The Opening Ceremony of the Dakar 2026 Youth Equestrian Games (SEN). © FEI / Vanessa Martin Randin

Dalal Ak Diam to Dakar Digest #4!

Last night, the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 burst into life with a spectacular opening ceremony. It was a beautiful celebration that honoured not only the young athletes at the heart of these Games, but also the richness, diversity and incredible spirit of Senegal and the African continent.

Dakar truly pulled out all the stops, delivering an unforgettable evening full of colour, culture, music and emotion.

It was a real privilege to be sitting in the stands and experiencing, first-hand, this historic moment for Senegal, a landmark occasion as the country welcomes the world and makes history as the first African nation to host an Olympic event.

For equestrian, there were some particularly special moments. We were all delighted to see the magnificent white horse make its way through the stadium, providing a wonderful equestrian highlight in the ceremony. But perhaps even more special was seeing so many members of our equestrian community represented among those taking part in the flag ceremony. Definitely a proud moment for our sport to see equestrian athletes representing Algeria, Brazil, Ecuador, Egypt, Honduras, Indonesia, Monaco, Morocco, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the UAE and Zimbabwe on the international stage.

A busy day at the venue

The venue has been buzzing with activity as all the athletes spent time with their horses.

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco visited the venue, accompanied by Ingmar De Vos, President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and IOC Member, and Ibrahima Wade, Director General of the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee.

During his visit, Prince Albert took the opportunity to meet Monaco’s Valentine Platini and wish her the very best of luck in the competition. It was a lovely moment of support for an athlete preparing to represent her country on the international stage.

Beyond the Arena: Learning to be a great equestrian

Today also saw an important moment away from the training arena, as the young equestrian athletes came together for Beyond the Arena, an educational seminar featuring four presentations designed to explore the many different dimensions of life as an equestrian athlete, both in and out of competition.

Led by Ground Jury Member César Hirsch, the session featured contributions from FEI Foreign Veterinary Delegate Dr Thierry Grisard, Chief Steward Alessandra Ceselli and President of the Ground Jury Susanne Macken.

Beyond the Arena: Learning to be a great equestrian

I was also delighted to be part of the programme, which offered the young athletes a chance to look beyond the competition itself and explore some of the many things that shape life as an equestrian. From horse welfare and competition rules to leadership, teamwork and the responsible use of social media, there was plenty to talk about and, hopefully, plenty for the athletes to take away with them.

I’ll leave you with this photograph. I have a feeling that, one day, I’ll look back on these young athletes and say, “They made it.” And I’ll be able to say that I was there, sharing this moment with them at the Youth Olympic Games!

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games run from 31 October to 13 November, with Equestrian taking place from 3 to 6 November.