Ashlee Van Raalte to Represent United States at 2005 FEI World Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders

November 16, 2005

U S Equestrian
Lexington, KY ? Ashlee Van Raalte, 18, of Scales Mound, Illinois, will represent the United States in Bahrain, December 15-18, as she rides for the title at the 2005 FEI World Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders.



The 2005 Championship promises to be the largest competition of its kind to date, and will play host to more than 150 expected entries from a record 33 participating countries.


Van Raalte will compete on the 75-mile course with either ?Saif Al Arab? or ?Aliya,? both owned by Sheikha Madiya Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates.

North American Championships: Napa Valley Rider Youngest in Competition

An enduring, endearing horse tale
By JAY GOETTING, Register Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 15, 2005 8:27 AM PST

One hundred miles is a long trek by any standards, but to guide a horse over challenging terrain day and night for 100 miles requires endurance.

And that's exactly what an 18-year-old Arabian named Phoenix Affair and his 23-year-old rider showed in spades at the North American Endurance Championships in Fair Hill, Md.

Phoenix was the oldest horse to place in the October event, and Napan Lindsay Graham was the youngest rider.

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Kroon Wins North American Endurance Championship after Return from Iraq

November 10, 2005, by Jennifer Nice


Veteran endurance rider Karen Kroon didn?t consider herself primed to win the Individual Gold medal at the 2005 FEI North American Endurance Championship (NAEC), but she did it anyway, thanks to her horse and her crew. Ten months ago, Kroon, of Cheyenne, WY, was a long way from home, and the thought of competing at the NAEC was equally distant in her mind. While other riders were preparing for the NAEC, Kroon, a public health officer for the Air Force, was in Iraq, where she had been on active duty since January, while her horse Rokket stood idle in Maree McAteer?s pasture in Colorado.

Kroon was still in Iraq when longtime friend and Mountain time zone team chef d?equipe Holly Ulyate of Larkspur, CO, corresponded with her about nominating for the team. ?I knew if she got back [in May] she could get Rokket ready by October,? said Ulyate. Kroon agreed. However, by the time she returned from Iraq, Rokket hadn?t competed since winning and earning the best condition award at the 2004 Arabian Nights 100-mile ride in August, in a blazing time of 7:57 for his first 100-mile.

?I knew he was strong going into that ride,? Kroon recalled, ?and I was fairly fit, so I thought he would do well. He sailed through every vet check and just kept going. Everything went perfectly, and the horse looked like a million bucks at the end of the ride.?

Despite the long lay-off, Kroon felt that her horse was actually in better condition this summer than she was. During the five months overseas, Kroon had lost much of her endurance riding fitness and gained about 30 pounds that Rokket would have to carry. This worried her. In preparation for her demonstration ride, Kroon took the 11-year-old gelding to two 50-mile rides in July and August, winning and earning best condition at both, before returning to the Arabian Nights ride for her demonstration and first FEI ride.

?As it turned out, he wasn?t in that bad of shape, but I still wasn?t in as good a shape as I had been the previous year.? The duo finished third in 9:22. ?I didn?t feel like it was his best ride, because of me,? she admitted. "Also, it was rockier than last year, and he got a little sore, so I backed off toward the end to make sure we finished.?

Five weeks later, Kroon and Rokket made the 36-hour trip to Maryland. A record to be proud of, Kroon is no stranger to competition and winning. The veteran endurance rider has logged 10,150 American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) miles since competing in her first ride in 1977 as a teenager. She won her first 100-mile ride, the Big Horn 100, in 1981, with Wizard, a Witez 11 grandson and her first horse. In 1983, Wizard started and finished 13 rides with 13 wins and 12 best condition awards. Since 1985, when the AERC began archiving individual ride results, Kroon has started and completed 23 100-mile rides, finishing all but one in the top 10, and earning 12 wins and 12 best condition awards. Also since 1985, she has logged 116 completions in 120 starts, with 72 wins and 56 best condition awards. In 1997, she earned the National Best Condition Championship with Gonzin.

Kroon purchased Rokket as a five-year-old from Jay Mero in New York. ?[Jay] had him advertised in Endurance News, and I really liked his breeding,? she said of the half-Polish, half Rushcreek-bred horse. She started competing on Rokket in 2001 and has accumulated 865 AERC miles, with 16 starts, 15 completions, eight wins and seven best condition awards. She described the stocky, 15.1-hand gelding as an easy keeper. ?He likes the vet checks because he really likes to eat, but he also likes to get back out on the trail," she said.

Once in Maryland, Kroon worried a lot. ?I was concerned about the footing because it was raining; and my horse had to stay in a stall, which he hated,? she said. ?I tried to pre-ride the last loop on Thursday and got hopelessly lost. That got me worried, too, as I have a reputation for getting lost.? At the pre-ride briefing, Kroon's mind eased somewhat when she learned that the last loop she had tried to follow hadn?t been marked yet, and wouldn?t be until ride day. ?Ride management did an excellent job,? she later commented. ?The trail had to be the hardest trail to mark that I have ever seen. I think there were a hundred miles of ribbons out there.?

Management also had concerns about the trail prior to race day. ?We were worried about the footing,? said Ground Jury President Mike Tomlinson, DVM. ?We had alternative plans if the footing got bad, but as it turned out, the trail master got the trail to be safe. It was technically challenging, but safe. It was also marked well."

For the ride, Kroon didn?t have a specific strategy. ?I knew my horse was really good and so I figured I would ride him at a good pace and see what happened.? When she left the first vet check, there were no more than six riders ahead of her. By the second vet check, she was within two minutes of the leading group. At about the 40-mile mark, she and teammate Tracy Webb took the lead.

?Tracy wanted to back off, so we went pretty slowly,? recounted Kroon. ?Shortly thereafter, we got caught by a big group of riders. At that stage in the game, I hadn?t wanted to go any faster, as there wasn?t anyone ahead of us, so [Rokket] got a little bit of a rest," she said.

Kroon was somewhat critical of Rokket?s recoveries at the vet checks. ?His recoveries were not what I usually expect from him. He got a little hot, and he?s not used to having so many people around him. But most of [his recoveries] were around five minutes,? she said, adding that his CRIs were good throughout the day, even dropping at the finish check.

Halfway through the ride, she and Dominnique Freeman, riding Stagg and Cheryl Newman?s Jayel Super, paired up and eventually took the lead. Freeman lives in La Honda, CA, but was riding for Great Britain. ?[Ride management] had a really nice finish,? said Kroon. ?We turned up the last three-quarters of a mile. It was a nice grassy uphill and Dom and I galloped that pretty fast, but under control. Then we had a sharp turn to make onto the track. After we made that turn, I let Rokket go and Dom chose not to race me. Earlier, Dom asked me what I wanted to do at the finish, and I told her I couldn?t answer that until I knew what was going on with the team. If we?d still had a team in, I probably would not have raced in.?

"Rokket galloped to the finish with his head in the air and his tail up over his back,? Kroon described. Their winning time was 11:45. She admitted that it was a nice feeling to win. As much as she would like to nominate to compete at the next world endurance championship, Karen said that her duties with the Air Force make it difficult to make the commitment at this time.

World Junior Endurance Championship:Endurance programme is approved

Vol XXVIII NO. 238 Sunday 13 November 2005



THE International Equestrian Federation (FEI) approved the programmes of the World Junior Endurance Championship to be held in Bahrain from December 15 to 17 at the Endurance Village premises in Sakhir.

The first day will feature a number of official meetings and will be followed by an opening ceremony and a dinner banquet in honour of the participanting countries.

The second day will include veterinary tests and a meeting during which participants will be briefed about the race rules, regulations and route.

Consist

The actual race will be held on the third day. The race will consist of five stages with the first two stages over 30 kms each while the third stage will be held over 25 kms. The fourth stage will be over 20 kms and the fifth and final stage 15 kms.

Meanwhile, committee chairman and General Organisation for Youth and Sports president Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa met FEI Endurance Committee chairman Ian Williams and reviewed the preparations being made for the success of the event.

Williams, who visited the village and inspected its facilities, said he was pleased with the upgrades made to the venue and praised the efforts of the organisers.

Austrailia: Young Riders to Bahrain

Officials:

Chef D?Equipe : Robin van der Wegen
Team Veterinarian : Narelle Bull
Crew Manager: John Simpson

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Bahrain Team riders at the Recent Trans Tasman Challenge (l to r) Sasha Laws-King , Brooke Warner , Amily Daw , Kristie McGaffin.

Photo by Mal Caldwell AES Media 2005

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Horses and Riders : Short List:
Kristie Mc.Gaffin / Kurrajong Sequel
    (owned by Castlebar Endurance, Meg wade and Chris Gates)
Amily Daw / Castlebar Kadeen
    (owned by Castlebar Endurance, Meg wade and Chris Gates)
Sasha Laws-King / Castlebar Khalifa
    (owned by Castlebar Endurance , Meg wade and Chris Gates)
Brooke Warner / Piabun Ellalong
    (Owned by Toft Endurance, Peter Toft)
Luke Annetts / Tallawarra Quality
    (Owned by Tallawarra Endurance, Terry Wood)
Jenny Annetts / Schuska
    (Owned by Castlebar, Meg wade and Chris Gates)

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Reserve Horses:
Bramall Jazzmin (Toft Endurance, Peter Toft),
Churinga Witezan?s Dream (Lady Denise Trollope)

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Saud Jaber pilots Bahar to win in Endurance Ride

Winners of the First Endurance Ride of the 2005-06 season, seen with HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman, Qatar Endurance Committee, and HE Dr Sultan bin Hasan Al Dosari, Minister of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture.



DOHA: Saud Jaber Al Saaq rode his Anglo-Arab horse Bahar to a superb victory in the first Endurance Ride of the 2005-06 season in Mesaieed on Saturday night.

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman, Qatar Endurance Committee, and HE Dr Sultan bin Hasan Al Dosari, Minister of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture, under whose patronage the First Ride was held, attended the race.

The 100km race was held at the Sealine area in four stages ? the first two restricted to 30km each and the last two to 20km each with an optional pause of 20 minutes between the legs. The race carried a total prize money of QR 300,000.

Hadi Nasser Al Ramazani piloted his Pure-Arabian chestnut Akh Tut to the second place while Hassan Salman Ridah rode Bashan Silver Shadow to the third place.

The 80km ride for youth was won by Khalid Mohammed Al Ali, who rode Bahij to victory and was followed by Mohammed Harban Al Mass on Vakil Ibn Nefous. Mansoor Khalil Al Mansoori, on Mesafir Al Shaqab, finished third.

The Qatar Endurance Committee will be conducting the following five major races (with prize money in bracket) in the coming months:

Open Race on Dec. 3: 120km (QR350,000); 100km for youth (QR170,000), 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

Open Race on Jan. 7: 100km (300,000); 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

GCC Endurance Championship on Jan 28: 120km (QR500,000), 100km for youth (QR200,000).

Qatar International Endurance Race on Feb 26: 120km (QR500,000), 100km for youth (QR300,000).

Local Endurance, March 17 and 18: 160km (QR450,000).

Portable stables boost for BREEF

FIFTY portable stables arrived from Dubai as a supportive gesture for the 120-km World Endurance Championship for Juniors and Youth to be held in Bahrain commencing on December 15.

This was announced by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation second vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa after the organising committee meeting at the National Stadium's conference hall.

Shaikh Khalid said the stables were sent by Dubai's Endurance Office and delivered at the Endurance Village premises in Sakhir where the event will take place.

Shaikh Khalid said the committee confirmed the schedule of the opening ceremony which includes a song by popular singer Rashid Al Majid, fireworks and an open local market.

The committee also approved the accommodations for the judges, technicians, veterinarians, media and other invited guests following a report submitted by accommodation and transportation committee head Abduljalil Assad.

The event will be held over four days with the race scheduled on December 17 and will be divided into five stages.

The meeting was also attended by tournament director Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa and members Shaikh Mohammed bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Tawfeeq Salehi, Dr Khalid Ahmed, Rashid Al Shaikh, Aref Al Mansoori, Mahmood Bodrees, Fahad Al Rumaihi, Mahmood Abdulsaheb and Hana Al Askari.

Endurance ride hosted by MAU

By Randy Wilson/Special to the Mercury-Register

The Lake Oroville Mounted Assistance Unit (MAU) staged another successful Lake Oroville Vista Endurance (L.O.V.E.) ride on November 5, with 143 horseback riders from all over the state, also including some from as far north as Oregon and Canada, who began either an early morning 30- mile or a 50-mile trek around and through the foothills above Lake Oroville and back again.

Originally we were told there were 72 50-milers and 50 30-milers. Chairwoman Kathy Papa and her able crew of 120 volunteers and committee persons ensured the event went well and safely for all involved, after which a barbecued dinner was served before prizes were awarded.




Pictured are only a few of the committee, including Alyssa Agee (11 years old), Casey Jones, Tina Sorenson, Kathy Papa, Nancy Weinzinger and Jill Farris. Mother Nature was very kind in giving everyone pleasant and clear weather, just two days before her rains fell. As a result, many enthusiastically told us they would be sure to return next year.

Twenty eight of the 120 volunteers were from the Auburn area and were operating portable radios for rider safety. Oroville's Dr. Roy Shannon organized the pulse and respiration services, as well as supplying the catered food offered at the halfway point at the Loafer Creek Horse Camp. And Raley's Market came up with apples and carrots for the horses to enjoy.

For the fifty milers, Kassandra DiMaggio of Greenville, riding Buck Mt. Wind Prince had the winning time, and Michaela Anderson (12) of Oroville, atop CRM Xpressions was the leading junior rider. Kathie Perry on ARR Heartbreak won for Best Conditioned Horse.

Deanna Guinasso of Redding, riding RGK Flashfire, had the best time for the 30-mile competition, and Colton Deaver (11), also of Redding, and riding Kceko, was the best junior entrant. Renie Burnett won for Best Conditioned Horse, and Cathy Kneupef of Alturas took the Good Samaritan Award.

The awards for youngest riders went to seven-year-old cousins Mariah Lynch of Chico and Tristan Barger of Anderson. We didn't witness any awards for oldest entrants, although some appeared to be seasoned veterans.

US: Top junior endurance rider

In for the long haul
Simpsonville teen is nation's top junior endurance rider
By Missy Baxter
Special to The Courier-Journal

Aunna Lisa Wood and Miss Pepper Ann rode a trail near Henryville, Ind. (Photos by David R. Lutman, The Courier-Journal)

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Aunna Lisa Wood will turn 16 in February. Unlike most teens, though, she's not very concerned about when she will get her driver's license and a car.

"Mom says if the gas prices keep going up, I might just have to ride my pony to school," said Aunna Lisa, a sophomore at Cornerstone Christian Academy.

"I tell her that I wouldn't mind that at all. My school is in Shelbyville, but I know we could make it."

The 16-mile jaunt to school would be a breeze for Aunna Lisa and her prized pony, Miss Pepper Ann
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Endurance horse racing: when to finish is to win

Nov 02 2005

Golden's Cindy Penno has owned, trained and shown horses for a number of years. But nothing in her previous experiences quite prepared her for her latest venture.
Penno, along with local veterinarian Michael Peterson, is coming off a season where they became heavily involved in the relatively obscure sport of endurance riding.
Endurance riding, as defined by the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), is an athletic event with the same horse and rider covering a measured course within a specified maximum time.
Penno says she and Peterson became interested last spring after he received a memo from the Endurance Ride B.C. (ERBC) group in Kelowna, regarding a clinic they were putting on to encourage more veterinarians to participate in the sport.
"Because he [Peterson] was interested in continuing education, and we both have a similar interest in horses, we thought: 'What the heck - let's go down there'," says Penno.
It was the start of a busy season that saw both attend a host of competitive events throughout B.C.
In total, Penno says she logged 112 competitive miles of rides during four events - her first one in Summerland last May.
Penno used two of her horses during the season but recently purchased another that she will ride for the next one.
Her new horse, Ali, is a nine-year-old Arabian gelding - an experienced endurance horse with 960 competitive miles already under his saddle.
Peterson became a valuable contributor to ERBC events and ended up working five of the eight B.C. races. He recently returned from a prestigious endurance race event in Boise, Idaho where he served as head veterinarian.
"The motto in the sport is: 'To finish is to win'," says Penno. "The horse needs to be fit to continue and that is the biggest challenge - doing the race with a horse that is sound and healthy and has energy left to go."
Penno explained that races vary in length from 25 to 100 miles and that there are a variety of ways the track can be set up. "Most of the rides I've been on have been done in what they call 'loops'," she says. "You are given a map and you follow these marked trails."
As the sport does demand a lot from both rider and horse, the main focus is on the well-being of the animals. "It is not on the rider, it's totally on the horse," says Penno.
She explains that the horses are stopped throughout a race and given a thorough check-up by the attending veterinarian before being allowed to continue. The number of stops is dictated by the length of the race.
Penno is now looking forward to next season and conquering many miles with her new competitive horse - the aptly-named Ali.
richard mackenzie
Star Reporter

So Easy For Champion Philip

Wednesday 2nd November 2005

Ulster rider Philip Giles from Donaghadee recently won the title Irish National Endurance Champion on his 2* horse Bridgewater Vicki, beating last year's winner by over 10 minutes.

Terri Moore from Wicklow defending her title riding Galeshill Boffin, made a sustained and valiant attempt but was unable to meet the challenge set by Philip on the last 10 miles stage of the race and had to settle for second place.

The riders set out from Tullybrannigan at 8am and headed up into Tollymore Forest. After completing around eight miles around the forest tracks they headed across country over fields, tracks and bridle paths for Castlewellan Forest, returning to Tollymore and Tullybrannigan having completed the first 25 miles of the 50 miles race at a steady pace of just over 16k per hour.

Philip was first to call time for the vet in just over three minutes from arrival, his horse vetting successfully with heart rates, well below the maximum 64bpm, a theme set to continue throughout the day. The second loop took the riders in the opposite direction down around Donard Wood across to Tollymore and back to Tullybrannigan, a distance of approximately 15 miles. The riders still only minutes apart remained in sight of each other throughout this loop returning to the venue together.

Once again the speed of vetting gained Philip those extra precious minutes allowing him to set his challenge in the final loop. At the second vet gate the horses were rested for 30 minutes before a compulsory veterinary representation and departure on their final leg of the race. Philip was off first with a four minute lead over Terri. He cantered up the steep incline out of the venue towards Tollymore Forest just taking time to glance over his shoulder before disappearing out of sight and setting a blistering pace of over 19kph, returning to the finish line from Tipperary Wood just 50 minutes later and putting another six minutes between himself and second place.

Terri immediately rose to the challenge and was unrelenting in her effort to catch him right to the line but unfortunately for her was unable to make any impression on his lead. Third place went to another young rider George Finlay also from Co Wicklow who had been a contender for the title earlier in the day during the first two stages of the race but was unable to keep up the momentum on the final stage. Philip has had a very successful 2005 season crossing the line in first position on three occasions and twice in second out of six starts. However, his season is not yet over as later this year Philip will be representing Ireland at the Young Rider World Championships in Bahrain on 1December 17, and is now concentrating his efforts on the final preparations of his 3* horse Millers Light.

Six major endurance races to be held in the 2005-06 season

Six major endurance races to be held in the 2005-06 season
Web posted at: 10/31/2005 7:56:6
Source ::: The Peninsula
photo: HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani

DOHA: The Qatar Endurance Committee, under the chairmanship of HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, has approved the 2005-06 calendar. In the new season, six major races will be held at the Endurance Village in Sealine, Mesaieed.

The races are planned in such a way that even the seniors and juniors get opportunities to show their talent.

Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, director of the endurance committee, said the highlight of the season will be the Qatar International Endurance Race to be held on February 26, 2006.

?We are ready for the new season. I am sure we will see exciting contests in the new season also. Horse racing is a passion with people in Qatar and there?s never a dull moment when the horse racing season starts,? Al Malki told reporters yesterday.

?We hope the new season will be a memorable one for all those concerned with endurance races.?

The GCC Endurance Championship will also be a big event and will be held on January 28.

For a long period of time, some of the world?s best horses and riders have seen in action in various events staged in Qatar.

The following are the six major races with prize money in bracket:

Open Race on Nov. 12: 100km (QR 300,000); 80km for youth (QR150,000); 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

Open Race on Dec. 3: 120km (QR350,000); 100km for youth (QR170,000), 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

Open Race on Jan. 7: 100km (300,000); 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

GCC Endurance Championship on Jan 28: 120km (QR500,000), 100km for youth (QR200,000).

Qatar International Endurance Race on Feb 26: 120km (QR500,000), 100km for youth (QR300,000).

Local Endurance, March 17 and 18: 160km (QR450,000).

Hirst has ticket to ride for the Brits

By KATE HEALEY

Young Mid Wales rider Philip Hirst will be riding for his country this winter following his selection for the World Young Riders Endurance Championships.

The 20-year-old from Meifod has been chosen for the British team due to compete at the Bahrain staged championships this December after a tough selection process that climaxed at the Sherwood Ride this autumn.

?The selection process went very well and this year we had nine strong horses ready to go to Bahrain, compared to only six last year,? said Philip.

?I spent three weeks in Dubai training last winter where the conditions were quite decent and I expect them to be the same out in Bahrain.?

Philip also flew over to Bahrain last year to take part in a ?dry run? for the Championships, so has some idea of what to expect.

Philip will ride the 15.1hh pure bred Arab Vlacq Khamul, who came from the Vlacq Stud in North Wales and has been with the Hirst family for five years.

The pair won The Dukeries 160km Ride at the beginning of the season to bring them to the selector?s attention and also finished fifth at a 120km International ride in France.

Wild Horses and Burros Available for Adoption from Department of Interior at Kentucky Location Nov. 4-6

10/24/2005 6:00:00 AM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor

Contact: Bill Davenport of the Bureau of Land Management-Eastern States, 703-440-1720

News Advisory:

WHAT: Wild horse and burro adoption, where more than 100 horses and burros will be available for adoption.

WHO: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management-Eastern States

WHERE: Lakeside Arena, Frankfort, Kentucky

WHEN: Animals arrive for viewing November 4, 2005, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Adoptions November 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and November 6 from 8 a.m. to noon

WHY: To help maintain an ecological balance on western rangelands, and preserve mustangs as 'living legends.' BLM gathers some horses and burros each year to control the population and offers them to qualified individuals for adoption.

DETAILS: Gentled wild horses in the United States are being used for trail riding, dressage, western events, and other disciplines. They are noted for their endurance, sure-footedness and intelligence. Burros are great companion animals and are sometimes used by farmers for predator control.
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http://www.usnewswire.com/

Equestrian games are a gamble

Posted on Mon, Oct. 24, 2005

WOULD COST ABOUT $33 MILLION FOR LEXINGTON TO HOST IN 2010

By Jim Warren

HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER


Officials of the Kentucky Horse Park and the U.S. Equestrian Federation estimate that it would cost about $33 million to put on the World Equestrian Games in 2010, but they expect to make that much and more from ticket sales, TV deals, sponsorships and other revenue generators.

That's based on the expectation that the event would bring about 300,000 people to Lexington from 40 or more countries.

Some experts say it's difficult to predict just how successful the games might be, and previous events have not been without problems.

The 1994 World Equestrian Games in the Netherlands were plagued by organizational snags, and Ireland had to back out of plans to hold the 1998 games when the Irish government elected not to provide funding.

But Kentucky officials say the horse park's worldwide reputation, vast facilities and long track record of holding major equestrian events constitute unique advantages that should make for successful games.

"The games would have the largest economic impact of any event ever brought to Kentucky," said sports marketing executive Jim Host, who has worked on Lexington's bid to host the games and until recently was Kentucky's commerce secretary.

"The international TV exposure alone would be unlike anything that's ever happened in this part of the country," Host said.

That's if the games come to Lexington, and there won't be a decision on that until December.

The Horse Park and the equestrian federation are polishing the joint presentation they will make to the Federation Equestre Internationale at its meeting in Bahrain on Dec. 6.

A group representing the Normandy area of France -- thought to be the only other finalist -- also will present a bid. The FEI is expected to announce a decision that day.

If Lexington is selected, it would be the first city outside Europe ever to host the games.

"I certainly would never declare victory before we've been selected, but I am confident that we've put together the best bid we possibly can," said John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Hose Park. "But I think we have to proceed as if we're going to be awarded the games, because we'll need to get moving just as soon as a decision is made in order to be ready."

With the games five years away, much could change. But Nicholson says the budget for staging the event will be about $33 million, including the cost of security, extra personnel, seating and other items. One big part of that expense would be a temporary 25,000-seat stadium, which would be the site for the games' opening and closing ceremonies, as well as a venue for some of the competitions. The facility would be disassembled afterward.

"It would be a temporary structure, but it wouldn't look temporary," Nicholson said.

The cost of putting on the games would be covered by ticket sales, TV contracts and sponsorships. According to Nicholson, the Lexington games would have seven to 10 major sponsors, plus other sponsorships.

While the FEI would retain television rights to broadcast the Lexington games live in Europe, the Horse Park and the U.S. Equestrian Federation probably would receive North American television rights. Nicholson said he expects that they would contract with some U.S. sports cable channel for live coverage, and possibly with a mainstream network for regular summaries.

Meanwhile, park officials plan millions of dollars of improvements under a separate budget to get the Horse Park ready for the games, which are scheduled for Sept. 20 to Oct. 3, 2010. These include:

? A permanent indoor arena for equestrian events, expected to cost about $35 million.

? Improvements to the roads that run through the 1,200-acre park, which would cost between $4 million and $5 million.

? A 250-room resort hotel near the horse park's entrance on Ironworks Pike.

Nicholson said the hotel is expected to cost nearly $30 million; it is being developed privately. Koll Development Co. of Dallas has been awarded a contract to build it, and construction is planned to start in June.

Both the indoor arena and road resurfacing work will be financed through state bonds. While those projects will provide additional enhancement for the World Equestrian Games, they are necessary to upgrade the Horse Park even if the equestrian games aren't held here, Nicholson said.

The World Equestrian Games have been held four times since being unveiled in Stockholm in 1990. The fifth edition is set for Aachen, Germany, next year. According to FEI's Web site, Aachen officials expect 500,000 visitors -- they say they already have received 200,000 ticket orders -- and the games are predicted to generate an economic benefit of 230 million euros (about $275 million U.S. dollars) for Germany.

But the games have had some rough spots before.

"The 1994 games in the Netherlands were an absolute disaster, with budget difficulties, organizational problems, lack of accommodations for some riders and grooms," said Daniel Bell, research director for the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles and author of the Encyclopedia of International Games.

The 1998 equestrian games, scheduled for Ireland, had to be switched to Rome when the Irish government decided in 1997 not to provide money to help organizers prepare. However, the Rome games reportedly were successful. Although the event was in strong form by 2002, a lack of permanent stabling for the games in Spain that year forced some competitors' horses to be stabled in tents, which flooded when it rained.

The British considered bidding for the 2010 games, but decided not to proceed because of the costs involved and because England already was scheduled to hold some major international events.

"These games are sort of like the Olympics, some do well and some don't, and it's very fluid," Bell said.

The key to pulling off a major international event like the World Equestrian Games is having "an enormously strong personality" to ramrod things, Bell said.

"For Kentucky that would be someone who is really passionate about the state, the horse park, and Lexington, and who has the skills to motive people and work with people from 50 different countries," he said.

Lexington has three leaders on board: Nicholson and U.S. Equestrian Federation CEO John Long (they will jointly present Lexington's bid in Bahrain), plus Host, who says he'll continue working to help the games, even though he no longer works for the state.

Ken Troske, director of the University of Kentucky Center for Business and Economic Research, said predicting how successful the games might be in Lexington is difficult because the event has no track record outside Europe.

"Using the experience of cities in Europe to make an estimate of what might happen here is kind of dicey," Troske said. "From London or Paris, it's a fairly short train ride to Aachen. You can rent a car in Cologne and drive to Aachen in an hour. But it's hard to predict how many of those people might come over here. If they'd had the games even once outside Europe, it would give you something to go by."

However, Nicholson said the fact that the games have not been held outside Europe should be a boost if the event comes to Lexington.

"There would be a lot of novelty in them being the first non-European games," he said.

Nicholson added that organizers think the Lexington games also would get strong attendance from Europe, South America and parts of Asia where equestrian sports are highly popular.

Lexington's bid is made stronger by the fact that the Kentucky Horse Park already has enough facilities to stage the event almost entirely on-site, he said.

The endurance riding course would have to extend off horse-park property, he said, but every other event could be held within the park's 1,200 acres. The park also has more than enough stalls to accommodate all the horses that would be coming, he said.

Finally, Nicholson said, the Horse Park has a worldwide reputation for successfully staging major equestrian events, dating back to the World Championship Three-Day Event at the park in 1978 and including the Rolex Three-Day Event held at the park annually.

"No place in the world can do a three-day event as well as we can," he said.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff writer Alicia Wincze and news researcher Linda Niemi contributed to this report.

Equestrian games are a gamble

Posted on Mon, Oct. 24, 2005

WOULD COST ABOUT $33 MILLION FOR LEXINGTON TO HOST IN 2010

By Jim Warren

HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER


Officials of the Kentucky Horse Park and the U.S. Equestrian Federation estimate that it would cost about $33 million to put on the World Equestrian Games in 2010, but they expect to make that much and more from ticket sales, TV deals, sponsorships and other revenue generators.

That's based on the expectation that the event would bring about 300,000 people to Lexington from 40 or more countries.

Some experts say it's difficult to predict just how successful the games might be, and previous events have not been without problems.

The 1994 World Equestrian Games in the Netherlands were plagued by organizational snags, and Ireland had to back out of plans to hold the 1998 games when the Irish government elected not to provide funding.

But Kentucky officials say the horse park's worldwide reputation, vast facilities and long track record of holding major equestrian events constitute unique advantages that should make for successful games.

"The games would have the largest economic impact of any event ever brought to Kentucky," said sports marketing executive Jim Host, who has worked on Lexington's bid to host the games and until recently was Kentucky's commerce secretary.

"The international TV exposure alone would be unlike anything that's ever happened in this part of the country," Host said.

That's if the games come to Lexington, and there won't be a decision on that until December.

The Horse Park and the equestrian federation are polishing the joint presentation they will make to the Federation Equestre Internationale at its meeting in Bahrain on Dec. 6.

A group representing the Normandy area of France -- thought to be the only other finalist -- also will present a bid. The FEI is expected to announce a decision that day.

If Lexington is selected, it would be the first city outside Europe ever to host the games.

"I certainly would never declare victory before we've been selected, but I am confident that we've put together the best bid we possibly can," said John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Hose Park. "But I think we have to proceed as if we're going to be awarded the games, because we'll need to get moving just as soon as a decision is made in order to be ready."

With the games five years away, much could change. But Nicholson says the budget for staging the event will be about $33 million, including the cost of security, extra personnel, seating and other items. One big part of that expense would be a temporary 25,000-seat stadium, which would be the site for the games' opening and closing ceremonies, as well as a venue for some of the competitions. The facility would be disassembled afterward.

"It would be a temporary structure, but it wouldn't look temporary," Nicholson said.

The cost of putting on the games would be covered by ticket sales, TV contracts and sponsorships. According to Nicholson, the Lexington games would have seven to 10 major sponsors, plus other sponsorships.

While the FEI would retain television rights to broadcast the Lexington games live in Europe, the Horse Park and the U.S. Equestrian Federation probably would receive North American television rights. Nicholson said he expects that they would contract with some U.S. sports cable channel for live coverage, and possibly with a mainstream network for regular summaries.

Meanwhile, park officials plan millions of dollars of improvements under a separate budget to get the Horse Park ready for the games, which are scheduled for Sept. 20 to Oct. 3, 2010. These include:

? A permanent indoor arena for equestrian events, expected to cost about $35 million.

? Improvements to the roads that run through the 1,200-acre park, which would cost between $4 million and $5 million.

? A 250-room resort hotel near the horse park's entrance on Ironworks Pike.

Nicholson said the hotel is expected to cost nearly $30 million; it is being developed privately. Koll Development Co. of Dallas has been awarded a contract to build it, and construction is planned to start in June.

Both the indoor arena and road resurfacing work will be financed through state bonds. While those projects will provide additional enhancement for the World Equestrian Games, they are necessary to upgrade the Horse Park even if the equestrian games aren't held here, Nicholson said.

The World Equestrian Games have been held four times since being unveiled in Stockholm in 1990. The fifth edition is set for Aachen, Germany, next year. According to FEI's Web site, Aachen officials expect 500,000 visitors -- they say they already have received 200,000 ticket orders -- and the games are predicted to generate an economic benefit of 230 million euros (about $275 million U.S. dollars) for Germany.

But the games have had some rough spots before.

"The 1994 games in the Netherlands were an absolute disaster, with budget difficulties, organizational problems, lack of accommodations for some riders and grooms," said Daniel Bell, research director for the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles and author of the Encyclopedia of International Games.

The 1998 equestrian games, scheduled for Ireland, had to be switched to Rome when the Irish government decided in 1997 not to provide money to help organizers prepare. However, the Rome games reportedly were successful. Although the event was in strong form by 2002, a lack of permanent stabling for the games in Spain that year forced some competitors' horses to be stabled in tents, which flooded when it rained.

The British considered bidding for the 2010 games, but decided not to proceed because of the costs involved and because England already was scheduled to hold some major international events.

"These games are sort of like the Olympics, some do well and some don't, and it's very fluid," Bell said.

The key to pulling off a major international event like the World Equestrian Games is having "an enormously strong personality" to ramrod things, Bell said.

"For Kentucky that would be someone who is really passionate about the state, the horse park, and Lexington, and who has the skills to motive people and work with people from 50 different countries," he said.

Lexington has three leaders on board: Nicholson and U.S. Equestrian Federation CEO John Long (they will jointly present Lexington's bid in Bahrain), plus Host, who says he'll continue working to help the games, even though he no longer works for the state.

Ken Troske, director of the University of Kentucky Center for Business and Economic Research, said predicting how successful the games might be in Lexington is difficult because the event has no track record outside Europe.

"Using the experience of cities in Europe to make an estimate of what might happen here is kind of dicey," Troske said. "From London or Paris, it's a fairly short train ride to Aachen. You can rent a car in Cologne and drive to Aachen in an hour. But it's hard to predict how many of those people might come over here. If they'd had the games even once outside Europe, it would give you something to go by."

However, Nicholson said the fact that the games have not been held outside Europe should be a boost if the event comes to Lexington.

"There would be a lot of novelty in them being the first non-European games," he said.

Nicholson added that organizers think the Lexington games also would get strong attendance from Europe, South America and parts of Asia where equestrian sports are highly popular.

Lexington's bid is made stronger by the fact that the Kentucky Horse Park already has enough facilities to stage the event almost entirely on-site, he said.

The endurance riding course would have to extend off horse-park property, he said, but every other event could be held within the park's 1,200 acres. The park also has more than enough stalls to accommodate all the horses that would be coming, he said.

Finally, Nicholson said, the Horse Park has a worldwide reputation for successfully staging major equestrian events, dating back to the World Championship Three-Day Event at the park in 1978 and including the Rolex Three-Day Event held at the park annually.

"No place in the world can do a three-day event as well as we can," he said.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff writer Alicia Wincze and news researcher Linda Niemi contributed to this report.

Karen Kroon Wins FEI North American Endurance Championship at 2005 Fair Hill International; USA Pacific South Wins Team Championship

By Classic Communications

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karen Kroon of Cheyenne, WY, won the 2005 FEI North American Endurance Championship CEIO**** at the 17th annual Fair Hill International Festival in the Country in Elkton, MD, October 9-10.

Kroon won the continental championship?s Individual Gold medal by finishing the 100-mile ride in a time of 11:45:30 on Rokket, her 11-year-old bay Arabian gelding.

Dominique Freeman of La Honda, CA, who finished in 11:45:50 seconds on Jayel Super, a 13-year-old bay Arabian gelding owned by Stagg and Cheryl Newman, finished second behind Kroon, but as a citizen of Great Britain was not eligible for a medal in the North American Championship, which is open only to riders representing North American countries.

Winning the Individual Silver was Sandra E. Conner of Conowingo, MD who finished third overall with a time of 12:03:32 on Elegant Pride, a 10-year-old gray Arabian gelding owned by Lana Wright. The Bronze medal went to Betty Baker of Honeybrook, PA, who finished fourth overall with a time of 12:03:42 on Synematic, her eight-year-old gray Arabian gelding.

?To win is a real surprise to me,? said Kroon. ?My horse has the ability, but there was 10 inches of snow on the ground when we left Wyoming, so this was a real change of climate. We usually train at 7,000 feet and to come here and compete under such drastically different conditions, well, it?s a real thrill and a great honor for us to win.?

The Best Condition Award went to Rebel Fire Bask, owned and ridden by Nicole Chappell Wiere of Elk Grove, CA, who placed ninth with a time of 12:48:21. Receiving an Honorable Mention for Best Condition was the Bronze Medal-winning Elegant Pride,Karen Kroon Wins FEI North American Endurance Championship at 2005 Fair Hill International

The USA Pacific South team of Wiere on Rebel Fire Bask, Barry Waitte of Los Gatos, CA on LV Cambridge, Carolyn Hock of Riverside, CA, on GT Sando, and Heather Reynolds of Los Gatos, CA, on CP Magestic won the Team Gold. Hillorie Bachmann of Cupertino, CA, on CV Eli and Jeff Townsend of Los Gatos, CA, on Kann Sam Count also represented USA Pacific South, riding as individuals. The Team Silver went to Pacific North and the Bronze when to USA Central. USA Mountain was fourth, USA East was fifth, Canada East was sixth and Canada West was seventh.

Detailed results and further information on the 2005 Fair Hill International Festival in the Country is available at www.fairhillinternational.com.

Australia: Trans Tasman Challenge Results

FEI Open Division / 160

------------------------------

1, Brook Sample - La Mancha Archduke, 9:13:32 **BC**

2, Donna Weismann - Hirstglen Fargo, 9:19:14

3, Howard Harris - Harmere Turfan, 9:19:33

4, Anne Jones - Carnarvon Cavalier, 9:36:33

5, Joyce Corbett - Reeflex, 10:05:00

6, Jodie Patterson - Abrock Gemma, 10:11:00

7, Daniele O'Loughlin - Pravado, 11:34:00

8, Maurice Gray - Ashraf Ibn Amir, 11:52:00

9, David Horton - Eskdale Espirique, 12:49:00

10, Ken Moir - Camelot Retreat Azada, 12:49:10



[More ...]

Equestrians compete at Chamberlain Creek

By Jereen Anderson


The annual Chamberlain Creek 50-mile Endurance Ride out of Dunlop Camp on Hwy 20 took place Sept. 24. This equestrian event brought together horse and rider teams from Nevada, Trinity/Eureka, Novato, Potter Valley, England, Argentina and Mendocino. Twenty-six riders entered the 30-mile limited distance challenge and 46 riders went for the 50-mile event.

Being local turned out to be a good thing. The winner of the 50-mile race, for the second year in a row, was Mendocino rider Ed Anderson and his Arabian, Neekalos.

The team of Anderson and Neekalos set a new record for time last year with a finish of 4 hours and 26 minutes. Fifty-mile riders are allowed a maximum time of 12 hours to get an official completion.

This year they added a mere two minutes to that time and were awarded the coveted Best Condition Award. Using stringent criteria, best condition honors a horse out of the top ten finishers which the veterinarians decide is best suited to run for the doctor at the end of the ride.

Other locals in the top ten were Lari Shea of Mendocino on Indiana Jones coming in second, and Jeannie Pepper of Albion on North Bey, finishing seventh. Both teams received recognition by the veterinarians for their high best condition scores.

Emily Bloom from Fort Bragg was the first junior (under 16) to complete the 50-miler. Diana Dalton also finished the 50 in fine form, as did Cynthia Ariosta of Fort Bragg on Spirit. Other riders included Cathy DiVito of Potter Valley, Forrest Tancer of Sebastopol, Sky Carruthers of Argentina and Rebecca Bailey of England. Both Carruthers and Bailey are working at Ricochet Ridge Ranch in Fort Bragg at this time.


Many coastal folks worked hard in helping ride manager Marianne Gerssing put on this event. Among the volunteers were Calamity Paul, Steve Eliason, and Cynthia LeDuc of Fort Bragg, Gail and John Joseph and Dory Kwan and her daughter Ella from Albion.

"To finish is to win," is the motto of the endurance riding and anyone who has done a distance ride on a horse in all varieties of weather and terrain, soon learns the beauty and truth of these words.

72 riders compete in Endurance Ride
Wednesday, 12 October 2005

A picture perfect weekend greeted the 72 riders that came to Woodstock on 24 & 25 September to compete in the 80km ride and take part in the 40km training ride. The district put on its best conditions allowing horses to travel over tracks that were soft under foot, with just a touch of humidity that hinted at the storms that would come just after the last floats drove out of the showground on Sunday afternoon.
The 80km ride was won by Peter Norman from Nowra on a 13 year old pure Arabian gelding, "Bellarine Pasha", in a riding time of 4 hours 37 minutes. The last rider completed the course in a time of 8 hours and one minute, well and truly within the maximum riding time of 9 hours. Successful local riders were Nikki Tucker riding "Sanlargo Mystique", Robin Gossip on "Sudan, Petrina Besedic riding "Anabriar Khaboul" and Erica Allan on "Ebony".


The course travelled through the properties of Guy Geeves and Yvonne Cousins, John and Kit Cooley, Clare Mcginniskin and Pat Macree, Andrew and Annette Bailey, Barry and Penny Gay and Barry and Jenny Blinman. All these landowners provided a magnificent backdrop for riders from all over the State to experience our marvellous district in all its seasonal glory.

The ride was supported by many locals including Graham and Karen Gay, Brett Blinman, Margaret Hamilton, Alan Carter, Larah Eamens and members of the Cowra Cadets working in the timing tent. Kit and John Cooley were ever present in the Vetting area taking pulse rates before the horses presented to the vets. Dawn Cummins stewarded a gate for the best part of the morning and the Cowra Cadets also helped by sitting at the many gates that remained opened for the duration of the ride. The Cowra Cadets also catered a magnificent dinner on Saturday night with funds raised going towards their end of year festivities.

Dirt bikes were given a work out by Phil Tucker, Steve Green and Luke Tidswell who went around the course to open gates and check markers at 4.30am on Sunday and then shut all the gates at the end of the day. The Cowra Bush Fire Brigade provided excellent communications over the entire course and the Woodstock Bush Fire Brigade provided backup water for the horses. Other helpers included Nicole O'Connor who pencilled for the vets and Chris Newham and Judy O'Connor who ably assisted in the canteen.

Endurance riding provides an excellent opportunity for horse riders to enjoy country that they would not normally experience. Participants travel over courses that are well marked and watered and it never fails to amaze riders just how much the horses enjoy the whole "socialisation" with other horses.

The training ride concept built into the sport allows for riders to experience the course, without necessarily having to do a whole endurance ride of 80kms or more. This takes the pressure off having to train and feed to the same extent as having a fitter horse to do the longer distances.

Next year, Lachlan Endurance Riders will hold its normal format of 80kms and 40kms and will also have a 20km ride for those wishing to have a taste of the sport. For more information on endurance riding, contact Karen Rhodes on 63450 257 ah, or Annette Bailey on 63450383 or go the NSW Endurance Riders Association web site at www.nswera.asn.au