Vilamoura Classic
Vilamoura Equestrian Centre
Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec 2026
Vilamoura, located in the Algarve in southern Portugal, is a popular destination for its varied coastline, sandy beaches and year-round sunny climate. Its cliffs, hidden coves and fishing villages give it an authentic charm.
From February to March and from October to December, VILAMOURA CLASSIC reinvents the competition season under the Algarve sun. In the heart of Portugal's most dynamic coastal destination, Vilamoura combines top-level equestrian sport with the comfort of a completely renovated site. Between the ocean, pine forests, golf courses, and lively marinas, riders enjoy an incomparable sporting experience, just minutes from Faro International Airport.
Designed for those who seek excellence, VILAMOURA CLASSIC offers modern infrastructure, an exclusive welcome, and optimal conditions for horses and teams. The season is punctuated by several CSI 4, CSI 3, CSI 1*, as well as the only CSI 5* in Portugal, making Vilamoura an unmissable meeting place for elite show jumping, in a relaxed and sunny atmosphere. Overlooking the competition tracks, the panoramic VIP lounge offers the ideal vantage point to experience the sport at its highest level.
Classic Tour I
24 FEB - 1 MAR / CSI3*
3 - 8 MARCH / CSI3*
10 - 15 MARCH / CSI3*
The Classic Tour I will mark the official opening of the brand new Vilamoura Equestrian Centre. Over three weeks, riders and horses will discover state-of-the-art facilities designed to provide optimal conditions for both training and performance. Each week, the sporting program will feature young horse classes (5, 6, and 7 years old), alongside CSI1*, and CSI3* competitions, creating a progressive calendar perfectly suited to preparing for the international season.
Master Tour
17-22 MARCH / CSI4*
24-29 MARCH / CSI5*
The Master Tour will be the highlight of the season in Vilamoura. Over two weeks, the program will bring together the world's showjumping elite around a CSI4* and the Portugal's only CSI5*. As the pinacle of the calendar, this event offers riders the opportunity to compete at the highest international level, in unprecedented sporting and hospitality conditions. With this CSI5*, Vilamoura joins the exclusive circle of iconic destinations on the global showjumping stage.
Classic Tour II
20-25 OCTOBER / CSI 3*
27 OCT - 1 NOV / CSI 3*
3-8 NOVEMBER / CSI 4*
The Classic Tour II will extend the international season into the heart of autumn, when the Algarve still offers ideal conditions for sport. Over three weeks, riders will compete in a program combining two CSI3* and one CSI4*, designed to balance training with top-level performance. This stage allows horses to stay in peak condition within a modern and spacious setting, while providing riders with a competitive calendar perfectly suited to preparing for the major year-end events.
Classic Tour III
17-22 NOVEMBER / CSI 3*
24-29 NOVEMBER / CSI 3*
1-6 DECEMBER / CSI 4*
The Classic Tour III will close the 3 season in Vilamoura with three weeks of intense competition. The program will feature two CSI4* and one CSIXNUMX*, giving riders a final opportunity to keep their horses in peak condition and build on the season's work. At the crossroads of training and performance, this year-end stage stands as a strategic milestone to approach the winter season with ambition.
INFO
Vilamoura Classic:
In an exceptional setting, the competition will be the scene of spectacular performances, where the world's greatest riders compete.
Discover an exhibitor village, with a selection of stands dedicated to equestrian equipment, fashion, and well-being, for horse and lifestyle enthusiasts. Also enjoy a varied gastronomic offer in the site's high-end restaurants.
The Vilamoura Classic's sporting program is designed to accommodate a wide range of riders, from promising young horses to the most experienced professionals. Each week of competition, classes dedicated to 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old horses offer future champions a unique opportunity to gain experience on international terrain. At the same time, a CSI 1* will allow riders from all backgrounds to participate in this exceptional event, alongside the CSI 3* or CSI 4* events organized each week. The season will culminate in a grand finale: a prestigious CSI 5* bringing together the world's elite, for a spectacular finale after a month of high-level sport.
For all questions regarding the competition please contact [email protected]
Event news
Looking ahead to 2027, the Algarve Vilamoura Classic unveils the calendar for its first season
From February to November 2027, the Algarve Vilamoura Classic will take place over four rounds at the Vilamoura Equestrian Centre, from CSI 1* to CSI 5*. A full season of international show jumping under the Algarve sun, organized by GRANDPRIX Events...
From February to November 2027, the Algarve Vilamoura Classic will take place over four legs at the Vilamoura Equestrian Centre, ranging from CSI 1* to CSI 5*. A full season of international show jumping under the Algarve sun, organized by GRANDPRIX Events. The event will be structured around four legs, each lasting several weeks: Classic Tour I in February, Master Tour in March, Classic Tour II in October, and Classic Tour III in November. Each week of competition will feature CSI 1* and Young Horse classes, alongside CSI 3* and CSI 4* events. The Master Tour and Classic Tour II will also host the CSI 5*, the only competition of this level in Portugal.
Classic Tour I – February 2027 – CSI 4*, 3*, 1*
Master Tour – March 2027 – CSI 5*, 4*, 3*, 1*
Classic Tour II – October 2027 – CSI 5*, 3*, 1*
Classic Tour III – November 2027 – CSI 4*, 3*, 1* Completely renovated, the Vilamoura Equestrian Centre will offer riders and their teams facilities designed for stays of several weeks: five sand arenas and one ebb & flow grass arena, one of the largest indoor warm-up arenas in Europe, 800 permanent stables, an on-site veterinary clinic, and a panoramic VIP restaurant seating 500 overlooking the main arena. Located thirty minutes from Faro International Airport, between the ocean, golf courses, and pine forests, Vilamoura combines top-level sport with a refined lifestyle. The detailed program and weekly dates will be announced soon. Entry requests can already be submitted to the show office. [email protected].
The Algarve, named "the world's best beach destination"
New international recognition for southern Portugal. On December 6, 2025, the Algarve was voted "World's Leading Beach Destination 2025" at the grand finale of the World Travel Awards, held in
Southern Portugal has received further international recognition. On December 6, 2025, the Algarve was named "World's Leading Beach Destination 2025" at the World Travel Awards grand finale, held in Bahrain. The region has now won this title for the fourth time, after 2020, 2021, and 2024, making it the only beach destination in the world to have received the award four times.
Facing off against some twenty competing destinations, including postcard-perfect locations like Thailand, Zanzibar, and the Seychelles, the Algarve has once again won over tourism professionals and travelers from around the world. With over 300 days of sunshine a year, more than 200 kilometers of coastline, and a mosaic of beaches – from vast stretches of sand and golden cliffs to more secluded coves – the region remains one of Portugal's tourism drivers, attracting several million visitors annually.
This distinction is part of a broader trend. The Algarve has been collecting awards for over a decade, regularly voted "Europe's Leading Beach Destination" and now a global benchmark for coastal tourism. Environmental labels, such as the Blue Flag, are proliferating along the coastline, reflecting ongoing efforts to improve water quality, beach cleanliness, and visitor safety.
For André Gomes, president of the Algarve Tourism Bureau, this award is both a source of pride and a responsibility: to continue raising the standards of the region, to preserve unique natural resources and to meet the expectations of an ever-growing international audience.
For the equestrian community, this increased visibility confirms what riders already know: the Algarve is not just a picture-postcard setting, but also an ideal playground for experiencing the sport in a new way, between winter sunshine, the ocean, and the Portuguese way of life. The Algarve Vilamoura Classic fits perfectly into this landscape, offering riders, their teams, and show jumping enthusiasts a new home in the heart of this region, now renowned on a global level.
“Our obsession is to offer a new framework entirely designed for the needs of modern sport,” Vincent Goehrs
Starting in February 2027, GRANDPRIX Events will organize its first competitions in Vilamoura, Portugal. How did this initiative come about? European riders
Starting in February 2027, GRANDPRIX Events will organize its first competitions in Vilamoura, Portugal. How did this initiative come about?
European riders increasingly want and need to extend their competition seasons. Like Spain, Portugal enjoys temperatures and sunshine levels unmatched by any other country in Northern Europe, not even Southern France. GRANDPRIX has been looking to develop a project on the Iberian Peninsula for several years. To this end, we met with Arrow Global, the main owner of the Vilamoura resort, which is investing several hundred million euros in this destination. Arrow Global wanted to redesign an equestrian venue that had long existed there and had hosted international competitions since 2000. The aim is to better meet the expectations of all stakeholders in our sporting community—riders, professionals and amateurs alike, grooms, owners, breeders, and dealers—and to offer them a competition venue capable of hosting the entire show jumping community every year from October to March. Furthermore, Portugal, which has not hosted a CSI 5* since 2019, is a rapidly developing, dynamic, and attractive country in terms of tourism and the economy. We are therefore delighted to contribute to this dynamism and to ensure that equestrian sports become an additional driver of economic development in the beautiful Algarve region of Portugal.