Friday, February 06, 2026

Saudi Arabia: 71 Countries represented at the Al Fursan Endurance AlUla this weekend

http://endurance.net/international/SaudiArabia/2026WorldEnduranceChampionship/

February 6 2026

From February 6-8, AlUla (KSA) will once become the stage for the Al Fursan Cup, in an extraordinary setting for this year’s November World Endurance Championship, where sport, heritage and landscape meet at the highest level of international competition.

Riders and horses from across the globe will compete in the CEI2* 120 km and CEI3* 160 km, chasing a total prize money of 20 million SAR.

According to Endurance Lifestyle, 71 countries will be represented in the desert of AlUla — the highest number of countries ever gathered in an FEI endurance competition.

“From every corner of the globe, riders and horses come together on one extraordinary stage, turning AlUla into the true crossroads of international endurance.

“Different flags. One sport. One desert. One historic moment. Endurance has never been this global.”

Tuesday, February 03, 2026

Great Britain: Pat Guerin Celebrates Extraordinary 20,000km Lifetime Distance Award in Endurance Riding



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Knutsford, Cheshire – British endurance rider Pat Guerin has reached a remarkable milestone, achieving 20,000 competitive kilometres in endurance riding, marking more than four decades of dedication to the sport she first discovered in the late 1970s. “I am absolutely delighted and still can’t quite believe I have ridden so many successful competitive kilometres,” said Pat. “It’s been an incredible journey.”

Pat has ridden since the age of five, but her endurance career began after moving from Suffolk to Cheshire in 1977. Answering a local newspaper advert to exercise hunters led to her first endurance ride in 1978 on the mare Treble Chance, a 40-mile Exmoor qualifier. From that moment, she was hooked. She went on to ride for several years before purchasing the iconic Blue ‘G’, beginning a partnership that would define much of her early success.

Among Pat’s many highlights are 3rd and 4th placings in the EHPS Summer Solstice 100-mile rides, the unforgettable experience of mass starts in the dark, and being shortlisted for a Great Britain team to compete in the USA in 1988. In 1989, she rode for England in the winning team at the very first Home International. Pat has also placed in the top five of the prestigious Manar Trophy on four occasions—once with Blue ‘G’ and three times with C F Winter Amadeus.

Still actively competing, Pat currently rides two pure-bred Arab geldings: C F Winter Amadeus, 19, who has recently achieved his own 4,800km award, and Farid My Lad, 16. Amadeus was a classic Grade 1 horse in his prime and a three-time winner of the Arab Horse Society Pure Bred Performance Horse Award. Farid My Lad offers a different challenge, particularly at vettings, but both horses continue to thrive under Pat’s thoughtful and experienced management.

Pat credits her longevity in the sport to steady, varied training, careful horse management, and knowing when to rest. She combines regular hacking with flatwork lessons and occasional dressage competitions, while her horses live out as much as possible throughout the year. She also acknowledges the vital role of her support network, including her husband David and a loyal group of friends who have crewed for her over the years.

A long-standing member of the Cheshire and Staffordshire bridleways community, Pat also values the social side of riding through pleasure rides and training groups, describing endurance as “an all-inclusive sport where everyone is friendly, helpful and encouraging.”

Reflecting on how the sport has evolved, Pat notes huge changes in feeding, equipment and clothing, while believing the heart of endurance remains the same: partnership, resilience and shared experience across beautiful landscapes.

Looking ahead, Pat plans to continue riding 32km and 40km rides regularly, hopes to complete more two-day events, and has her eye on returning to favourites such as Red Dragon, Cirencester and Well Vale.

“Endurance GB is my absolutely amazing happy place,” she said. “As a child I dreamed of having my own pony and riding for miles and miles. Endurance has certainly fulfilled that dream.”

Pat Guerin’s 20,000km achievement stands as a testament to commitment, horsemanship and a lifelong passion for endurance riding within the Endurance GB community.

For further information or interview requests, please contact: pat.guerin@talk21.com









Monday, January 26, 2026

Australia: A life with horses

Two-times Tom Quilty Gold Cup winner Tom Thomsen lends his endurance experience to a new crop of riders

NoosaToday.com.au - Full Article

24/01/2026
ERLE LEVEY

PRECEDE

Tom Thomsen came to Australia from Denmark at the age of seven. ERLE LEVEY finds out about a life in the bush that has seen Tom go on to compete and succeed at the highest level of endurance horse riding both here and internationally.

BREAKOUT QUOTE

“It’s about what is between the ears .. for rider and horse.”

There is something about the Australian bush that gets into your blood.

That has certainly been the case for Tom Thomsen.

His story could easily be made into a movie – what he has learnt and what he has done with horses across time and distance is quite breathtaking.

Now he has moved on to mentoring other riders coming through in the sport of endurance.

Nothing has stopped his love and enthusiasm for riding, even at the age of 83. And nothing has diminished his recognition of the horses he has had the good fortune to have been involved with...

Read more here:
https://noosatoday.com.au/news/24-01-2026/a-life-with-horses/

Friday, January 23, 2026

American rider and brumby complete 4,400km journey across Australia

ABC.net.au - Full Article

By Rachel Boothman
20 January 2026

In short:

American rider Gin Szagola and her former wild brumby, Fable, have completed a coast-to-coast journey across Australia. The pair spent eight months on the road after setting off from New South Wales on May 20 last year Travelling up to 32 kilometres a day, they covered more than 4,400 kilometres, tracking the entire journey.


When people decide to travel across Australia, it is usually behind a steering wheel, but 25-year-old Gin Szagola chose four hooves and a saddle instead.

After eight months and 4,400 kilometres in the saddle, Ms Szagola and her horse Fable have come to the end of their journey at Forrest Beach in Busselton, 200 kilometres south of Perth.

The ride began in Tathra on the New South Wales south coast in May last year, taking the pair through Victoria, South Australia and across the Nullarbor Plain...

Read more here:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-21/american-rider-brumby-journey-across-australia/106238888

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

FEI Endurance Forum 2026: Youth, Safety, and the Future

Cavallomagazine.it - Full Article

During the two-day event in Perugia, the world of equestrian endurance focused on the strategic guidelines for the evolution of the sector, including new generations, sustainability and international comparison. 19 January 2026

The FEI Endurance Forum 2026 concluded in Perugia., a key event for the international community of the discipline, which brought together stakeholders in the sector – athletes, coaches, veterinarians, officials, judges, and organizers – representing over 40 countries.

During the meeting, a shared desire to strengthen a development model based on responsibility, organizational skills, and attention to the principles that characterize endurance emerged clearly.

One of the most significant moments of the Forum was the session dedicated to Young Riders (the category of athletes between 14 and 21 years old) in which young protagonists offered concrete insights on central themes such as education, training, economic sustainability and their conscious approach to endurance, giving rise to a direct comparison with more experienced athletes and with the different points of view present on the international scene...

Read more here:
https://www.cavallomagazine.it/en/sport-equestri/fei-endurance-forum-2026-perugia

Sunday, January 18, 2026

Isle of Wight youngster takes Endurance GB junior title

CountyPress.co.uk - Full Article

14 January 2026
By Jon Moreno

A YOUNG equestrian rider from the Isle of Wight has been crowned Endurance GB junior champion after a remarkable season on the national circuit.

Alice Critchison, 12, of Niton, claimed the title thanks to a series of consistently high scores throughout the 2025 campaign, with her pony, Ashley Kate — better known as Pumpkin.

Alice competes in endurance riding — a long‑distance discipline that measures a horse’s stamina and speed, as well as the rider’s skill across tough routes.

Welfare is central to the sport, with compulsory veterinary checks before, during and after each ride, to ensure horses remain fit to continue...

Read more here:
https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/25765851.isle-wight-youngster-takes-endurance-gb-junior-title/

Monday, January 12, 2026

Endurance GB appoints Maggie Pattinson as Team GBR Senior Squad Chef d’Equipe


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12 2026

Endurance GB, the national governing body for endurance riding in Great Britain, has announced the appointment of Maggie Pattinson as Team GBR Senior Squad Chef d’Equipe — a key leadership role guiding Britain’s senior endurance riders on the international stage. The appointment follows a rigorous national selection process and places Pattinson at the forefront of Great Britain’s senior endurance programme as preparations begin for upcoming FEI championships.

Her first championship in the role will be the FEI Endurance World Championships for Seniors, to be held in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia, in November 2026. Ahead of this, she will attend the FEI Endurance European Championships for Young Riders and Juniors in Jullianges, France, in 2026 in a shadowing capacity — a strategic move, with the same venue set to host the Senior European Championships in 2027.

A lifetime shaped by horses

Now based in Surrey, Pattinson’s life has been defined by horses from an early age. She first rode at the age of two and has since developed decades of experience across riding, coaching, team leadership and horse welfare.

Her career has taken her across the globe, with riding and professional experience in countries including Canada, Switzerland and Mongolia. She has produced horses to FEI international endurance level and built a reputation for thoughtful, welfare-led horsemanship. “Horses are simply part of my DNA,” Pattinson said. “Everything I’ve done — professionally and personally — has revolved around them.”

Proven leadership on the international stage

Pattinson recently concluded a 12-year tenure as Chef d’Equipe of the England Home International Endurance Team, where she became widely respected for her calm authority, strong welfare focus and ability to build cohesive teams under pressure. She also plays a senior role in the internationally renowned Mongol Derby — one of the toughest equestrian challenges in the world — contributing to rider preparation, welfare oversight and high-level decision-making in extreme conditions. “These environments teach you that pressure changes everything,” Pattinson explained. “Clear thinking, calm leadership and always putting the horse first are essential — especially when it really matters.”

Endurance GB leadership response

Endurance GB Chair Larissa Whiley commented:

“Maggie impressed the interview panel with her depth of experience, clarity of vision and unwavering commitment to horse welfare and team culture. She understands that championship success is built over time, through trust, communication and teamwork.”

Performance Director Annie Joppe added:

“Maggie brings a rare blend of empathy, authority and international experience. Her leadership will be invaluable as we prepare British riders and horses for future championships.”

Looking ahead

Pattinson says her focus will be on both immediate championship preparation and the long-term development of British endurance. “Success isn’t just about individual results,” she said. “It’s about building depth, supporting riders early in their journey and creating teams that truly work together.”

As Team GBR looks ahead to a demanding international calendar, Pattinson will play a central role in shaping Britain’s presence at the highest level of the sport. “I’m incredibly proud to represent Team GBR,” she added. “I want people to feel inspired — to believe that with commitment, teamwork and a genuine partnership with the horse, anything is possible.”



Saudi Arabia: 71 Countries represented at the Al Fursan Endurance AlUla this weekend

http://endurance.net/international/SaudiArabia/2026WorldEnduranceChampionship/ February 6 2026 From February 6-8, AlUla (KSA) will once b...