FEI Goes Quiet on Sanctions Against Countries with a Doping Problem

HorseSport.com - Full Article

After a huge spike in positives in Saudi Arabia, last year the FEI told HorseSport.com it would discuss a counter-measure — but we cannot obtain an update.

By Cuckson Report // Pippa Cuckson | April 18, 2024

The FEI has apparently rowed back on its own proposal to sanction national equestrian federations with a “prevalence” of doping. If the measure had gone forward it would most likely have penalised the sport’s wealthiest benefactors; Middle Eastern endurance racing still returns more positives than any other region or any other FEI discipline.

New sanctions were suggested last year following a significant spike in positives in Saudi Arabia. But despite enquiries by HorseSport.com over the past seven weeks, the FEI has declined to confirm if new sanctions are in the draft EADCMP (anti-doping) rules for 2025, slated for debate at the FEI Sport Forum on April 29-30.

The FEI already stands accused of succumbing to “sportswashing” through allocating this week’s World Cup jumping and dressage finals to Saudi Arabia. Three leading equestrian news organisations, The Horse Magazine, Reiten St Georg and WorldofShowjumping.com announced a boycott, largely citing Saudi Arabia’s attitude to human rights.

Simultaneously, HorseSport.com has pressed the FEI on the contradiction of allocating “big-ticket” championships to countries with known equine doping and cheating problems at a time when the FEI is focussed on public concern about sport horse welfare and the Social Licence to Operate (SLO)...

Read the rest here:
https://horsesport.com/cuckson-report-1/fei-goes-quiet-sanctions-against-countries-with-doping-problem/

Four Omani riders qualify for Endurance World Championship

MuscatDaily.com - Full Article

16 April 2024

Muscat – Oman’s equestrian prowess will be in the spotlight at the upcoming Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Endurance World Championship 2024, with four riders from the sultanate qualifying to compete in this prestigious event in France come September.

Royal Equestrian Team’s Hisham bin Saleh al Farsi and Ahmed bin Salem al Hamadani have won the FEI-recognised 160km French Soumoul race to qualify for the world event...

Read more here:
https://www.muscatdaily.com/2024/04/16/four-omani-riders-qualify-for-endurance-world-championship/

Australia: A true test for riders at Imbil

NoosaToday.com.au - Full Story

11/04/2024

Imbil’s Far-A-Way Endurance Ride lived up to its name and proved to be a good test of horses and riders. ERLE LEVEY was there to capture some of the challenges and achievements of this well-regarded event on the equestrian calendar.

“The event is massive. It’s a matter of building up the endurance of horse and rider.’’

From flooded roads early in the week to sun, showers and humidity, the four-day Far-A-Way Easter Endurance Challenge at Imbil proved to be a test of horses and riders.

Well regarded on the equestrian calendar due to the number of rides held on the weekend, the Far-A-Way also has the appeal of running a 320km marathon and 120km mini-marathon.

The marathon is an event that needs a different approach – the longest of its type in Queensland and twice the length of the famed 160km Tom Quilty Gold Cup...

Read more here:
https://noosatoday.com.au/news/11-04-2024/a-true-test-for-riders/

Mongol Derby: Kiwi woman attempting world's toughest horse race

RNZ.CO.nz - Listen

From Nights, 9:55 pm on 8 April 2024

Brydie Black is an endurance horse rider based in Auckland's Henderson Valley, and come July, she'll be flying to Asia to complete the Mongol Derby.

The Derby involves riding over 1,000km along Genghis Khan's historic postal system in rugged terrain - all on semi-wild Mongolian horses.

She's holding a fundraiser auction to support the trip, with a dinner for six with heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker at Auckland's Baduzzi restaurant up for grabs.

She joins Emile Donovan...

Listen here:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2018933405/mongol-derby-kiwi-woman-attempting-world-s-toughest-horse-race

Australia: Everything ready for Kilkivan Great Horse Ride

NossaToday.com.au - Full Article

6 April 2024
Erle Levey

Polish the saddles, get out the cookbook, write a few lines of verse … everything is in readiness for the Kilkivan Great Horse Ride this weekend.

Horse enthusiasts from far and wide are expected to descend on the town to acknowledge its long heritage with horses and celebrate the Australian bush.

Now, almost 40 years since the first ride, the three-day event will be filled with horse rides and entertainment for all ages.

Yet Kilkivan has had a longer association with trail horse riding, having been the site for one of two bicentennial events to mark the opening of the 5330km-long National Trail – stretching from Cairns to Healesville, outside of Melbourne.

That was in October 1988, as part of an Australian Bicentennial project.

RM Williams, then aged 80, headed the procession down the main street, where then Queensland Premier Mike Ahern, opened the Queensland section.

Fabian Webb of the Webb Brothers fame started the Kilkivan Great Horse Ride in the mid 1980s as a tribute to the history of the area.

Adding to this year’s event will be two endurance horse rides on the Sunday. These will be 40km and 20km rides to highlight endurance riding...

Read more here:
https://noosatoday.com.au/news/06-04-2024/everything-ready-for-kilkivan-great-horse-ride/