Last week, the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation (UAEERF) named Sheikha Latifah Al Maktoum among the five horse-and-rider combinations that will represent the nation at the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026, where they will compete for show jumping world championship honours and begin the country’s campaign to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Held every four years, the FEI World Championships is one of the most prestigious competitions in international show jumping, bringing together the world’s leading horse-and-rider combinations to contest both the team and individual world titles. Hosted at the iconic Aachen Soers in Germany from 19-23 August, the championship also marks the first opportunity for nations to secure team qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with the seven highest-placed eligible teams earning qualification places.
Sheikha Latifah Al Maktoum returns to the global stage
Few athletes have matched the resilience, discipline and ambition of Sheikha Latifah Al Maktoum. For more than two decades, she has represented the UAE at the highest level of international sport and continues to be one of the country’s leading figures in show jumping.
The Aachen 2026 World Championships mark Sheikha Latifah’s return to major global competitions with her sights set on winning and qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Her biggest dream is to represent her country again at the Olympics.
Sheikha Latifah, a member of the Dubai ruling family and the niece of the Dubai ruler, grew up surrounded by horses, so it’s fair to say taking up show jumping at the age of 13 wasn’t a surprise.
By 21, she first gained attention at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, winning team bronze. She made history at the Beijing 2008 Summer as the first Emirati woman to ever qualify for the Olympic Games, setting an inspiring example for the young women of the UAE.
Sheikha Latifah went on to compete at three further Asian Games three times: in 2010, where the team took silver and she earned an individual silver; and in 2014 and 2018, where she ranked fourth and seventh, respectively.
Beyond her international achievements, Sheikha Latifah Al Maktoum has established herself as an inspiring force in equestrian sport, claiming numerous UAE championship titles and securing herself among the country’s most accomplished riders.
