AT AGE OF 5 TO 9 YEARS OLD.
As an impressionable five-year-old, Sameh El Dahan would tag along to watch his older brother take riding lessons. Before long, he was taking lessons himself, and by the tender age of nine was already entering equestrian competitions. El Dahan’s ambitious nature and his strong competitive spirit drove him to seek excellence in his sport and helped him secure several gold medals while still an adolescent.
AT AGE OF 11 YEARS OLD.
One competition that particularly stood out for him was the Le Touquet show in France, “It was my first international competition” El Dahan recalls, and he was able to win the first day of the three-day competition, at the admirable age of 11 years old.“The thrill of winning competitions at such a young age gives you the incentive to keep going,” says El Dahan. He was also fortunate to have extremely supportive parents who encouraged his passion, allowing him to spend all his summers riding and facilitating his international travels for competitions.
UNTIL 2011
Until 2011, when he moved to Northern Ireland to join the show-jumping team at Sycamore Stables, El Dahan honed his skills at the Police Union Sports Club in Egypt, which he still considers to be his equestrian home. However, after winning the national championships in his home country at level A1, the highest level in the sport, El Dahan yearned for more. “I thought I achieved what I can achieve in Egypt, but I still wanted more. I wanted to travel and start competing regularly, on an international level.”
THE MANAGER OF SYCAMORE STABLES, JOANNE SLOAN ALLEN, WHO IS ALSO EL DAHAN’S MENTOR
Before embarking on his move to Northern Ireland, El Dahan was worried he would feel lonely living abroad. However, the manager of Sycamore Stables, Joanne Sloan Allen, who is also El Dahan’s mentor, was nothing short of extremely welcoming to him. In fact, El Dahan credits her for all his success. “In my sporting career, if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today. She’s a great horsewoman and over the past eight years we’ve built a great relationship. Not only is she my business partner, she is my best friend. I give most of the credit for where I am today to her,” says El Dahan.
SUMA’S ZORRO, EL DAHAN’S SHOW JUMPING HORSE WHO SHARED HIS MOST RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS
When Allen and El Dahan aren’t gearing up to participate in international show jumping competitions, they are busy breeding horses that can compete at the highest level of the sport. Suma’s Zorro, El Dahan’s show jumping horse who shared his most recent achievements, was brought in as a foal by Allen a few years ago. According to El Dahan, “Allen tirelessly worked on the horse to make it a viable contender, so it’s like her own baby; it’s like her family.” That said, when picking out a foal to join the illustrious Sycamore Stables, there is one thing in particular that El Dahan looks for. “There are so many variables, but for me, what I look for is very simple; it’s their ability to jump. If they can jump and be careful, we can work with anything else.”
There are 18 other horses at the stable where El Dahan lives
Aside from Suma’s Zorro, there are 18 other horses at the stable where El Dahan lives; thus, leaving him completely occupied day in and day out. “With horses, you are always busy,” El Dahan explains. “As soon as you wake up, you have to be ready straight away in the yard. In the morning, Joanne and I work on a plan for the rest of the day for the horses. Then, from the morning until four or five in the afternoon, I am riding. After that, we work on a plan for the next day, and for the subsequent competitions,” he adds, with the caveat that no two days are alike in the world of show jumping. “The thing is, with horses, there is no rule book that you read and implement. Even if you try to make a plan, things change. You have to be flexible so that you can accommodate that change and not be frustrated by it.” If you get frustrated by change, then this is not the sport for you,” he cautions.
El Dahan views competitions as the most enjoyable part about the sport.
Despite his budding business venture, the utterly gracious El Dahan views competitions as the most enjoyable part about the sport. “That’s my thrill really, to compete. When you go to a competition and have a really good show, that is the ultimate excitement for me,” says El Dahan. Even though travelling is another part that excites him, he also finds it quite hectic. “I hate hanging around airports. But when you go into a competition and have a good show, then all that hanging around is worth it. When you don’t do well, then it’s a different story,” El Dahan jokingly adds. Due to the frequent nature of his competitions, you can definitely spot this dapper equestrian at the airport. Luckily, we were able to catch him right before he flew to Spain.
This prestigious award notwithstanding, El Dahan feels that his greatest achievement so far was winning the illustrious Rolex Grand Slam at Spruce Meadows, Canada and securing the impressive prize money of three million Canadian dollars. “Being able to win such a prestigious award and being the first Egyptian ever to win an award of that caliber is such a great honour,” says El Dahan.
Sameh El Dahan of EGY riding Suma’s Zorro during the Canadian Utilities Cup at the 2017 Spruce Meadows Continental at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta.
- Former Egyptian National Champion
- Voted ESM website international rider of the year 2012
- Qualified for World cup finals s’Hertogenbosch 2012
- Winner of many, many international classes, including recent wins on the Morocco Royal tour 2013, with several top three placings in the World Equestrian games qualifiers and World Cup Qualifying classes.
| Nicknames | Sam (sycamorestables.co.uk, 2017) |
| Memorable sporting achievement | Winning the 2018 CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Grand Prix in Calgary, AB, Canada. (henigma-mag.com, 01 Feb 2019) |
| Most influential person in career | His family and friends, and mentor Joanne Sloan Allen. (henigma-mag.com, 01 Feb 2019; masrawy.com, 19 Jan 2019) |
| Hero / Idol | US swimmer Michael Phelps. (horsetimesegypt.com, 01 June 2015) |
| Injuries | He broke his arm twice in 2013. (esmtoday.org, 19 Nov 2013) |
| Sporting philosophy / motto | “Be humble, stay on your feet.” (rolexgrandslam.com, 30 Sep 2018) |
| Awards and honours | He was named the Equestrian Sports Marketing [ESM] 2012 International Rider of the Year. (sycamorestables.co.uk, 30 Dec 2012) |
| Ambitions | To compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (masrawy.com, 19 Jan 2019; egypttoday.com, 09 Jul 2018) |
| Other information | EGYPT TO NORTHERN IRELAND In February 2011 he moved to Northern Ireland to join the WKD jumping team at Sycamore Stables. “I thought I had achieved what I could achieve in Egypt, but I still wanted more. I wanted to travel and start competing regularly at international level.” (farminglife.com, 01 Nov 2019; henigma-mag.com, 01 Feb 2019; sycamorestables.co.uk, 2017; calgaryherald.com, 08 Jul 2016) |
| Year | Venue | Horse | Individual Rank | Team Rank |
| 2014 | FEI World Equestrian Games™ Caen | Suma’s Zorro | 56 | 21 |
| 2012 | FEI World Cup™ Final ‘s-Hertogenbosch | Pepperpot | 22 |
| Ranking/Standing | Horse | Rank | Points |
| Longines Rankings | 154 | 940 | |
| FEI Jumping World Cup™ Standings | 87 | 0 | |
| Pan-American Rankings | 78 | 1488 | |
| Combination in Jumping | Suma’s Zorro | 271 | 560 |
| Combination in Jumping | Colour Girl | 1559 | 145 |
| Combination in Jumping | Wkd Aimez Moi | 2412 | 80 |
| Combination in Jumping | Chanel XXV | 2762 | 65 |
| Combination in Jumping | Wkd Exotic | 2892 | 60 |
| Combination in Jumping | Electric Z | 4988 | 15 |
| Combination in Jumping | Citygirl | 5915 | 5 |
| Combination in Jumping | Miss G Tracy | 5915 | 5 |
