Aachen Set for a Spectacular GCAT Finale as Horse of the Tour Title Goes Down to the Wire
Mdmar – Aachen
The international Arabian horse community will turn its attention to Aachen, Germany, on 26–27 September 2026, when the Global Champions Arabians Tour (GCAT) stages its season finale alongside the 42nd All Nations Cup, with the combined event officially presented as GCAT Final Aachen – 42nd All Nations Cup.
The event brings together two major forces in the Arabian horse world: GCAT’s modern international championship structure and the historic All Nations Cup, which has been associated with Aachen for decades and remains one of the sport’s most prestigious gatherings for breeders, owners, handlers and enthusiasts.
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The competition is set to take place at Aachen’s Albert-Vahle-Halle, a venue long associated with the city’s international Arabian horse events.
A Major Calendar Change
Aachen was not originally scheduled to host the 2026 GCAT Final. The season-ending stage had initially been planned for Milan before GCAT announced a strategic calendar adjustment in July, moving the finale to Aachen and aligning it with the All Nations Cup.
GCAT said Milan remains an important destination for the Tour and could return to the calendar in a future edition.
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GCAT Chairman Faleh Al Nasr described bringing the Final to Aachen as both an honour and a significant statement of confidence in the traditions and future of the Arabian horse industry. The organisers have stressed that GCAT and the All Nations Cup will retain their individual institutional identities despite being presented together over the same weekend.
Aesar Alwajba vs Shalwa Al Adwan
The biggest storyline heading into Aachen is the race for the Horse of the Tour title and its additional $500,000 prize.
Aesar Alwajba, representing Al Wajba Stud, leads the overall standings with 90 points, just one point ahead of Shalwa Al Adwan, owned by Aljumail Stud, on 89.
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Aesar Alwajba has enjoyed an outstanding campaign, securing three Gold Championships, one Silver and a fourth-place finish. His fourth place in London dramatically reduced his advantage heading into the final weekend.
The equation is clear: a Gold Championship in Aachen guarantees Aesar Alwajba the 2026 Horse of the Tour crown. Any other result could open the door for Shalwa Al Adwan, who needs to finish one position ahead of him to overturn the standings. Shalwa has produced an exceptionally consistent season herself, collecting two Golds, two Silvers and one Bronze.
Male and Female Rankings Also on the Line
Aesar Alwajba also heads the male standings with 90 points, with D Shahhar of Dubai Arabian Horse Stud sitting second on 80.
In the female standings, Shalwa Al Adwan leads with 89 points, while Expectations Alwajba of Al Wajba Stud remains within striking distance on 82.
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The narrow margins ensure that championship results in Aachen could significantly reshape the final rankings.
GCAT Championship Structure
GCAT competition covers six main horse divisions: Yearling Fillies, Yearling Colts, Junior Fillies, Junior Colts, Senior Mares and Senior Stallions, alongside handler rankings.
Championship points are awarded to the top 10, with 20 points for first place, 17 for second and 15 for third, making every position particularly important at the season finale.
Major Prize Money
Under GCAT’s published 2026 rules, $4.065 million is allocated to the overall Tour rankings across leading male horses, female horses and handlers.
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The overall Horse of the Tour receives an additional $500,000, while GCAT regulations also provide for a remarkable $2 million Legend Horse bonus for a horse achieving first place in the overall ranking three times during its lifetime.
Where History Meets a New Global Era
Aachen provides a particularly symbolic setting for the Final.
The origins of the All Nations Cup date back to the 1970s. Aachen first hosted the event in 1984, before becoming its permanent home from 1987 onwards. Over the following decades, the show developed into one of the most celebrated fixtures on the international Arabian horse calendar.
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GCAT, by contrast, was launched in 2024 as a modern global championship series, combining iconic international venues, major prize money and a points-based competitive structure, while promoting excellence, fairness, transparency and the international profile of the Purebred Arabian horse.
The Aachen weekend therefore represents a meeting of heritage and innovation: the long-established traditions of the All Nations Cup alongside one of the newest and most ambitious international Arabian horse platforms.
The Road to Aachen
The Europe and Middle East section of the 2026 GCAT campaign has included stages in Abu Dhabi, Doha, Muscat, Monaco and London, with Aachen providing the decisive finale.
Following Aachen, the Americas series continues with Las Vegas from 2–4 October, before Paris hosts the World Arabian Horse Championship – Supreme from 25–27 November 2026.
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London provided several clues to the strength of competition heading to Germany. D Shahhar of Dubai Arabian Horse Stud captured Senior Stallion Gold, D Rowa won the Junior Filly championship, Synatra of Al Shaqab took Junior Colt Gold, and Sultanah Alarab won the Yearling Filly title, with Shalwa Al Adwan taking Silver in the same category.
Aachen Will Decide It All
Aachen is therefore far more than another stop on the GCAT calendar. It is the weekend that will determine the leading horses of the 2026 GCAT season, with the Horse of the Tour crown, male and female rankings and major prize money all still at stake.
With the GCAT Final and the 42nd All Nations Cup sharing one stage, 26–27 September promises to be one of the defining weekends of the international Arabian horse season.
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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.
