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First Gulf Horse Riders Gathering kicks off
🇴🇲 Oman /Culture & Society

First Gulf Horse Riders Gathering kicks off

From Times of Oman · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The First Gulf Horse Riders Gathering began in Jabal Akhdar, Oman, featuring 22 riders from Oman, GCC countries, Egypt, and the UK.
  • The event aims to diversify tourism by connecting equestrian activities with local culture, nature, and products, supporting economic activity.
  • Activities include horseback riding on mountain trails, camping, exploring villages, and learning about local production, as part of the Jabal Akhdar Festival.

The Jabal Akhdar region in Oman is hosting the inaugural Gulf Horse Riders Gathering, an event designed to boost tourism and local economies. The gathering, which runs until August 21, brings together 22 male and female riders from Oman, other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, Egypt, and the United Kingdom.

hosting the forum comes as part of the governorate’s direction toward organising qualitative events that invest in the natural and cultural assets of the Wilayat of Jabal Akhdar to diversify the tourism product, and link tourism activity with villages, agricultural sites, and local products, thereby supporting economic activity and enhancing benefits for the local community.

— Sheikh Mahmoud Rashid Al SaadiActing Governor of Al Dakhiliyah, explaining the event's purpose.

Sheikh Mahmoud Rashid Al Saadi, Acting Governor of Al Dakhiliyah, stated that the event aligns with the governorate's strategy to organize unique activities that leverage Jabal Akhdar's natural and cultural assets. The goal is to diversify the tourism offerings by integrating tourism with local villages, agricultural sites, and products, thereby stimulating economic activity and benefiting the community.

Al Saadi emphasized that incorporating the forum into the Jabal Akhdar Festival enhances adventure and equestrian tourism. The program is structured to showcase the area's natural beauty and heritage, offering participants a blend of horseback riding along mountain trails, adventure tourism, camping, and cultural exploration. Riders will traverse routes through juniper and wild olive forests, reaching campsites at high altitudes, visiting villages and agricultural terraces, and learning about essential oil production.

including the forum among the activities of Jabal Akhdar Festival enhances the presence of adventure and equestrian tourism within the wilayat’s tourism programme, and expands the scope of activities linked to nature, terrain, and agricultural and cultural heritage of Jabal Akhdar.

— Sheikh Mahmoud Rashid Al SaadiActing Governor of Al Dakhiliyah, on the event's contribution to the local tourism program.

Saif Ali Al Rawahi, head of the "Oman from Horse Backs" team, highlighted the forum's role in promoting Oman's natural landscapes through equestrian tourism and fostering expertise exchange among participants. The event is a key component of the Jabal Akhdar Festival 2026, which includes a variety of tourism, cultural, and community events aimed at bolstering tourism and community involvement.

the forum brings together male and female riders from the Sultanate of Oman, GCC countries, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the United Kingdom, noting that holding it in Jabal Akhdar comes as an extension of the team’s efforts to highlight the natural assets of the Sultanate of Oman through equestrian tourism and the exchange of expertise among participants.

— Saif Ali Al RawahiHead of “Oman from Horse Backs” team, discussing the forum's scope and objectives.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Times of Oman. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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