gain (MER and team consideration) scores at small tour level.

The UAE equestrian federation announced the following riders selected on the team:

Bianca Schutz - Le Grand Ayden HB
Natalie Lankester - Tesla
Mohamed Al Serkal - Zen Liquidity
Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri - Lotus-S

The reserve is Gabrielle Thompson on Landlord H.

The current team has the same four riders as the one in 2023.

Two team riders - Bianca Schutz and Natalie Lankester - also qualified second horses (Dandy L and Furst Dior).

Who Should Have Been Fourth?

The nomination of three team riders (Schutz, Lankester, Al Serkal) goes without question based on their scores but the selection of Al Jahouri on the team and Thompson as reserve has led to discussion.

Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri, a former international show jumping rider who switched exclusively to dressage as of the autumn of 2025, has been competing the 10-year old KWPN gelding Lotus-S (by Grand Galaxy Win x Juventus) in Europe. Between October 2025 and 27 June 2026 he showed the horse at 7 CDI's across Europe. His three highest scores were 66.088 (PSG CDI Kronberg), 66,412% (Inter I CDI Kronberg) and a 66.00 (PSG CDI Crozet), averaging 66,166%

Gabrielle Thompson has been showing the 10-year old KWPN gelding Landlord H at small tour level since January 2026, first in three CDI's in the UAE, and then in Lier, Kronberg and Crozet. Her three highest scores are 67.618% (PSG CDI Crozet), 67.206% (PSG CDI Abu Dhabi), and and 68,235% (PSG CDI Kronberg). Her average is 67,686%

Still Al Jahouri has been named on the team.

Appeal Intended

Thompson on Landlord H at the 2026 CDIO Lier

Eurodressage contacted the Dr. Ghanem Al Hajri, Secretary General of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation and international show jumping rider, for an explanation.

Questions about the team selection process, the constitution of the UAE dressage committee, and who actually did the selection were asked. No reply was received.

Gabrielle Thompson is intending to appeal the team selection.