CAIRO: It’s Thursday night and Saudi showjumper Abdulrahman Al-Rajhi is sitting on a chair. Behind him, the pyramids of Giza are lit up against the sky and on his face is a smile of pleasure at the clear round he has just completed with his horse, Lorenzo ES.

The 31-year-old Olympian is one of nearly 50 riders in Cairo this weekend for the Global Champions Tour. Making its debut in Egypt, the event will be staged at the foot of the majestic pyramids, promising a sporting extravaganza for participants and spectators.

Al-Rajhi has had a busy few months, competing in European shows, representing his country at the World Equestrian Games in Germany, and, more recently, clinching team gold and individual silver at the Asian Games in Japan.

Competing in the GCT is a serious business, with different classes scheduled daily throughout the three-day event and a total prize purse of €1.75 million up for grabs. But Al-Rajhi is relaxed and keen to take in his surroundings, ready to enjoy a rare opportunity to ply his trade in front of one of the world’s wonders.

“When we were kids, we always used to see in our books and on the History Channel different things, but we never dreamed that we would be living in it,” Al-Rajhi told Arab News.

“Whenever we talk about Egypt, the pyramids are something special. I’ve always dreamed of coming to visit them and experience such a historical place. And guess what? We’re here at one of the most historical places in the world, at the most prestigious sport in the world, and one of the biggest shows and events, and with the most important riders (from) all over the world.

“And to be part of this amazing event definitely is such an amazing experience, especially since we just finished our 160 class. I jumped it clear. I can’t describe my feelings.”

Al-Rajhi feels a strong connection to Egypt, a country across the Red Sea from his own which is home to many friends he has made over the years.

“I can actually speak the accent properly, especially being I’m always surrounded by Egyptians,” he said. “And this time we get to enjoy and celebrate their victory, because this is actually a great victory for the Egyptians and for the sport here in Egypt. Of course, Egypt has always played a big part in the horse industry in general, either with the Egyptian Arabian horses or in many other horse breeds.

“And this time they’re bringing showjumping to Cairo. This is such a great look. You can hear the crowd, how amazed and how passionate they are about this sport. I’ve really enjoyed how knowledgeable and educated the crowd is. They’re all very quiet during a round.

“This, for us, is something very important, because always the Western [world], they always think that we are behind in this sport, and the reality is we’re not. We’re actually in the front. Maybe I won’t say that we’re ahead, but we’re in the same boat. And we’ve proven this on several occasions, either at the Olympic level or the world championship or even the world ranking. We see many Arabs are actually in the top 50 or top 100 in the world ranking. And this is not so easy to be in, especially to be high in the ranking.”

Al-Rajhi is currently ranked 58th in the world and has proven himself on the global stage on multiple occasions, topping podiums at the most prestigious shows to emerge as one of the region’s best riders.

Interestingly, he does not hail from a horse-riding family; his parents were none too thrilled initially when he chose equestrian sport over following in his father’s footsteps and opting for business. But they came around and are now his greatest supporters.

Like most successful riders, Al-Rajhi spends half of his year in Europe (his current base is Belgium), something he began doing nearly 13 years ago. The other half he is usually in the Gulf, competing in the Arab League.

Leaving home at such a young age was not easy, but he credits his family for helping him through it.

“They believe in me. And this is the result. Here I am. That’s the result of the belief that my family had in me,” he said.

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Al-Rajhi reached the individual showjumping final and finished in 13th on his bay-coat gelding, Ventago. An Olympic medal remains his ultimate goal — something he will have another chance to achieve should he qualify successfully for the LA 2028 games.

Qualification is due to take place in March 2027. Saudi Arabia will try to punch its ticket to Los Angeles as a team by competing alongside other nations from the Middle East and Africa, which are bundled together in Group VII and will be vying for just two available slots.

The Saudis have some of the strongest riders and horses in the region, but Al-Rajhi is well aware they will face stiff competition from teams like Qatar, the UAE, Egypt and Morocco.

“There is never confidence in this sport. Of course, we have to go into the ring believing in ourselves and trying and fighting for the last fence. But when it comes to this sport, it’s not only 100 percent on the rider. The horses actually play a big part,” he explained.

“Of course, as Saudis, we have a lot of good riders. And I do believe that my teammates have enough experience, enough knowledge. They’re fighters, they will never give up easily. This time I think this Olympic qualification is going to be completely different because all the countries that are trying to qualify, they’re very hungry and they really want to be at the LA Olympics.”

He added: “Of course, it’s definitely our goal and it’s our mission. And there’s no joking about it. We really have to take it seriously. We have a lot of pressure. So now I need to release the pressure. We have 52 weeks a year and we jump maybe 40 weeks a year, competing at locations that are not close to each other.

“We’re traveling from Cairo to Belgium, to Holland, to Calgary, to the US. We’re all over the world, us and the horses. We get used to it, of course. But still, it’s exhausting, and that’s why sometimes we need to have time to recover. And I do believe events like this one in Cairo are a form of recovery. We want to deliver, we want to do a good show, but also, when you come to a nice place, you enjoy it. And it’s giving you a good chance to deliver the best you can.”

Al-Rajhi says the pressure is exceptionally high at the Asian Games, where Saudi Arabia have taken team gold in five of the last six editions and are always expected to dominate. His two medals in Japan take his total haul from his Asian Games appearances to four (two gold, two silver), and he hopes he can replicate that at Olympic level.

“Definitely, I wish for gold. That’s my goal. A podium in the Olympics, of course, is the dream of every athlete, not only equestrian. Every athlete dreams of winning a medal in his career because this gives him the stamp of success, no matter how many Grand Prix you’ve won in your life,” he said.

Al-Rajhi has been riding since he was six years old. And, in a sport with no age limit, he feels the opportunity to achieve his dreams is always there.

“I’ve worked so hard to be where I am,” he said. “And I still believe that I’m far from where I belong. But yes, we learn. The good thing about our sport is that it needs experience. And the average age in the sport is quite high. There are some riders that are in their 60s and they’re still performing and delivering, they’re at the top of the sport.

“And this gives me a chance to try again. This is a big advantage over a football player, for example, their careers end in their 30s. So, I think it’s a long way. And I do believe, I don’t know if in this chair or on the other side, but one day we’ll be celebrating an Olympic medal together here in Egypt.”