Aachen Brings the World’s Finest Arabians Together for the Decisive 2026 GCAT Finale
Mdmar – Aachen
Aachen has become the centre of the Arabian horse world as the Global Champions Arabians Tour (GCAT) Final takes place on 26–27 September 2026, alongside the 42nd All Nations Cup, with the two prestigious events presented together as GCAT Final Aachen – 42nd All Nations Cup.
The combination gives the Aachen finale special significance. The historic All Nations Cup, which has brought breeders, owners, handlers and Arabian horse enthusiasts to Aachen for more than four decades, now shares the stage with the decisive round of the 2026 GCAT Europe and Middle East season. The Tour has already visited Abu Dhabi, Doha, Muscat, Monaco and London before reaching Germany for its finale.
Saturday’s opening programme featured qualifying classes for yearling fillies and colts, junior fillies and junior colts, while Sunday is set to feature the senior mare and stallion classes followed by the six major championship finals for yearling fillies, yearling colts, junior fillies, junior colts, senior mares and senior stallions.
Strong performances on opening day
The first day produced high-level competition and several standout performances from horses that have already played major roles throughout the 2026 season.
In the yearling colt divisions, RDS Donatello and Fahad AT were among the leading names, while Diriyah Ajmal and Expectations Al Wajba impressed in the filly competitions.
The junior colt classes also delivered one of the most anticipated contests of the day, with D Mazyoon and Aesar Alwajba producing leading performances. For Aesar, the Aachen appearance carries added importance as he arrives at the final as the leader of the overall Horse of the Tour standings.
Saturday’s programme also included the presentation of the Action of the Year 2026 and Lifetime Achievement awards.
One point separates the Horse of the Tour contenders
Aachen will not only determine the six championship medal winners; it will also decide the prestigious 2026 Horse of the Tour title.
Aesar Alwajba, representing Al Wajba Stud, arrived in Germany leading the overall standings with 90 points, just one point ahead of Shalwa Al Adwan of Aljumail Stud on 89.
Across the first five stages, Aesar collected three Gold Championships and one Silver, while Shalwa demonstrated remarkable consistency by finishing on the podium at every stop, earning two Golds, two Silvers and one Bronze.
Their season-long battle shows just how close the championship has been. Aesar led Shalwa 20–17 after Abu Dhabi and 40–37 after Doha. They were level at 57–57 following Muscat, before Aesar opened the largest gap of the season in Monaco at 77–72. London then changed the picture again, with Shalwa closing the margin to a single point, leaving the standings at 90–89 heading into Aachen.
A Gold Championship in Aachen guarantees Aesar the Horse of the Tour crown. If he does not take Gold, Shalwa can move ahead by finishing one position above him in the final standings.
London set up a dramatic finale
The previous GCAT stage in London saw D Shahhar win Senior Stallion Gold, D Dhayrah take Senior Mare Gold, Synatra claim the Junior Colt Championship, D Rowa win Junior Filly Gold, RDS Donatello capture the Yearling Colt title and Sultanah Alarab take the Yearling Filly Championship. Shalwa Al Adwan collected Silver in the yearling fillies, while Aesar’s fourth-place finish helped reduce his overall advantage to just one point before Aachen.
Attention now turns to Sunday’s decisive programme. Senior mares and stallions will take centre stage before the six championship finals bring the 2026 GCAT season to its climax and Aachen reveals both its new champions and the 2026 Horse of the Tour.
“Mdmar” website for horse racing and equestrian News
The “Mdmar” website which was Founded by Khaled Makhlouf in 2007 for horse and equestrian races is keen to cover and follow all competitions related to horses, from show jumping, Horseracing, speed and endurance races, and purebred Arabian horse beauty shows, which belong to the Arab Gulf countries at home and abroad in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
