Dr. Hatem Hassanin, international referee and equestrian coach, signed an agreement to lead and train the first European team preparing to participate in the 2026 World Endurance Championship, scheduled for November 26 in AlUla Governorate, making it the first European team under Saudi leadership as coach and team president. The European team includes six male and female riders, competing in 160-kilometer endurance races. Training and mutual visits between Europe and Saudi Arabia began earlier this year, as part of a professional preparation program aimed at achieving a strong presence at this global event. Hassanin said: “I previously led the Saudi team in 1996, and we won the World Cup in Qatar, where I was the team’s coach and president. Today we are reviving glory by leading an international team in one of the most important and strongest endurance championships in the world.” Hassanin is considered one of the most prominent names in the equestrian world, and has progressed through various specializations, owned several horses, and participated in show jumping and endurance races, achieving remarkable accomplishments since the 1980s. He also participated in the 1996 World Cup with the Saudi national team, refereed at the 1998 World Cup in Barcelona, founded the first team for Saudi female riders, and played a pivotal role in discovering, supporting, and promoting many Saudi female and male riders in various regions of Saudi Arabia.