Alstonville's Duncan Woodhead makes his way to the podium in the Tom Quilty Gold Cup.

Sarah Sullivan photo

LismoreCityNews.com.au - Full Article

By Jon Fleetwood
Updated June 29 2023

Alstonville resident and president of the Tenterfield Endurance Riding Club, Duncan Woodhead, finished second in the heavyweight division of Tom Quilty Gold Cup.

This year's race was held in Imbil, Queensland, where 182 competitors took on a gruelling 160 kilometre course.

The 24 hour race began at midnight and competitors raced through the night with no sleep as they traversed the ranges of Imbil.

Not all were successful though, only 131 entrants successfully completed the course and passed the relevant vet checks.

The Tenterfield Endurance Riding Club has a long history of success at the race and this year was no different...

Read more here:
https://www.lismorecitynews.com.au/story/8253574/alstonvilles-duncan-woodhead-gallops-to-glory/?cs=27565

US Equestrian Announces U.S. Endurance Team for 2023 FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Riders & Juniors

USEF.org

by US Equestrian Communications Department | Jun 29, 2023, 10:00 AM EST

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce the athlete-and-horse combinations that will represent the United States at the 2023 FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Riders & Juniors, scheduled to take place September 2, 2023, at Castelsagrat, France. The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Lisanne Dorion with support from Dr. Olivia Rudolphi as the team veterinarian.

The following combinations will represent the U.S. Endurance Team and are listed in alphabetical order:

Avery Betz-Conway (Kingsland, Ga.) and RAS Istanbul, a 2011 Arabian gelding owned by Estanar S. A.

Alex Shampoe (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Fine Cut Gold, a 2011 Arabian mare owned by Valerie Kanavy and Wendy MacCoubrey

Meghan Wert (Spring Mills, Pa.) and Gilted Gold, a 2015 Anglo-Arabian mare owned by Valerie Kanavy

Competition Information

Learn more about the FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Riders & Juniors here.

More at:
https://www.usef.org/media/press-releases/us-equestrian-announces-us-endurance-team-for-2

New Zealand farmer makes quick work of Quilty Gold Cup

Sarah Sullivan photo

Arr.news - Full Article

By Fran Cleland, The Regional
28 June 2023

A farmer from New Zealand has won Australia’s most famous endurance ride, the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, completing the 160km course in the third fastest time in the event’s history.

Ashley Cole, riding the nine-year-old Arabian stallion Tonki Dee Boo Novak, crossed the finish line at Stirling’s Crossing, Imbil, Queensland, at the eight hour, 44 minute-mark, just a minute ahead of Catherine Bailey and Razorback Targaryen in second place.

Nikki Sample riding Brookleigh Danu was third, finishing the course in eight hours, 58 minutes.

Ashley and her husband, Ash, run a diversified farming operation on their property at Raetihi on New Zealand’s north island that see them juggling sheep, cattle and bees, as well as breeding Arabian horses.

Ashley returned to endurance riding about 10 years ago after an 18-year hiatus and competes with her husband and son, Clay, as members of the Central Districts Endurance Club.

“It was either buy a horse or have another kid,” she says on the club’s website. “The horse won!”...

Read more here:
https://arr.news/2023/06/28/new-zealand-farmer-makes-quick-work-of-quilty-gold-cup/

Scotland: Dunning-based horseman Iain Paterson rode 100 miles through the Cairngorms – in 21 hours

KDM Photography

TheCourier.co.uk - Full Article

June 18 2023
by Gayle Ritchie

Iain Paterson and his horse Primo tackled 100 miles of tough, tricky terrain in less than a day. Gayle Ritchie reports.

Darkness was falling as Iain Paterson trotted through the ancient Caledonian pine forest, glow sticks lighting the way.

He and his horse, Primo, were nearing the end of their epic 100-mile endurance ride through the Cairngorms, and, while they were weary, their spirits were high.

They were in the heart of Abernethy forest, having set off from Glen Clova at 4am with the ambition of finishing the Cairngorm 100 race within 24 hours. They nailed it, completing in 21 hours – winning the 2017 event to boot.

However, it wasn’t just speed that clinched the pair the top title. The sport takes horse welfare very seriously – the overall winner needs to have passed vet checks before, during and after the ride that deem the horse to be in good health.

Relief and elation

“There’s something so magical about riding along in the half-light through this beautiful old Scottish woodland,” reflects Iain.

“You pop out at the top of Nethy Bridge and think, ‘good God, I’ve really done this’...

Read more here:
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/outdoors/4484317/100-miles-through-cairngorms-horseback-21-hours/

Saudi Arabia: AlUla partners with Italian equestrian training specialists Sistemaeventi

ArabNews.com - Full Article

June 16, 2023

• Collaboration agreements will see support in training and development of endurance race
• Riders competing against some of Europe’s best in Italian event

ALULA: The Royal Commission for AlUla and Italian equestrian training specialists Sistemaeventi have announced the signing of two strategic agreements.

The memorandums of collaboration were agreed as members of AlUla’s team took part in the Italian Endurance Championship close to the town of Castiglione del Lago.

The agreements will enable more local horse riders to join AlUla’s endurance race team and become active members of its community, a statement said.

Sistemaeventi will provide advisory, technical and professional assistance, as well as highly trained horses to support the AlUla team’s participation in competitions and events held under the umbrella of the International Equestrian Federation, including the Endurance World Championship...

Read more here:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2322861/sport

Chinese Equestrian Association Endurance Standard Competition kicks off in Yongqing

BreakingLatest.news - Full Article

June 13 2023

On the morning of June 11, it was sponsored by the Chinese Equestrian Association, undertaken by the Yongqing County People’s Government, and executed by Langfang Yuancun Equestrian Sports Co., Ltd. and Beijing Kyushu Golden Horse International Cultural Development Co., Ltd.The 2023 China Equestrian Association Endurance Standard Competition (Yongqing Station) kicked off in the equestrian town of Yongqingyuan Village.

More than one hundred teams of equestrian clubs from Beijing, Shanghai, Inner Mongolia, Tianjin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hunan and other dozens of equestrian clubs participated. The participating horses mainly include Arabian horses, Anglo horses, Budyonny horses, domestically improved horses, Sanhe horses, Mongolian horses, etc. In order to reflect the fairness and justice of the event, the referees and veterinarians are composed of registered veterinarians and referees of the Chinese Equestrian Association respectively...

Read more here:
https://www.breakinglatest.news/sports/chinese-equestrian-association-endurance-standard-competition-kicks-off-in-yongqing-fei-elite-rider-jia-huilin-serves-as-the-chief-commander-of-the-event_tom-news/

Saudi Arabia Endurance Event has 47% Positive Drug Tests

HorseSport.com - Full Article

The FEI is considering sanctions for countries with a ‘prevalence’ of doping following the world’s richest endurance race in March.

By: Pippa Cuckson | June 12, 2023

Countries who fail to address their equine doping problem may face sanctions from the FEI in the future.

The FEI will discuss that option next year, following concerns about a spike in doping cases in Saudi Arabia, notably from the world’s richest FEI endurance ride in Al Ula. The 2023 ride, known as the “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup,” saw 15 of 32 horses sampled test positive. This is the greatest number of positives ever returned from a single FEI event in any discipline ‒ a rate of 47%.

Saudi Arabia is due to stage the show jumping and dressage World Cup finals next year, the first time an FEI title event in the Olympic disciplines is staged in the Middle East. Bearing in mind growing concern about equestrianism’s social licence to operate, Horsesport.com asked the FEI if it was wise or fair to other federations that a country with a poor doping record be “rewarded” with a prestigious championship...

https://horsesport.com/horse-news/saudi-arabia-endurance-event-47-positive-drug-tests/

Wales: Man V Horse record broken on sweltering hot day

Peter Barnett photo

Highlight.pr.co - Full Article & Photos

12 June 2023

Historic victory for Daniel Connolly as the fourth person ever to beat the horse

Daniel Connolly has become the latest winner of the Whole Earth Man V Horse race, finishing the course in just two hours, 24 minutes and 38 seconds – a whole 10 minutes before the first horse.

In amongst over 1200 runners and 60 horse riders, Daniel Connolly was the first person to cross the finish line.

Daniel’s victory comes hot off the heels of last year’s winner, Ricky Lightfoot, making Man V Horse history for a runner to beat the horse in two consecutive years. In the event’s long 42-year history, Daniel is the fourth person ever to win the challenging 22-mile course.

The winner amongst the horses was DNS Ronaldo, was ridden by Kate Atkinson and took two hours, 34 minutes and 25 seconds...

Read more here:
https://highlight.pr.co/226915-man-v-horse-record-broken-on-sweltering-hot-day

Meet the 70-year-old from Inverness who cleaned up in this year’s Golden Horseshoe

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Alex Robinson
10 June, 2023

A 70-year-old endurance specialist who won four awards, including the premier and top lady titles, at the famous Golden Horseshoe ride (21–22 May) has proved that age is no barrier if you have the right ingredients, including the right horse.

Candy Cameron, who is a British Horse Society stage four coach, runs Loch Ness Riding in Inverness and she has been riding and training endurance horses since the 1980s. She first rode in the Golden Horseshoe, a 160 km endurance ride across Exmoor National Park, 35 years ago in 1988.

In 2023, Candy’s horse Ell Daam (Al) also won the highly-regarded Best Condition award at the event, replicating the result of her former horse, White Trooper, who took home the Best Condition prize once during his career...

Read more here:
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/candy-cameron-golden-horseshoe-2023-827823

Syrian Equestrian Masa Tanbekji qualifies for FEI Endurance World Championship

Eng.Belta.by - Full Article

6 June 2023

DAMASCUS, 6 June (BelTA - SANA). - Syrian Equestrian Masa Tanbekji has qualified for the FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Horses.

The championship will be hosted by the city of Padise in Estonia in the period between Aug. 10th and Aug. 14th with the participation of a large number of international male and female equestrians.

Masa expressed her happiness with this qualification for the second year in a row, wishing to continue her career successfully, after she was able to raise the Syrian flag in international forums...

Read more here:
https://eng.belta.by/partner_news/view/equestrian-masa-tanbekji-qualifies-for-fei-endurance-world-championship-159396-2023/

Nigeria Equestrian Federation rolls out developmental programmes

DailyTrust.com - Full Article

The Nigerian Equestrian Federation has unveiled itself to the world and rolled out critical developmental programmes it said are aimed at revolutionising the equestrian landscape…

By David Ngobua
Fri, 9 Jun 2023

The Nigerian Equestrian Federation has unveiled itself to the world and rolled out critical developmental programmes it said are aimed at revolutionising the equestrian landscape and propelling Nigeria onto the global stage of excellence in equestrian sports.

...Furthermore, he said the NEF Endurance Riding Championship which is a national endurance riding championship opened to general and junior categories, over a distance of 40-160kms will take place on October 21 while induction into the Nigeria Equestrian Federation Hall of Fame, the highest honour awarded within equestrian sports in Nigeria has been slated for December 9...

Read more here:
https://dailytrust.com/nigeria-equestrian-federation-rolls-out-developmental-programmes/

Bahrain Stripped Of FEI Endurance World Championship Title After Tribunal Decision

FEI/Jon Stroud Photo

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

PUBLISHED June 5, 2023
WORDS BY Edited Press Release

Four months after being crowned team world champions for the first time at the postponed 2022 FEI Endurance World Championship held in Butheeb (United Arab Emirates), Bahrain has been stripped of the team title following an equine anti-doping case involving a banned substance. The case involved Hera Durances, an 11-year-old Arabian mare ridden by Abdulrahman Mohammed Alzayed (the third Bahraini combination), who finished 18th. The Fédération Equestre Internationale Tribunal confirmed the disqualification of the athlete and horse combination from the February event and imposed an 18-month ineligibility period for the athlete, who has also been fined.

Testing during the event returned a positive result for stanozolol and 16-beta-hydroxystanozolol, which are anabolic steroids used to improve performance by promoting muscular development. Both are banned substances under the FEI’s Equine Prohibited Substances list. (See the findings of the FEI Tribunal here.)

As a result, Team Bahrain’s results are void as they no longer have the three finisher required to count for the team ranking. All the remaining teams on the leader board move up by one place, with France taking gold, Portugal slotting into silver and Italy stepping onto the podium with bronze...

Read more here:
https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/bahrain-stripped-of-fei-endurance-world-championship-title-after-tribunal-decision/

Team France become FEI Endurance World Champion 2022 following FEI Tribunal Decision

Inside.FEI.org

05 June 2023
Author: FEI Communications

Crowned Team World Champion for the first time at the postponed FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 held in Butheeb (UAE) from 20 to 26 February 2023, Bahrain has been stripped of the team title following an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance and the horse Hera Durances, ridden by Mr Abdulrahman Mohammed Alzayed (the third Bahraini combination). The FEI Tribunal confirmed the disqualification of the athlete and horse combination from the event and imposed an eighteen-month ineligibility period for the athlete, who has also been fined (See FEI Tribunal Equine Anti-Doping Consent Award here).

As a result, Team Bahrain’s results are null and void as they no longer have the three required combination results to count for the team ranking and all the remaining teams on the leader board move up by one place, with France taking gold, Portugal slotting into silver and Italy stepping onto the podium with bronze (See updated Results here).

Team France are no stranger to the top spot of the podium having had their share of Team golds in the past, although the most recent dates back to 2006. This places France well and truly at the top of the leader board for Team titles, with five to their name since the first edition was held in 1986, followed by UAE and Spain who both have three World Championship team titles in their record of achievements. |

“While it is never optimal to have medals re-distributed following an event due to medication control and anti-doping related offenses, we view this as confirmation that the systems we have in place are thorough and effective”, said FEI Legal Director Mikael Rentsch.

“The FEI’s Clean Sport programme has extensive processes to ensure we not only educate the community, but also have the tools to follow up and uphold the Rules at play in order to guarantee a level playing field, and safeguard the welfare of our human and equine athletes.”

The FEI has extensive procedures in place to uphold and ensure the integrity of competition through the FEI Clean Sport Programme which encompasses both human and equine anti-doping rules and processes. For human athletes, the FEI is a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), whilst for horses, the FEI has developed and runs the Equine Anti-Doping and medication Control System (EADMCR), which sees extensive testing at FEI Events around the world.

Prior to all major Championships and Games, the FEI prepares and shares specific “Doping & Medication Control Guides” with the participants such as the nominated athletes, chefs d’equipes and concerned National Federations in order to raise awareness, explain the processes and avoid any inadvertent positive cases. The relevant Guide for Butheeb refers to extensive testing to be carried out, the testing process, reminding Athletes they are the “Person Responsible” for their horse and will carry the ultimate responsibility, which includes legal proceedings should their horse test positive.

Relevant Links:

Updated Results for the FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 in Butheeb (UAE), 20-26 February 2023: https://data.fei.org/Calendar/EventDetail.aspx?p=85523E304F8C186FF3CF540509DCEDF1 Table for FEI Tribunal Equine Anti-Doping Consent Awards 2023: https://inside.fei.org/fei/your-role/athletes/fei-tribunal/equine-anti-doping-consent-awards/2023

More at:
https://inside.fei.org/media-updates/team-france-become-fei-endurance-world-champion-2022-following-fei-tribunal-decision

Oman's Said brothers win German endurance race

MuscatDaily.com - Full Article

4 June 2023

Muscat – Omani riders H H Sayyid Loay bin Ghalib al Said and H H Sayyid Ali bin Ghalib al Said have emerged as champions in the highly competitive German Buch Endurance Race.

This prestigious event, organised by the International Equestrian Federation, serves as a qualifying race for the FEI 2024 World Endurance Championship in Monpazier, France, in September.

The victory achieved by the two riders marks a significant milestone in their journey towards the World Cup finals...

Read more here:
https://www.muscatdaily.com/2023/06/04/said-brothers-win-german-endurance-race/

Rochester woman in Mongolia for Gobi Gallop, world's longest charity horse ride

Fosters.com - Full Article

Lara Bricker
June 2 2023

ROCHESTER — As a lifelong horsewoman, Christina Keim has ridden long distances on horseback before.

She’s ridden a mule down the Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Trail, horse packed to visit mustangs in the Eastern Sierras of California and twice completed the three-day 100-mile distance ride at the Green Mountain Horse Association.

But nothing compares to her current equine challenge, the Gobi Gallop, the world’s longest charity horseback ride across Mongolia. Alternating between two Mongolian horses, she will cover 500 miles in 10 days in support of the Veloo Foundation, which supports disadvantaged children in the country’s capital.

Keim, 46, left for Mongolia on May 30 and will begin the ride June 2. This year’s route will cross rivers, go over mountains and along the Mongolian steppe as the horses and riders leave from the wilds of Sukhbaatar Province and finish up outside Ulaanbaatar, the capital of the country which is bordered by China and Russia.

“It’s the adventure,” Keim said of what attracted her to the ride...

Read more here:
https://www.fosters.com/story/news/local/2023/06/02/rochester-nh-horsewoman-christina-keim-mongolia-gobi-gallop/70275007007/