French riders optimistic

By RAMI HULAYYEL
Gulf Daily News

FRENCH team members are optimistic of their chances in the Gulf Energy World Junior Endurance Championship to be held in Bahrain from Thursday to December 18 in Sakhir. The team which arrived a week ago, headed by their chef de equipe Jean Louis Leclerc, consists of six riders. The team is presently training hard in the Zallaq area ahead of this prestigious event.

"We started preparations for this championship very late due to a problem with our federation which could not support us financially much earlier," said Leclerc.

But the team were fortunate to get the required support from the Sport Ministry in France. "We are very grateful to the Ministry of Sport. They gave us what we needed which was quite costly," he said.

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Young Riders Championship : Namibia keen to put on good display

By RAMI HULAYYEL

A YOUNG but experienced Namibian team will be looking forward to put up a good performance at the Gulf Energy World Junior Endurance Championship to be held from Thursday to December 18 in Sakhir.

The 20-member delegation includes six riders aged between 15 and 18 who were the first team to start preparations in Bahrain as soon as they reached the Kingdom 10 days ago.

"We had a good preparation programme which started in January after the World Senior Championship in the UAE. After that we began to make arrangements for coming to Bahrain," said the team's chef d equipe Zelda Von Schauroth who is also the mother of rider Udo and his younger sister Izolde.

The remaining four riders of the team are 18-year-old captain Stefanius Pienaar, Wanette Hanekom, Marlene Rensburg and Karel Grunschloss.
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Young Riders Championship: Team Australia

By RAMI HULAYYEL

AUSTRALIAN riders are leaving nothing for chance in their bid to finish at the top in the Gulf Energy World Junior Endurance Championship to be held in Bahrain from December 15 to 18 in Sakhir.

Comprising six riders, the Australian delegation was among the first teams to arrive in Bahrain and since then they have been training at the Endurance Village which is the venue of the event.

"We started our preparations for this championship three years ago by taking part in a number of events in Australia," said the team's chef de equipe Robin Van der Wegen.

Presently, there are 21 members from Australia in Bahrain and 14 more officials are expected to arrive on Tuesday, four days before the race.">Gulf Daily News: "Aussie riders aim for top slot

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AERA Home Site

2008 WEC in Malaysia!

From: "Steph Teeter" <stephteeter@endurance.net>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Subject: 2008 WEC in Malaysia!
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2005 21:43:51 -0300

Important Endurance Dates:

2006 ASIAN GAMES
The Asian Games to be organised in Doha in December 2006 will include
competitions in Jumping, Dressage, Eventing and Endurance.

2006 World Breeding Endurance Championship for Young Horses: Compiègne
(FRA), 26 August

2007 World Young Riders Endurance Championship: Eizeiza/Buenos Aires (ARG),
17 March

2007 European Open Endurance Championship: Barroca d’Alva (POR), 7 September

2007 Pan American Endurance Championship: Woods Park, Manitoba (CAN), 7 July

2008 World Endurance Championship to Malaysia at a venue and date to be
confirmed

Aussie riders aim for top slot

By RAMI HULAYYEL
AUSTRALIAN riders are leaving nothing for chance in their bid to finish at the top in the Gulf Energy World Junior Endurance Championship to be held in Bahrain from December 15 to 18 in Sakhir.

Comprising six riders, the Australian delegation was among the first teams to arrive in Bahrain and since then they have been training at the Endurance Village which is the venue of the event.

"We started our preparations for this championship three years ago by taking part in a number of events in Australia," said the team's chef de equipe Robin Van der Wegen.

Presently, there are 21 members from Australia in Bahrain and 14 more officials are expected to arrive on Tuesday, four days before the race.

Der Wegen said the team was recently announced and the selection was made according to the abilities and conditions of the horses as well as the riders.

"Our horses are very well qualified. They have completed many 160 kms races throughout the year and we are quite confident of them doing well here as well," he said.

However, Wegen confirmed that his priority is to see his young riders complete the race without injury problems and then if the horses are doing well on the day, they will work hard to be among the top.

"We are all satisfied with the environment here in Bahrain which is very important for all the teams taking part. The course here is very comfortable for riding and the organisers are providing enough safety measures for the participants," he said.

Brooke Warner, aged 14, is the team's youngest rider and she will be riding 10-year-old horse Piabun Ellalong.

Brooke, who started riding at the age of nine, is also one of the championship's best young riders. She won the 130-km Capricorn Cup in January while her last achievement was finishing top at the Tevis Cup in the US in July.

Interestingly, she won last year's Shahzada 400-km Memorial Ride for juniors which was held over five days in Australia.

Other team members are Kristie McGaffin, Sasha Laws-King, Amily Daw, Luke Annetts and his younger sister Jennifer.

Twenty-year-old rider Kristie qualified for this event after completing three 160-km races this year, including the Capricorn Cup in May when she finished third. Her last victory was in the FEI Ivory Rock Ride in 2003 which was over 160 kms.

Amily, also 20, competed in many races this year during which she won two events - the 80-km Muegonga Ride and the CEI Rosedale Ride which was over 120 kms.

Sasha, the second youngest team member aged 16, had her first international appearance four years ago in the 160-km Canberra Challenge junior which she won.

Her other remarkable results were winning the CEI Windorah Ride youth race in the same year and in the last three years she clinched a first-place finish in a 160-km race.

Luke booked his berth in the Bahrain event after completing three 160-km races last year. The most remarkable results for the 20-year-old rider since he began to ride in 2001 were winning both the FEI Kilkivan and Windorah rides which were over 160 kms.

His younger sister Jenny, 19, has gained quite a good experience in the last two years during which she participated in 13 races, including the 90-km CEI Lovers Ride which she won in the youth category.
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120 Entries received for today?s Endurance Race

By A Correspondent

8 December 2005


DUBAI ? A total of 120 horses have been entered for the first Endurance race of the 2005 ? 2006 season, sponsored by Dubai Waterfront, to be held today at the Dubai International Endurance City.

Today?s Dubai International Endurance City Ride is over 120 km organised by the Dubai Equestrian Club with a start time of 6am.

Riders from 13 separate nations will be competing today, including Her Royal Highness Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, wife of General Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Minister of Defence. Princess Haya, who is President of the Dubai Equestrian Club, will be riding the Ismail Mohammed-trained Rabdaan.

Also competing in the race will be Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum who is the current FEI Open European Champion following his success in Compiegne, France.

Nakheel, the UAE?s premier property developer, is a key player in realising the vision of Dubai for the 21st century: creating a world class destination for business and tourism.

With 14 major developments and US$30 billion of real estate projects, Nakheel?s portfolio includes the spectacular Ibn Battuta Mall and the iconic and internationally acclaimed waterfront developments The Palms, The World, and Dubai Waterfront ? the largest waterfront development in the world.

Saeed H. Al Tayer, Vice-President of the Dubai Equestrian Club, said: ?We welcome Dubai Waterfront as partners in the 2005 ? 2006 Dubai Endurance season.

?We thank them for their support of the first race of the new season and we hope that equestrian fans from around the UAE will take this opportunity to come and watch the race.?

Spectators are encouraged to attend each of the races and watch from the vantage points at the Dubai International Endurance City, where there are excellent facilities, free admission and free car parking.

All spectators are entitled to enter prize draw with the opportunity to win AED15,000 first prize, second prize is AED10,000, a third prize of AED5,000 and 20 other prizes of AED1,000 each. The prize draw is free to enter and each spectator will be given one prize draw ticket.
The Dubai International Endurance City is easy to get to, from the Dubai Autodrome roundabout on the Emirates Road, follow the signs to the Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa and the venue is located beside the hotel.

Britain's riders eye podium slot

By RAMI HULAYYEL

BRITAIN have fielded a strong six-member squad for the Gulf Energy World Junior Endurance Championship to be held in Bahrain from December 15 to 18 and are confident of winning the top medals.

Crew member Peter Moon is quite optimistic of his team putting up a good performance in this 120-km event and be among the top three on the podium by the end of the day.

"We have come here to win medals," said a confident Moon. "Since we arrived here a few days ago, we have been doing some stretching and warming up and we should start practising tomorrow," he said.

Managed by chef de equipe Sue Broughton, the team was selected last September and since then have had many training camps all around the UK, including a week-long training camp at the premises of International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) in Newmarket and three sessions in Wolverhampton.

"We had a squad of nine riders which was further reduced to six. The selection was made depending on the riders fitness, experience and the horse's pedigree," he said.

Interestingly Moon's 17-year-old daughter Zara will be taking part in the championship on Yamavar which is also 17 years old and is the oldest horse in the event.

"Yamavar is the most experienced horse in this championship. It has taken part in many events in the UK, Spain and Italy so we are quite confident that it will do well here in Bahrain," said Moon.

Zara has been riding in endurance races since she was eight. She is studying arts, graphics and mathematics in the UK and will do her final qualifying examinations when she returns home.

Qualified

Other team members are Philip Hirst, Abigail Lockett, Gemma Parkin, Alice Beet and Anna Williams who is the daughter of the FEI Endurance Committee director Dr Ian Williams.

Anna, who is aged 21, will be riding HS Saboteur, a new horse which only qualified for this championship this year.

"She has taken part in qualifying rides in the UK and recently went to Argentina where she took part in an invitational ride along with Hirst," said Moon.

Living abroad in Switzerland, Anna had been to the Gulf region and specially to the UAE where she worked for sometime.

Hirst will be riding his mother's horse Vlacq Khamul which took part in the European Championship a few months ago. It was leading the race but unfortunately it took the wrong turn and had to pull out after losing valuable time.

Alice, one of the youngest talents in the UK, is the only team member yet to arrive. She is expected to land in Bahrain on Saturday.

"Alice started riding last year in Dubai and qualified on a number of horses in 120 kms events, including one in the UK," said Moon.

But Alice will be competing in this championship on Harmatan de Lozere, a horse owned by Dubai Crown Prince and Defence minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The horse is also arriving on Saturday.

Twenty-one-year-old rider Gemma, who will ride Lutandorvici, is another young talented girl who is expected to put up a good performance in the championship.

Gemma started riding in endurance races since she was eight and was the British national champion in 2003. She recently finished third in the 160-km FEI Dukers Race in the UK.

Abigail is aged 20 and will be riding Delorto Zaranz, another veteran horse which won last year's 160-km Summer Celstis Ride, one of the major endurance events in the UK.

Slovakia - Riders thrilled to be in Bahrain

SLOVAKIA'S lone participant Silvia Hrebikova led the chorus in praise of top class facilities available at the Endurance Village in Sakhir ahead of the World Junior Endurance Championship scheduled to be held from December 15 to 18.

"I have been training in Bahrain for almost a week and the environment here at the Endurance Village is outstanding," said Silvia.

Silvia will be riding an 11-year-old mare Fathia in this 120-km race which will be divided into five stages.

Other teams who continued practising for this prestigious event were also equally impressed and said they were thrilled to be in Bahrain for this top class championship.

"This championship is going to be very tough for everyone and I expect to see some teams perform amazingly well and achieve stunning results," the Slovak said.

Slovakian veterinary doctor Martina Kina also lauded the equipments available at the village.

"Our team has come to Bahrain with a lot of hope and we are looking forward to a good result although there are other world class riders from Europe and South America," she said.

Kina said she was impressed with the state-of-the-art facilities at the veterinary clinics and is looking forward to use them during the championship.

"The stables at the village are well designed and they can accommodate all the horses and yet avoid chaos before the race," she said.

Team coach Feras Bulbul said the delegation had prepared well for this championship and had a long-term training camp in Europe.

"We have gone very far in terms of preparing Silvia and we have faith in her to clinch one of the top positions in the championship to underline the improved standards in our country," he said.

Quarantine manager Dr Alex Atock said having 140 horses under one roof was very difficult and by achieving it Bahrain has proved its organisational skills.

"Most of the delegations have fielded six riders each which is the highest number of entrants allowed for this event," he said.

Freedom

"With so many horses in the fray, Bahrain still managed to reduce the number of horses in each stable to give more movement for freedom around that area," he said.

Endurance Village director Khalid Fakhro said the village is now well geared and ready to host any world championship.

"The village with all its hi-tech facilities and supplies can be compared to any world class villages. The whole world will be watching the best riders competing here and the Bahrainis should be proud for hosting the event," he said.

Fakhro said the village was built in a short time for this event. "For the past few days, all the teams have been practicing at the village and they praised the conditions here and the overall atmosphere," said Khalid.

Grand endurance opening lined up

By RAMI HULAYYEL

A SPECIAL programme has been arranged at the opening ceremony of the World Junior Endurance Championship to be held in Bahrain from December 15 to 18.

Organising committee deputy chairman and Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation second vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said the opening ceremony will be held at the Bahrain International Circuit while the closing ceremony will take place at the Equestrian and Horseracing Club.

"We have prepared a number of surprises for the audience and officials at the opening ceremony in Sakhir at the Bahrain International Circuit such as a music show by the Interior Ministry's music band, fireworks and laser shows and other entertainment programmes," said Shaikh Khalid.

"We are delighted to organise this prestigious event with riders from 30 countries taking part in which is a record that has not been achieved by any other country hosting such a competition which adds more pressure on us as we are keen to make this event a big success," he said.

Shaikh Khalid said the committee started issuing accreditation cards for delegation members as well as VIPs who will be attending the four-day event, while a special booklet printed recently includes information on the championship and other technical issues. The booklet is in English and will be distributed to the delegations soon.

Meanwhile, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) bureau will have a meeting today on the sidelines of the championship to discuss the final preparations being made for hosting the event.

The FEI will also name the country which will be hosting the 2008 World Endurance Senior Championship with the UAE and Malaysia vying to host this event.

The meeting will be chaired by FEI president Infanta Dona Pillarde of Spain who arrived in Bahrain on Saturday night.

The FEI panel includes members from South Korea, Austria, UK, Sweden, South Africa, the US, Argentina, Venezuela, Norway, Dominican Republic, Australia, Brazil, Holland, Greece, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, France and New Zealand.

A total of 140 riders from across the world, will be competing at this championship which will be over 120 kms divided into five stages.

The first two stages will be over 30 kms while the third stage will be over 25 kms. The fourth stage will be over 20 kms and the fifth and final stage will consist of 15 kms.

The Bahraini riders, who are looking forward to put up a good show in the championship, stepped up their preparations for this prestigious event. The team consist of 12 members, captained by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Other Bahraini riders in the fray are Shaikha Najla bint Salman Al Khalifa, Mohammed Abdulsamad, Abdulaziz Adam, Salem Al Otaibi, Ahmed Hassan, Shaikh Saqer bin Khalid Al Khalifa, Maytham Ahmed, Ebrahim Al Jebouri, Mohammed Abdulaziz and Fahad Sulaiman.

Shaikh Khalid backs Bahrain

By RAMI HULAYYEL

BAHRAINI riders will be looking forward to give off their best in the World Junior Endurance Championship scheduled from December 15 to 18 at the Endurance Village in Sakhir, according to Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation acting president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Shaikh Khalid is among a 12-member Bahrain squad which will compete with 140 riders representing 30 countries from across the world in this prestigious event to be held over 120 kms and divided into five stages.

Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who is presently abroad to complete his studies, will lead the team which include Shaikha Najla bint Salman Al Khalifa, Mohammed Abdulsamad, Abdulaziz Adam, Salem Al Otaibi, Ahmed Hassan, Shaikh Saqer bin Khalid Al Khalifa, Maytham Ahmed, Ebrahim Al Jebouri, Mohammed Abdulaziz and Fahad Sulaiman.

They were selected from among 24 riders according to their performance and results in previous races.

"We have a great trust in the organising committee's ability to excel and do an impeccable job that meets the satisfaction of the world equestrian federation," said Shaikh Khalid who is also captain of Al Khaldiya Stable.

Facilities

"The Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation has provided top class facilities to the visiting delegations to gain their admiration and make sure everything is going on as planned," he said.

Shaikh Khalid praised the continuous support of His Majesty King Hamad to the equestrian sports in general and specifically endurance races which has contributed to development of this sport in the region.

"I am very pleased to be representing Bahrain in this world championship," said Bahraini rider Abdulaziz.

"For me, this event will be a completely different experience. The whole world will have their eyes on us and riding with some of the best riders in the world is quite a dream for any rider," he young rider said.

"We have been training very hard in recent weeks and my teammates are keen to accomplish a good result in the championship," added Abdulaziz.

Shaikha Najla also said she was proud to be in the Bahraini team.

"We all know how tough this championship will be, but on the other hand we also have reached the top of our form as we have been training so hard for weeks together here at the endurance village," she said.

She said that hosting this event will be a major boost for Bahrain which has become one of the leading countries in hosting world championships.

"I am so excited about this event. It is my first international appearance and it's going to be a new challenge for me," said Fahad.

"The team will definitely gain more experience from this championship," he said.

Ahmed was also delighted to have been selected. "It is an honour for me to represent the Kingdom at such an event. That only adds more responsibilities on us to give off our best performance," he said.

"The world championships are already tough as the best riders from around the globe are taking part, but we have prepared well too," said Ahmed.

Illinois Junior travels to Bahrain

Daily Features
Endurance racing
By Jane Lethlean

Photo by jane lethlean / the journal-standard Ashlee Van Raalte of Scales Mound poses with one of the Arabian horses she trains with on a farm near Schapville. Van Raalte will represent the United States at the 2005 FEI World Endurance Championship on Dec. 17 in Bahrain.



The Journal-Standard

Ashlee Van Raalte of Scales Mound isn't exactly sure when she first fell in love with horses, but she thinks she had to have been around 3-years-old.

When she was 10, she wanted a horse of her own so badly that she had her mother sell all of her Beanie Babies collection. It was then that her parents, Stewart and Julie Van Raalte, and her trainers knew she was serious about riding horses.

?I have loved horses for as long I can remember,? Van Raalte said. ?It makes me feel good to ride. I just had to have my own horse when I was young and it was my choice to sell my Beanie Babies.?

The 18-year-old, who attends Highland Community College in Freeport as a full-time student, is getting ready for an international horse race in Bahrain on Dec. 17. Van Raalte will be the only rider from the United States competing for the title at the 2005 Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders.

Van Raalte's trainers - Grace Ramsey and Jan Worthington of Scales Mound - will be with her throughout the trip. They know she is ready for this race.

Van Raalte - whom Ramsey calls ?Smash? - will do well, because she has already done well in this race and she knows the horse.

?This is a great opportunity for Smash,? Ramesy said. ?It is a lifetime deal and I know she will do a good job. She will be a good representative for the United States and she has been working towards this for the past 10 years.?

ADVERTISEMENT

This championship will be the largest of its kind to date and is expected to host more than 150 entries from a record 33 participating countries.

Van Raalte will compete on the 75-mile course, riding an Arabian named Saif Al Arab, a horse owned by her friend Sheikha Madiya Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates.

Van Raalte had to meet the criteria necessary to compete in the race, which means that she had to have competed and finished well in at least three endurance horse races in the past year. She also had to get permission from the United States Equestrian Federation, which is the governing body for American equestrian races.

?I got the invitation to compete in this race from my friend Madiya,? Van Raalte said. ?I will leave home on Dec. 11 to help Madiya compete in a race two days later. I plan to crew for her race and then she will crew for me on my race.?

?I found out in August that I was going to be able to compete in this race,? Van Raalte said. ?I was very excited, but it is stressful to compete at this level. It is a mental challenge.?

The horse she will be riding is one that she knows. The horse came from the farm near Schapville where Van Raalte trains.

?I know this horse,? Van Raalte said. ?I used to ride him at the farm before Grace sold him to Madiya. He was my favorite horse when he was here at the farm. I will have a few days to work with him before I have to compete in the race.?

Endurance racing is a ?team effort? and is a test of the horse's condition, stamina and the rider's intelligence. The grueling test takes horse and rider long distances - 50 to 100 miles - over varied terrain.

Because of the rigor of the race, which is based on speed, it is done under veterinary supervision. It takes a ?pit crew? to compete in this kind of racing and for the race that Van Raalte plans to run, she will be accompanied by her trainers and her friend.

?It's like one big family when I go to endurance races,? Van Raalte said. ?Jan is with me all the time on the trails. She and Grace are my extended family. I wouldn't have what I have if it weren't for them.?

During the race, which will have four checks to examine the horse. The horse will be checked for any soreness or change in attitude, pulse, respiration and other physical factors. Failure to meet any of these criteria for racing can stop a horse from completing the course.

?I like the challenge of endurance racing,? Van Raalte said. ?It is not easy and out on the course it is just me and my horse. My goal at any race is just to finish, but I will not kid you, I always want to win.?

Van Raalte has a few regional titles under her belt and she has also won reserve championships in other endurance races. She said she likes endurance racing because it allows her not only to be able to ride a horse, which she loves most, but also to see some beautiful country on the courses.

This particular race will take her through the desert and along some beaches. The 75-mile course must be completed within 10 hours and Van Raalte and her trainers know she is up to the challenge.

What does Van Raalte get if she wins the race?

?This is a sport that takes a lot of money,? she said. ?It's not about prizes, it's about personal best between me and the horse.

For the next couple of weeks, it will be her studies at HCC that Van Raalte will concentrate on. She will be able to take her semester exams early.

?After I finish my last exam, I will start thinking about the race,? Van Raalte said. ?I want to do well and am hoping for the top 10, but as long as I finish I'll be happy.?

Lexington wins the World Equestrian Games

By Maryjean Wall

HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

The World Equestrian Games, an international event expected to draw up to 300,000 people over two weeks, will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in 2010.

The Federation Equestre Internationale, meeting in Bahrain, picked the Horse Park over the only other finalist, the Normandy region of France, the Herald-Leader learned from French newspaper, Ouest France. Associated Press confirmed the news minutes later.

A team of five Kentuckians flew to Bahrain over the weekend to make their final presentation today to the FEI. The team was led by John Nicholson, Horse Park executive director, and John Long, CEO of the United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.

This will mark the first time the games have been held outside Europe. The expected crowd will result in the largest attendance ever at a sporting event in Kentucky.

?This is a tremendous example of what Kentucky can achieve when the public, private and government sectors work together,? said Keeneland President Nick Nicholson. ?Many people, including my brother John Nicholson of the Horse Park and John Long of the U.S. Equestrian Federation, put a lot of effort into seeing this dream become a reality."

The world games include seven equestrian sports: show jumping, dressage, three-day eventing, driving, endurance, vaulting, and reining. The 2006 games are schedule Aug. 22 to Sept. 3 in Aachen, Germany.

Watch kentucky.com today for further developments and get complete analysis and coverage in Wednesday's Herald-Leader.
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12-member Bahrain team for endurance challenge

BAHRAIN announced a 12-member national team for the World Endurance Championship for Juniors scheduled from December 15 to 18 at the Endurance Village in Sakhir.

The team is captained by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and includes Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikha Najla bint Salman Al Khalifa, Mohammed Abdulsamad, Abdulaziz Adam, Salem Al Otaibi, Ahmed Hassan, Shaikh Saqer bin Khalid Al Khalifa, Maytham Ahmed, Ebrahim Al Jebouri, Mohammed Abdulaziz and Fahad Sulaiman.

They were selected from among 24 riders according to their performance and results in previous races.

Shaikh Nasser praised the efforts of the organising committee, headed by General Organisation for Youth and Sports president Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa to ensure the success of this event which coincides with the Kingdom's National Day celebrations and His Majesty King Hamad's accession to the throne.

Shaikh Nasser also welcomed the teams which arrived for the championship and said the event will be very competitive having the top junior riders from around the globe in the fray.

He said in Bahrain the sport has become popular and many young enthusiasts are taking part in the national championships which is a good sign as it will bring new talents to represent the Kingdom in regional and international events.

Shaikh Nasser extended his appreciation to His Majesty for his continuous support to all Bahraini team members as well as to other sports.

Meanwhile, a total of 140 riders, representing 30 countries, will be competing at this championship which will be over 120 kms and divided into five stages. The first two stages will be over 30km, 25km for the third, 20km for the fourth and 15km for the fifth.

Each country is allowed a maximum of six riders for the race to be held on December 17.

Among regional delegations which arrived yesterday included Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The Jordanian delegation consists of Tareq Rabea, Yara Aslan, Shakeeb Qabbani, Hanna Bhouti and Ali Abu Rabea while the Qatari team includes Sa'ad Al Kuwari, Hamad Al Mirri, Shaikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Shaikh Mohammed bin Nawaf Al Thani, Abdulla Al Mirri and Khalid Al Attiya.

Mohammed Al Dekheel, Abdulaziz bin Amer, Abdulaziz Ebrahim, Ali Al Hashim, Bander bin Mahfood and Humood Al Shimmiri will be riding for Saudi Arabia while Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Maktoum will be leading the UAE team which is one of the favourites for the championship.

Other team members are Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Shaikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Shaikh Juma'a bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, Shaikh Abdulla bin Faisal Al Qassimi and Rashid Saeed.

The horses also arrived in Bahrain via Holland on private jets. On arrival, the horses were moved to the quarantines section after special procedures arranged by the technical committee.

Most of the teams have fielded six riders for the championship while the US and Malaysia will be represented by only one rider each.

Top endurance chief in Bahrain

By RAMI HULAYYEL

INTERNATIONAL Equestrian Federation (FEI) president Infanta Dona Pillarde of Spain arrived in Bahrain last night to chair the FEI bureau meetings to be held on the sidelines of the World Junior Endurance Championship. This prestigious event will be held at the Endurance Village in Sakhir from December 15 to 18.

Pillarde was received by General Organisation for Youth and Sports president and organising committee chairman Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa.

Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) second vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, championship director Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa were also present to welcome Pillarde.

Pillarde said she was delighted to be in Bahrain and confident of Bahrain's ability to host such a big event. Pillarde added that Bahrain was one of the leading nations in hosting international endurance sevents and thanked the organisers for their efforts.

The FEI will hold its first meeting tomorrow to discuss the final preparations being made for hosting the event.

The FEI panel includes members from South Korea, Austria, UK, Sweden, South Africa, the US, Argentina, Venezuela, Norway, Dominican Republic, Australia, Brazil, Holland, Greece, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, France and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, officials and riders from Brazil and Botswana arrived yesterday and were welcomed on arrival by a special public relations team, headed by Yousef Bubsheit.

The technical committee members held a training course for security guards at the Endurance Village in Sakhir.

The guards, representing the National Guard, were given directives by the committee to follow the FEI rules and regulations.

A total of 140 riders, representing 30 countries from across the world, will be competing at this championship which will be over 120 kms divided into five stages.

The first two stages will be over 30 kms while the third stage will be over 25 kms. The fourth stage will be over 20 kms and the fifth and final stage will consist of 15 kms.

Teams arrive for endurance test

TOP nations began to arrive in Bahrain for the World Junior Endurance Championships to be held at the Endurance Village in Sakhir from December 15 to 18.

Riders from Australia, Namibia and Hungary were the first to arrive in Bahrain for this prestigious event to be held in Bahrain for the first time.

A 14-member Australian delegation consists of five riders and nine crew members.

Namibia's delegation also arrived yesterday with a total of 10 members, including six riders. Hungary landed on Tuesday and will be represented by two riders.

Technical committee co-ordinator Dr Abbas Al Haiki said participating horses had also started to arrive yesterday. The last batch of horses are expected to arrive by tomorrow.

Al Haiki is co-ordinating between the Bahrain Royal Equestrian Federation (Breef) and the Bahrain International Airport for the smooth transport of the horses to the Endurance Village.

"On arrival in Bahrain all horses will be loaded into specially designed boxes before beginning a 50-minute drive to Sakhir," said Al Haiki.

Al Haiki said the organising committee will also be providing shuttle bus service between the hotel and the venue of the championship and vice versa for all participating riders and officials. "The committee will also provide one four-wheel drive vehicle to each delegation on the day of the event," he said.

Dr Canabo Milo of the Royal Court and International Equestrian Federation's representative Dr Marcello Cante are the doctors in charge of the championship.

Meanwhile, a delegation of top specialists arrived in Bahrain to follow up the arrangements being made at the stables in Sakhir.

"The stables are now ready to receive the horses arriving from across the world," said Al Zo'bi.

"This tournament is a big challenge for us and other committees. We are working hard and giving off our best to gain the respect of overseas participants and officials."

Boudthib endurance ride on Thursday

By A Correspondent

30 November 2005



DUBAI ? The Boudthib Endurance Village, Al Khatem, Abu Dhabi, will play host to three endurance rides tomorrow. The rides are organised by the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation.


As many as 25 endurance riders are likely to participate in the 100km, CEI, two-star Boudthib Endurance Cup for Young and Junior Riders. The ride will be run in four loops of 30km, 30km, 24km and 16km respectively. Pre-ride inspection will be held on the same day from 5am to 6am and the ride is expected to be flagged off at 6.30am. There will also be a Best Conditioned Horse competition.

Sixty four riders will be taking part in the 76km Federation Qualification Ride which will be run in three phases of 30km, 30km, and 16km respectively. Pre-ride inspection for this qualifier will also be held on the same day at 5am and the ride will begin at 7am. The day will also feature a 46km Federation Qualifier for which 76 riders have confirmed their participation. The ride will be run in two stages of 30km and 16km respectively. With the pre-ride inspection scheduled to be held at 5am, this second qualifier will be flagged off at 7.30am. The Federation organises qualifiers at regular intervals to help riders and horses to qualify themselves to ride in higher category rides. The Boudthib Endurance Village, which is part of the Emirates Heritage Club, is the second endurance village in Abu Dhabi and the third in the UAE.

The Emirates Heritage Club is closely involved in the development of several traditional and cultural activities and sports in the country, including endurance riding. The club also provides vital training facilities for children in the UAE and the opening of its modern and excellently planned endurance village is being welcomed by the equestrian fraternity as an important step in the development and teaching of endurance riding in the UAE.

Endurance Village set to host top 4-day event

THE newly-built Endurance Village is ready as of this minute to host any top endurance event, declared World Junior Endurance Championship director and Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation's national teams manager Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa.

This top-level event will be held in the Kingdom for the first time from December 15 to 18.

Shaikh Daij said the village is equipped with world class facilities, including state of the art stables, veterinary rooms and all other related items for hosting such a prestigous event.

Shaikh Daij tipped the UAE riders as favourites to steal the show due to their vast experience in this sport.

Shaikh Daij thanked the organising committee chairman and General Organisation for Youth and Sports president Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa for his continuous efforts in following up the organisation procedures and preparations.

Ireland: Bluegrass Horse Feed Put To The Test In Bahrain

Farming Life
Wednesday 30th November 2005

Blue Grass Horse Feeds is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Irish Young Riders team at the World Endurance Championships in Bahrain.

The championships, which will be held on 17th December, are a true test of endurance for horse and rider.

The Irish Young Riders team is made up of three 19 year olds - Emily Miller riding DVS Tahini, a 12-year -old Trotter X, Dawn Leadon-Bolger riding Damascus D?azat an 8-year-old pure bred Arab, and Philip Giles riding Millers Light, a 10 year old Irish Sport Horse.

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Shaikh Faisal races to victory

SHAIKH Faisal bin Rashid Al Khalifa of Al Talia Stable and Abdulla Al Khatiri of Al Showamek Stable clinched the 100-km senior and junior races respectively in the Season Opening Endurance Championship, organised by the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), yesterday at the Endurance Village premises in Sakhir.

Riding Chesterfield, Al Talia Stable captain Shaikh Faisal, who is also the Breef endurance committee head, proved too good in the Al Khaldiah Stable-sponsored event to finish first among 36 riders in five hours, 13 minutes and 40 seconds.

The race was divided into four stages with 30 kms each for the first two stages, 25 kms for the third and 15 kms for the fourth.

The battle for the senior race and the main prizemoney of BD1,000 was very close as Jabur Al Dossary, also of Al Talia Stable and on Lorraine, was pipped to second place by just three seconds.

Yousef Taher (5:26:12) of the Royal Endurance Team on Jamil finished third and was followed by French rider Jean Marie Oliver (5:45:24) of the Royal Endurance Team.

In the junior section, Al Asayel Stable's rider Abdulla, on Nakeer, bagged the biggest prize of BD700 beating 17 entrants in five hours, 32 minutes and 55 seconds.

Behind him was Mohammed Al Thawadi (5:38:04), on Fasheera, of Al Asayel Stable in second place. Third was Ahmed Abdulaziz (6:10:24), on Saham, of Al Salam Riding School while Royal Endurance Team's Mohammed Abdulaziz (5:38:04) came fourth on Muniki.

Breef acting president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who took part in the senior race, was forced to quit during the third stage following an injury to his horse Tawmarsh Tamrisk.

Two qualifying races, over 85 kms and 60 kms, were also held with 10 riders taking part in each event as part of a warmup for the forthcoming season.

Shaikh Khalid honoured the winners of the seniors race while General Organisation for Youth and Sports president Shaikh Fawaz bin Hamad Al Khalifa presented the awards to the junior race winners at the awarding ceremony in presence of Breef members and other officials. Meanwhile, the remaining local endurance races will be taking place after the World Junior Endurance Championship to be held in the Kingdom from December 15 to 18.

Shaikh Mohammed among leading riders

By Amith Passela
17 November 2005

ABU DHABI ? The new UAE Equestrian Endurance season kicks off with today?s Al Wathba Cup here at the refurbished Emirates International Endurance Village at Al Wathba. Start time at 6.30am.


The curtain-raiser event includes the main Open race over 120-km, enjoying three-star status and has drawn 90 entries, and worked off alongside the main event is the 100km ride two-star for Juniors and Young Riders.

General Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, and his wife Princess Haya bint Hussain are among the leading entries for the main race.

General Shaikh Mohammed?s sons, Shaikh Hamdan and Shaikh Ahmed, two of the established riders in the international stage, are among the favourites in the field that has drawn all the leading national and expatriate riders from all over the Emirates.

General Shaikh Mohammed is likely to be onboard Rafali (Stormy Petrel), an 11-year-old bay gelding whilst Princess Haya is set to ride Rabdaane, a 14-year-old chestnut gelding. Shaikh Hamdan will be astride seven-year-old grey gelding Kamel Armor.

The main race will be run over five loops of 32km, 30km, 24km, 18km and 16km, and the ride for Young Riders and Junior over four loops, 32km, 30km, 24km and 16km, and serves as the first of the two trials for the FEI World Endurance Championship for Junior and Young Riders in Bahrain on December 17. According to the Endurance Department of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, the Emirates International Endurance Village will stage six races including the prestigious President?s Cup over 160km on February 16.

The Dubai Endurance City will stage seven rides and six races scheduled at the Boudthib Village in Abu Dhabi. The opening ride here at Al Wathba will be followed by the National Day Cup on December 15, Al Wathba trophy on January 19, the President?s Cup, the Emirates Challenge on March 9 and the Shaikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge second round to complete the Abu Dhabi fixtures. The Dubai Endurance City will stage their first ride on December 24 and will hold two races each in the next three months.

The races are scheduled for December 8 and 22, the first round of the Shaikh Rashid bin Hamdan Challenge, a couple of races on January 12 and 26 (Shaikh Saeed bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge), the Shaikh Maktoum bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge on February 9 and the final fixture of the Dubai schedule on February 23. Boudthib kicks off with the 100km race for Junior and Young Riders on November 27 and will be the venue for two rides in the following week on December 4, both an open race over 100km and another over the same distance for Juniors and Young Riders.

They will host an open ride on January 5 and follows up with another combined ride for both, Junior and Young Riders and an open race on February 2. They begin March with a similar fixture and stage the final race of the season on March 23, another combined ride for both for Juniors and Young Riders and an Open race. All schedules are subject to change. The venue of the opening race at the Emirates International Endurance Village has been refurbished for the new season. The arrival and veterinary areas expanded, and a couple of spectator enclosures have been constructed on either side of the finishing area similar to the Dubai Endurance City, which hosted the World Endurance Championship