September 2026 will mark a historic milestone: the Peelbergen Equestrian Centre in the Netherlands will host the World Championship for Equestrian Sports and Beauty of Akhal-Teke Horses — the first time the event is held outside Turkmenistan. Ambassador of Turkmenistan Sapar Palvanov met with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands in The Hague to discuss the details of this world-class tournament, as well as plans for a Turkmen-Dutch business forum and joint water management projects.
Preparations for the Akhal-Teke World Championship
During a meeting with Joost Flamand, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director-General for Political Affairs of the Netherlands, the sides discussed the organizational framework for the World Championship for Equestrian Sports and Beauty of Akhal-Teke Horses, scheduled for September 2026 at the Peelbergen Equestrian Centre in Limburg province.
Ambassador Palvanov updated the Dutch side on the ongoing preparations and emphasized that the upcoming championship will be the first international event of such scale for Akhal-Teke horses held outside Turkmenistan.
The event is expected to gather the finest representatives of this unique breed from around the world, showcasing their exceptional athletic capabilities, nobility, grace, and exquisite beauty.
The talks also covered the organization of high-level side events taking place within the framework of the championship.
The Ambassador highlighted that the choice of the Netherlands as the venue is due to the country’s rich equestrian culture, highly developed equestrian sports sector, long-standing horse breeding traditions, and recognized international expertise in staging major equestrian events.
Business Forum and Water Technologies
The two sides explored the possibility of holding a Turkmen-Dutch business forum in The Hague, featuring representatives of government agencies, business communities, and leading companies from both nations.
Such a forum is expected to provide additional momentum to bilateral trade and economic interaction, facilitate direct business connections, and launch joint projects in Turkmenistan utilizing advanced Dutch technologies.
The parties also exchanged views on prospects for cooperation in water resources management, the implementation of water-saving technologies, climate change adaptation, and the development of modern water infrastructure.
Protocol Preparations for High-Level Visits
Ambassador Palvanov had a separate meeting with Bob Aal, Head of the High-Level Events Unit at the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, along with members of the protocol team. The discussion focused on organizational and technical matters regarding event preparation and support for upcoming high-level delegation visits.
The Dutch side expressed full readiness to maintain constructive engagement in organizing the upcoming events and to assist in furthering contacts with relevant state departments, research institutions, and corporate entities.
Both parties agreed to maintain close working contacts and continue coordinating joint activities aimed at ensuring the successful delivery of the Akhal-Teke World Championship and further strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. ///nCa, 22 July 2026