FEI Endurance: US Federation and FEI Debate

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

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

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Egypt: Riding the dunes

Riding the dunes
by AL-AHRAM

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

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

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

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USEF: An Open Letter to the FEI.

An Open Letter to the FEI.

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

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



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

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USEF Comments on proposed FEI Rules Changes:

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

Brazil: 2004 Haras Endurance International Coverage

8 Apr 2004
Steph Teeter


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

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

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Ride & Tie Association Sponsors International Teams

April 5, 2004 - El Cajon, California


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

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

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Brazil: Haras Endurance International Results

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


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

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

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

Complete results and further coverage by EnuranceWorld.net and EnduranceBrazil

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Intercontenental Endurance Newsletter: 05/05/2004

Desiree Hanen, The Netherlands


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

World Wide Rankings 2003

Team Performances: Senior World Championships 1998 - 2002

Team Performances: European Championships 1999 – 2003

Message from Desirre Hansen concerning Endurance World Magazine

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Brazil: Haras Endurance International

Bragança Paulista, State of São Paulo
by Cidinha Franzão





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

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

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

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

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


EnduranceWorld.net coverage
EnduranceBrazil coverage

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Brazil: Bragança Paulista CEI***/**/* SP Brazil

EnduranceWorld.net
Event Coverage





Sao Paulo Bragança is one of the earliest endurance rides in Brasil. The ride is located at the ranch of Leo Steinbrunch - Haras Endurance. This event will count for points ranking of: FPH (Federação native of são paulo of Hipismo), CBH (Confederation Brazilian of Hipismo) and from the FEI (Federação Eqüestre International). It will be the seventh running of this ride, and the organizers expect some of the most important riders and horses of the country.

The event will have three categories: A one-day 80 kilometer (50 mile) ride, a two day 160 km (100 miles) ride, 80 kms each day, and a one-day 120 km ride.

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US HORSE WINS DUBAI WORLD CUP

In the highly anticipated re-match of two of racings stars, the Richard Mandella-trained Pleasantly Perfect, in the hands of jockey Alex Solis, raced past the Bobby Frankel-trained Medaglia d'Oro with Jerry Bailey up to win the richest race in the world, the US$6,000,000 Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline March 27. The two horse met in 2003 at the Breeders' Cup Classic, with the same outcome.

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Seabiscuit Equine Actor 'Rich in Dallas' Retires

Lexington, KY -- March 26, 2004 - Rich in Dallas, one of the seven horses who played the stakes winner Seabiscuit in the movie of the same name, arrived in Lexington, KY at the Blue Grass Airport on March 25 in response to a grassroots effort to retire this movie star racehorse. The 9-year-old gelded son of Hurricane Ed was claimed and retired by three Thoroughbred retirement groups -- The Exceller Fund, ReRun, and Old Friends -- on March 20, with the help of an anonymous California donor.

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Windeyer Australia ride attracts large field

mudgee.yourguide
Friday, 26 March 2004


A large contingent of local riders filled the 62 strong field that turned out for the Windeyer Progress Association's first endurance ride last Sunday.

There were a total of 26 riders from the local region that took on the course, a number competing in the 80-kilometre ride with resounding results.

Thirty-two took on the longer 80-kilometre course, among them Rylstone's Alan Watts and Mudgee's Garry Bennett who took line honours on the day with Richmond competitor Nicole Wilson.

Watts also took out the heavy-weight division, Bennett the middle-weight and Wilson the light-weight. It took Watts around six-and-a-half-hours to complete the course and arrived back at base at 10.55am, after they had started 30-minutes earlier than expected because of perceived hot conditions."

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Mubarak Khalifa bin Shafya wins Omega sponsored Triple Crown

Mubarak Khalifa bin Shafya rode Comes The Dawn to win the 140-km third and final leg of the Omega-sponsored Triple Crown Endurance ride at Dubai Endurance City on March 25. A total of 32 riders started off at 6 in the morning in the last ride of the season for Dubai.

The temperature soared to the mid-80’s (29C), which advised constraint for many of the riders. Bin Shafya, a former National Champion, still finished exactly 10 minutes ahead of Majed Khalfan Al Jahouri, himself a top contender. Jaber Bittar, of Al Reef Stables, finished in third place. Bin Shafya, who was the top UAE rider in the domestic circuit two years ago, finished the first loop in fifth place, and rode cautiously before taking over the lead after the third stage.
"It was very hot out there from the first stage itself”, said Bin Shafya. “However towards the latter part of the ride there was a lot of wind which provided a lot of relief to the horses. Comes The Dawn is one of the best horses and I am thankful to Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum for all his support," said the winner.

Leader after the first two rounds, young Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum finished seventh.

Before the last stage, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Minister of Defense, was riding in fourth place, but withdrew from the ride before the final loop, keeping in mind the welfare of his horse as he felt that the heat was a bit harsh over the 140km distance.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, along with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum also attended the ride.

Anna Kournikova, celebrity tennis star, was flown down by Omega, who sponsored this final leg of the Triple Crown. She said she was overawed after watching the horses and riders in action. "This is the first time I have watched an endurance ride and it was unbelievable. The horses and riders were really working hard out there in the sun and it seems to be a wonderful sport," said the Russian.


Results

Triple Crown final leg (provisional)
1. Mubarak Khalifa bin Shafya (Comes The Dawn) 6:44.58;
2. Majid Khalfan Al Jahouri (Almanda Special Edition) 6:54.58;
3. Jaber Bittar (Beniarich Rezek Al Arab) 7:13.59;
4. Hassan Ahmed Al Bloushi (Rowallan Shanty) 7:14.00;
5. Ahmed Ali bin Harmash (Walstroom Hammam) 7:25.10;
6. Jesus Manuel Berna (Jamile) 7:54.12
7. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum (Damas El Ainhoa) 8:02.46
8. Rashed Hamad Al Suwaidi (Zeyn Sha Zam) 8:02.56

Pinamar - Pan American Pre-ride wrap-up

03.24.2004
Steph Teeter



...The completion rate for the 160km was pretty good, most riders were simply trying to get a solid completion or qualify for the WEC. Some of the horses looked great at the end, some looked tired. I´m still trying to get full results, with gate times, recovery times, etc, it will be interesting. I think most of the eliminations were lameness, a lot of the horses don't train in the sand, and there was a lot of muscle fatigue from pushing off of the deep footing, and strain from pulling the feet out of the deep sand. Many people are realizing that they will need to train in the sand for next year´s Pan American.

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CEI *** ends Dubai's endurance season

Dubai 3/25/04: General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, leads a strong field of riders in the March 25 CEI-Three Star ride, which will also end Dubai's endurance season for 2003-04 with the end of a 3 ride series. The ride will be 140-km and will have six stages of 32, 29, 26, 19, 19 and 15km.

Sheikh Mohammed, the reigning European Open champion, is scheduled to ride the eight-year-old part-Arab chestnut gelding, Maldiyo, in the race held at Dubai Endurance City in Seih Assalem.

More than 30 riders are expected to get off to a mass start at 6am. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum, who is currently leading the Triple Crown, will be looking for a good finish in the 140-km event.

Sheikh Rashid will again ride Shikira, the horse that he rode to a third place in both the first and second rounds of the Triple Crown races.

In addition to Sheikh Mohammed some of the other top contenders are Abdul Rahim Al Juneibi, Majed Khalfan Al Jahouri, Mubarak Khalifa bin Shafya Hassan bin Ali, Jaber Bittar and Saeed Al Tayer. Among some of the top riders from outside the UAE, Italy's Gianluca Laliscia on Shock, France's Marc le Bervet on Al Rumani and Spain's Jesus Manuel Berna are among the frontrunners.

Extreme temperatures might be a problem, and the riders and horses may have to contend with some tough conditions. Because of this, the average speed is expected to be much lower than the usually fast speeds for which the UAE riders are known.

Top tennis star Anna Kournikova, spokesperson for Omega, is scheduled to attend today's ride, sponsored by Omega. Many world visitors, in the city for the Dubai World Cup on Saturday, are also expected to view the ride.

Pinamar Ride Results

23Mar 2004
Steph Teeter and www.solocaballos.com


We have received preliminary results for the CEI***/** events which occured at Pinamar Argentina on 20Mar. The 160km *** event was won by Joesfina Chas from Argentina riding JC Farid in a time of 9:53. This is an average speed of 16:19.

Best Condition for the 160km event was awarded to ZC Hyshah riden by Andrea Pajudas also of Argentina. There were 27 starters in the 160km with 18 finishers.

The 147km event was won by Beatriz Muriel riding Cal Flaming Mar in a ride time of 06:47:00 (18.72 km/hr ave). Best Condition was not awarded in the 147 km event. There were 17 starters and 8 finishers in the event.

Further results, including we hope, statistics for the gates will be availabel in the near future.

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AERC Research Grants Awarded

AERC Research Grants Committee
Report for March 2004 - bob morris Chair

The American Endurance Ride Conference Research Grants
Committee now has in place two studies that will take place
this summer. One is to be done by the University of
Pennsylvania, New Bolton Center with Mary M Durando, DVM,
PhD, Dip ACVIM (internal medicine) Research Assistant
Professor, Section of Sports Medicine as principal
investigator.

This study is entitled; Can successful endurance performance
be predicted by physiology? Relationship between a
heart-specific regulatory protein (cardiac troponin I),
electrocardiograms, and competitive performance in endurance
horses."

The second grant that is in place will be done by, Michigan
State University, with Harold Schott, DVM, PhD, Department
of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, as principal
investigator.

Dr. Schott will: ....


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TYX Passes

On Saturday March 20th, the Arabian race world was sad to lose another star, when Tyx (SAMTYR x DIMFIXA), owner by Flight Leader Farm in Texas, died of a massive heart attack. TYX was standing at the farm owned by David Kaden and Tracy Webb. TYX (1986) has sired some notable endurance horses, among them, Shahdon, winner of the 2003 AHA 100 mile National Championship and BC; Maqina, winner of the 2003 Japan Cup and BC; Celebracion, winner of the FEI 80km race in Norway 2/04 & BC; Tycker Tape won BC in his first race in Japan; Dunedust, winner of Renegade III and Cow Tanks III ridden by Alyx Luck; and Proud Legacy, winner of the 2003 Kings Forest FEI ride in England. Flight Leader Farm has a supply of frozen semen at Colorado State University so the Tyx progeny will continue.

Riders endure much for the love of horses

The Oregonian
03/21/04
WALLY BENSON

It's a vacation most of us probably have never imagined taking.
An hour south of Nampa, Idaho, in late October. Far from warm beaches -- or warm anything, for that matter. Milling about in a small city of pickups, horse trailers, horses and dogs, with water hoses that freeze overnight and outhouses that don't have roofs.

Really.

This was a gathering of people who love horses -- and of people who love those people. This was a world where riding a horse 25 or even 30 miles is considered 'limited distance.' "

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Argentina: Relaxed Anticipation

2004 Pinamar CEI***/2005 PanAm Pre-Ride

By Steph Teeter



Beatiful morning! Coffee and toast at the hotel then off to the stable which will be full of activity today.

Lots of rain yesterday, poured and poured for a couple hours, then cleared up, the course should be perfect, the rain will settle the sand and make it easer for the horses.

Yesterday we moved the horses to the official stable at the Hipocampo. Did registration stuff, looked around, checked horses, visited the other barns, then it began really really raining - like the downpours in Virginia - warm rain though.

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