Monday, December 31, 2018

Copa Chile was finally here and it was better than expected

Endurance-World.com - Full Article

30th December 2018
Race Report made with the assistance of André Alvarez

Matetic Wineyard, Casablanca, Chile. Saturday 15 December 2018. The Copa Chile turned out to be a beautiful and crowded event with more than 120 riders. The first category began a 06:30 in the morning.


29 horses competed for the first place on FEI2* 120km for adults and also tickets to the Dubai Crown Prince Cup scheduled for 16 March 2019 in Dubai.

Everybody was interested about this race because aside of the honour of the cup and the prices, there were the best horses of the season in the same race.

In the first loop Paula Llorens on Vikingo took the lead. They did great average speed on every loop and even better recovery times than the rest. This way they made it very hard for their competitors to have a chance...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/copa-chile-was-finally-here-and-it-was-better-than-expected/

Sunday, December 30, 2018

2018: A Year in Driving and Endurance

FEI.org - Full Article

27 December 2018

Young riders and horses were among those who impressed most during the year in Endurance, the discipline which puts human and equine stamina and determination to the test.

The FEI European Championships for Young Riders & Juniors took place in Pisa, Italy in July over a 120km course. Spain’s Raquel Costa Codina took the Individual title with bay Tunez Costa ahead of Slovakia’s Micahela Supekova and France’s Lilou Tomas Arnoud.

Codina made it a double victory as she also helped Spain to the Team prize, as they edged host nation Italy into second place.

In September, the World Endurance Championship for Young Horses was staged in Šamorín, Slovakia...

Read more here:
https://www.fei.org/stories/driving-endurance-review-2018

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Token Reimbursement Offered for Disastrous Tryon Endurance Ride

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

December 28, 2018 | Comments
by: Pippa Cuckson

Countries represented in the abandoned endurance ride at the World Equestrian Games are to be reimbursed 1000 CHF ($1006) per rider by the FEI.

The token sum – equivalent to the entry fee – is described as a “subsidy” in a FEI letter to all national federations. It is accompanied by a reminder that the FEI was not to blame for the false start and other disastrous events at Tryon on ride day, September 12, and that the decision to cancel was force majeure.

The FEI board decision follows unsuccessful compensation requests from an undisclosed number of national federations. News of the “subsidy” has intensified anger on social media from riders who had been hoping for more detail from the Equine Community Integrity Unit (ECIU) investigation into that disastrous day...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/token-reimbursement-offered-disastrous-tryon-endurance-ride/

FEI uses emergency powers to improve care of seriously injured endurance horses

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Pippa Cuckson
11:15 - 28 December, 2018

A loophole that enabled fatal or career-threatening equine injuries to be “airbrushed” out of FEI results has been tackled by the FEI’s new temporary endurance committee.

The FEI has used emergency powers to approve the new rule, just days after it was drafted under the chairmanship of Britain’s Dr Sarah Coombs.

From 1 February, endurance judges can apply a new severe injuries (SI) elimination code, which will carry the same sanctions for riders as the existing catastrophic injury (CI) category.

It is hoped the SI code will promote transparency and remove incentives to prolong an injured horse’s suffering...

Read more at https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/fei-uses-emergency-powers-improve-care-seriously-injured-endurance-horses-674294#OKHT6OCbWqDZQ1g7.99

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Estonia: Padise Equestrian Centre to bid to host 2021 FEI World Endurance Championships for Young Riders & Juniors and for Young Horses

PEC.ee

Beautiful Padise county is located in Estonia - the small country in Northern Europe that has an amazing variety of landscapes, from over a thousand picturesque lakes to dense forests, where various animals live.
The rare endurance venue can offer the loops which include the forest tracks, field roads, and beach sand. Padise is one of them. This place is located just a few kilometers from the coast of the Baltic Sea.

In 2017 Padise Equestrian Centre hosted two FEI Endurance international events, under the name Padise Endurance Festival I and II respectively.

In 2018, Padise Equestrian Centre hosted six FEI events during the season, naming them Padise Endurance Festival III to VIII.

Nine FEI events are scheduled for 2019, to be named the Padise Endurance Festival IX to XVII.

Organizers prepared the world-class facilities, including the permanent endurance village with a cozy national design, impressing all the officials and participants.

For more information about Padise Equestrian Centre visit website www.pec.ee

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Umbria Endurance Lifestyle 2018 – Winter edition

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

23rd December 2018
Race Report made with the assistance of sistemaeventi.it

Horses Sporting Club La Lame in Montefalco – Umbria Region, Italy. Sunday 16 December 2018. The winter edition of Umbria Endurance Lifestyle 2018 has not betrayed the expectations, it brought not only the beauty and the charm of the unique territory of Montefalco, Bevagna, Trevi and Foligno, but also the strength of a constantly growing movement.

The five rides hosted in the structures of the Horses Sporting Club Le Lame in Montefalco saw the highest quality and expert riders and horses claiming the podium spots.
Therefore, the satisfaction of the organizers was legitimate, starting from Gianluca Laliscia, managing director of sistemaeventi.it, and Giovanni Zampolini, owner of the Horses Sporting Club Le Lame who confirmed the great potential of his equestrian centre for what concerns the organization of major events...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/umbria-endurance-lifestyle-2018-winter-edition/

Monday, December 24, 2018

Oman: Ammar bags first place in endurance race

TimesOfOman.com - Full Article

December 23, 2018 | 9:34 PM by ONA

Barka: Horse rider Ammar Al Balushi (Horse Marfal) secured the first place in the one-star international endurance race for 100 kms organised by Oman Equestrian Federation for season 2018-2019 at the Endurance Village at Seih Al Mahamid in the Wilayat of Barka.

Sixteen out of 44 horses succeeded in crossing the finish line after having passed the veterinary tests one day prior to the race.

Ammar Al Balushi secured the first place in the one-star international endurance race for 100 kms after completing in 4 hours, 7 minutes and 20 seconds...

Read more here:
https://timesofoman.com/article/647983/Sports/Ammar-bags-first-place-in-endurance-race

Sunday, December 23, 2018

FEI Board moves swiftly to close loophole over catastrophic injuries in Endurance

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

December 23, 2018
Horsetalk.co.nz

FEI officials have moved quickly to close a loophole over catastrophic injuries to endurance horses.

The current FEI Endurance rules define a catastrophic injury as one requiring euthanasia.

Sanctions are applied on the basis of the owner agreeing to the horse being euthanised and can be avoided if euthanasia is refused, with obvious serious welfare consequences for the horse.

The Endurance Temporary Committee, set up by the FEI in a further bid to tidy up undesirable aspects of the discipline and return it to its “original roots”, discussed the catastrophic injury issue during its December 12 meeting.

It proposed that, in addition to catastrophic injury, the sanction would also apply when there is a “severe injury” to the horse...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2018/12/23/fei-loophole-catastrophic-endurance-injuries/

Saturday, December 22, 2018

Endurance Department Updates

Inside.Fei.org

21 Dec 2018
FEI Endurance Rules

At present, the FEI Endurance Rules define a Catastrophic Injury as one requiring euthanasia. Sanctions are applied on the basis of the owner agreeing to the horse being euthanised and can be avoided if euthanasia is refused with obvious serious welfare consequences for the horse. The Endurance Temporary Committee discussed this serious issue during their meeting on the 12 December and has proposed that, in addition to catastrophic injury, the sanction would also apply when there is a “Severe Injury” of the horse.

In order to protect the welfare of the horse, the FEI Board unanimously approved during their teleconference of 19 December 2018 the following modification to Article 815.3 of the Endurance rules which can be found here. This change would become effective as of 1 February 2019.

Please take note that in keeping with FEI Statutes Art. 20.3, the FEI Board may pass resolutions which are normally the prerogatives of the General Assembly. In such cases, the National Federations are promptly notified. If a majority of the National Federations eligible to vote, respond within thirty (30) days of the date of the notice, signifies its disapproval, the measure shall be rescinded if possible.

In addition, as the Endurance Temporary Committee continues working on its proposals for Endurance Rule changes for 2020, which will be discussed at the FEI Sports Forum next April, the FEI will actively reach out to Organisers to test the implementation of modified Heart Rates and presentation times in order to gather valuable information that will be presented as part of the Endurance discussions at the Sports Forum.

Should you have any question, do not hesitate to contact Marc Chovelon at marc.chovelon@fei.org or Aude Barby at aude.barby@fei.org

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Spain Fails in Second Appeal for WEG Endurance Medals

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

December 17, 2018
by: Pippa Cuckson

Spain, front-runners when the World Equestrian Games endurance ride was controversially called-off, has failed in a second attempt to receive medals in hindsight.

The FEI Tribunal dismissed an appeal from the Spanish Equestrian Federation in a decision notice published this week. Spain’s first appeal at Tryon on September 12th also failed.

Tribunal rejected the claim on a number of legal points, notably that under FEI rules the winning horses must have completed the “entire course” and passed the final vetting. By definition, the FEI said, anything cancelled cannot have a winner.

Tribunal also rejected the argument that precedent was set at the Euston Park 2012 world championship, abandoned during a heavy storm. On that occasion, Tribunal said, 52 combinations and four teams had completed the whole competition before the thunderstorm arrived...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/spain-2nd-appeal-weg-endurance/

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Long Rider Jing Li cements his place in equestrian history


Jing Li has ridden thousands of kilometres across some of the world’s most remote terrain. Photos: Longridersguild.com
Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

December 15, 2018
Horsetalk.co.nz

Jing Li, once dubbed the world’s most elusive Long Rider, has completed an epic ride across Russia, and is now making plans for an 11,250-kilometre horseback journey from St Petersburg, Russia, to Jiang’an in China.

Long Riders’ Guild founder CuChullaine O’Reilly says the Chinese-born rider has established himself as the foremost equestrian traveller in the saddle today.

The completion of his latest ride from the Caucasus Mountains across Russia has added to Jing Li’s remarkable series of achievements in the saddle.

At the end of the 4380km journey, he carried the Guild flag into the Moscow lecture hall of the Russian Geographical Society...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2018/12/15/long-rider-jing-li-equestrian-history/?utm_medium=40digest.prsonly.20181215.home&utm_source=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=campaign

Friday, December 14, 2018

Spain: France's Virginie Atger wins the 65th International Raid of Barcelona – Santa Susana

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

14 December 2018
Race Report made with the assistance of Marc Grèbol

Sant Pol de Mar, Barcelona. Thursday 6, Friday 7 and Saturday 8 December 2018. The French elite rider Virginie Atger won the 65th Barcelona International Raid – Santa Susana (sponsored by SportHG and Meydan), the oldest equestrian endurance competition in Europe.

Atger completed the 192km race, divided over two days, on her horse Come’t d’Ardene with a time of 11:45 and demonstrated his enormous quality at the end of the European endurance season.
For 20 years, the town of Santa Susana has hosted the Barcelona Raid in the first week of december. The event enjoys a special prestige among the European riders of this discipline, both for its age and the closure of the sports season. The discipline of endurance or raid, in peak in recent years, consists of traveling long distances on horseback, divided into several phases. Thus, a great physical and mental resistance is required for both the rider and the horse, as well as great skills of domination of time and energy...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/virginie-atger-wins-international-raid-of-barcelona-santa-susana/

‘Cheating must be stamped out’: new endurance committee faces up to challenges

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Eleanor Jones
17:28 - 13 December, 2018

The people tasked with cleaning up endurance say they are “under no illusions about the challenges” they face, after their first meeting.

The temporary committee set up by the FEI board in October, to “urgently review the endurance rules in order to address the issues currently affecting the discipline”, met at FEI HQ in Lausanne, Switzerland, yesterday (12 December).

Committee chairman Sarah Coombs, a British vet, said: “Today’s meeting generated really strong and productive debate and, together with input from a broad spectrum of stakeholders, we have already drawn up a list of our key focus areas. Your voices are being heard.”

Committee members had already had a “huge amount” of feedback from the endurance world, on a number of key areas.

These include: increased testing of horses for prohibited substances, increased sanctions for horse abuse, reviewing speeds, reassessment of rules on mandatory rest periods, redefinition of elimination codes (particularly catastrophic injury), qualifications, hyposensitivity screening, heart rates, over-training and over-competing, course design and crewing numbers...

Read more at https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/cheating-must-stamped-new-endurance-committee-faces-challenges-673162#2kHk5XZkwv5DKmK8.99

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Endurance committee takes first steps to clean up sport

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

December 13, 2018
Horsetalk.co.nz

A temporary committee charged with an urgent review of the FEI’s endurance rules has had its first in-person meeting at FEI Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Wednesday.

The committee has a remit to bring the discipline back to its original roots of endurance riding as opposed to endurance racing. Britain’s Dr Sarah Coombs, chairwoman of the committee, said it had received “a huge amount” of feedback from the endurance community on an array of topics, following its establishment by the FEI Board.

Coombs said the committee would do “whatever is necessary to rebuild the trust of our community and restore the image of a discipline that has every right to remain a part of the FEI, provided the rules are adhered to and enforced to ensure that our horses are protected and cheating is stamped out.”

She said the meeting generated “strong and productive debate”, and its key focus areas had been decided...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2018/12/13/endurance-committee-clean-up-sport/

FEI Endurance Temporary Committee Holds First In-Person Meeting

Inside.FEI.org

12 Dec 2018

The Temporary Committee, established by the FEI Board in October to urgently review the Endurance rules in order to address the issues currently affecting the discipline, held its first in-person meeting at FEI Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI) today.

Dr Sarah Coombs (GBR), who chairs the Temporary Committee, said after the meeting: “Today’s meeting generated really strong and productive debate and, together with input from a broad spectrum of stakeholders, we have already drawn up a list of our key focus areas. Your voices are being heard. We are under no illusions about the challenges of the task ahead, but the future of the discipline is under the spotlight and we will do whatever is necessary to rebuild the trust of our community and restore the image of a discipline that has every right to remain a part of the FEI, provided the rules are adhered to and enforced to ensure that our horses are protected and cheating is stamped out.”

The Temporary Committee has already received a huge amount of feedback from the Endurance Community on a number of key areas, including:

• Increased testing of horses for prohibited substances;
• Increased sanctions for horse abuse;
• Review of speeds;
• Reassessment of rules on mandatory rest periods;
• Redefinition of elimination codes (particularly Catastrophic Injury);
• Elite athlete status and “jockey riders”;
• Qualifications, including qualification as a combination;
• Increased completion percentage before allowing upgrade to next level;
• Reinstate and redefine two-hour invasive treatment rule;
• Hyposensitivity screening (the use of the FEI Hyposensitivity Control System (HCS) was voted in at last month’s FEI General Assembly for implementation in 2019);
• Heart rates and presentation times at Vet Gate;
• Definition of and registration of trainers;
• Over-training/over-competing;
• Mandatory medication logbook and out of competition testing;
• Extended provisional suspension for horses testing positive to Banned Substances
• Course design
• Tack and equipment
• Crewing numbers

This first meeting also provided the Temporary Committee with the opportunity to establish the methodology it will use to fulfil its remit to carry out an in-depth review of the rules that will bring the discipline back to its original roots of Endurance riding as opposed to Endurance racing, with horse welfare and horsemanship at its core, while still maintaining the competitive aspect of the sport. The Temporary Committee also agreed a consultation process that will involve further liaison with stakeholders to avail of their expertise and in-depth knowledge of the discipline.

In addition to the chair Dr Coombs, the other members of the Temporary Committee are Endurance athlete and member of the FEI Athletes’ Committee Tarek Taher (KSA), chef d’équipe of the Dutch Endurance team Pieter Wiersinga (NED), FEI Veterinary Committee member Dr Tim Parkin (GBR), who heads up the scientific research conducted at the University of Glasgow as part of the FEI’s Global Endurance Injuries Study (GEIS), and Valerie Kanavy, a former member of the FEI Athletes’ Committee and the Athletes’ Representative on the Endurance Committee (2014-2018).

FEI Vice President Mark Samuel (CAN) joined today’s meeting and will facilitate communications between the Temporary Committee and the FEI Board. The FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez, FEI Endurance Director Manuel Bandeira De Mello, FEI Veterinary Director Göran Akerström and other FEI staff members also attended the meeting.

The Temporary Committee will hold its next in-person meeting on 15 January 2019 and there will be a dedicated Endurance session at the FEI Sports Forum 2019 (15-16 April) during which the Temporary Committee will provide an update to delegates.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Seddon event opens New Zealand season

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

Race Report made with the assistance of Heidi Bulfin
9th December 2018

Marlborough Club, Seaview, Seddon, Marlborough, New Zealand. Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 December 2018. ESNZ Endurance’s 2018-2019 FEI Series got off to a start with the beautiful Seddon CEI2* event, hosted by the Marlborough club.

The ride went wholly over the Yealands’ and Pernod-Ricard’s vineyards at Seaview, with breath-taking views over the sea to the North Island, and the Awatere river to the south.
Rain earlier in the week in Marlborough ensured near-perfect underfoot conditions, with not a single lameness vet out for any of the endurance classes. The vets and officials helped with the smooth running of the event, and the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting. Riders had travelled from as far afield as Palmerston in the South and the Wairarapa in the North...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/seddon-event-opens-new-zealand-season/

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Can This Latest Endurance Review Make a Difference?

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | December 10, 2018

The temporary committee charged with reinventing endurance (yet again) has been bombarded with ideas before its first face-to-face meeting with the FEI on December 12th.

The committee’s new athlete representative, Tarek Taher, is also launching a long overdue riders group – the True Endurance International Riders Association (TEIRA.) It should eventually enjoy the same MoU with the FEI as the rider groups for jumping, dressage and eventing.

TEIRA hasn’t hung about, commissioning a detailed survey which, among other things, showed that most of the 700 respondents want stricter qualifying criteria to improve riding standards and encourage longevity in the horse...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/latest-endurance-review-make-difference/

Portugal: Weed in pasture was behind horse’s failed drug test, FEI Tribunal finds

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

December 11, 2018
Horsetalk.co.nz

An endurance horse who tested positive for scopolamine most likely came to have the drug in his system through ingesting a paddock weed, the FEI Tribunal has ruled.
Fadista Das Tapadas, ridden by Carlos Cunha, of Portugal, took part in a 1-star 80km endurance ride in Madrid, Spain, on May 19 last year.

Samples taken from the horse on the day subsequently tested positive for scopolamine.

Scopolamine is a parasympatholytic drug used as a smooth muscle relaxant for the treatment of gastro-intestinal spasms. It is listed as a controlled medication under the equine anti-doping rulings.

From January 1 it will be formally identified as a specified substance – a category of substances recognised as able to enter a horse’s system inadvertently due to a credible non-doping explanation, such as pasture contamination...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2018/12/11/weed-pasture-horsedrug-test-fei-tribunal/

Friday, December 07, 2018

Valerie Kanavy Joins Endurance Temporary Committee

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

December 5, 2018
by: Equestrian Canada

Valerie Kanavy (USA), the former athlete representative on the Endurance Committee, is to replace her compatriot Dr Margaret (Meg) Sleeper on the Temporary Committee set up in October to urgently review the Endurance rules in order to address the issues currently affecting the discipline.

Meg Sleeper, who was initially announced as one of the members of the Temporary Committee chaired by Dr Sarah Coombs (GBR), has resigned after advising the FEI last week that she could be in breach of the FEI rules on mandatory rest periods after competing in two national events in the US...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/valerie-kanavy-endurance-temporary-committee/

Thursday, December 06, 2018

Australia: Sarah Lymbery wins at prestigious Orange endurance riding event

TheRural.com.au - Full Story

December 5 2018
Nikki Reynolds

A WAGGA endurance rider has earned top accolades at the Matar Stables Bullio Cup in Orange.

Sarah Lymbery is from a family of endurance riders and competed in her first 20-kilometre ride on her fifth birthday.

Her long association with the sport, and a commitment to training, has allowed her to perform at the highest level. She won a saddle for her efforts in Orange recently. “It felt surreal and overwhelming,” she said after returning to Wagga.

“I feel so proud of my horse to have been able to win the cup against these riders on a such a challenging course,” she said...

Read more here:
https://www.therural.com.au/story/5794754/going-the-distance-in-endurance-riding/?cs=6528

Australia: Wild Ride: Former NT stationhand’s crazy time during Mongol Derby

WeekyTimesNow.com.au - Full Article

Andrea Davy, Rural Weekly
December 3, 2018

SHORT hooves, a kind eye and something that looked like it was ready to run.

Those were a few of the features Kathy Gabriel looked for when picking a semi-wild horse for the Mongol Derby — a 10-day race that stretches 1000km across the vast country.

“But basically … I was just looking for something that wouldn’t kill me,” she joked.

This year, Kathy, who is the rural personality behind popular, and often humorous, Facebook page Experience Australian Agriculture, pooled much of her resources into competing in the iconic race.

She was injured on day three, after a fiery ride on a bolting horse that only came to a stop with the aid of two handy Mongolian horseman, and eventually pulled out by day five from a shoulder injury.

Despite this, she is determined to save again for the $18,000 entry fee and take the risk riding half-broke foreign horses...

Read more here:
https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/rural-weekly/wild-ride-former-nt-stationhands-crazy-time-during-mongol-derby/news-story/7dfc1ad26ce3fd4baa48c1d8621e9e49

The Next Four Years: Random Thoughts on Ingmar's Road Map

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | December 3, 2018

Since the FEI general assembly in Bahrain two weeks ago, the FEI website has featured a portrait of Ingmar de Vos, re-elected president unopposed. “The sky really is the limit” says the blurb, in a somewhat sweeping statement. Broad brush strokes are indeed the theme of Ingmar’s “road map” for his next four years.

There is not much sport-specific detail. Eventing gets mentioned once, in the context of future Olympic venue selection. Dressage is mentioned in terms of needing a title sponsor for the World Cup series – now in its second season funded wholly by the FEI after the contract serviced by Haya’s buddy Reem Acra expired. No mention of rollkur, notwithstanding the oft-repeated mantra that welfare is TOP priority.

The only thing that to me has the sky as its limit is Jan Tops’s Global Champions Tour. My word, how the Global has mushroomed during the first four years of Ingmar’s presidency – and despite the FEI, not because of it.

While bringing riches to jumpers akin to other top sportsmen, the Tour has unwittingly undermined the very Olympic participation that most senior jumpers believe their sport compromised itself to maintain. I can only comment on what I am hearing in the UK, but there have now been several championships and key Nations Cups for which Scott Brash and Ben Maher were unavailable, due to commitments to the Tour. Plenty of folks are murmuring that riders who don’t help GB qualify (as we are not there yet) should not be on the Tokyo team. Whether or not that bites off one’s nose to spite one’s face, the mindset hardly builds camaraderie.

Still, the Tour is hard to knock from a spectator perspective. Because of its pay card-related business model, a number of get-rounders are par for the course, but the cream always rises to the top. No principal class jump-off all season has been less than electrifying.

And now, significantly, the Tour moves indoors for the first time, with the new “play-off” show in Prague (December 13-16) boasting an eye-watering 12m euro (US$ 13.6m) purse. If a Global winter indoor league is being developed, more than the FEI Nations Cup is at risk.

Incredibly, there is not one mention of the E-word in Ingmar’s road map, despite endurance being the FEI’s biggest public relations/welfare problem of all time. Endurance’s “issues” are hardly top secret, why not discuss the strategy, unless there isn’t one, of course...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/ingmars-road-map/

Wednesday, December 05, 2018

Ireland: Successful year for ILDRA’s Ulster Branch

Farmweek.com - Full Article

By Bree Rutledge - December 4, 2018

THE 2018 Irish Long Distance Riding Association (ILDRA) Ulster Branch season kicked off with a New Year’s Day ride spent at the beautiful Gosford Forest Park. Horseback riding is always the perfect way to wish in the New Year and the CTR riders were out in force at this pleasure ride event to begin their training for the 2018 endurance season.

Several stunning venues have been visited by ILDRA during 2018 and many of these venues are the hidden gems of the Northern Irish countryside, offering beautiful off-road riding in safe, scenic landscapes. Whether those attending are keen endurance riders or pleasure riders, everyone always enjoys the day out with their four-legged companions exploring the endless trails. The enjoyment offered by attending Ulster Branch events is evident in all the riders, they always return from their rides with beaming smiles and kind words of thanks for the ride organisers, praising their hard work and admiration for the riding venues offered by ILDRA...

Read more here:
https://farmweek.com/successful-year-for-ildras-ulster-branch/

FEI announces new member of Endurance Temporary Committee

Inside.FEI.org

4 Dec 2018

Valerie Kanavy (USA), the former athlete representative on the Endurance Committee, is to replace her compatriot Dr Margaret (Meg) Sleeper on the Temporary Committee set up in October to urgently review the Endurance rules in order to address the issues currently affecting the discipline.

Meg Sleeper, who was initially announced as one of the members of the Temporary Committee chaired by Dr Sarah Coombs (GBR), has resigned after advising the FEI last week that she could be in breach of the FEI rules on mandatory rest periods after competing in two national events in the US.

Dr Sleeper competed with her horse Syrocco Cadence (FEI ID 102UO89) in a national ride on 22 September and the mare completed 137.6 of 160 kilometres before being eliminated for irregular gait (lameness). Dr Sleeper then entered the mare for a second 160-kilometre national ride on 27 October, which she won, but was subsequently advised by her National Federation that she could be in breach of FEI rest period rules.

This has now been confirmed to the FEI by US Equestrian, and the FEI today notified Dr Sleeper that she has been given 100 penalty points under FEI Endurance Rules Articles *815.3.1 and 815.3.3, resulting in an automatic two-month suspension commencing today (4 December 2018).

“We are sorry to lose Meg Sleeper, and we appreciate her honesty and transparency in immediately advising us of this issue, even before it had been confirmed by her National Federation, but it was clear that her position on the Temporary Committee was untenable in these circumstances”, FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “This meant that we had to find a replacement and the FEI Board has agreed that this should be Valerie Kanavy, who is an athlete, a former member of the FEI Athletes’ Committee and also an organiser, so she brings a wide range of experience to this new role.”

Dr Sleeper, who has competed in FEI Endurance since 2005 and is also a trainer, official veterinarian and veterinary cardiologist, commented: “As soon as I realised that I could be in violation of FEI rest period rules I immediately contacted the FEI and my colleagues on the Temporary Committee and explained the situation. Once it was confirmed, I knew that the right thing to do was to resign. I made a mistake and I bitterly regret it, but the work of the Temporary Committee will shape the future of my discipline and that is too important to allow my mistake to deflect from that goal.”

Valerie Kanavy, who won individual gold with Pieraz at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Den Haag (1994) and took the world title again four years later with High Winds Jedi in Abu Dhabi (UAE), was a member of the FEI Athletes’ Committee and the Athletes’ Representative on the Endurance Committee for the four-year term 2014-2018. She has been competing at the elite level of the sport for more than three decades and won her most recent FEI event, a CEI2* 120-kilometre ride with Amir El Arab AT in July of this year, a week before celebrating her 72nd birthday.

The other members of the Temporary Committee are Tarek Taher (KSA), an international Endurance athlete elected by his peers as a member of the FEI Athletes’ Committee earlier this year; Pieter Wiersinga (NED), chef d’équipe of the Dutch Endurance team, a Police Commissioner and former Head of the Mounted Police in the Netherlands; and Dr Tim Parkin (GBR), who was elected onto the FEI Veterinary Committee at last month’s FEI General Assembly and who heads up the scientific research conducted at the University of Glasgow as part of the FEI’s Global Endurance Injuries Study (GEIS).

The Temporary Committee is chaired by Dr Sarah Coombs (GBR), a top FEI Endurance veterinarian who has many years’ experience of officiating at FEI Endurance events. Dr Coombs was formerly the British Endurance team vet, is a Trustee of the global equine charity World Horse Welfare and is also chair of its Veterinary Advisory Committee.

FEI Vice President Mark Samuel (CAN) will also be involved in the work of the Temporary Committee and will help facilitate communications between the Committee and the FEI Board.

The first in-person meeting of the Temporary Committee will be held at FEI Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI) on 12 December. This first meeting will establish the methodology to be used to fulfil the Committee’s remit to carry out an in-depth review of the rules in order to identify the most effective way of bringing the discipline back to its original roots of Endurance riding as opposed to Endurance racing, with horse welfare and horsemanship at its core, while still maintaining the competitive aspect of the sport. The Temporary Committee will also use this first meeting to determine the crucial consultation process with relevant key people in order to tap into their expertise and in-depth knowledge of the discipline.

Notes to Editors:

In order to protect horse welfare, FEI rules on mandatory rest periods apply to both international and national events, even in cases where the National Federation rules do not include rest periods.

*FEI Endurance Rules, Art 815.3 Mandatory Rest for Horses
If a horse participates in a CEN during the mandatory rest period, the Athlete will receive an official notification from FEI Headquarters. The 100 penalty points will be applied on the date of the FEI notification and consequently the Athlete’s two month suspension will take effect as of the date of the FEI notification.

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.

The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.

The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.

Thursday, November 29, 2018

UAE: Power and surprises at Al Wathba races

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

Info@endurance-world.com
27th November 2018

Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, United Arab Emirates. Saturday 24 November 2018. An unusual appearance with two races on the same day; a CEI1* 80km and a CEN 100km being the main event HH Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak for Private Owners – Ladies Endurance Cup.

The ladies race, which was first scheduled as a CEI2* but got later changed into a private owners’ race, was run under the Al Wathba conditions where the organisers have right of first refusal to buy the top three horses.
As in the past, these standards kept the most important private stables away, while others like Al Kamda Endurance Stables, Bin Ham Endurance Stable, Al Ghandi Pvt Stables and Al Ain Stables signed present...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/power-and-surprises-at-al-wathba-races/

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Oman: Mohammed Al Balushi wins 48th National Day Endurance Race

Timesofoman.com - Full Article

November 26, 2018 | 2:04 PM by ONA

MUSCAT: Horse rider Mohammed bin Khamis Al Balushi, took the top honours of the 48th National Day Endurance Race organised by Oman Equestrian Federation (OEF) in the 100km open category.

The competition was held at the Endurance Village in Seih Al Mahamed that included two qualifying races over a distance of 40 and 80km. The number of horses that took part in the three competitions stood at 88.

The 100km race saw the participation of 62 horses, where Mohammed bin Khamis Al Balushi secured the first place in 3 hours 56 minutes...

Read more here:
https://timesofoman.com/article/494595

Sunday, November 25, 2018

FEI, UAE vet tells of time at forefront of equine welfare developments

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

November 23, 2018
Horsetalk.co.nz

A pioneering horse vet who was at the forefront of several landmark equine health and welfare developments in the sport horse world has published his memoirs on his time in the industry.

When Irish veterinarian Alex Atock, 86, began his first job in regulatory veterinary medicine as a racing official, he would not have guessed that one day his lifelong affection for horses would impact how horse sports are conducted worldwide, and that his advocacy for their welfare would improve their treatment near and far.

As a pioneer of international equine health regulation and welfare for several organizations such as the FEI, World Horse Welfare, the Irish Turf Club and the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, Atock initiated programs and wrote policies still endorsed and followed by regulatory veterinarians and stewards around the world.

Now retired, Atock has put away his passport, and picked up a pen...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2018/11/23/fei-uae-vet-equine-welfare/?fbclid=IwAR0NrwmnLh0KxsZqIXYFqmPMHB6XiKL3B-3Pd9tds8BWvirZaMV615aBOX4

South Africa: Race the Wild Coast blog: it was utterly brutal, an onslaught, heroic and redeeming

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Katy Willings
10:55 - 30 October, 2018

My ability to sit and write this final post has been hampered far more by an inability to sit vs. an inability to write. The saddle sores are finally healing over acceptably and so in this post I’ll take you through my race and the experience, and cover off the most frequently asked questions by my friends, family and fellow seekers of equine adventure.

So, how was it?

Utterly brutal, an onslaught, heroic, redeeming. An adventure so full of hazard and hardship that you must focus your entire self on the immediate, the now, the horse under you and the terrain in front of you, and cope with the utter basics of your existence.

You can breathe, you can run, you can ride, you can see (for most of it… more on that later), so you are not dead yet and you are still in this race...

Read more at https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/blog/race-wild-coast-blog-utterly-brutal-onslaught-heroic-redeeming-669257#KKIuRSvzwgrGDsjr.99

Saturday, November 24, 2018

South Africa: Brave adventurers tackle the ride of their life on Horse & Country

Horseandcountry.tv

November 15, 2018

The thrilling series The Ride returns to Horse & Country for a third series, with Barry Armitage and Joe Dawson tackling yet another incredible journey on horseback.

Human endurance
In 1835 Sir Harry Smith took just six days to ride 950km from Cape Town, using the horse-based postal system of the Cape Colony. His mission was to take command of the British garrison at Grahamstown.

Smith had fresh horses waiting for him at post stations every 40km, but it was still a remarkable feat of human endurance and horsemanship. Riding at an average speed of over 22km per hour, he covered around 150km a day.

Brave duo
This incredible race against time is relived by Barry and Joe in the latest series of The Ride.

Using 40 horses, sourced from the local trail and endurance riding communities, the brave duo replicate the postal system of 1835 and endeavour to match the furious pace set by Smith.

You can watch their epic journey on Horse & Country. Episode one of The Ride: Ghost of Harry Smith premieres on 1 November at 7pm.

Horse & Country is available on iOS and Android apps. You can also find us on Amazon Video, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Sky 184 and Virgin TV 298.

Watch the preview, or sign up to watch:
https://horseandcountry.tv/brave-adventurers-tackle-the-ride-of-their-life-on-horse-country/

French Riding Federation announces departure of French national endurance coach

Grandprix-Replay.com - Full Article

[translation]

Friday, November 23 - 10:53 | Interviewed by Yeelen Ravier

"I HAD THE IMPRESSION OF ENDORSING THINGS THAT I DO NOT LIKE", BÉNÉDICTE EMOND BON

This morning, the French Riding Federation announced the departure of Bénédicte Emond Bon from her position of national endurance coach. Petrified of convictions and love for his discipline of heart, like a Nicolas Hulot devoured by its principles, the Southern decided to throw in the towel, feeling helpless against the continuing excesses of his sport.

GrandPrix-Replay: What motivated you to leave your post at the French Riding Federation?

Benedicte Emond Bon: Let's say that I recognize myself less and less in the discipline of high level endurance. There are many drifts that taint this sport. The straw that broke the camel's back was the scenario of the Tryon World Equestrian Equestrian Games ( read here ) ... It was beyond anything I could imagine. It was not even imaginable! This has totally demotivated me, and I do not see any solutions to the current problems. So, I feel helpless. I feel like endorsing things that I deeply dislike.

GPR: So you decided to leave, even in spite of the recent declarations of the International Equestrian Federation, which has in particular launched avenues for reflection on the future of your discipline?

BEB:For me, the FEI says it takes action, but they are just facades...

Read more here:
http://www.grandprix-replay.com/article/8469/javais-limpression-de-cautionner-des-choses-qui-me-deplaisent-benedicte-emond-bon?fbclid=IwAR0BWp41u1ZToJo2QXH10cGqQlkZQVNzPy3cztbiqNNBo94Ii0t5MOLs_6U

Unanimous support for re-election of Ingmar De Vos as FEI President

Inside.FEI.org

20 Nov 2018

Ingmar De Vos was today re-elected unopposed as President of the FEI at the General Assembly in Manama (BRN), where he pledged to build on the success of his first term in office. The Belgian native received unanimous support for a second four-year term from delegates representing the FEI’s 133 National Federations.

It is the first time since 2002 that there has been an uncontested election for the FEI’s top role. The Belgian native is the 13th FEI President since the Federation was founded in 1921, and only the fourth to become an IOC Member.

“I believe in our sport, in our community and in our potential”, Ingmar De Vos said in a powerful acceptance speech after an extended standing ovation from the delegates. “These are exciting times for equestrian. We are growing, our fan base is diversifying and we have seven amazing and unique disciplines to promote – the sky really is the limit!

“Together – and this is the key word – together we can and we will continue to develop our sport and to attract new athletes, new fans and new sponsors. And we will do this by ensuring great sport, cutting edge formats and great products globally to showcase the unique attributes of our disciplines and our sport.

“One of my biggest priorities is to keep our community together and ensure we stand united, because this is how we can continue to drive the sport to new heights. We are all on this journey together. It is not the mission of one man but of a community and I am grateful to everyone in this room for all that we have achieved and all that we will go on to achieve.”

He gave a heartfelt vote of thanks to his wife Sabine and the couple’s four children for their unfailing support, before going on to thank his predecessor HRH Princess Haya al Hussein for her visionary leadership and his mentor, the late Jacky Buchmann, former President of the Belgian Equestrian Federation.

Under his leadership, the FEI has seen greater youth engagement and universality, continued improvements in governance within the FEI and its member Federations, and a major evolution in the Federation’s broadcast and digital media strategy.

In his Presidential Programme for 2018-2022, A Roadmap for the Future, Ingmar De Vos has pledged to continue working within the five pillars on which he structured his first term, each with their own set of key commitments. The five pillars are Serving our Community; Sport: Our Core Business; Equestrian Sport in the Olympics; Solidarity: The Engine of Development; and Horses as our Partners.

Under the FEI’s constitution, a president can serve up to three four-year terms. Ingmar De Vos was first elected in 2014 at the FEI General Assembly in Baku (AZE) after three years as FEI Secretary General at the FEI Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI).

De Vos (55), who was elected as an IOC Member in September 2017, is also a member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) governance taskforce, a member of two IOC Commissions (Legal Affairs and Digital & Technology), and is on the board of the Belgian National Olympic Committee. Earlier this month he was appointed to the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) Council and as the GAISF representative on the 12-member World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee, replacing the late Patrick Baumann in both roles. Mr De Vos will take up the WADA post on 1 January 2019.

More about Ingmar De Vos

A Belgian native, Ingmar De Vos was born on 5 August 1963. He holds degrees in political science, and international and European law, and started his career as an advisor to the Belgian Senate. He joined the Belgian Equestrian Federation as managing director in 1990, and held the additional role of Secretary General from 1997 to 2011.

During his time at the Belgian National Federation, Ingmar De Vos was chef de mission for the Belgian team at all six FEI World Equestrian Games™ between 1990 and 2010 and at three Olympic Games – Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. He is a member of the Belgian Olympic Academy. He was co-founder of the European Equestrian Federation in 2010 and was also Secretary General from 2010 until 2011, when he joined the FEI.

After three years as FEI Secretary General, Ingmar De Vos was elected as FEI President in December 2014.

Friday, November 23, 2018

Bids for equestrian World Championships sought by end of February

IrishExaminer.com - Full Article

Wednesday, November 21, 2018 - 03:10 AM
By Michael Dunne

The world governing body of equestrian sport (FEI) has given a three-month timescale for bids to host the next world championships in 2022 and has said it will accept representations from venues interested in staging standalone events as well as those who would be prepared to host all seven equestrian disciplines at once.

The all-in-one format, introduced in 1990, has been known as the World Equestrian Games (WEG), but doubts were cast on its future just over two weeks ago when FEI President Ingmar de Vos stated that it may not be the best model going forward due to the enormous cost and logistical challenge to a single bidder.

At its Annual General Assembly, which concluded in Manama, Bahrain, yesterday, the FEI announced that bids are now being invited to find venues to host separate world championships for the various disciplines. However, it also said that preference would be given to a bidder prepared to stage the seven disciplines - jumping, dressage, eventing, reining, vaulting, endurance and para-equestrian dressage - in one location, thus maintaining the WEG format. There is no doubt, though, that this is being said more in hope than expectation...

Read more here:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/bids-for-equestrian-world-championships-sought-by-end-of-february-886728.html

Patagonia: The New Gaucho Derby

TheAdventurists.com

A new world-class horse race in Patagonia.

We here at The Adventurists created the Mongol Derby a staggering 10 years ago. Not content with running the world's longest and toughest horse race for so long, we thought we should take our equine expertise across the pond. Behold, the Gaucho Derby.
dotty black.png
What?

The Institute of Adventure Research shouted 'Gaucho Derby' at us quite loudly, then disappeared into their cave of intention. This can mean only one thing. Soon, they'll reemerge glorious, sweating and full of ideas that we'll then craft into an adventure that will redefine horse racing. Yet again.

It's going to be a long-distance, endurance event on horseback, in one of the most eyeball-meltingly brilliant spots on this planet.
Where?

Mr Tom initially wanted to do it in the North Pole, but we reminded him it was a bit chilly, had no horses and didn't really go with the name. So Patagonia it is. The Institute is investigating racecourse options in the mountains, deserts, pampas and grasslands of the southern section of the Andes as we speak.
When?

The Institute of Adventure Research are in Patagonia right now meeting people, shaking hands, and gawping at the horses and scenery. Plans are being crafted right now, with an Institute-led pioneers edition penned for early 2019 and the first full edition targeted at October 2019.

Stay tuned at:
https://www.theadventurists.com

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Australia: Collie to host Tom Quilty endurance ride

CollieMail.com.au - Full Story

Amanda Rayner
November 21 2018

On September 18 and 19, 2020, Collie will host the Tom Quilty Gold Cup 160km Endurance Ride. The Tom Quilty ride is the premier event on the national calendar and the one event that every endurance rider wants to compete in.

Riders leave with pitched excitement at midnight on Friday night, trying to complete the gruelling course before midnight on Saturday.

It is a test for both the horse and rider against the terrain and the elements. Horses are vetted stringently pre-ride and along the way at various checkpoints and then at the end of the ride.

If all vet criteria is met the horse and rider are deemed ‘fit to continue’ and ultimately receive the coveted silver buckle for completion.

In 1966 R.M. Williams organised the first 100 mile (160km) endurance ride in Australia. At that time he approached his friend Tom Quilty, of Springvale and Bedford Down stations in the Kimberley, to sponsor the ride...

Read more here:
https://www.colliemail.com.au/story/5767938/collie-tom-quilty/

Equestrian sports leaders reflect on past year, look to future at 2018 FEI General Assembly

Eurosport.co.uk - Full Article

Grand Prix
November 20 2018

Discussion, debate, elections and awards. This week, the 2018 General Assembly of the Fédération Équestre Internationale – the world governing body for Olympic equestrian sports – has been taking place in the Persian Gulf island nation of Bahrain. The event wraps up this evening as the organisation charts the future of show jumping, eventing, dressage, and diverse equestrian-related topics.

The Swiss-based FEI, which was founded in 1921 and has in the past been led by both HRH Prince Philip and HRH Anne, Princess Royal, is today headed by its President Ingmar De Vos of Belgium, who this week was officially re-elected for a new four-year term in the role. He is accompanied at the top of the organisation by FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez, who presides over many of the assembly sessions. Indeed, she noted that 116 national federations have been in attendance either directly or indirectly from November 16–20 in Bahrain, a country whose name means “two seas”.

In his acceptance speech following his re-election, De Vos highlighted some of the major issues the FEI is currently dealing with, including testing its new competition formats ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, implementing a new commercial strategy and looking for new partners, adopting new technologies, graphics and applications for equestrian sports fans, and finding a solution for the problem-plagued long-distance discipline of Endurance, “with a clear emphasis on Endurance riding not Endurance racing...”

Read more here:
https://www.eurosport.co.uk/equestrian/equestrian-sports-leaders-reflect-on-past-year-look-to-future-at-fei-general-assembly_sto7019620/story.shtml

FEI invested $US1m in failed WEG endurance event

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

November 20, 2018
Horsetalk.co.nz

Just over $US1 million was spent by the FEI on the endurance track at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina, delegates to the FEI General Assembly in Manama, Bahrain were told on Monday during a meeting to discuss the issues surrounding the cancelled event.

Findings by the independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit (ECIU) on the issues surrounding the Endurance championships at the Games, were presented at the General Assembly, focusing on the sequence of events that took place from about 12 hours before the start of 160km competition that ultimately led to the false start on September 12. Some competitors were misdirected and officials opted to change the ride to a 120km event, before deteriorating weather forced the event’s cancellation.

Andrew Smith from the ECIU detailed the underlying reasons that affected preparations for the endurance event, with the report’s findings based on information provided during interviews with several people, including key people within the Organising Committee, the FEI and other witnesses.

The conclusions of the report show...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2018/11/20/fei-invested-us1m-weg-endurance/

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Investigation reveals "multiple issues" with endurance discipline at World Equestrian Games

Insidethegames.biz - Full Article

By Dan Palmer
Monday, 19 November 2018

An investigation into the endurance event at this year's World Equestrian Games in Tryon has concluded that there were "multiple issues".

The topic featured heavily during discussions at the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) General Assembly in Bahrain today.

Endurance was beset with problems at the event in the United States with athletes first misdirected at the start of the race on September 12.

FEI officials halted the action after the first loop and the event was restarted as a 120 kilometre competition.

It was claimed that this was the only "pragmatic solution" as there was no possibility to reschedule the event for the following day.

However, the entire competition was then cancelled due to bad weather on the course.

It meant that neither the individual or team medals were awarded.

The FEI instructed the independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit (ECIU) to investigate while Spain’s Ignasi Casas Vaque was provisionally relieved of his duties as deputy chair and member of the Endurance Committee.

This was pending legal proceedings for alleged incorrect behaviour...

Read more here:
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1072443/investigation-reveals-multiple-issues-with-endurance-discipline-at-world-equestrian-games

FEI Releases Report On 2018 WEG Endurance Cancellation

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

By: Edited Press Release
Nov 19, 2018

The 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, in Mill Spring, North Carolina, and the future of the Games were the subject of a well-attended session at the FEI General Assembly in Manama, Bahrain, today.

The independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit, which was tasked with investigating the issues surrounding the endurance championships at the Games, presented its findings on the sequence of events that took place from approximately 12 hours prior to the start of competition that ultimately led to the false start on Sept. 12.

Andrew Smith from the ECIU also detailed the underlying reasons that affected preparations for the endurance event, with the report’s findings based on information provided during interviews with multiple persons, including key people within the Organizing Committee, the FEI and other witnesses.

The conclusions of the report show that there was no single reason that caused the false start but multiple issues: most importantly lack of communication between officials—particularly the lack of radios—and also between the Organizing Committee, national federations and athletes, delays to the preparation of the vet gate and the endurance trail, and the decision to maintain a full schedule of events at Tryon International Equestrian Center that stretched an already under-resourced team required to deliver both these events and the Games.

The ECIU has also provided a second report to the FEI regarding allegations of misconduct. This will be reviewed by the FEI Legal team to assess whether further disciplinary proceedings will be brought before the FEI Tribunal. The final decisions on any such proceedings will be published by the FEI.

FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez then presented the overall conclusions, acknowledging that there were multiple factors that contributed, not just to the issues surrounding endurance but which also impacted the overall delivery of the Games. The management structure of the Organizing Committee, other construction projects and resources that were given priority over delivery of fields of play and other Games-related infrastructures, and communication of vital information in a timely manner were major contributory factors, she said.

However, “to be completely honest we, as a community, were fortunate that Tryon were courageous and willing to take on the enormous challenge to host the Games only 22 months prior to the event. Without them we would have had no WEG 2018.”

She informed delegates that the FEI invested close to $1 million on the endurance track alone, over and above other financial support provided by the FEI to the Organizing Committee to ensure the Games happened. In-keeping with good financial oversight, the FEI had made financial provisions specifically to cover emergency situations specifically related to the Games.

Mrs Ibáñez highlighted the incredible sport over the 12-day Games and the tireless teamwork of all concerned. “The Organizing Committee, the volunteers, officials and FEI staff and the national federations who, despite the frustrations, continued to work positively with both the Organizing Committee and FEI to find solutions and provide the best possible environment for their athletes, horses and team staff.”

She also acknowledged that, despite the FEI’s commitment to support the Organzing Committee, in particular during the latter stages of event preparations, the FEI had no realistic mechanism to push the Organizing Committee to deliver on its promises other than threatening to cancel the Games, which was not an option due to the time and resources that national federations and athletes had invested in preparing for the Games.

Prior to opening up the meeting to questions from the floor, the Secretary General talked through the plan to open up the bidding process for individual world championships in all disciplines for 2022, but with preference being given to multi-discipline bids.

The Secretary General stressed: “This does not necessarily mean the end of the FEI World Equestrian Games and bids to host all-discipline Games will still be considered.”

FEI Director Games Operations Tim Hadaway had opened the session by presenting a report on the planning and delivery of the Tryon 2018 Games, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of four key areas: sport, Games operations, commercial, communications & media operations.

Top sport (with the exception of endurance) was the key success of the Games, along with superb broadcast coverage on NBC in the home market, including 57 hours of live coverage that resulted in a record audience for equestrian sport. However, lack of venue readiness and an under-resourced Organizing Committee, both from a financial and personnel perspective, were major negatives that ultimately impacted the delivery of the Games.

Questions and comments during the 90-minute session from National Federation delegates from France, Chile, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Uruguay, Italy and Bahrain focused on weather and the suitability of Tryon for the Games, reimbursements to national federations that sent endurance athletes and horses to the Games, lack of communication, Officials, and lack of accountability.

Monday, November 19, 2018

FEI World Equestrian Games™ tops discussion sessions before tomorrow’s FEI General Assembly

(FEI/Liz Gregg photo)
Inside.fei.org

19 Nov 2018

The FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 and the future of the Games were the subject of a well-attended session at the FEI General Assembly in Manama (BRN) today.

The independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit (ECIU), which was tasked with investigating the issues surrounding the Endurance championships at the Games, presented its findings on the sequence of events that took place from approximately 12 hours prior to the start of competition that ultimately led to the false start on 12 September.

Andrew Smith from the ECIU also detailed the underlying reasons that affected preparations for the Endurance event, with the report’s findings based on information provided during interviews with multiple persons, including key people within the Organising Committee, the FEI and other witnesses.

The conclusions of the report show that there was no single reason that caused the false start but multiple issues: most importantly lack of communication between Officials – particularly the lack of radios – and also between the Organising Committee, National Federations and Athletes, delays to the preparation of the Vet Gate and the Endurance trail, and the decision to maintain a full schedule of events at Tryon International Equestrian Center that stretched an already under-resourced team required to deliver both these events and the Games.

The ECIU has also provided a second report to the FEI regarding allegations of misconduct. This will be reviewed by the FEI Legal team to assess whether further disciplinary proceedings will be brought before the FEI Tribunal. The final decisions on any such proceedings will be published by the FEI.

FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez then presented the overall conclusions, acknowledging that there were multiple factors that contributed, not just to the issues surrounding Endurance but which also impacted the overall delivery of the Games. The management structure of the Organising Committee, other construction projects and resources that were given priority over delivery of fields of play and other Games-related infrastructures, and communication of vital information in a timely manner were major contributory factors, she said.

However, “to be completely honest we, as a community, were fortunate that Tryon were courageous and willing to take on the enormous challenge to host the Games only 22 months prior to the event. Without them we would have had no WEG 2018.”

She informed delegates that the FEI invested close to CHF 1 million on the Endurance track alone, over and above other financial support provided by the FEI to the Organising Committee to ensure the Games happened. In-keeping with good financial oversight, the FEI had made financial provisions specifically to cover emergency situations specifically related to the Games.

Mrs Ibáñez highlighted the incredible sport over the 12-day Games and the tireless teamwork of all concerned: “the Organising Committee, the volunteers, Officials and FEI staff and the National Federations who, despite the frustrations, continued to work positively with both the Organising Committee and FEI to find solutions and provide the best possible environment for their athletes, horses and team staff.”

She also acknowledged that, despite the FEI’s commitment to support the Organising Committee, in particular during the latter stages of event preparations, the FEI had no realistic mechanism to push the Organising Committee to deliver on its promises other than threatening to cancel the Games, which was not an option due to the time and resources that National Federations and athletes had invested in preparing for the Games.

Prior to opening up the meeting to questions from the floor, the Secretary General talked through the plan to open up the bidding process for individual world championships in all disciplines for 2022, but with preference being given to multi-discipline bids, as detailed in the Bureau wrap-up report published on 17 November.

The Secretary General stressed: “This does not necessarily mean the end of the FEI World Equestrian Games and bids to host all-discipline Games will still be considered.”

FEI Director Games Operations Tim Hadaway had opened the session by presenting a report on the planning and delivery of the Tryon 2018 Games, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of four key areas: sport, Games operations, commercial, communications & media operations.

Top sport (with the exception of Endurance) was the key success of the Games, along with superb broadcast coverage on NBC in the home market, including 57 hours of live coverage that resulted in a record audience for equestrian sport. However, lack of venue readiness and an under-resourced Organising Committee, both from a financial and personnel perspective, were major negatives that ultimately impacted the delivery of the Games.

Questions and comments during the 90-minute session from National Federation delegates from France, Chile, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Uruguay, Italy and Bahrain focused on weather and the suitability of Tryon for the Games, reimbursements to National Federations that sent Endurance athletes and horses to the Games, lack of communication, Officials, and lack of accountability.

The afternoon had kicked off with a session on the Dressage Judging Working Group, with the Chair of the FEI Dressage Committee Frank Kemperman and Bettina De Rham, FEI Director Dressage, Para Dressage, Vaulting and Reining presenting an update on the implementation of the working group’s 19 recommendations which will drive the future of the sport.

The final session of the afternoon focused on rules changes, with presentations on amendments to the FEI Statutes, discipline specific proposals for rule changes, and revisions to the Veterinary Regulations, the Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations and the Olympic & Paralympic Regulations. There was also a presentation on the plans to continue with an additional pilot phase for the CSI Online Invitation System, which will be voted on separately from the rest of the Jumping rules at tomorrow’s General Assembly.

At the end of the rules session, the Legal Director reminded National Federations that the age limit will be replaced by a competency based evaluation system, as per the recommendation of the Officials Working Group. FEI Officials reaching the relevant age limit as of 2018 may apply to continue officiating providing they have been active for the past two years, their application is supported by their National Federation and they are in good-standing with the FEI. The FEI Secretary General, in consultation with the relevant Discipline Director and Chair of Technical Committee, will review applications on a case by case basis. FEI Officials who retired in 2017 or before may only re-apply once the competency-based assessment has been implemented.

During the morning meeting between the regional groups and the Bureau, the Secretary General informed delegates that the US-based Reining bodies – the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) – are in breach of the terms of their cooperation agreement with the FEI. In order to ensure the integrity of the discipline and maintain a level playing field for all athletes competing in FEI Reining, the agreement with these two bodies has now been terminated. Both the AQHA and NRHA have been informed that a binding commitment to implement the FEI rules on anti-doping, stewarding requirements and the age of competing horses are prerequisites for any future cooperation. The Secretary General advised delegates that FEI Reining events will continue, and invited National Federations to provide feedback to the FEI on how they see the future of the discipline at international level.

Tomorrow’s General Assembly starts at 09:00 local time. The full session will be livestreamed and you can follow the debates and voting on our blog.

All presentations from the FEI General Assembly will be available in due course.

The Timid Rider Sponsors The Gobi Desert Cup Best Sportsmanship Award

[Red Bank, New Jersey November 16, 2018] Heather Wallace, the Timid Rider, is a returning adult equestrian seeking to inspire and motivate others with confidence in and out of the saddle through her book, Confessions of a Timid Rider, her blog, and her social media.

She is proud to announce that The Timid Rider is the official sponsor of the Best Sportsmanship Awards for the 2019 Gobi Desert Cup, taking place August 27 - September 6, 2019, in Mongolia. Every day a rider will be chosen who motivates and supports others on their journey. At the closing Awards Ceremony, an award for overall Best Sportsmanship will be presented to the rider that showed exemplary sportsman-like behavior throughout the entirety of the race.

Heather joined the Gobi Desert Cup in 2018 as the Media Consultant to provide writing and photography. She loved every moment and is further inspired to help others pursue their passions and test their limits. During her time with the event, she challenged herself to sleep on the ground, take camp showers, eat exotic food, and even race a Mongolian horse in the Officials Race!

As a proud part of the official Gobi Desert Cup team, Heather is pleased to share each rider’s journey in the worldwide press as well as sponsor an award that is so important to her mission.

Video announcement.

About The Timid Rider
Heather Wallace is a returning adult equestrian struggling with confidence in the saddle. She left riding due to anxiety as a teenager and returned as an adult after having her first child with no less tension, but the determination to pursue her passion and time to herself. Follow Heather’s journey on The Timid Rider while she struggles to let passion be greater than her fear.

Heather has written for many publications including Holistic Horse Magazine, Sidelines Magazine, Endurance World, Sport Endurance Evo, and Equine Info Exchange. Her book, Confessions of a Timid Rider, was an Amazon best-selling book in three equestrian categories and the #1 Hot New Release in “Equestrian.”

About The Gobi Desert Cup
Co-founded in 2017 by FEI 3* Endurance Rider, Camille Champagne, the Gobi Desert Cup is a 480-kilometer multi-stage endurance race through the Gobi Desert, riding Mongolian horses every day for six days over 50 miles. This challenge is the only one of its kind to combine endurance while positively supporting Mongolian nomadic culture and their horses before, during, and after the event.

FEI's Ingmar De Vos - the irresistible rise of an expert administrator

Insidethegames.biz - Full Article

By David Owen Sunday, 18 November 2018

Often when I meet those who have scrambled to the top of international sport's greasy pole, I conclude that they are politicians first and administrators second.

After 90 minutes in company of Ingmar De Vos in his pleasant third-floor office in the Lausanne headquarters building gifted to the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) by his predecessor as President, Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, I am left with the strong sense that with the 55-year-old Belgian, it is the other way around. This is even though he began his career in mainstream politics.

This order of priorities equips him well, I think, for a period when sport in general and the Olympic Movement in particular is having to battle hard to cling onto the prominent and privileged role in society to which it ascended over a century or more. Suddenly glitz and hyperbole are out, better governance and a healthy awareness that sport is not the only thing are in.

Having established himself as an indispensable figure in equestrianism, to the point where his bid for a second term as FEI President at Tuesday's (November 20) General Assembly in Bahrain is unopposed, I would expect De Vos to emerge in coming years as an increasingly prominent voice in the conclaves and debates that will shape sport and Olympism's short-term future...

Read more here:
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1072380/ingmar-de-vos-the-irresistible-rise-of-an-expert-administrator

Australia: Busselton riders prepare for world's toughest horse race

Busseltonmail.com.au - Full Article

November 18 2018
Sophie Elliott

It is described as the longest and toughest horse race in the world, but that hasn’t stopped Amelia Park Farm manager Sarah Brown and horse breaker Jesse Byrne signing up for the 2019 Mongol Derby.

The duo are among just 40 riders chosen to compete in the 10 day race through the Mongolian Steppe.

The world’s greatest equine adventure race is based on Genghis Khan’s horse messenger system, which connected half the planet as the nerve system of the largest empire in human history. Race organisers have spent the last decade rebuilding the ancient network to stage the 1000 kilometre event.

Brown and Byrne will ride semi-wild horses, changing steeds every 40km as they navigate the stretch and live among the herders.

Byrne, who was born into the racing industry, admitted he was concerned about chaffing but looking forward to taking on the mental and physical challenge.

“There are not many ways to test yourself as a rider and as a person,” he said.

“I feel like if you can get through something like this, it will make any problems you face afterwards seem minor and that if you knuckle down, you can get through anything.

“We will be able to come home and feel like we’ve accomplished something...”

Read more here:
https://www.busseltonmail.com.au/story/5753448/riders-prepare-for-the-ultimate-test-of-skill/

UAE: Two times double at Dubai races

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

Info@endurance-world.com
19th November 2018

Dubai International Endurance Village, Dubai, UAE. Wednesday 14 November and Friday 16 November 2018. Two races were scheduled; the first one a CEI2* 120km Endurance Qualifier, the second one two days later a CEN 120km Al Marmoom Endurance Cup.

Races during the week are always subject to some disappointment for the passionate riders who have a full time job or those going to college/university as this withholds them from participating, especially when it is a CEI2*. Nevertheless, the start list was big and impressive. Another hot topic was the weather with above normal temperatures which made it hard for horse and rider. For the CEI2* there were participants who didn’t take these conditions into consideration leading to a very high elimination rate of 201 horses on 326 entries...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/double-win-at-dubai-races/

Sunday, November 18, 2018

World Equestrian Games: Is this the end of the line?

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

November 18, 2018 Horsetalk.co.nz

Horse sport’s world governing body has opened the door for separate world championship events in 2022, in favor of an FEI World Equestrian Games.

After two bidding rounds, no realistic bids had been submitted for the 2022 event, leading the FEI Bureau to open up bidding to individual world championships in all disciplines. It said preference would be given to multi-discipline bids, and that the world championships for Dressage and Para Dressage should be combined.

FEI President Ingmar De Vos stressed that the move did not necessarily mean the end of the FEI World Equestrian Games, and bids to host the full seven-discipline Games for 2022 and 2026 will be considered...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2018/11/18/world-equestrian-games-end-line/


FEI Drops World Equestrian Games for 2022, Seeking Bids for Individual World Championships

Dressage-news.com - Full Article

November 17 2018

MANAMA, Bahrain, Nov. 17, 2018–The International Equestrian Federation disclosed Saturday it is dropping the requirement for a World Equestrian Games in 2022 and will accept bids for championships of individual disciplines. The FEI admitted that attempts to maintain for 2022 the combined championships held once every four years since 1990 “has not resulted in any realistic bids.”

Preference would be given to multi-discipline bids for 2022, the FEI said, while dressage and para-dressage should be combined.

The decision insisting on a single host for dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, jumping, reining, vaulting and para-dressage did not come as a surprise after two of eight WEGs required venue changes–1998 and 2018–when organizers did not have funding and no organizer came forward for 2022.

Ingmar de Vos, the FEI president was quoted in a statement, as stressing that “this does not necessarily mean the end of the FEI World Equestrian Games and bids to host the full seven-discipline Games for 2022 and 2026 will be considered. However, he made it clear that securing world championships for 2022 in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines was crucial as these serve as qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Games...”

Read more here:
http://dressage-news.com/2018/11/17/fei-drops-world-equestrian-games-for-2022-seeking-bids-for-individual-world-championships/

Saturday, November 17, 2018

FEI President Admits it's Hard to Motivate WEG Organizers

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

November 8, 2018
by: Pippa Cuckson

FEI president Ingmar de Vos has admitted it has had “to fight to motivate one organizer” to take on the World Equestrian Games in recent years.

He also says the FEI must take “courage” to review the viability of the WEG, following concerns by the delays and organizational difficulties exhibited by Tryon, which took on the 2018 WEG renewal just 18 months ahead of the event.

In a mission statement for his next, uncontested four years in office, e Vos says he will review all FEI’s championships “with an open mind in order to make the best choices for the future and sustainability.”

The FEI would promote multi-disciplinary bids, but he added: “If we want to be successful we need to have a model that creates competition and can interest a lot of organizers rather than having to fight to find and motivate one organizer for WEG...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/fei-president-admits-hard-motivate-weg-organizers/?utm_source=Enews+Nov+12%2C+2018&utm_campaign=EnewsNov122018&utm_medium=email

Friday, November 16, 2018

Waikato student Elise Stables youngest Kiwi to take on Mongol Derby

Stuff.co.nz - Full Article

Equestrian
13:44, Nov 13 2018

Waikato student Elise Stables' decision to take a year off to travel will lead her on an adventure through the toughest horse race in the world.

Stables has been selected as the youngest New Zealander to ride in the Mongol Derby, a challenge she'll have almost a year to prepare for.

Riders cover 1000km of Mongolian wilderness on semi-wild horses, changing steed every 40km.

It is the rider and horse against the world, and up to the rider to navigate and survive the wilderness...

Read more here:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/racing/108484765/waikato-student-elise-stables-youngest-kiwi-to-take-on-mongol-derby

Great Britain: Variety Is The Spice of Life For Alfie

EverythingHorseUK.co.uk - Full Article

15/11/2018 ehuknews

Ballydoolagh Alfie, owned by Huddersfield-based endurance rider, Jeni Gilbert, is proof that variety is the spice of life for this 11-year-old Connemara.

Alfie is making his mark in the sport of endurance with Jeni, a former Novice Champion, Endurance GB Senior and Supreme Champion (2007, 2011) and winner of several other titles. He has now completed more than 2300km in 48 competitions in his five year endurance career – an impressive feat for a native breed in a discipline that is dominated with Arab horses.

Jeni believes that competing in endurance gives an important advantage over other horse sports. As well as improving the fitness of your horse and regularly assessing his soundness, endurance also helps to develop a horse’s confidence and manners, and gives him great experience in learning to balance and cope with different types of terrain...

Read more here:
https://everythinghorseuk.co.uk/variety-is-the-spice-of-life-for-alfie/

"Prohibited List" Updates for 2019 Released by World Anti-Doping Agency

November 16 2018

The World Anti-Doping Agency has released its updates for the 2019 Prohibited List. You can see the complete list here:
https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/wada_2019_english_prohibited_list.pdf

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Tunisia Spurs On Equestrian Sports

FEI.org - Full Story

5 November 2018

We take a look at how FEI Solidarity has helped to generate a new generation of equestrian enthusiasts in the North African country of Tunisia...

In early 2011, few in Tunisia had a real, tangible interest in equestrian sports, with the number of licensed riders idling at barely 200.

Just five years later, that total had shot up, with 1,500 nationals registered with the Tunisian Equestrian Federation, over seven times the previous count. Here, we look at how this remarkable growth has come about and the role FEI Solidarity has played in popularising the sport...

The upsurge in public interest has been brought about in no small part thanks to Maher Berrachid, President of the Tunisian Equestrian Federation (FTSE).

Maher had clear ideas on what was holding back the sport in Tunisia and how these obstacles could be surmounted.

With Tunisia itself undergoing a significant political shift in 2011, the FTSE shed its previous designation as a military federation to become one overseen by the Ministry of Sport, giving it a wider scope for self-governance and the implementation of its own strategic plan.

FTSE has since overseen a near-complete revamp of the processes that govern it and the way it structures the sport.

“Before 2011, there weren’t any real objectives for the sport in Tunisia. No national training, no long-term perspective, but from the moment we focused our objectives on an international level and implemented a calendar, interest grew very rapidly,” says Berrachid.

“There’s been an entire dynamic created thanks to the trust that the people have in the Federation since 2011. The sport becomes more attractive, parents invest and allow their children to take part from a younger age, and clubs have more incentive to develop their offerings.”

The effect of these changes is perhaps most evident in Endurance competitions, which has seen some impressive results...

Read more here:
https://www.fei.org/stories/tunisia-equestrian-fei-solidarity

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

UAE Endurance Season Begins with More Horse Deaths

Grandprix-replay.com - Full Article

Wednesday 07 November - 22h43 | Lulu Kyriacou

The 2018/19 Endurance season in the UNited Arab Emirates has barely begun and already two horses have been listed as dead on the FEI Database.


In the CEI 80km in Dubai today (7th November) two horses, namely HENHAM FEATHERSTONE (UAE) (FEI Reg 105JJ43) who is a 10 year old gelding originally from South Africa and DENELDAN SHANARY (UAE) (FEI Reg 105SS86), a 10 year old gelding originally from Australia, were listed on the provisional results information available from official scorers Tawqeet, as eliminated for minor injury (MI) but both horses were then listed as deceased within hours on the FEI Database (see images).

This ride was only the second FEI ride for Deneldan Shanary, who was eliminated for metabolics (ME) on the first ride at Vet Gate 1 on the 31st of October, just one week before this ride...

Read more here:
http://www.grandprix-replay.com/uk/article/5857/uae-endurance-season-begins-with-more-horse-deaths?fbclid=IwAR1fRVcRiingX8Mcxd2rPra5Uvf5TITfT_AmtAnGVyKSDO1as0WNnF_uLuY

Doping: The Figures Behind the Headlines at Tryon

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | November 8, 2018

The FEI, quite understandably, has flagged up the nearly clean sheet achieved in the extensive sampling carried out at Tryon, save for two endurance horses.

The Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Programme always goes into overdrive at WEGs and Olympic Games, when so many major players are assembled in one place. The 2018 WEG was no exception; 163 horses were sampled out of (according to other official blurb) 820 participants. That’s a sampling rate of 19.88% of horses present, five times greater than the percentage usually targeted at non-championship fixtures.

“Enhanced” anti-doping measures were rolled out before Tryon, with national federations offered pre-arrival testing and elective testing to ensure horses were clean. The FEI also launched a guide in eight languages.

Naturally, the FEI is pleased the message sunk home, and the results provide another feel-good story to counter all the negative press about Tryon.

However, the FEI press release about these comforting results was issued a week or so before we could all access the negative tests listings on the Clean Sport bit of the FEI website. This list is as interesting for who wasn’t sampled as it is for who was...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/doping-figures-behind-tryon/

Australia: Queensland endurance riding season off to a ’stirling’ start

NoosaToday.com.au - Full Article 16/03/2024 Erle Levey It was like the first day back at school as Queensland endurance horse riders st...