Deena Abu-Hassan, born to an English mother and Egyptian father, grew up in Saudi Arabia before moving to Egypt at age 10. She met her husband, Karim, an avid rider since childhood and now her business partner, at a local horse club when they were teenagers. Their shared love of horses soon became the foundation for both their marriage and their career.
As a guest on NileFM&rsquo;s &lsquo;The Big Drive&rsquo; with Zeinab and Sami, Deena shared how her journey with horses began at age four during a summer in England. While visiting family, her father lifted her onto the back of a bay horse outside a village pub. From that moment, she was hooked. Riding lessons followed in England and Saudi Arabia, and when her family moved to Egypt, the first thing they did, even before finding a school, was look for a stable.
&nbsp;<a href="https://ibb.co/7xjcLSp8"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/CpmdDw9N/2.png" alt="2" border="0" /></a>
Building a Dream
As teenagers, Deena and Karim spent every free moment riding and competing. &ldquo;I was 15 when we met at our local horse club, and Karim had been riding since he was seven,&rdquo; Deena recalled. &ldquo;Horses quickly became the center of our lives. After school and on weekends, it was always about training and competing. As our relationship grew, so did our dream.&rdquo;
That dream became Kingsville, an academy not only to teach riding but also to raise awareness about horse welfare. &ldquo;We wanted to change the narrative in Egypt by showing that horses can be cared for and respected, while creating a community we would want our own children to grow up in,&rdquo; she said.
&nbsp;Changing the Narrative
&ldquo;People often hear negative stories about horse welfare in Egypt,&rdquo; Deena explains. &ldquo;Kingsville grew out of our dream to celebrate these animals and teach them properly. It is a place where children and adults can discover the beauty of horses.&rdquo;
<a href="https://ibb.co/M5WTcJs5"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/TqpX4Nkq/3.png" alt="3" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;
The Emotional Bond
&ldquo;Horses are incredible animals,&rdquo; Deena says. &ldquo;They are powerful yet gentle. People often fear their size, but once you build trust, the bond is indescribable. When a horse gazes into your eyes, it is pure love.&rdquo; She adds that a horse&rsquo;s heart is five times the size of a human&rsquo;s, generating a calming energy. &ldquo;If I&rsquo;ve had a stressful day, just standing near them makes everything better.&rdquo;
Personalities and Pairing
&ldquo;Every horse has its own personality,&rdquo; she notes. &ldquo;Sometimes it feels like the animal chooses you. Matching the right rider with the right horse is essential. Stressed riders may need calmer horses, while relaxed riders thrive with more energetic ones.&rdquo;
The Journey to Kingsville
During the pandemic, Deena and Karim opened Horseville, a small academy at their old club. &ldquo;It was beautiful, and the community loved it.&rdquo; In 2024, King&rsquo;s Polo Club approached them to expand, incorporating show jumping and dressage. &ldquo;We merged Horseville with King&rsquo;s Polo. Seeing even non-horsey people fall in love with the sport has been amazing.&rdquo;
Transitioning from teaching to business brought challenges. &ldquo;I spent 14 years as a teacher and suddenly had to learn marketing, PR, HR, and finance. I&rsquo;m terrible at finance, and so is Karim. But watching riders discover their paths, whether in polo, show jumping, or bonding with the horses, makes it all worthwhile.&rdquo;
&nbsp;<a href="https://ibb.co/VFBHWR8"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/TQhKB65/1.png" alt="1" border="0" /></a>
What Makes Kingsville Unique
Kingsville caters to all levels, from beginners to advanced riders. &ldquo;We combine disciplines under one roof: equestrian, show jumping, dressage, and polo. Beginners ride calm Argentine polo ponies, which are incredibly safe and smooth.&rdquo;
&ldquo;We also emphasize values like sportsmanship,&rdquo; Deena adds. &ldquo;Riders reflect on mistakes while celebrating successes. Even in defeat, there is a victory if they recognize what they did well.&rdquo;
<a href="https://ibb.co/FbbMP5X1"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/zhhYkXFg/4.png" alt="4" border="0" /></a>&nbsp;
The Kingsville Masters Cup
This year&rsquo;s event features two show jumping classes: an accumulator at 1.20 meters, with points at each fence and a final &ldquo;joker&rdquo; to double the score, and a Grand Prix with jumps between 1.30 and 1.40 meters. While not open to the public, members of the equestrian and Uptown Cairo communities will have access.
Deena sums up the academy&rsquo;s mission: &ldquo;We aim to promote empathy for animals, build strong rider&ndash;horse connections, and raise a new generation who value sportsmanship as much as skill.&rdquo; Located in Uptown Cairo, Kingsville&rsquo;s community includes over 30 nationalities. &ldquo;That sense of connection is just as important to us as the sport itself,&rdquo; she said.
How to Watch
The Kingsville Masters Cup will be streamed live for the first time on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kingsvilleclub/tagged/?hl=en">@Kingsvilleclub&rsquo;s</a> Instagram and internationally on ClipMyHorse, giving audiences everywhere a front-row seat to Egypt&rsquo;s equestrian scene.

On Air Now

Non-Stop Music

You May like

Schedule

Non-Stop Music