Equestrian is making its own mark on Cyprus’s participation in the Mediterranean Games, following the decision by the Cyprus Olympic Committee to participate for the first time in the sport’s history in the 20th Mediterranean Games “Taranto 2026.”
This historic first participation will feature athlete Alexa Stais, who will compete in the show jumping event with her horse Kantu. Stais, who competes professionally in Germany, is currently one of the leading figures in Cypriot equestrian sports on the international stage.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The President of the Cyprus Equestrian Federation, Mr. Antonis Petris, expressed his satisfaction with the historic participation of the equestrian team in the Mediterranean Games, noting:
“We thank the Cyprus Olympic Committee for believing in us and giving us the opportunity to participate and promote our sport accordingly. We have never participated in these Games before, and we consider this year’s participation a great success. We will be fielding a top-level athlete, with the goal of putting on a respectable performance.”
Mr. Petris also emphasized the importance of this participation for the further development and promotion of equestrian sports in Cyprus, as participation in such a major multi-sport event creates new opportunities for the sport and for Cypriot athletes.
One Athlete, One Historic Participation
Cyprus’s equestrian delegation at “Taranto 26” consists of one athlete, Alexa Stais, who will compete in show jumping with her nine-year-old mare, Kantu.
According to the official competition schedule of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the show jumping event at the Mediterranean Games will take place on August 30, with the team final—which will also serve as the qualifier for the individual event—and on September 1, with the final standings of the individual event.
Kantu is a nine-year-old mare who has already competed in high-level international events with Alexa Stais. She will travel to Taranto by road from Germany, accompanied by a groom, following arrangements made by the Cyprus Olympic Committee in coordination with the Cyprus Equestrian Federation.
Alexa Stais speaks with great emotion about Cyprus’ historic participation in equestrian events at the Mediterranean Games and expresses her determination to achieve the best possible result.
“It is a tremendous honor for me to represent Cyprus at the Mediterranean Games, and it is even more special that this will be Cyprus’s first-ever participation in equestrian events at the Games. Every opportunity to compete under the Cypriot flag means so much to me, and it’s something I never take for granted,” she notes.
The Cypriot champion will compete with Kantu, with whom, as she notes, she will travel to Italy “hoping to compete for a medal.”
“In our sport, anything can happen, but I believe in my horse and in the partnership we’ve built. My goal is to give her the best possible ride and achieve a result that will make Cyprus proud,” she adds.
Alexa Stais’s connection to Cyprus is particularly meaningful to her, as her grandfather was Cypriot. She grew up in South Africa and has been involved with horses from a very young age, and later moved to Germany, where she has been based for more than ten years, pursuing a professional career in show jumping.
Today she competes professionally for Paul Schockemöhle, and in 2025 she had the honor of representing Cyprus for the first time at the European Men’s andWomen’s European Championships in the steeplechase, marking a particularly significant moment in her career.
“I feel extremely proud to be part of Cyprus’s historic first appearance in equestrian events at the Mediterranean Games, and I hope that this participation can pave the way for future generations of Cypriot riders,” she emphasizes.
