The “Business on Horseback” race meeting and the International Jockeys’ Championship — the KazanForum 2026 Cup — have been held for the first time at Kazan Hippodrome, as part of the XII International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum”. The races featured thoroughbred horses aged three years and older, bred in the Republic of Tatarstan. The Event brought together masters of the racing craft from across Russia (Tatarstan, Dagestan, Chechnya, Bashkortostan, Mari El, Adygea, Krasnodar Krai and Stavropol Krai) as well as from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.
The opening race, run over 2,000 metres for the “Tatar Kanaty” Stakes, was contested by horses of the Tatar breed aged three years and older. The breed now numbers 1,000 head, said Gelyus Bayazitov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Tatarstan.
“The horse is an animal of great importance here in Tatarstan. The Republic is currently home to over 31,000 horses. In 2019, thanks to the painstaking work of scientists, the Tatar breed was recreated and a patent was obtained. Today, the Tatar breed numbers more than 1,000 head. These horses are demonstrating their abilities and taking part in equestrian events. This is the first time that equestrian competitions are being held within the framework of KazanForum. The finest athletes from Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan have gathered here,” he said.
The horse is an animal that unites people across all Islamic countries, noted Victoria Alexandrina, Vice President of the Equestrian Federation of Uzbekistan and founder of the “Business on Horseback” project. In her words, the international equestrian tournament was created to bring together business representatives from friendly nations under one roof and to offer them a setting in which to discuss matters of substance.
“The “Business on Horseback” project is being presented in Kazan for the first time. It is a great honour for me to introduce it at KazanForum. The project brings together sport, business, and art. It was founded in 2020 and is a series of international tournaments that incorporate business networking — bringing together representatives from a wide range of sectors: manufacturing, trade, services, international companies, and funds. I have plans to establish a BRICS equestrian association. I believe we will launch it within the next few years. It will unite all the BRICS countries,” said Victoria Alexandrina.
The International Jockeys’ Championship held as part of KazanForum is a highly significant event, said Svetlana Kapusheva, Executive Director of the Federation of Horse Breeding and Equestrian Sport of the Republic of Tatarstan.
“It is a very interesting idea, and we would very much like to see it continued in the future. Jockeys’ championships are always hosted by other countries, and our jockeys regularly take part in them,” she said.
Russian athletes travel abroad for race meetings with growing frequency year on year, including to the United Arab Emirates, noted Giyaz Idiyatullin, General Director of Kazan Hippodrome. He expressed the hope that, in the future, equestrian enthusiasts from overseas will gather for international competitions in Russia, including in Tatarstan, which can be regarded as a highly promising venue.
“When the idea of holding races within the framework of the ‘Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum’ International Economic Forum first came up, we immediately realised — knowing just how vast the Islamic world is and how developed horse racing is there — that we had to do everything possible to make this event happen. We want to show the guests visiting Kazan for the Forum that Tatarstan and Russia have an international-class hippodrome, one that meets all the criteria for hosting events of the very highest standard,” he said.
Equestrian sport brings together a great many things — love, care, and discipline, noted Andrey Lisikhin, President of the Equestrian Federation of Tver Region.
“We want to see equestrian sport develop. And it can only develop when it has support from the authorities, from business, and from the sporting community,” he stated.
The race card at Kazan Hippodrome also featured the Greater Eurasian Partnership Cup, the Prize in Honour of the “Russia – Islamic World” Forum, the Cup of the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as the “Heritage of Russia” heat, the Technological Alliance Cup, and the Prize in Honour of the OIC Member States.