Mehdi Poladvand; Early Morning Boy and National Equestrian Champion

Mehdi Pouladvand, born in 1998 in Karaj, was more than just a rising star in Iran’s equestrian world, he was a force of life, laughter, and loyalty. From his early teenage years, Mehdi stepped into the arena with quiet determination, quickly becoming one of the most promising talents of his generation. He rose through the ranks, earning the silver medal in Alborz Province’s senior championships and securing a place among the top five riders in the national youth team.

Yet, what made Mehdi truly unforgettable was not just his skill in the saddle, but his unwavering warmth outside it. Friends remember him as the “boy of early mornings,” always the first to rise, catching the metro with a smile, and calling his friends just to start their day with laughter. He had a way of lighting up every room, every gathering, every arena. His joy was contagious. His silence, rare. His presence, irreplaceable.

On the morning of June 11, 2025, Mehdi, along with his father (a war veteran), his mother, and his 20-year-old sister, was killed when their 14-story residential building in Tehran was flattened by an Israeli missile strike. It took more than 24 hours of search and rescue operations to recover their bodies from the rubble. He died as he lived, peacefully among his loved ones.

Mehdi was the first member of Iran’s equestrian community to be killed during the Israeli invasion. His death reverberated far beyond the arena—shaking not just a sport, but an entire generation. In every empty saddle, in every morning ride where his voice no longer echoes, Mehdi’s presence is felt. His legacy is more than a name among the fallen; it is a symbol of unrealized potential, of youth stolen too soon, and of a future that should have galloped much farther.