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DOHA: The Global Champions Arabians Tour, or GCAT, makes its debut in Denver, the US, with the fourth stage of the 2025 Americas Series taking place from Aug. 8-9 at the National Western Complex.

Following the success of GCAT’s events in Scottsdale, Miami Beach and Sao Paulo, the Denver stage brings the world’s leading Arabian horse championship to the heart of the American West.

The two-day event will showcase more than 100 purebred Arabian horses competing across yearling, junior and senior categories.

The Denver stage offers a total prize purse of $270,000 and qualifies winners for the GCAT Americas overall ranking, which awards $1.275 million to the top 20 male and female horses and top 20 handlers, with an additional $50,000 bonus for the highest-scoring horse across the series.

“We’re thrilled to bring the Global Champions Arabians Tour to Denver for the very first time,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Nasser Al-Thani, deputy CEO of the Global Champions Arabians Tour.

“This stage reflects the tour’s mission of expanding the reach and impact of Arabian horse sport across new territories,” he said. “We look forward to welcoming the Denver community to witness excellence and heritage come alive in one of America’s most iconic equestrian settings.”

The event begins on Friday, Aug. 8, with a day of qualifying rounds across yearling, junior and senior categories, with each class evaluated by a panel of international judges.

In addition to the competitions, Friday will also feature cultural displays, retail booths and interactive experiences.

Saturday, Aug. 9, marks the pinnacle of the weekend for the championship, where the top qualifiers return to compete for gold, silver and bronze titles.

The day will include formal award ceremonies, the official honoring of GCAT officials, and opportunities to meet the winning horses and handlers. The arena will then transform into a concert venue for a closing performance by country music artists Big & Rich.

After Denver, the tour continues to Las Vegas, for the final stop of the GCAT Americas series from Sept. 26-28, as GCAT moves closer to its grand finale, the World Arabian Horse Championship Supreme in Doha, on Dec. 3-6.

Rankings after last event in Sao Paulo:

Top female horses

1. Exxaltress – 40 pts

2. SedonaAS – 37 pts

3. Vixxen K – 30 pts

Top male horses

1. Tasheem PMA – 40 pts

2.  SVBCalais – 37 pts

3. Rhaphael SBA – 35 pts

Top handlers

1. Sandro Pinha – 153 pts

2. RicardoRivero – 131 pts

3. Andy Selman – 120 pts

AL-AIN: The curtain came down on Sunday on the inaugural edition of the Abu Dhabi World Grappling Championship 2025 with Emirati clubs sweeping the top three positions.

Organized by International Vision Sports Management, the championship featured more than 1,000 athletes from over 60 countries over three days at ADNEC Centre Al-Ain.

The final day saw the culmination of professional category matches, with the UAE’s Commando Group topping the standings in the division, followed by ADMA International in second place and M.O.D UAE in third. Winners were awarded medals and cash prizes at the conclusion of the event.

This initiative was held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and under the umbrella of Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Pro.

In attendance on the final day and participating in the awards ceremony were Sheikh Tarik bin Faisal Al-Qassimi; Saeed Al-Dhaheri, destination management department director at the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi; and Tareq Al-Bahri, general manager of International Vision Sports Management.

Al-Bahri commented: “This year, we succeeded in delivering an exceptional edition of the Abu Dhabi World Grappling Championship by attracting top-tier international athletes to the Al-Ain Region and organizing professional-level matches that reflect Abu Dhabi’s status as the world capital of jiu-jitsu. We thank all our supporting partners and the fans whose presence played a vital role in making this event a success.

“We promise to continue delivering high-caliber grappling championships that elevate the sport and help uncover new talent at both the local and global levels,” he added.

“Through this championship, we aim to cement Abu Dhabi and the Al-Ain Region as global destinations for world-class sporting events, while expanding interest in grappling across all age groups. In future editions, we look forward to growing the event further, both in terms of participation and organizational excellence, so it continues to meet the expectations of athletes and spectators alike.”

Pouya Rahmani of Team Nogueira Dubai, who won gold in the Men’s Grappling / 18+ / Professionals / 125kg division, said: “I feel amazing. This is my first world title in grappling as a black belt, and it means a lot to me. It’s been a long journey, and finally winning this medal is incredibly satisfying. My final match was against Haitham Redha. I lost to him the last time, and he’s a strong fighter, but I managed to take the victory this time. Thank you, Abu Dhabi. Thank you, Al-Ain.”

Over the course of three days, the championship featured competitions across the professional, masters, amateur and youth categories.