Tétouan, Morocco – September 16, 2025 – On September 18, the curtain will rise in Tetouan on a new edition of the Morocco Royal Tour. Over the course of three weeks, exceptional riders and horses will travel from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, from the Royal Guard of Tétouan to Rabat, before concluding their journey at the Salon du Cheval in El Jadida. This now-unmissable tour welcomes this year competitors from seventeen nations: Poland, taking part for the very first time in the Nations Cup, while Argentina and Bahrain will make their debut in the Morocco Royal Tour as individual participants.
The Morocco Royal Tour, which over the years has become one of the most acclaimed circuits on the international equestrian scene, returns in 2025 with a particularly rich program: twenty-seven classes, including thirteen counting towards the FEI Longines World Ranking, three CSI4*-W Grands Prix qualifying for the World Cup, along with eighteen CSI1* classes that also allow young horses and rising talents to compete on exceptional footing. The sporting highlight will undoubtedly be the CSIO4*-W Nations Cup of Rabat, staged this year on a completely renewed surface. Finally, the circuit will close in El Jadida with the Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, held as part of the Salon du Cheval, with prize money of €164,000 – a true climax to three weeks of sport and passion.
The brand-new arena in Rabat will host, in optimal conditions, the prestigious Nations Cup on Sunday, September 29. Morocco, which has already shone in recent years on an individual level through riders such as Abdelkebir Ouaddar (MAR) – the only Moroccan to win a 5* Grand Prix – and El Ghali Boukaa (MAR), now dreams more than ever of uniting its forces to finally conquer “its” Nations Cup, at home, in front of its public.
One of the charms of the Morocco Royal Tour is the way it brings together riders with very different backgrounds. At just twenty years old, Brazil’s Luiz Felipe Neto de Azevedo (BRA) is already proving to be a worthy heir to his father: fifty-four international victories, a team gold medal at the Continental Youth Championships in Oliva, and a career only just beginning. Placed last year in the World Cup qualifying CSI4* Grand Prix of El Jadida, the young Brazilian returns to Morocco more motivated than ever.
The lineup also features unique stories. Joe Whitaker of Great Britain, born into the most famous equestrian dynasty – with almost every member of his family having represented their country at the highest level, first started out as a jockey before turning to show jumping. A loyal contender of the MRT, Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano, already a several-time winner of the Tetouan and El Jadida Grands Prix, will once again defend his reputation as a serial winner. And how not to mention the Thijssen family, a true Dutch saga: father Léon, his daughters Sanne and Mel, and his son Mans, all capable of wearing the orange jacket at major championships. Finally, Switzerland will be represented by Edouard Schmitz, elected “Rookie of the Year” in 2021, whose Nations Cup victories in St. Gallen and Dublin confirmed that at just twenty-six, he is already a cornerstone of his national team.
The stage is set, ambitions declared. See you on September 18 in Tetouan for the kick-off of the Morocco Royal Tour – the most prestigious show jumping circuit on the African continent.
About the Morocco Royal Tour
Created in 2010 under High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and chaired by Prince Moulay Abdallah Alaoui, President of the Royal Moroccan Equestrian Federation, the Morocco Royal Tour has, over the course of fourteen editions, become a benchmark event in international showjumping.Welcoming each year a stellar roster of Olympic, world, and continental champions – Philippe Rozier, Simon Delestre, Jérôme Guery, Emanuele Gaudiano, Pius Schwizer, Abdelkebir Ouaddar, among others – the MRT stands out for the quality of its footing, the excellence of its facilities, and its strong cultural identity.Sanctioned by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), the circuit consists of three four-star showjumpings, held in iconic locations across Morocco – balancing modern sporting standards with the country’s rich equestrian traditions.
- Tétouan, 18–21 September, in the stunning grounds of the Royal Guard, featuring monumental grandstands, traditional-style stables, and a solemn, historic atmosphere.
- Rabat, 24-28 September, at the Royal Moroccan Equestrian Federation’s technical venue – now with a new surface – for the CSIO4-W Nations Cup*, the key highlight of this federal leg.
- El Jadida, 2–5 October, held indoors within the Moroccan Horse Show, the largest equestrian fair on the African continent, hosting the Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, offering €164,000 in prize money – the level of a CSI5*. This final leg will also benefit from a fully renewed surface.
Source: Press Release by Pascal Renauldon
Photo: © MRT / Morgan Froment
Banner: © Morocco Royal Tour
