Belgium, France, Argentia - 1,2,3 in Gubbio

The CEIO Teams 1st Belgium 2nd France 3rd Argentina Official Team Results (PDF) The 120km Finish 1st Vito Grippo Nadi 2nd Erica Vagnetti Ghimly 3rd Matteo Pettinari Erkolino Official Results (PDF)

2008 Gubbio CEIO 160km Karin Boulanger and Poespass win Guy Dumas and Idryss du Melay 2nd Rachel Jaumotte and Rukban Dikruhu MMN 3rd Complete Coverage of the Event

Karin Boulanger and Poespass Winners of 2008 Gubbio CEIO

Karin Boulanger and Poespass Winners of CEIO 160km in Gubbio

Belgium leads France in the team competition at gate 4

The 120km Finish 1st Vito Grippo Nadi 2nd Erica Vagnetti Ghimly 3rd Matteo Pettinari Erkolino

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RTES at Edaran Endurance Classic 2008

RTES (Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable)performs well at Edaran Endurance Classic

His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di Pertuan Agong'S Horse Bags 'Best Condition Horse' Trophy in CEI 3* 160KM Ride

The Edaran Endurance Classic 2008 held at the Terengganu International Endurance Park, the venue of the forthcoming World Endurance Championship 2008 in Terengganu, ended 29 June 2008 with 8 successful completions out of 18 starters in the CEI 3* 160KM ride category. Of the 8 completions, 6 obtained their Certificate of Competency (COC).

King's Horse Declared Best Condition Horse In CEI 3*160KM Category
His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di Pertuan Agong's horse Cristal De Sulaiman bagged the Best Condition Horse Prize for the CEI 3* 160KM category. His Majesty successfully completed the 160KM ride and finished in fifth place.

Team Event 160KM
The top prize for the team for the 160KM went to the riders from Darul Iman Equestrian Terengganu. In second placing was the team from the Tengku Mahkota Kelantan Equestrian and third placing was won by Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable.
Posted by Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable

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2008 World Endurace Championship Official Launch

Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable participates in 2008 WEC Launch

The 2008 FEI World Endurance Championship was officially launched on Saturday 21 June in grand style with a 48 horse parade through the centre of Kuala Lumpur. The marching contingent of 48 horses was made up of Polis di-Raja Malaysia and DBKL's Mounted Units, and some of Malaysia's Endurance Team. They were accompanied by police outriders and two marching bands. Malaysia's Yang DiPertuan Agong and his consort the Permaisuri Agong were there to take their salute on their arrival at historic Dataran Merdeka.

Posted by Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable

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Malaysia: Edaran Endurance Classic 2008

Endurance.Net
June 29, 2008

The Edaran Classic 2008 held at the Terengganu International Endurance Park, the venue of the forthcoming World Endurance Championship 2008 in Terengganu, ended today with 8 successful completions out of 18 starters in the CEI 3* 160km ride category and 6 horse and rider teams earning their Certificate of Capability (COC).

Results and Summary

Equine Experts At Edaran Endurance Seminar 2008

On June 27, participants attended an information and knowlege-packed seminar on endurance riding organized in conjunction with the Classic. Speakers at the half-day seminar which was also held at the Terenggau International Endurance Park, included reputed equine exercise physiologist, Dr. Kerry Ridgeway from the USA, equine nutritionist and veterinarian Dr. Peter Huntington from Australia and master farrier Mr. Kevin Crafar from New Zealand.



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Argentina: Malaysian riders finish well at Cazon

Endurance.Net
June 29, 2008

Five riders from Malaysia were among the top 160km finishers this weekend at the Cazon Endurance Village in Argentina.

First place finisher was Argentina's Mercedes Tapia riding Caiparinha, a bay Polo horse that began her second career as an Endurance horse at Tapia's El Reparo Endurance training center 3 years ago. Tapia is one of Argentina's top riders, and this was Caiparinha's first win over a 160km course. Caiparinha also received the Best Condition award.

More on Argentine polo horses in Endurance

Malaysian riders also fared well finishing in 2nd through 6th positions:

1. Mercedes Tapia (ARG) - Z Caipirinha - 17.11 km/hr
2. Md Rino Abd Rani (MAL) - Bilad El Arab - 14.48 km/hr
3. Ahmad Azura Abd Ghani (MAL) - Box Bragada - 14.48 km/hr
4. Bakar Aman (MAL) - Amira - 14.48 km/hr
5. Ab Hamid Hussein Muhamad (MAL) - Baraka Daka - 14.46 km/hr
6. Mohd Ramly Abde Wahamb (MAL) - ZT Thay Lover - 14.10 km/hr
7. Pio Juan Miguel Olascoago (URU) - Ar Vale - 14.10 km/hr

More on Cazon Endurance Village

Mohammed spurs UAE

Khaleej Times
By Hisham Al Gizouli
30 June 2008


DUBAI - His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, led the UAE riders to their first seasonal European endurance title in Britain.

The race comes as part of the preparations of the national team for the World Championship scheduled to be held in Malaysia during the month of November.



Riders from France, Britain, Australia and the UAE took part in the competition which extended over 120 kilometres in relatively favourable weather conditions.

The three-member squad joined hands before they crossed the finish line ahead of the others.

Shaikh Rashid Dalmook bin Jumaa Al Maktoum and Abdullah Saeed were the other two members of the winning team.

According to the race reports, Shaikh Mohammed showed the way right from the start, followed by Shaikh Rashid Dalmook in the first 36km loop which they covered in 1:55:11 seconds at an average speed of 19,07/hr.

Shaikh Mohammed continued to set the pace in the second and third stages before the UAE riders dominated the field and went clear to cross the finish line in 3:31:28 seconds.

Sultan bin Sulayem was crowned champion of the 160km endurance ride which was held in the same venue.

Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed who started as hot favourite to win the ride, pulled out after the third loop to protect his horse.

The UAE rider and trainer Mubarak bin Shafiya said they were quite satisfied with the strong performance of the UAE riders.

Saeed Al Tayer, vice-chairman of the Dubai Equestrian Club said it was great to see the UAE riders winning two races at the same time in one day.

"UAE riders are the true champions of the world," he said.

Full Article

Bad Blumau Austria CEI*** 160km

Gulf Daily News
BAHRAIN'S Royal Endurance Team captain Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Ahmed Abdulsamad clinched victories in the Austrian International Endurance Horseride held yesterday in Bad Blumau, Austria. Shaikh Nasser, the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president (Breef), took the 160km race by clocking the best time of nine hours, 59 minutes and 22 seconds with a record speed average of 19.91 kms per hour. The Bahraini riders dominated this race, winning the next two positions through Ahmed Abdulla (9:59:25) who came second, followed by Ghazi Al Dossary (9:59:26) in third place.

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Arab sheikh backs wild horses for endurance

photo: horsetalk.co.nz

Could Australia's wild horses be about to take the endurance world by storm?

Thirteen wild horses from Western Australia have been plucked from the wilderness, and, in a tale reminiscent of "My Fair Lady", now find themselves living in air-conditioned comfort in Dubai with personal grooms.

Their mission is to make their mark in the sport of endurance in what will be an interesting tussle between the survival-of-the-fittest law of natural selection and the selective breeding of horse owners.

The whole exercise had its roots in a website built by Broome woman Libby Lovegrove to alert the world to the plight of horses in the broad expanses of the Kimberley.

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THE FEI WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP 2008 LAUNCHED WITH A BANG!

June 21, Kuala Lumpur: The FEI World Endurance Championship 2008 (FEI WEC 2008) was officially launched at Dataran Merdeka.

The launch started off with a parade of 48 horses and riders from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Royal Malaysian Police mounted units accompanied by police outriders, 2 marching bands, from the Malaysian Prison Department and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall along with a convoy of 10 cars and 15 motorbikes from Sime Darby Motor; the official vehicle partner for the FEI WEC 2008. The parade began from Lake Titiwangsa to Dataran Merdeka, along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

The Official Launch in Dataran Merdeka began upon the arrival of Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong (The King and Queen of Malaysia) and it started off with a colourful performance from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall Cultural Group.

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Endurance Discipline Manager Selected for WEG 2010

TheHorse.com
June 26, 2008

Emmett B. Ross has been selected as the Endurance Discipline Manager for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Ross brings more than 20 years of international endurance riding experience, acting as trainer, Chef d'Equipe, manager, participant, organizer, and consultant in more than 100 FEI 2 to 4* endurance events in more than 14 countries.

"I am honored and delighted to take on the role of endurance discipline manager, and look forward to working with the team of disciplines managers to help create a world-class competition environment and endurance course for the upcoming 2010 Games," Ross said.

Ross is one of eight discipline managers responsible for planning, managing and directing the world championship competitions in eight equestrian sports.

As an athlete, Ross was a Gold medal team member in the first North American Championships, and a three-time, top-10 finisher in the Tevis Cup in Auburn, California. Ross is the only trainer and coach in the world with FEI endurance wins in nine different countries.

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Royal Bahrain Team set for Austria ride

Bahrain Gulf Daily News

BAHRAIN's Royal Endurance Team arrived yesterday in Graz City in Austria as they prepare to make debut in Austria's International Endurance Horseride scheduled for Saturday in Bad Blumau.

The team, to be led by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, will be among 120 riders from 12 European countries taking part in races over 120km and 160km, both on Saturday.

After a long journey via Frankfurt Airport, the 25-member delegation reached the Austrian city without Shaikh Nasser who is due to arrive tomorrow to join the team training prior to the championship.

Commenting on his team's participation, Shaikh Nasser said they recently decided to take part in this race which replaced Thatford Race in the UK due to similar weather conditions in Austria and Malaysia, which will host the World Championship from November 9 to 11.

The Bahrainis are seeking to have as many riders qualified as possible for the World Championship to be held at Terengganu International Endurance Park in Setiu Terengganu.

Shaikh Nasser added that this will be the first time for the team to participate in a race in Austria, having mostly competed in the UK and France, besides Ireland, Germany and Portugal.

Team manager Dr Khalid Ahmed Hassan said the team is confident of doing well in the race, stressing on the importance of finishing the event without being disqualified in their bid to reach the World Championship.

NZ names World Champs endurance team

Three horse and rider combinations have been named to New Zealand's team to compete in the 2008 World Endurance Championships in Malaysia in September.

Jenny Champion and Freckles, Philip Graham and Wolfgang Amadeus, and Andrea Smith and Sierra Nevada have been selected.

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Malaysia: King launches FEI World Endurance Championship

photo: Colourful handover: The King receiving the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) flag from Ian Williams, FEI director of non-Olympic sport.

KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin launched the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) World Endurance Championship 2008 at Dataran Merdeka on Saturday.

Earlier, 41 horsemen paraded through the city via Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, Jalan Pahang, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Raja before marching past the King at Dataran Merdeka.

The championship, which will be organised by Yayasan DiRaja Sultan Mizan (YDSM), would be held at Lembah Bidong in Terengganu from Nov 6 to 9.

Besides the 41 horsemen, each holding the flags of participating nations, there was a spectacular parachuting display by four paratroopers from the Royal Malaysian Air Force. They carried the Jalur Gemilang, the flag of Terengganu, FEI and YDSM.

The FEI flag was handed over by its director of non-Olympic Sport Ian Williams to the King who then passed the colours to YDSM to declare the championship formally sanctioned to be held in Terengganu.

In his speech World Endurance Championship chief executive officer Datuk Dr Salleh Mohd Nor said about 140 endurance riders from all around the world were expected to take part in the event.

Entries from 41 countries have been confirmed.


Full Article - TheStar.com.my

Sudan's First Endurance Ride

On the 9th May, KICS Riding Club held the first ever endurance ride in Sudan. Of course we had big plans to hold it out on a farm about 80kms out of Khartoum, but unfortunately due to last minute problems we had to hold it in and around Soba. We managed to change the plans at the last minute and still have a succesful weekend.

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Scottland: Gran National Triumph

Gran National Triumph

Jun 20 2008

JOCKEY Rachel Dewar, 79, came second in an epic 78-mile race and put it down to being young at heart.

The grandmother-of-two, who was in the saddle for 12 hours, modestly played down the fuss.

She said: "All you've got to do is sit there, it's not that hard."

Rachel, of Duns, Berwickshire, started the circular Hillhead Endurance Race at 7am in Musselburgh, East Lothian.

She finished on her horse Gypsy Cream at 7pm and admiited: "I was certainly feeling it for a few days afterwards."

Rachel, who took up endurance riding when fox hunting was banned, said: "I've got plenty of life in me yet. Horse riding keeps me fit."

Images of the Event

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Five Malaysians in World Endurance Championships

PETALING JAYA: Five Malaysian riders have qualified thus far for the FEI World Endurance Championships (WEC), which will be held at the newly-built Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong from Nov 6-9.

The Malaysian challenge will be spearheaded by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

The WEC chief executive officer, Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor, said that the others who have secured qualification were Datuk Kamaruddin Abdul Ghani, Rosdan Mohd Nor, Mohd Shuaib Ishak and Abdul Halim Alihan.

As hosts, Malaysia have been allotted 12 places in the championships and have until Aug 21 to complete their qualification quota.

"I am very confident that our riders will be able to fill up the remaining seven places," said Dr Salleh at a press conference yesterday to announce the details of the championships.

"The entire training and selection process of the riders for the WEC have been left to the National Sports Institute (NSI)."

The NSI director general, Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz, said that there were several qualifying events more for riders to make the cut.

"There is a group of 11 riders and they are very serious in their training and have been pushing hard," he said.

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WEC 2008 venue in Terengganu is among world's best

Jaiarajo Letchumanan, BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, THURS:

The Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP), the venue for the World Endurance Championship 2008, is rated as one of the best in the world by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).
The endorsement came from non other than FEI’s Non-Olympic Sports Director Ian Williams who has been regularly inspecting the TIEP situated in Lembah Bidong, Merang in Setiu, near Kuala Terengganu.

"I have been to many other venues around the world and the TIEP a number of times. The facilities there are simply fabulous and most impressive. I must say this is among the top three in the world, with the other two in the middle east," said Williams at the launch of the event here today.

“The stables are luxuriously spaced out, the crewing area, the departure gates and the permanent vet gates with more than 20 trotting lanes puts TEIP among the elite group of endurance venues," he said.

Terengganu will host the WEC, the first tropical country to do so, from Nov 6-9 at the TIEP with about 140 riders from 41 countries competing in the individual and team events held over 160km.
The Malaysian challenge will be spearheaded by the country’s number one sportsman, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abdidin, who became the first Malaysian to qualify for the WEC.


Full Article - New Straights Times Online

Sheik masterminds brumby 'super breed'

June 18, 2008 01:53am

AN oil sheik billionaire has started flying wild mares and stallions from remote WA to Dubai to create a "super breed of endurance racehorse.

Thirteen of the animals have arrived at plush stables in the United Arab Emirates from Lake Gregory, south of Halls Creek in the Kimberley, Peth Now reports.

The deputy ruler of Dubai, Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, sent his personal Australian veterinarian Alan Post to hand-pick them for breeding and racing.

He was alerted to their plight by a website run by Broome woman Libby Lovegrove.

Mr Post said the horses, previously regarded as pests and sold for pet food at $20 a head, could spark a stampede of orders from other cashed-up Gulf stables if they did well.

"The boss hasn't seen this lot yet (from Australia) because he's away, but if he likes them he will send us back for more,'' Mr Post told The Sunday Times from Dubai.

They will initially be used for the popular sport of endurance racing, covering distances of between 120km to 160km.

"They are thoroughbred types with a dash of Arab with good strong hearts, something which is probably genetic and passed on from original bloodlines,'' Mr Post said.

"We will start racing them this year and when the females are retired, we will start a breeding program.''

He said the sport was "massive'' in Dubai because sheiks could compete.

"They don't have to be expert riders or be the weights of jockeys,'' he said.

"It's something they can do themselves and their children can do as part of something they are passionate about.''

The tycoon owns thousands of horses and spends much of his time in England for big-ticket racing events.

Ms Lovegrove, an ardent animal rights campaigner, said it was a potential breakthrough after three years of hard work.

"This is wonderful news that could guarantee the future of the horses and provide a form of revenue for the three Aboriginal communities around Lake Gregory,'' she said.

"Hopefully, if the sheik is happy with them he'll take more and thus prove the value of these horses.''

Ms Lovegrove started her website after visiting the area with Margaret River equine veterinarian Sheila Greenwell.

Her research has indicated that many of the horses are descendants of thoroughbred Arab horses, taken to the Balgo and Kalumburu missions by priests looking to breed and sell them in the 1930s.

Some were used as stock horses on cattle stations, but were released into the wild when replaced by motorcycles and helicopters.

"Today, these beautiful horses (palominos, buckskins, chestnuts and paints) roam the wild gorges, rainforests and parklands of the northern Kimberley,'' Ms Lovegrove said.

The Paruku (Lake Gregory) indigenous protected area is a wetland of national and international importance, covering about 270,000ha in the northern Great Sandy Desert.

Full Article at news.com.au

Italy: Assisi Endurance Lifestyle 2008

www.assisiendurancelifestlye.it - Website


The 160 kms platform: De Angelis, the champion Garatti, Laliscia


The 120 kms platform: Sardo, the champion Ercoli, Bottiglia

ASSISI – Finally kissed by weather conditions less penalizing compared to the previuos days, the Italian Championships of equestrian endurance in Assisi have concluded. The tricolour verdicts expressed in the day of Saturday have been completed by a very heartfelt appointment like the Pony Endurance competitions reserved to the youngest people.

The daughter of art Costanza Laliscia, who saddling Flamenco has excelled over the shorter distance, and Alessandra Lolli, who has laid down the law on the longer competition, have placed side by side Simona Garatti and Enrico Ercoli, respectively Absolute Italian Champion and Young riders Italian Champion at the end of the two competitions played on Saturday.
The curtain, which is fallen on the Absolute Championships, has also been the occasion to strike a first balance, that is certaintly good by the light of the logistic difficulties caused by the bad weather conditions.

The torrential rains fallen down for the whole week and above all on Friday and Saturday - during the competitions as well- have put to hard test the organizational machine created by Umbria Endurance Equestrian Team.
The reply, however, has been as proud and furious as the climatic "provocations": the route of competition, in every respect under examination by the International Equestrian Federation considering the next European Championships, has brilliantly passed the test, proving to be technically high-level and extremely resistant for what concerns the consistence of the ground as well.

The rest has been made by the passion, the preparation and the spirit of sacrifice with which the staff and the lot of volunteers have undertaken in order to guarantee all the competitors the best conditions to express the maximum level.
Not by chance the endurance responsible of the Fei, Ian Williams, has had words of great appreciation: "I can but express a positive judgment about the route of these Italian Championships, that are going to be the theatre of the European Championships in 2009: it´s a perfect mix by the point of view of the altimetries and it really succeeds in getting the talents of the best horses emerged. We are waiting with great interest for coming back to Assisi on occasion of the next year competitions".

Absolute Italian Championship 160 kms
1. Simona Garatti-Z’Tadore Al Maury; 2. Danilo De Angelis-Present Jey; 3. Gianluca Laliscia-Seerseri.
Best condition prize: Z’Tadore Al Maury

Young riders Italian Championship 120 kms
1. Enrico Ercoli-Schhadja; 2. Marco Sardo-Dellaru; 3. Giordano Bottiglia-Zefirio.
Best condition prize: Schadja

Open 160 kms Classification
1. Simona Garatti-Z’Tadore Al Maury; 2. Danilo De Angelis-Present Jey; 3. Jack Begaud-Magui de la Perriere.

Pony Italian Championship cat. A 4,8 kms
1. Costanza Laliscia-Flamenco; 2. Maria Chiara Fischetto-Farfallina; 3. Martina Fabrizi-Dotto.

Pony Italian Championship cat. B 9,6 kms
1. Alessandra Lolli-Alish Kashmir; 2. Francesco Ricci-Golden Died; Maria Sara Santicchia-Pablo.


In the photo above the category A Pony endurance platform: Fischietto, the champion Laliscia e Fabrizi

In the photo below the category B Pony endurance platform: Ricci, the champion Lolli e Santicchia