Many of us know Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has a deep love of horses. What perhaps less well known, however, is that King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the ruler of the neighbouring Gulf state of Bahrain, shares that passion for all things equestrian. The two Gulf leaders have bonded throughout the decades over this mutual pastime. In this image, Sheikh Mohammed chats with King Hamad at the European Endurance Championship on Friday, August 26, 2005. The tournament was held in Compiegne, France, with the participation of Bahrain's team for the first time, led by Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad, King Hamad's son and Sheikh Mohammed's son-in-law, as well as the Chairman of the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation. That year, 19 nations fought for the European title, while eight countries – including Bahrain and the UAE – competed for the Open European win. “Sports and notably equestrian contests, which are accorded high interest by the GCC states, have become one of the means of rapprochement for the world’s countries,” King Hamad said at the time, according to the Bahrain News Agency. Less than a month later, the kingdom hosted the World Endurance Championship for Young Equestrians.
