By CHRISTINE BJERKAN
Each autumn, Morocco becomes the center of the equestrian world with the Moroccan Royal Tour, a unique three-leg circuit that combines elite sport, cultural heritage, and a commitment to accessibility rarely seen at this level. Now in its 14th edition, the Tour has established itself as more than just a series of horse shows. It is a journey through cities, history, and traditions that brings together international champions, local riders, and the general public in a celebration of the horse.
A Tour Built Around the Narrative of ‘Horse Sport for All’
The Moroccan Royal Tour was founded in 2010 under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, with the aim of positioning Morocco firmly on the international equestrian map. In that mission, it has succeeded. Today, the Tour is recognized among the sport’s most prestigious circuits, with riders traveling from across Europe, the Middle East, and as far as Argentina to compete. Olympic and world champions share the stage with young Moroccan riders and future stars, with competition spread across CSI1* and CSI4* classes, including a Nations Cup and a Grand Prix that rival the world’s finest in prestige.
Yet what truly distinguishes the Royal Tour is not its sporting credentials but its openness. At a time when top-tier equestrian sport often feels closed off, Morocco has chosen a different path. Every leg of the Tour is free to attend, ensuring that anyone who wishes to experience the thrill of show jumping can do so. Families, school groups, tourists, and locals all mix in the stands, giving the events the atmosphere of a festival rather than an elite competition. For many, this is their first exposure to the sport, and the effect is powerful: Children watching their first Nations Cup, young horse lovers meeting ponies up close, and visitors discovering that equestrianism can be as engaging as football or tennis.
Sport and Heritage in Dialogue
From its very conception, the Moroccan Royal Tour has been about more than competition. It is also a stage for Morocco’s centuries-old equestrian culture, which is inseparable from the country’s history and identity. Central to this is Tbourida, or Fantasia, the traditional mounted gunfire display where troupes of horsemen charge forward in unison before firing their muskets in a single synchronized shot.
In 2021, Tbourida was inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing its importance as a living tradition. During the Royal Tour, it is not unusual for spectators to leave a show jumping class, where horses sail over 1.60-meter fences, only to turn a corner and encounter the thunder and smoke of a Tbourida performance. This coexistence of Olympic discipline and ancestral art is what gives the Tour its unique character.
Equally important are Morocco’s cherished horse breeds: The Barb, the Arab-Barb, and the Purebred Arabian. At the Tour’s final leg, the Salon du Cheval d’El Jadida, championships are held for each of these bloodlines, with the Arabian beauty show ranked as a Category A Title Show. For visitors, this is a chance to get up close and personal with show jumping as a sport, but also the breeds that have carried Morocco’s history for centuries. The Royal Tour, in other words, is as much about preserving heritage as it is about pursuing modern sporting excellence.
A Journey Across Morocco
The geography of the Tour underscores its dual mission of sport and tourism. This is perhaps a stroke of genius in ensuring the sport can be accessed not only by locals or existing equestrian fans, but also act as an exciting opportunity to experience horse sport for the first time when on holiday.
Starting off in Tétouan, a northern city with a UNESCO-listed medina whose Andalusian charm reflects Morocco’s cultural crossroads. The competitions unfold in the solemn setting of the Royal Guard’s stud farm, where monumental grandstands overlook the ring. Night classes under floodlights add a festive atmosphere, with crowds gathering to watch international stars and local talents alike. For tourists, Tétouan offers a unique double itinerary: Mornings spent wandering the medina’s narrow lanes and afternoons cheering riders as they clear towering oxers under the Moroccan sky.
To read the full summary and results from the opening leg in Tétouan, head this way.
From there, the Tour moves to Rabat, the capital. Here, the Royal Moroccan Federation of Equestrian Sports hosts the Nations Cup at its Dar Es Salam complex. The competition here represents the sporting pinnacle of the Tour, as teams from across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East go head-to-head. But the venue is also a year-round educational hub, with riding schools, pony clubs, and even a Tbourida academy ensuring that equestrian traditions remain alive for future generations. Families who attend the Nations Cup find more than high sport: They discover an environment where children can ride, learn, and interact with horses, reinforcing the Royal Tour’s accessibility mission.
For a detailed look at the Nations Cup and highlights from Rabat, head this way.
Finally, the Tour concludes in El Jadida, a coastal city whose Portuguese-built citadel and fortified port are also UNESCO World Heritage landmarks. It is here, at the Mohammed VI Exhibition Center, that the Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI crowns the circuit’s champions. The final leg coincides with the Salon du Cheval, Africa’s largest horse fair, which in the past has attracted over 160,000 visitors from across the continent. The Salon is a cultural carnival, with breed championships, Tbourida competitions, artisan markets, equestrian night shows, and above all, a vast children’s village where young visitors can ride ponies, join workshops, and meet horses for the first time. For tourists, the Salon is an immersion into Morocco’s equestrian soul; for families, it is a day out that blends entertainment, education, and heritage.
Accessibility as a Model
The Moroccan Royal Tour’s success lies in its ability to merge three elements that are too often kept apart: International sport, cultural heritage, and public accessibility. Riders compete in world-class conditions, with Longines ranking points on the line and prize money that rivals the shows on mainland Europe. Morocco’s traditions, from Tbourida to its native horse breeds, are given space to shine, ensuring they are celebrated and preserved. And perhaps most importantly, the events are designed for everyone, with free entry, open stables, and children’s facilities that make horses approachable for the next generation.
One of the most important aspects of accessibility lies in how the Moroccan Royal Tour invests in the future of equestrianism: Children and youth. At El Jadida, the Salon’s children’s village brings horses into direct contact with families and classes on school trips, through pony rides, educational workshops, and hands-on experiences designed to spark lifelong interest. The excitement isn’t just visual, and when the riders come into the main ring, the children are cheering at each jump. The children’s village doesn’t only provide access to families or tourists wanting a day out, but also schools taking young children out for a day’s excursion, learning about both sport and heritage.
This sense of inclusion extends to the sporting program as well. By hosting CSI1* classes alongside the four-star divisions and Nations Cup, the Tour offers opportunities for younger or less experienced riders to compete on the same international stage. These classes also serve as vital stepping stones for the production of inexperienced horses, giving them exposure in top-class environments. By structuring the competition this way, the Royal Tour ensures accessibility is not just about who sits in the stands but also about who gets to ride in the arena. From grassroots riders to the next Grand Prix prospect, the Tour builds a pipeline that sustains the sport at every level.
One of the clearest lessons from broader sports is that lasting growth depends on including touchpoints where families and young children can experience the magic of sport without a cost barrier. In youth and community sports globally, participation rates rise when sports provide welcoming, low-barrier entry points. For example, in U.S. youth sports, the cost of primary sport participation is up nearly 46% since 2019, illustrating how cost becomes a real gatekeeper to participation. If sports wish to grow beyond existing audiences and familiar circles, they must reduce those access barriers to initial sporting experiences. And top sport aside, this is what the Moroccan Royal Tour has achieved.
Africa’s equestrian sector is experiencing a period of momentum and growth, and Morocco has been singled out as a key driver of this shift. Investment in venues such as Rabat’s Dar Es Salam, Tétouan, and El Jadida has been described as “especially catalytic,” raising Morocco’s visibility on the global stage. But growth cannot depend on infrastructure alone, and accessibility will continue to be the foundation of sustainability. By ensuring that the public feels included, whether through free entry, family-centered activities, or the blending of cultural heritage with elite sport, the Moroccan Royal Tour demonstrates how momentum can be translated into long-term expansion. Growth, after all, depends not only on attracting international athletes but on inspiring local communities and new generations of fans to feel that the sport belongs to them too.
Other equestrian events around the world could learn from this model. Many horse shows operate in silos, whilst Morocco has shown that it is possible to maintain sporting prestige while opening the gates to the public and even keep the visitors in focus. Creating festivals that are as much about community as they are about competition, and by making equestrianism accessible, the Moroccan Royal Tour ensures that its impact extends beyond rankings and trophies. It inspires a new generation of riders, builds cultural bridges for tourists, and reaffirms the horse’s place at the heart of Moroccan identity.
Opening the Gates
As the 2025 edition nears the end at its final destination in El Jadida, the Moroccan Royal Tour once again proves itself a unique chapter in the equestrian calendar. It is not only a showcase of elite show jumping but a journey through Morocco’s landscapes, history, and traditions. It is a reminder that the magic of horses is not reserved for a select few but belongs to everyone.
In its blend of heritage, tourism, and accessibility, the Moroccan Royal Tour stands as a model of how equestrian sport can remain relevant and engaging to both existing and future fans. The Tour is, quite simply, where Morocco opens its gates and invites the world to experience the horse in all its forms.
