France: Pierre Cazes - The Heart of French Endurance

Pamela Burton
30Apr04

Born in 1950, married with 2 children -
A veterinarian, Pierre Cazes has been in charge of the Selection process for the French National Endurance team since 1991. He was named National trainer in 1994 and continues in that position to this day.

Under his leadership, French riders have accumulated 26 medals for European and World Championships, 9 of which were Gold medals. These medals include:

1992, Barcelona, Team Gold, Silver Individual

1994, The Hague, Team Gold / Silver & Bronze Individual

5 horses in the first 6 places

1997 Rome, Championship of Europe ? 5 top placces and Team Gold

2000 Compiegne, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Individual

2002 Jerez, Team Gold, Bronze Individual

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2004 La Baule CEIO*** Coverage


In a training course in 1998, these were some of his points of recommendation, in translation, of course, for choosing the endurance horse.

“For the endurance horse, one is not necessarily looking for the traditional gates as in more structured disciplines. You do not need a trot with action or a rounded and collected gallop, which use too much energy. The good paces of endurance are horizontal, relaxed and slow. We can see these paces develop the more the horse is worked. However, if it is the horses’ natural inclination to be collected in it’s gates, it will be difficult to dissuade the horse from his natural inclination. As far as cardiac, a powerful horse has a good recovery. Certain horses have this naturally but it is primarily a question of work and one cannot give measurable criterion on a horse that is not in condition. There will be some indices of the cardiac quality of recovery only after the first months of work. The heart rate at rest is not a good index. As far as the mental aspect of the horse, champions are relaxed and educated and work well with their riders, but they may not be horses that may be ridden by everyone. They all have a great force of character and each one has its characteristic of behavior, its small touch of madness.

Much can be found out by observing the arrivals from a race. No horse is perfect, and even the best have their weak points. The significant thing is to know your horse and to be able to manage the weak points as well as possible. When one buys a horse for endurance, the surest solution is obviously to look at its record in endurance. It should be known that the best horses were bought by chance before they were ever run for reasons as simple as color or looks, or because nobody wanted it, or the stockbreeder sold it in a batch. Finally let us not forget the genetic references: certain lines prove to be stable in their quality for the endurance.”



A la prochaine fois, Pamela








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Brazil: Santa Catarina CEI***/**/* - 8 May

Cidinha Franzão and John Teeter
30 Apr 04

EnduranceBrazil and EnduranceWorld.net will provide coverage of the CEI***/**/* (thanks mainly to the efforts of Cidinha and EnduranceBrazil!!). We hope to introduce the endurance riders of the world to this unique venue - 7' above sea level with Heat and Humidity - a true test of endurance riding!

Our coverage starts today and will continue through next week. Enjoy!!!

johnt and Cidinha!!



EnduranceWorld.net Coverage Site

EnduranceBrazil Coverage Site

Malaysia to host Endurance International: July 2004

Malaysia has invited 21 countries to send one rider each to a CIE* 60 km International Endurance Ride to be held on borrowed horses, at Melingsung Beach, Papar, Sabah, on 17th July 2004. The event is titled CEI* 60 km – (Borrowed Horses) Chief Minister’s International Endurance Ride 2004.
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Edaran Endurance Classic ,120km CEI**:Riders and Horses profile

Malaysia: Edaran Endurance Classic 120 km. CEI**

posted by Nik Isahak Abdullah

Everyone in endurance are gearing up their training and
conditioning of themselves and their mounts for this very much awaited event
in the endurance calender.
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La Baule: Spotlight on Jack Begaud

By Pamela Burton
EnduranceWorld.net


Jack Begaud is one of the ongoing French endurance stars.

Begaud has been an integral part of the "coming of age" of endurance in France and Europe. On the race scene as a veterinarian since 1982, Begaud quickly decided he had to be in the middle of the competition and not on the fringe. In 1984 Begaud began his endurance rise with LOUSTIC, whom he rode to the Championship of France in 1989 and 1990,
and to a Silver Medal Team World Championship in Barcleona in 1992.

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The 2004 Biltmore Estate Challenge

Biltmore Estate Challenge Event Coverage
Angie McGhee/John Teeter



The 2004 Biltmore Estate Challenge will take place on 8 May. This year, the Biltmore will have CEI***/**, Open AERC (100 & 50), and also host the Region 12 IAHA 100 Mile Championship. The event will again be hosted on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate in Ashville North Carolina. Ride Manager Anne Ayala and the Biltmore staff wil host an expected 180 endurance competitors during the 3 day event.

Angie McGhee, having ridden 11 previous Biltmore Challenges, will provide first hand reports from Asheville. We look forward to providing timely information on Saturday as the rides progress as well as background information on the Estate and the riders competing at this years event.

This years Biltmore is also the first of 3 USEF National Endurance Team Training Events. (The other two will be Fort Howes on June 13th and the Abu Dhabi Arabian Nights ride on August 28th). All 10 USEF National Endurance Team Members will be attending these events, riding where/when practical and helping when not. The Biltmore will provide a suitably competitive venue for the first of these tests.

EnduranceWorld.net will provide before, during, and after the ride coverage of this years Biltmore. We wish all participants, organizers, volunteers, and especially Anne the best of luck for this years challenge.

More to come at the ride coverage site:

http://www.enduranceworld.net/events/2004biltmore/

John Teeter (and Angie - although she didn't get to proof-read this....:)

Intercontinental newsletter: 08/04

Intercontinental Newsletter
News & Messages
8/04

In this letter you’ll find:

• Message from Maciek Kacprzyk, Poland
  
• News from the FEI Endurance Committee - Important
  
• Message from Sergio Tommasi: Answer to Ian William’s letter (15th April 2004)
  
• Message from Sergio Tommasi: The History of Endurance in Italy
  

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Ultramarathons -- on horseback

Ultramarathons -- on horseback: "Ultramarathons -- on horseback
Teens attracted to the challenge of long distance
By JENNIFER LANGSTON
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
STANWOOD -- On her first 100-mile horseback riding race, Jessica Anderson hallucinated, seeing elongated, droopy cows on the side of the trail.
On her second, she found herself lost in the California desert -- in the wee morning hours, with her partner's leg full of cactus thorns and a shrieking cold wind that blew away the glow sticks lighting their path.
It is at times like these that the competitive 16-year-old wonders why she loves this sport, which appeals to the ultramarathoners of horseback riding."

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La Baule: The Competitors

La Baule: The Competitors
Pamela Burton


Winner of the 1st La Baule, CEIO in 2003, Sh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum of the UAE has been a consistent top finisher in European and Middle Eastern endurance rides since he began competition in 1999. Now 23, he was just 19 when he rode to 7th place at the WEC in Compiegne, France, in 2000 on DIANGO, one of two UAE riders to finish in the top 10 in that event. His 2003 Competition Record includes:

The UAE, with 3 riders in the top 10 World Rankings, will have competition from the French, who will send some of their best riders including Anita David, Sunny Demedy, Jean-Philippe Frances, Emilie Lambert, Barbara Lissarague, Cecile Milleto and Virginie Simon.

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~Abu Dhabi~ Arabian Nights 100 CEI***

Ridecamp
27April04


The August 28 100, CEI*** ride in Oreana, has a new name:

~Abu Dhabi~ Arabian Nights

, and a new sponsor '

Emirates International Endurance Village

'.

We're going to make this a fun weekend for all, food-entertainment-goodies, as well as a top notch event. The course was designed for the US Squad in preparation for the 2004(5) WEC in Dubai - so it will be fairly flat and fast.

But* the good news is that if you don't want to race, there will be a full moon - and you can just dawdle along (or hang out in the shade) during the heat of the day, and finish the ride at night, by the light of the moon! You will have 24 hours to complete the course, and there are no cutoff times. We will have some very special turtle awards, and the Owyhee desert is spectacular in the moonlight...


This is an open AERC 100, and an FEI CEI*** ride. I can mail you an entry packet, or you can print off the website:

http://www.endurance.net/oreana/arabiannights/

Steph


p.s. Bill Basham, the Gourmet Chef will be cooking all weekend!

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La Baule 2004

La Baule CEIO*** Event Coverage
Pamela Burton



Premier riders from 12 nations including Australia, Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, and the UAE are expected to arrive for the May 8 Super League endurance ride at La Baule, France.

The endurance venue, which begins at 8:30 AM beach-side in this lovely Atlantic Coastal town, will travel inland through 6 stages and several small villages before returning to the beach for the before-dark expected finale. Sixty riders are expected at this years ride, twice the amount of entrants in 2003, the 1st CEIO at La Baule.

I will be covering the La Baule ride for EnduranceWorld.Net....tough assignment, but someone had to do it. France is very organized in it's Equestrian competitions, more-so than many countries, as it is totally underwritten (read morally and financially) by its National Federation.

EnduranceWorld.Net will explore this lovely coastal area of France and take you along on the competition trails that will travel some of the medieval backroads of Brittany.

This event is the CEIO for France for 2004. The designation is given to one country for one competition per year. In order to obtain this label, the event must be of the highest quality. This top quality event will give endurance riders a venue to further hone their skills, looking forward to the World Endurance Championship in January 2005.

The UAE will surely maintain the challenge to duplicate the individual first place last year of Shk. Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktom, while the French team, who won the first CEIO at La Baule in 2003, will be looking to repeat their Gold Medal win.

The International teams will look forward to two other CEIO events, Newmarket in Great Britain on June 27, and Gubbio, in Italy on September 17-19 in this Competition series .

In France, Endurance is the second largest equestrian discipline by number of licensed participants, after jumping.

In 2003, a crowd estimated at 3,000-4,000 people watched the finish of the competitors, who had begun their ride at 7 am. The 2004 ride will still start at the beach site at low tide at 8:30 am, and will travel through many of small and medieval cities in the area. Some ride modifications have been made to reduce road travel, and the trail is slightly more difficult in technicality as a result.

A la prochaine, Pamela

Event Coverage Site

Intercontinental newsletter: 07/04

Intercontinental Newsletter
NEWS & MESSAGES
07/04

In this letter you’ll find:

• Important Message from Manoj Jalan, India
  
• Canter into Europe”: Central European Endurance Cup 2004
  
• Message from Suzanne Dollinger: Answer to Ian William’s letter (15th April 2004) concerning the message of Sergio Tommasi published in newsletter 06/ 04
  
• Gulf News: Several riders qualified for Senior World Championship 2005
  

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FEI General Assembly. Paris, 16-22 April 2004

FEDERATION EQUESTRE INTERNATIONALE
FEI PRESS NEWS
FEI GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Paris, 16-22 April 2004

A record number of National Federations took part in the 2004 FEI General
Assembly hosted by the French Equestrian Federation. The six days of
meetings (16 through 21 April) were held in a cooperative and friendly
atmosphere.

In connection with the General Assembly, both the Bureau and the Executive
Board met twice. A total of 26 different meetings took place throughout the
week, which represents the highest number of meetings ever organised in the
framework of an FEI General Assembly.

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FEI Endurance: US Federation and FEI Debate

US National Federation and FEI Correspondence
FEI Certificate of Capability, Qualifications, World Rankings, Welfare of the Horse

To National Federations: "As you will be aware, a recent review of the Endurance 4* qualification criteria has shown that the existing wording is not as clear as first thought and may be in need of further consideration and review... "

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Egypt: Riding the dunes

Riding the dunes
by AL-AHRAM

The fourth Al-Ahram Al-Arabi Endurance Ride took place in the desert overlooking the Pyramids. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab followed the pack with photographer Mahmoud Moussa

From top: Sheikh Hazza, centre, and celeberating with teammates by waving the UAE flag; Ragab and Mahmoud; Hazza and the Saqqara Pyramid in the background

Once again this year I found myself in the desert, surrounded by a sea of dunes, of shifting sands, and of the rhythmic pounding of hooves. From dawn until dusk, 52 horses and their riders explored the Sahara sands.

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USEF: An Open Letter to the FEI.

An Open Letter to the FEI.

Arthur W. Priesz, Jr., Esq.
USEF Vice President of Endurance

It is with a deep sadness and regret that this letter is drafted. However, too often issues within the Endurance Discipline are dealt with out of simple expediency or, worse, in the self-interest of those involved. This has been especially true Internationally, and occurs too much at home as well. Unfortunately, when it happens Internationally, it is displayed on a much broader and more visible stage. This must stop. We need debate, not to determine a “majority” position, but to determine what is “right” in keeping the Horse first.



Representatives of the United States Equestrian Federation attending the FEI General Assembly in Paris in April will be prepared to publicly debate these issues, and others. However, this open letter to you will also be distributed to other Endurance Nations to encourage debate and consensus regarding these issues. This is another unfortunate moment for this discipline, especially following the Paris Endurance Forum of only 13 months ago and the preceding disasters at Jerez.

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USEF Comments on proposed FEI Rules Changes:

http://www.enduranceworld.net/countries/us/FEIIssues/sid0001.htm

Brazil: 2004 Haras Endurance International Coverage

8 Apr 2004
Steph Teeter


It was truly an adventure. I had to keep the concentration up constantly, as the course had a lot of different trail, changing and turning frequently, through the woods, around fields, along lakes, through villages. A challenge even under normal circumstances. No daydreaming. I really enjoyed it though, Luis is a wonderful man and told me many stories, and many things about his native country.

We got to the first vet check fine, were met at the ingate by Henrique and crew, fast efficient, horses pulsed down quickly and vetted through fine. The second loop was more difficult - much hillier, and a lot of hardpack clay road. And the horses were less than enthusiastic about going back out after the 40 min hold (neither horse had done more than 40km before... what´s the deal?) We squeezed and pushed them out the gate, past the stable area (Luis´s horse tried more than once to turn back into his pen) and through the feed barn past bags of grain, dogs, tractors and men. We finally got them out and going well again, but it was tough going, and IMO too much hardpack and rock and hill to keep the same pace as before... ´Luis.... slow down... come back!..´

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Ride & Tie Association Sponsors International Teams

April 5, 2004 - El Cajon, California


The Ride and Tie Association today announced a program to extend the reach of the sport internationally. The association is inviting each national distance riding organization outside the USA to identify a team to represent their country at the 34th Ride & Tie World Championship. Each national team receives a free entry to the Championship event, a mentor to answer questions about preparing for the race, advice on gear, travel, camping and leasing a capable horse locally.

"We don?t have any doubt foreign teams can come here and do well," stated Curt Riffle, president of the Ride and Tie Association. He cited the man/woman team from Barcelona Spain who finished the 2003 World Championship race in 13th place overall, on a horse leased in California. One of the team members had no prior experience in the sport; he trained under the advice of American competitors who coached him by e-mail. "Because the sport is seldom seen outside the USA, there will be no qualifying criteria for international teams this year," Riffle stated.

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Brazil: Haras Endurance International Results

Bragança Paulista - SP Brazil
Cidinha Franzão
http://www.endurancebrasil.com.br/


The 2004 Haras Endurance International CEI***/**/* competition was run under beautiful conditions on Apr 3-4 in Bragança Paulista Brazil. The 80x2 CEI*** competition was won by Silvia Eguchi riding Poderosa. Best condition in the event was awarded to Afrodite, ridden by Marcio Jose Cardoso Honorio

The CEI** 119km Young Rider event was won by Renata Batah Taliberti on Garciela. BC in the event was awarded to WN KUMPARSITA ridden by Monica Pinto Lima Graziano.

At left, Stephanie Teeter on Fire Bird and Luis Alberto Carvalho Silva on Zefir - Photo by Cidinha Franzão

Complete results and further coverage by EnuranceWorld.net and EnduranceBrazil

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Intercontenental Endurance Newsletter: 05/05/2004

Desiree Hanen, The Netherlands


In this letter you’ll find statistics from 2003 FEI competitions. Also historical team efforts for the past 4 years are summarized.

World Wide Rankings 2003

Team Performances: Senior World Championships 1998 - 2002

Team Performances: European Championships 1999 – 2003

Message from Desirre Hansen concerning Endurance World Magazine

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Brazil: Haras Endurance International

Bragança Paulista, State of São Paulo
by Cidinha Franzão





The first FEI ride of this year in Brazil will be held next Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4, on the Haras Endurance, in the city of Bragança Paulista, State of São Paulo.

The events includ a 160 km CEI***Adults (2 x 80km), a 120 km CEI** Young Rider, a 80 km CEI*Adult and a 53 km ride with Adult, Young Rider and Junior divisions.

The course offers opportunities to develop good speed, plus mountains and beatiful landscape.

The winner of 160 km will have his name recorded on the Elizabeth van Schelle trophy - a person that has battled for growth of endurance not only in Brazil but in Latin America -, which was instituted in 2001 and adds a plate with the winner's nme each year. The trophy remains at its home in the Federação Paulista de Hipismo and the Best Condition Horse will have his name engraved on the Roberto Fernandes Trophy - known in Brazil as "Our Dear Guru" -, which pays homage to the best equine example of Brazilian endurance.

The trophy, that was instituted in 2001, will be part of Haras Endurance each year and will reeive a plate with the name of the horse who takes the Best Condition Award in the free-speed division.


EnduranceWorld.net coverage
EnduranceBrazil coverage

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