Sheikh Mansoor festival Supports Four Endurance Races across Europe

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

by Pamela Burton

February 16, 2014, Abu Dhabi ~ The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival lends support to four Endurance Championships: Portugal-April 25 to 27, France-May 23 to 27, Italy-July 25 to 27, and Slovakia-September 27.

Lara Sawaya, director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and chairman of the Ladies Racing (IFAHR) gave a press briefing in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, February 16.

“Under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the endurance and flat races will be combined together under the umbrella of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival,” Sawaya stated. “I would like above all to thank the Portuguese ambassador to the UAE, Jimmy Van Zeller Laitau, for coming, pointing out that the festival has started sponsoring endurance races last year and it is carrying on for the second season...”

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/2014/02/16/sheikh-mansoor-festival-supports-four-endurance-races-across-europe/

UAE: Al Jahouri and Niac Armor Again in Endurance Limelight

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

February 16 2014
Pamela Burton

February 15, 2014, Abu Dhabi ~ Wearing his typical shy smile, Khalifa Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri crossed the finish line in first place with his winning partner Niac Armor for Al Wathba Stables in the CEI *** 160km President of the UAE Endurance Cup, taking home the keys to a car, a custom Rolex watch and a cash prize of Dh300,000 (€60,000).

The two fought for the win at the Emirates International Endurance Village and triumphed over 128 starters finishing in the time of 06:03:39 at an average speed of 26.4kph...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/2014/02/16/al-jahouri-and-niac-armor-again-in-endurance-limelight/

Endurance ride Gallops of Oman begins

By Lakshmi Kothaneth -

At the Sharqiyah Sands, 110 horse riders and that many pure bred Arabian horses lined up to begin their unique journey at 8.30 am yesterday morning, with magnificent sand dunes as their backdrop. The Minister of Tourism, Ahmed bin Nasser al Mehrzi, waved the flag officially starting the ride across 180 kms.
With the blessing of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, an avid horse lover, the ride was originally conceived to combine the thrill of adventure, with the exploration of a country that abounds with a rich cultural heritage, according to the organisers. These explorers of Oman will experience the land and its culture riding Oman’s own Arabian horses.
Riders from nine countries were full of excitement and focus as they prepared for the unique ride on exclusively Oman’s own Arabian horses. Majority of the horses are from the Royal Cavalry while others from private owners in Oman. For some of the riders it is the first time to camp in a desert and first time to ride a pure bred Arabian horse. “Arabian horses seemed to have more energy, and are fiery. It is very exciting,” some of the riders pointed out.
The first stage of Gallops of Oman covers 40 kms and will take the riders more than six hours to cover the distance. “It is a challenging one, especially the part where they have to climb up the dune and come down the slope. The horses have been here practising for a week,” explained Brigadier Abdulrazak Alshahwarzi.
The riders are from nine nationalities including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, UK, USA, Belgium, Switzerland and the host, Oman. The participants are formed into 22 teams of five each.
Today the riders will cover a distance of 41 kms where they will head to Tiwi Khazeena camp.
In the welcome speech, the chairman of the committee, Brigadier Abdulrazak Alshahwarzi, explained the unique concept of Gallops of Oman. The Royal Cavalry Band performed the welcome music.
In total there are five stages and the fifth stage will conclude at Qudayma Camp, the other two camps are at TIWI Al Hatayem Camp and Quhaid Camp.

Oman Observer

How to Piss off the Swiss

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

February 15 2014
Karen Robinson

When you refer to someone as ‘being Switzerland’, you aren’t likely to be accusing that person of being full of holes like Swiss Emmental, or delicious like Toblerone, or tall and slim like the Matterhorn. Chances are what you mean is that the person is refusing to take sides in a dispute, instead remaining neutral – much to the immense frustration of everyone on both sides. Switzerland is where the world’s great warring factions go to try and talk things out, such as the recent Syrian Peace Talks which took place in Montreux, the very same Montreux where the 2013 FEI GA was held. There is no doubt about it. The Swiss are world leaders at sitting on the fence.

So what does it take to get the Swiss riled up? I’m heartened to report a very worthy cause: the situation with FEI endurance that has completely exhausted my vocabulary for negative adjectives. Of all the national equestrian federations around the world, Switzerland is sticking to its guns more than anyone. My first exposure to Swiss backbone was at the GA in November, where I had the opportunity to meet the Swiss Fed’s Chef de Mission, Claude Nordmann. In spite of the fact that his federation played host to the 2013 GA (and ironically, hosted the cocktail party that followed the endurance presentation), Claude clearly identified much more with the shocked media than with the ecstatic majority who leapt to their feet to show their undying adoration for HRH and all that she does.

Since the GA, ground level realities continue to deteriorate at endurance races, and the Swiss federation has made no bones about its escalating disgust. On February 4th it issued a statement titled “Unsatisfactory starting point for the forthcoming endurance conference”, which you can read here. On February 12th, this piece appeared in The Guardian: “Swiss equestrian federation questions neutrality of Godolphin inquiry”. Yes indeedy. The Swiss are pissed...

Read more here:
http://www.horse-canada.com/straight-up/how-to-piss-off-the-swiss/

UAE: Niac Armor wins Endurance Cup

Khaleejtimes.com - Full Article

Hisham Al Gizouli / 16 February 2014

Al Wathba Stables’ teenage rider Al Jahouri rallies his colt to splendid victory at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba here on Saturday..

Teenager Khalfan Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri came from the back of the field to steer Anglo Arab mare Niac Armor home in the His Highness President of the United Arab Emirates Endurance Cup after he timed his run to perfection to land the title for Al Wathba Stables for the second straight year at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba here on Saturday.

The winner covered the distance in 6 hours, 3 minutes and 39 seconds at an average speed of 26.39 km/hour to finish 90 seconds ahead of runner-up Sultan Ahmed Al Baloushi followed by Mohammed Matar Al Mazroui, in a clean sweep of the UAE riders of the top positions...

Read more here:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/sport/inside_sport.asp?xfile=/data/nationsports/2014/February/nationsports_February160.xml§ion=nationsports

Pippa Cuckson: Guest Blog from the FEI Endurance Conference

Horsesportinternational.com - Full Article

February 15 2014

When the editor kindly offered me a guest blog about the FEI endurance conference in Lausanne on February 9, I decided to wait a day or so. I had already written five different news reports about it and wanted to crystallise some thoughts.

I also wanted a few hours off to play my viola and hug my horse. If you had just sat through an intense debate which included a serious discussion about the desirability of honouring horses that are still living five years after retiring from endurance, you’d be craving some normality, too.

Other stuff then happened to push the conference onto the back-burner. So here is my take on yet another you-couldn’t-make-it-up week of the unvarnished awfulness that defines endurance in the Middle East.

First – the decidedly unrevelatory Quest report into wrong-doings at Sheikh Mohammed’s various UK properties last year. Quest has provided the FEI’s integrity unit since 2010 yet accepted a commission direct from the FEI president’s husband to investigate the background to the Al Zarooni racehorse doping incidents, plus the drugs raids on Sheikh Mohammed’s Moorley Farm East stables, Newmarket – where he bases his endurance horses for the European season – and his private plane. Lord Stevens has stressed Quest’s impartiality and insisted that his investigating teams remain separate...

Read more here:
http://www.horsesportinternational.com/2014/02/pippa-cuckson-guest-blog-from-the-fei-endurance-conference/

DubaiGate: Go... the Mass is ended

www.endurance-belgium.com - Full Report

13 February 2013
Leonard Liesens - Endurance-belgium.com

According to chats after the conference, it appears that several chef d’equipe fear the backslash for their team at upcoming championships. Are they suffering from acute paranoia or will the course of events prove they were right?

The ESPG showed self-satisfaction, more exactly relieve to have completed its mission without too shootout of the federations .

Yet its most active and most clear in his statements, namely Jean- Louis Leclerc, did not seem to be lulling into complacency during and after the conference.

Most European federations were represented. Yeah, but some showed a passivity and extreme shyness. We did not hear the UK or Italy , Sweden, Portugal, Czech Republic. Spain intervened but in a minor key and swinging raw truths.


France has expressed clearly and politely , by the voice of Christophe Pélissier . It is not obviously useful to raise your voice to be heard and Pelissier has nevertheless not failed to come back especially on the subject of veterinary reports ( 2012 Florac presumably) sent by France to the FEI and which did not land on the right FEI desk (or maybe better land directly in the bin) .

While the FEI had just told the organisation hardly received damning reports from official bodies. But once again, Ian Williams was able to maneuver to claim not to have received / seen these reports. And no one in the assembly dared intervene to push and dig more about this particular subject. We therefore remained the polite exchange of good intentions, it was congratulated , we even made hugs in front of the stage. There was no ' selfies '  (maybe the non French readers will not understand but the recent visit of President Hollande to Obama was a good occasion for journalist to picture themselves inside the White House) but we were not far away.
Clip-Devos-RapportsFEI

The two representatives of Italy did not say a word, they just came to listen, make an appearance and enjoy the lunch buffet - BTW delicious and flavorful. Bravo to the FEI for that. It must be said that Italy is entangled with a league judicial review and intergovernmental cooperation agreements with Emirates. Must not offend the patron.

According to chats after the conference, it appears that several chef d’equipe fear the backslash for their team at upcoming championships. Are they suffering from acute paranoia or will the course of events prove they were right? 

It is once again Pierre Arnould (which is still part of the FEI Endurance Committee, but was "impeachment" in relation to ESPG and therefore could speak freely on behalf of the Belgian Federation) was the most incisive.
He was also the first to intervene in the afternoon, after everyone fell asleep during presentations of self-satisfaction orchestrated by ESPG .

It was right before that, at the start of the conference, that we had to listen to a guy from ESPG reading a strong statement responding to the open letter sent by the Swiss Federation, concerning the lack of professionalism of the compilation of the responses of the federations. A sudden cold wind was then blowing thru the assistance, like someone opened the door overlooking the nice Lausanne Lake Leman…. oddly the Swiss did not respond .

Arnould began the debate by asking the killing question (La Question qui tue) :

"We are here to discuss a problem that affects 10% of federations who practice endurance , namely the Middle East, while they have not deign to come.As long as there is no clear answer to the question of whether you prefer the economic and financial aspects of our sport ethics and respect for our horses , all the debates and change regulations will be useless. "

Clip-Video-Arnould ici


He has obviously not received a response from the FEI or the ESPG . He was even retorted that his thinking did not advance the debate. When is the next "Verbal Warning" ?

He was unequivocally supported by the Team Leader of USA, Emmett Ross , convinced that sport has lost its identity , all because of the Middle East.
As might be expected, all federations have all voted for a return to classic endurance, technical, tactical. Endurance that allows horses to have a long career, riders express their riding skills and horsemanship. But does money not command?
...


For more, including video clips click here:
http://www.endurance-belgium.com/n-gazette/dubaigate.htm#espg1201

Swiss equestrian federation questions neutrality of Godolphin inquiry

Theguardian.com - Full Article

Lord Stevens' report, as commissioned by Sheikh Mohammed, demonstrated a 'clear conflict of interests' and the 'findings are nothing special', a leading international equestrian body said

James Riach
The Guardian, Wednesday 12 February 2014 15.50 EST

A leading international equestrian federation has heavily criticised a report exonerating Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the UK's leading racehorse owner, of having any knowledge of three drug-related scandals involving his organisation last year, lamenting the inquiry's "conflict of interests" after being commissioned by the Sheikh himself.

Lord Stevens, the former chief of the Metropolitan police, was employed by Sheikh Mohammed and his wife Princess Haya to investigate three separate incidents involving his equine operations, including the doping of Godolphin racehorses with anabolic steroids by the disgraced trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni and two seizures of "potentially toxic and dangerous" veterinary goods at Stansted airport and Moorley Farm, owned by the Sheikh's Darley Stud, in Newmarket...

Read more here:
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/12/godolphin-al-zarooni-scandal-stevens-report-slammed

FEI Endurance Conference in Switzerland Feb 9

The FEI held an Endurance Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland on February 9, 2014. Representatives from 20 member nations attended, though noticeably absent were members from region VII (Middle East), the nations in the focus of the doping scandals and horse abuses addressed by this conference.

The information from the conference, including the Conference Presentation, Plan on a Page, and Participant List, can be seen here:
https://docs.fei.org/docs/nfs/endurance-conference

Sheikh Mohammed exonerated by Lord Stevens' report into doping scandal

Theguardian.com - Full Article

• Investigation clears head of world's largest equine operation
• Management failings and complacency highlighted by review

James Riach
theguardian.com, Wednesday 12 February 2014 07.00 EST

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the UK's leading racehorse owner, has been cleared of having any knowledge of three drug-related incidents involving his organisation last year, according to a report commissioned by the Sheikh himself.

Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police chief commissioner, was employed to investigate a series of damaging incidents and interview a series of key figures. The report concluded that the seizures of unlicensed veterinary goods by British authorities resulted from "a sense of complacency" within the Sheikh's management structure.

Stevens interviewed several figures within Sheikh Mohammed's equine operations, including the disgraced former trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni who was banned by eight years by the British Horseracing Association in April 2013 for injecting thoroughbreds at the Godolphin stable with performance-enhancing anabolic steroids.

As revealed by the Guardian in September, the thoroughbred scandal was followed by later incidents within Sheikh Mohammed's endurance set-up, with veterinary goods described as "potentially toxic and dangerous to horses" seized from a Dubai Royal Air Wing flight at Stansted airport by the UK Border Agency and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in May...

Read more here:
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/12/sheikh-mohammed-exonerated-lord-stevens-doping-scandal

Abu Dhabi: Spaniards in the 2014 President's Cup

El Raid Blog - Gabriel Gamiz

The next Saturday, February 15, 2014, the President Cup 2014 will be held in Abu Dhabi (UAE), with six Spanish pairs in the test.
This is the information from the FEI.


"RAID - President Cup 2014 in Abu Dhabi (UAE)

On Saturday February 15 will be held in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) the race of the President's Cup 2014, one of the most prestigious equestrian and competed resistance tests on the international calendar.
 
The President's Cup was created in 1994 by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and is from the first edition one of the great tests of modality.
 
The race is a category three-star FEI, and run over a total distance of 160 kilometers in 6 stages 40, 27, 31, 26, 20 and 16 kilometers respectively.
 
Spain will in this race have six guest pairs. Agda Muixí with EROS, Laura Vilaregut with SERAS MABROUK, Cristina Yebra with CALZADILLA, Cristina Lobera with ALY, Ivet Pi with TRA DRUIDA and Bernat Casals"

Source: FEI.
Greetings from Gabriel.

Operation Desert Storm: A test of endurance or patience?

The legendary equestrian explorer, Aimé Tschiffely, who rode 10,000 miles from Buenos Aires to Washington DC in the late 1920s, faced a myriad of challenges, but perhaps none more so than the prospect of crossing a stretch of Peruvian coastal desert called Matacaballo – the Horse Killer.

The Swiss-born Argentine professor knew it was a high-stakes undertaking and planned carefully. He decided against carrying water for his magnificent Criollo mounts, Mancha and Gato, rightly believing it was a race against time in the scorching heat, and they needed to travel light.

Read More ...

Bahrain endurance incident was handled by authorities – FEI

The Bahrain incident in which an endurance horse was struck across the rump by support crew as it neared victory in a prestigious 120km desert race resulted in a formal warning to the rider and a ban, the FEI confirmed early today (NZ time).

However, equestrian journalist Pippa Cuckson, who brought the matter to wide attention in a piece in Britain’s Daily Telegraph, questioned why the incident resulted in the winner of the event receiving only a warning, despite what appeared to be multiple breaches of endurance rules.

Read more...

Cuckson to complain to FEI over contents of endurance video footage

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

By Horsetalk.co.nz on Feb 12, 2014 in News

British equestrian journalist Pippa Cuckson confirms she is sharpening her pencil to lodge a formal complaint to the FEI over horse welfare concerns arising from video footage of a recent endurance race in Bahrain.

The footage shows a person who was presumably a member of the rider’s support crew appearing to strike a horse in the rump area near the end of a 120-kilometre endurance race...

Read more here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/02/12/cuckson-complain-fei-endurance-video-footage/#ixzz2t7e7lyHR

Middle East Absent From FEI Endurance Conference

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

February 9, 2014
By: Pippa Cuckson

Delegates largely backed proposals to clean up endurance at the one-day Fédération Equestre Internationale conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Feb. 9, but the Middle Eastern federations at the center of the doping and fractures scandals were absent.

FEI vice president John McEwen urged delegates to generalize when speaking, rebuffing Belgian national coach Pierre Arnould for not being “helpful” when he claimed that “90 percent of the problems are caused by the federations who are not here.”

But Arnould was backed by U.S. Chef d’Equipe Emmett Ross.

“What Pierre says is correct,” said Ross. “Most countries do the right thing. I spent 10 years in Group 7 [Middle East] and am proud of that. I have good friends there. We were teaching and learning. But we can’t avoid what’s going on there now. Where has our leadership been?

“The American Endurance Ride Conference is the largest organization in the world, with 973 races last year and 19,000 riders, and they are about the kick us [FEI endurance] out,” Ross continued. “We cannot afford to stage our own races.”

Ross also expressed fears about the sport’s apparent inability to control the four-star races. “When I spend thousands of dollars to shift six horses [to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (France)] this summer I want to know there is more than one steward in a car supervising the field of play. That is not adequate...”

Read more here:
http://chronofhorse.com/article/middle-east-absent-fei-endurance-conference

FEI Conference delegates give positive response to Endurance strategic plan

FEI.org

9 Feb 2014

Delegates from 23 countries reached a broad consensus on the strategic plan for Endurance sport at the one-day Endurance conference in Lausanne (SUI) today.

The conference was attended by more than 70 delegates, with a total of 20 National Federations represented. Other bodies attending the conference were the European Equestrian Federation, World Horse Welfare, American Endurance Ride Conference and the Equine Community Integrity Unit (ECIU), as well as members of the media. FEI President HRH Princess Haya attended as an observer, along with members of the FEI Executive Board.

The morning session focused on feedback from the National Federations on the proposals outlined at the 2013 General Assembly in November 2013 by the Endurance Strategic Planning Group (ESPG).

Of the 47 National Federations involved in the sport, of which 33 run elite Endurance events, 20 Federations returned responses via the electronic survey, a further six sent additional comments. A team of veterinary surgeons also held its own scientifically based review and shared its views with the ESPG.

ESPG Chair Andrew Finding summarised the results from the survey, in which 32 of the Group’s 37 recommendations received an approval rating of over 80%.

“The consultation was never intended to be a referendum, it was designed to add value to the work we have been doing and vitally to give every National Federation an opportunity to comment,” he said. “Some decided to comment, many did not but every National Federation had an opportunity to do so.”

Andrew Finding pledged that every comment received would be addressed by the Group and, where appropriate, covered at the operational planning level. He also stated that the Group had recommended that members of the Endurance Committee should be tasked with a specific area of responsibility to cover each of the critical success factors outlined by the ESPG – culture and behaviour; structure and governance; foundation for growth, and communications and marketing.

His presentation then focused on the five recommendations that had a lower approval rating, but still in excess of 50%. These were the designation of Persons Responsible, and whether trainers should be included alongside riders, ride qualification standards, a trainers ranking list, awards for completions, and awards for officials. He also covered five other areas that National Federations had raised in their responses to the survey and which the ESPG felt had not been covered fully in its recommendations.

Debate during the day focused on the key areas of horse welfare; clean sport and the rules, which were widely accepted as fit for purpose; support for officials on enforcement of those rules; transparent and consistent reporting; the use of technology; rider competence and horsemanship; cost implications; sponsorship; the technicality of courses to help resolve speed-related issues; technical criteria during competitions; individual and team performance; and ensuring the long-term development of the sport.

There was also considerable discussion on the traditional Endurance rides, which are now being referred to as Classic Endurance riding, and Endurance Racing. There were mixed views on whether a different set of rules should be used, but it was generally agreed that the rules cover both elements.

Part of the afternoon’s session was devoted to establishing the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which will be used to evaluate the success of the strategic plan.

During his summing up of the day’s proceedings, moderator John McEwen thanked Andrew Finding and the ESPG members for all their work. “This conference was to complete the work of the ESPG,” he said. “I want to thank them all individually and personally and Andrew for leading them.”

“Endurance sport has expanded thanks to the expansion in Group VII; we mustn’t lose sight of that expansion,” he continued. “How we handle the expansion of the sport is down to you and it’s important we handle that right for the future of the sport.

“You’ve all said that actually the structure and governance is in place. Yes we need to implement it in slightly different ways in certain aspects. We have the guidelines from the ESPG, which are extremely helpful in helping us to do that. I think the feeling in general is that we want this to remain one sport. I am passionate about this and I believe that we need to stay as one sport and that is only possible if people are open-minded and have wide vision.”

The ESPG will now use the input from today’s conference to finalise its report, which will be presented to the FEI Bureau for further consideration. The FEI Bureau and the Endurance Committee will report at a special session on Endurance at the FEI Sports Forum (28-29 April 2014) about the follow-up on the conclusions of the ESPG.

Notes to Editors:
The 20 National Federations represented at today’s conference were from Belgium, Botswana, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Italy, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, United States of America.

The FEI Endurance Strategic Planning Group (ESPG), set up last year following the Endurance round table on 24 July, was tasked with creating a long-term plan for the discipline to tackle the issues currently being faced in Endurance. The ESPG is chaired by Andrew Finding, European Equestrian Federation Board Member and CEO of the British Equestrian Federation.

The members of the Group are veterinarian Brian Sheahan (AUS), chair of the FEI Endurance Committee; Joe Mattingley (USA), international Endurance rider; Saeed H Al Tayer (UAE), Vice President of the Dubai Equestrian Club and organiser of FEI World Endurance Championships; and veterinarian Jean-Louis Leclerc (FRA), an internationally respected and very successful chef d’équipe and team manager within the discipline.