Milena Mendez dominates 120km Ladies Ride at HH Sheikh Mohammed Endurance Festival

Prodigious endurance rider Milena Mendez set the tone for the 19th His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Festival, demonstrating skill, strategy, and stamina to win the festival’s opening event at Dubai International Endurance City in Seih Al Salam on Tuesday, 6 January.

Riding in the Ladies Ride sponsored by Azizi Developments, the Argentina-based rider overcame an early deficit aboard the M7 Endurance Stables-owned and trained Goldstream to dominate the grueling 120 km four-loop course, finishing more than three minutes clear of a strong field.

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Endurance riding, often described as the equestrian equivalent of a human marathon, challenges both horse and rider across long distances, testing resilience, pace management, and partnership with your horse.

The endurance festival, which was launched in 2008, is the UAE’s most prestigious endurance event, celebrating Sheikh Mohammed’s achievements as a horseman and his vision in promoting the sport locally and internationally by attracting the world’s top riders and horses.

Sheikh Mohammed is himself a celebrated figure in the world of endurance riding, not just a patron of the sport. In 2012, he won the FEI** World Endurance Championship individual title and helped lead the UAE team to victory at Euston Park in the UK.

On Tuesday, in ideal conditions for a challenging 120km ride across desert sands and trails, Mendez’s mount Goldstream, trained by Mohammed Ahmad Al Subosi, delivered a near flawless performance. The pair clocked an average speed of 27.51 kph, completing the ride in four hours, 21 minutes, and 45 seconds (4:21:45). Second place went to M7 teammate Shamma Darwish Alshihi on SW Ikran (4:24:49), while Sara Mohammed on Rushoz Lieutenant claimed third in 4:25:11.

The opening 40 km loop was particularly intense. Mendez and Goldstream started in eighth position, trailing Maryam Ahmad Al Tamimi on Zabeel Stables’ Castlebar Shindagha. But their experience and endurance IQ soon came to the fore as they surged ahead in the second loop, holding the lead for the remainder of the ride and leaving the rest of the field with only a slim chance to catch up.

Alshihi and SW Ikran also produced a remarkable recovery from 28th at the first loop, steadily moving up the leaderboard to secure second place.

Despite being just 21 years old, Melina is forging an impressive portfolio of which which includes the Ladies Ride at the Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Festival (2025) and the 100 km Shaikha Fatma bint Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ladies Endurance Cup at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

The winners were presented with their trophies by Mirwais Azizi, Founder and Chairman of Azizi Group, alongside Ahmed Rashed Al Kaabi, General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club, and Dr Ghanem Al Hajri, Secretary General of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation.

The festival continues with more high-stakes rides: the Private Stables competition (120 km) on Wednesday and the Gamilati Endurance Cup for Mares (120 km) on Thursday, before it culminates with the showpiece HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup (160 km) on Saturday, 10 January, for elite riders.