Global Tour and National Association Unveil Five-Year Plan to Improve the Living Conditions of Workhorses in Egypt

One might criticize the fact that the Global Champions Tour is holding an event in a place where, just a few meters away, starving horses are collapsing from weakness. On the other hand, this is also happening while the Global Champions Tour is making a stop in the port of Monaco. It’s just that the public hardly ever looks toward Egypt in those cases. Rarely have the horrific images of half-starved, suffering, and severely injured workhorses been seen so frequently in the media and brought so forcefully to people’s attention as they have in recent days. In that sense, the stark contrast between extreme poverty on the one hand and a life of luxury on the other may have actually had a positive effect for the workhorses. Especially since it’s not as if the riders hadn’t reacted to it. Various voices have publicly expressed their horror and demanded action.

Five-Year Plan for Egypt’s Working Horses

Today, the Global Champions Tour issued a statement announcing that it has developed a five-year plan in collaboration with the Egyptian Equestrian Federation to improve the living conditions of working horses in the country. Also involved are the General Organization for Veterinary Services (GOVS), the Egyptian government, Orascom Pyramids, and Brooke, a charity specializing in equine welfare.

According to the statement, measures to register, vaccinate, and provide veterinary examinations for horses had already been in place, initiated by the Egyptian Equestrian Federation. Building on this, the program will now focus on improving the horses’ health, their care, and their working conditions.

Initially, the program will be implemented for 700 horses. In a second phase, it is to be expanded to include approximately 2,000 animals. To this end, a plan has been drawn up that prioritizes the following points:

• Provision of food, water, veterinary care, and medication


• Training for owners and caretakers responsible for the animals’ care


• Establishment of ongoing monitoring of animal welfare and clear expectations for responsible horse care


• Development of a dedicated funding mechanism to support long-term improvements—funded by contributions from participating organizations as well as opportunities for riders, owners, sponsors, and the general public to make their own contributions

Independent Oversight Body

Jenny Ellis is tasked with ensuring that the initiative doesn’t stop at lofty goals and fine words. She is the European representative of the International Grooms Association (IGA) and will help oversee the program. She already has experience improving horse welfare in Cairo and is expected to help ensure that the initiative focuses on practical measures with measurable results.

Ellis: “Meaningful improvements in horse welfare require more than just short-term measures. They require consistent care, education, a sense of responsibility, and a clear understanding of the challenges faced by working horses and their owners. As someone who has worked extensively on equine welfare issues in Cairo, I welcome the opportunity to participate in a program that brings together the necessary expertise and resources—with the goal of achieving practical and measurable improvements over the long term.”

Initial Measures

The Global Champions Tour is already having an immediate positive impact on the local community. Unused feed supplies from Global Tour partner “Red Mills,” including hay, are to be distributed to workhorses. Subject to appropriate inspections and distribution agreements, the grooms participating in the event have also offered unused equipment and veterinary supplies.

EEF and LGCT have agreed to make a financial contribution to the initiative. In addition, a special donation mechanism is planned to facilitate broader support from the equestrian community and the general public.

Further details regarding the program’s management, the funding agreements, and the phased implementation plan will be announced as soon as they are finalized.

Quotes

Dr. Ismail Shaker, president of the Egyptian Equestrian Federation, says: “This initiative represents a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of working horses in Giza. By bringing together the relevant authorities, veterinary experts, animal welfare organizations, and the international equestrian community, we have a tremendous opportunity to build on the progress already made and establish a coordinated, long-term approach that will bring about tangible improvements for these animals.”

This is also the goal of Global Champions Tour founder and president Jan Tops: “The welfare of horses is a cornerstone of our sport. That is why we are committed to supporting the Egyptian Equestrian Federation and its partners in developing a sustainable program that improves the living conditions of working horses in the region. We recognize that lasting change takes time, and we want to make a constructive contribution to this process.”