Spain: French riders win individual, team events in Oviedo

Thu Oct 09, 2008 By FEI

The 2008 FEI European Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders took place Sept. 26-28 in Oviedo, Spain.

The difficulty of the trail was worthy of a championship with its many hills, but with the sun shining and a light breeze accompanying the riders throughout the day, they were able to enjoy the fantastic view of the mountainous surroundings of the trail.

With a 58-percent completion rate, the young participants showed they were up to the challenge and managed to combine both smart and efficient riding.

French riders dominated the competition by finishing first and second in the individual competition and winning the team event. Belgian riders also had a very successful weekend, winning bronze in the individual and silver in the team. With three out of four riders finishing the ride, Switzerland still managed to win bronze in the team competition followed by Great Britain in fourth place.

During the closing ceremony, the organizers of Oviedo passed on the FEI flag to the organizers of the 2009 FEI World Endurance Championship for Juniors and Young Riders to be held in Babolna, Hungary.
Individual results:
Rider - Horse
1. Lucie MARIN (FRA) - LAMIAH EL OUED
2. Andéa PULICANI (FRA) - SPIGA
3. Selena DE WASSEIGE (BEL) - KALAH GREY
4. Uma MENCIA URANGA (ESP) - KIM BELLE DU MAGNY
5. Victoria GUTUBAKKEN (NOR) - IBN ARARAT
6. Laia MUIXI CRUSELLAS (ESP) - TROIAN 3
7. Ibon ALBERDI SANCHEZ (ESP) - KAT-MAKAN
8. Julien LAFAURE LAHARANEE (FRA) - CABIRAT
9. Lisa RIOU (FRA) - IAQUIB ARMOR
10. Laetitia GONÇALVES (FRA) - JASMINA DES AYSSADE
11. Enriqueta CAMPOS YLLANES (ESP) - CAPRI CP
12. Anna Lena WAGNER (SUI) - TESSA IV
13. Laura HOUASSIN (BEL) - QUICK DES SAUVLONS
14. Marlies HOUASSIN (BEL) - NADJI DES SAUVLONS
15. Patricia FEKETE (HUN) - METAXA OBAJAN ALADDIN
16. Fanny GUERISSE (BEL) - MOURAD RLA
17. Antonio BRAS (POR) - MOURA URANIO
18. Ana SORIANO LLUCH (ESP) - HOOR
19. Pere LLORENS RODRIGUEZ (ESP) - ANDURI
20. Marketa TERBEROVA (CZE) - WELLFARE
21. Indergand SASKIA (SUI) - SWWANN
22. Noémi TONET (SUI) - HUZOUT D´AX
23. Liza SUNDBERG (SWE) - KRISTALL
24. Alice SPINAZZE (ITA) - AMIR
25. Beth LANGLEY (GBR) - HS AMETISTA
26. Carri Ann DARK (GBR) - ELMSTEADS POLOISTIQUE
27. Mafalda MIRA COSTA (POR) - TAMARA
28. Kay COUNTER (GBR) - CHEEKY CHARLIE
29. Abigail TENNANT (GBR) - CHADOR
30. Veronika GRELL (GBR) - PIOVE
31. Ebba BOBERG (SWE) - PATOS
32. Yara DE BOER (NED) - SUMAYA G
33. Linn GUSTAVSSON (SWE) - EL PEPAS
34. Frida SODERSTROM (SWE) - CADAM
35. Carlo DI BATTISTA (ITA) - DALLAS
36. Serena FOSSI (ITA) - ABISY´NCZYK

European Endurance Championship Open 2009

Havas Sports will lead the communication strategy for European Endurance Championship Open 2009 and for Assisi Endurance Lifestyle

Havas Sports is the agency with the sole right to lead the communication strategy of Assisi Endurance Lifestyle, the most popular event organized by sistemaeventi.it with the support of United Arab Emirates. The French Agency, leader in communication of sport, will provide a strategic support for FEI European Endurance Championship Open 2009 that will be held in Assisi on the 26th of September 2009, inside the format of Assisi Endurance Lifestyle.

Gianluca Laliscia, CEO of sistemaeventi.it and Stephane Allio, CEO of Havas Sports Italy, just some days ago made the deal for a new operative collaboration starting this November in Malaysia for an official promotion and Public Relations activity on occasion of FEI World Endurance Championship 2008, the most important Endurance competition who will see the participation of Gianluca Laliscia in the National Team.

Assisi Endurance Lifestyle, fixed from the 17th to 27th of September 2009, will mean 11 days full of important moments and appointments as the European Championship, for whom we expect the participation of 30 countries including the Official representatives of GCC, an International Forum on Economics, B2B meetings, Cultural Conventions and Conferences, Medical Symposiums, Shows, Concerts, Gourmet Moments dedicated to Italian traditional food tasting, a Pony Village for all the children and naturally the Hospitality Village, a really big area located on the magnificent background of the Basilica of San Francis.

In some months press conferences and Gala Events will be organized in Parigi, Milano, Dubai, Roma and obviously in Assisi where the press could finally know the meaning of Assisi Endurance Lifestyle 2009 and where the commercial supply will be presented to potential Sponsors.

Assisi Endurance Lifestyle

South Africa: Local rider set for world champs

news24.com - Times Hermanus

09/10/2008 10:49 AM - (SA)

An endurance rider from the farm Elandskloof between Hermanus and Caledon, Naomi Muller, will represent South Africa at the 2008 World Endurance Championship. The South African team consists of five riders, ten grooms, a manager, a veterinarian, a farrier and a equine physiotherapist.

The 2008 championship will take place in Terengganu, Malaysia, from 6-9 November. A total of 150 riders from 36 countries will participate in the event in which one rider and one horse complete a distance of 160 km in the shortest possible time.

This will be the sixth time that Naomi represents South Africa. She represented her country at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Germany, where the team finished ninth, and at the 2007 All Africa Games in Algeria where the South African team won the silver medal. She also represented South Africa at three Tri Nations Championships (a regional competition between South Africa, Namibia and Botswana).

Naomi's horse, Khyber, spent six weeks in quarantine in Cape Town before flying out to Europe. She joined him there on 15 September. They are based in the village of Morlaix in France, where they will complete their preparations for the event. They will travel to Malaysia on 20 October.

Endurance riding is an equestrian sport based on controlled long distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognised by the International Equestrian Federation and takes place worldwide. The winning horse is the first one to cross the finish line while stopping periodically (every 30 km) to pass a veterinary check that deems the animal in good health and “fit to continue”. Most endurance rides are either 80 or 160 km long, though shorter rides are organised for beginners and a few longer, usually multi-day, rides exist. Winning riders complete 160 km rides in 9-12 hours, depending on the terrain and weather conditions.

Competition Schedule Set for 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

LEXINGTON, KY - Sixteen days of eight world championships are officially scheduled for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The competition schedule was released today by the World Games 2010 Foundation.

A detailed competition schedule is now available online at www.feigames2010.org.

"This schedule is certain to provide an exciting variety of top sport on each of the 16 days of the Games", said Competition Director Kate Jackson. "Spectators will find events of interest every day and will be entertained by the beauty and spectacle that is inherent to equestrian competition at this level".

"I am particularly happy that we are able, for the first time, to include Para-Equestrian as an integral part of the World Equestrian Games. We are pleased and honored to do so", Jackson said.

The Games will begin with opening ceremonies on September 25, 2010. The first weekend of competition will include Vaulting and Endurance. Endurance is scheduled for September 26.

The Vaulting competition will continue into week one, along with Dressage and Eventing.

In week two, Jumping, Para-Dressage, Driving and Reining will be contested. The Games will end with closing ceremonies on October 10, 2010.

"We are excited to share these details with competitors and spectators who are already making their plans to join us in Kentucky", said Rob Hinkle, Foundation Chief Operating Officer. "We know that many local communities, businesses, volunteers and others have also been waiting for this schedule to begin making plans for 2010".

The schedule may still experience minor changes, but no major shifts to the individual discipline schedules are expected.

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, to be held at the Kentucky Horse, are the world championships of the eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), and are held every four years. The Games have never been held outside of Europe; nor have all eight disciplines competed at a single site? both firsts that will be achieved at the Kentucky Horse Park.

The Games will be broadcast on NBC Sports, which has made the largest network commitment to coverage of equestrian sport in U.S. television history. The 2010 Games are expected to have a statewide economic impact of $150 million, and current sponsors include the Rolex Company and an unprecedented $10 million title sponsor, Alltech. It is anticipated that more than 600,000 tickets will be sold for the 16-day competition.

Great Britain: Best result the Young Riders have had in a Major Championship for some years

Endurancegb.co.uk - Full Story

29th September 2008

Maggie Maguire reports on the Young Riders' success after her return from Oviedo

I have just had the pleasure of supporting the Young Riders Team who achieved 4th in the European Team Endurance Championship. 5 riders represented their country and four completed successfully.

This was a definitive team effort – Chefs d’Equipe from other European Nations were heard to say that 'this course should be a 6* not a 4* Championship'!!

Our horses had a very good start with Phillip Hirst’s careful transportation of the Team in his superb box.

The course was a true test of fitness, concentration and good horse-management, all three of which had to be achieved to complete this very tough mountainous course which was also pretty rough underfoot in many parts. Chris Pell [Team Farrier] has a bag of shredded pads to show why 'padding up 'for these competitions is so important and how essential a farrier is to success. It was very impressive watching our riders out on course riding carefully and sensibly, following their ride plan and extremely heart-warming to see the dedication, support and cheerfulness of their crews throughout.

Derek Grantham's input to this competition was extremely generous and contributed hugely to the horses’ well-being and ability to compete . Derek's practice facilitated at least two of his Team to be in Oviedo throughout their stay.

More...

Malaysia WEC: Royal treatment for horses

NST.com.my

7 October 2008

By : Ajitpal Singh

THE Boeing 747 and Airbus A300 will make their respective maiden flights to the Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Terengganu when they bring in horses for the World Endurance Championships (WEC) in Setiu on Nov 6-9.

The Airbus A300 will transport a total of 21 horses from Australia, Qatar and Oman. The plane, which will arrive on Oct 17, will also be carrying the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's horse -- Taljari Moonlight Pharaoh from Australia.

The Boeing 747, a direct flight from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, will have 36 horses on board and will arrive at the Sultan Mahmud Airport a day later. Previously, the airport could only accommodate smaller planes due to its short landing airstrip.

However, the runaway has been extended from 2,012 to 3,480 metres to allow bigger planes to land. WEC operations manager, Salim Fazlay said the project to extend the airport runway was mooted by Tuanku Mizan during the Sultan's Cup in November, last year.

"The runway extension project was completed last month," Salim confirmed yesterday.
A total of 34 countries, comprising 150 competitors, have entered for the WEC.

Salim said horses will start arriving from Oct 17 onwards with the last batch from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due in on Nov 3.

"The UAE and Bahrain will be transporting their horses with their own planes," he said.

Salim said the horses will be kept in stables at the venue (Terengganu International Endurance Park) when they arrive.

"Unlike UAE and Bahrain, riders from the other nations are arriving earlier to let their horses acclimatise and also get used to the 160km arena," Salim added.

The WEC, being held during the monsoon season, is expected to be a wet experience for the competitors.

Tuanku Mizan will lead the Malaysian team, comprising 16 riders.

Malaysia WEC: Teammates at ease with the King

Norlaily Buniyamin with a horse at the Selangor Turf Club in Sungei
Besi yesterday. (Inset)

Nst.com.my

Ajitpal Singh - ajitpalsingh@nst.com.my

THE Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who is passionate about horse riding, wants his compatriots to treat him like any other competitor when they ride together at the World Endurance Championships in Setiu, Terengganu on Nov 6-9.

This was revealed by his teammates -- Abdul Halim Alihan, Datuk Mohd Shuaib Isahak and Norlaily Buniyamin -- who have raced together with Tuanku Mizan in both local and international competitions for the past two years.

"Tuanku Mizan is truly a professional endurance rider.

"He told me and others several times to treat him just like any other layman in competitions," said Abdul Halim, who will be making his debut at the world meet.

"The King is also very supportive towards us during competitions. He often gives us advice and guidance."

Abdul Halim, who works as a horse trainer at the Royal Terengganu Stable Club in Sungei Besi, said he would not have qualified for the world meet if not for the King.

"I have been one of the King's horse trainers for the past two years. Tuanku Mizan encouraged me to venture into competitive riding and even loaned me his horse (Brookleigh Kentara) for competitions.

"I managed to earn two Certificates of Capability (COC) on this horse for the world meet," added the 27-year-old who is from Kuching.

Meanwhile, Norlaily, who will be competing in her second world meet in Terengganu, said Tuanku Mizan doesn't like to be bonded with certain protocols in competitions.

"I have traveled with him for many competitions and he treats me like a friend. We exchange ideas on tactics and strategies when we are competing," said the 47-year-old, the only woman local rider in the event.

Mohd Shuiab said Tuanku Mizan's warm and gentle attitude makes everyone in the team feel comfortable.

"He's always wiling to learn from others without hesitation. It's always a pleasure to ride with him," said Mohd Shuiab, who will ride Blue Bronco at the world meet.

Malaysia: WEC - Norlaily the only rose in national team

Nst.com.my - Full Article

By : Ajitpal Singh

NORLAILY Buniyamin will be the sole woman rider for the Malaysian team -- led by the King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin -- for the World Endurance Championships at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Setiu on Nov 6-9.

Norlaily's inclusion in the 12-rider team comes as a surprise as she was picked over four men qualifiers.

A total of 16 local riders were in the running for 12 quota slots after each earned two Certificates of Capability (COC).

She will be riding Bremervale Jessie James while Tuanku Mizan will be on Taljari Moonlight Pharaoh, in the event.

Among others shortlisted are veteran rider Datuk Kamaruddin Abd Ghani, Datuk Muhd Shuaib Isahak and Abdul Halim Alihan.
A total 34 countries, comprising over 150 riders, will be competing.

Among the favourites for the individual and team titles are the United Arab Emirates, Spain and Britain.

Brazil could be a last minute entry but that is subject to approval from the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

Foreign horses and riders will be arriving in Terengganu from Oct 17.

The Malaysian team: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin (Taljari Moonlight Pharaoh), Datuk Kamaruddin Abd Ghani (Navidad), Abdul Halim Alihan (Brookleigh Kentara), Bakar Aman (Amira Alborada), Norlaily Buniyamin (Bremervale Jessie James), Muhammad Firdaus Hamid (Ifra Des Jamets), Datuk Mohd Shuaib Isahak (Blue Bronco), Md Azizie Ismail (Janor Fee), Mohd Faizal Ismail (Edenfels Zephyr), Rosdam Mohd Noor (Janor Mamatembo), Yusran Yusof (Nashaar), Zainuddin Yusof (Texas).

Australia: Endurance horse riding showcased in Tom Quilty Gold Cup

News.com.au - Full Article and a video

By Phil Hammond

October 01, 2008 05:15pm

IN the horse world, there's no better compliment than being recognised as a good rider. And in the popular sport of endurance riding, that means ensuring you ride so well that your horse stays healthy over vast distances.

So when the sport's national championship event; the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, was staged around Nanango in the South Burnett, it was a community gathering of people who adore their horses.

All year they compete and exercise their lean and elegant companions, covering multiple long-distance rides, which may include the 400km Shahzada ride and the 320km, four-day Faraway event.

Riders and horses must succeed in many events to qualify to enter the Quilty. The honour is to finish and be awarded a belt buckle.

At the weekend, 55 per cent of 204 starters finished the course. International competitor Meg Wade, from Victoria, was first home in under 11 hours, averaging 16km/h over the full distance. A massive storm on Saturday night caught 60 riders out on the course. One woman crawled beneath a parked car and held her horse's reins as rain bucketed down.

More...

Qatar: Endurance Team ready for Worlds

Thepeninsularqatar.com

Web posted at: 9/26/2008 8:52:31
Source : The Peninsula

Doha - After two years of preparation and competition the Qatar Endurance Team has qualified eight riders for the FEI World Endurance Championship to be held from November 6 to 9 in Terengganu, Malaysia.

Although eight riders have qualified only six riders are allowed to compete. Qatar team officials must trim the list to six and submit the final entries to the sports governing body, Federation Equestre Internationale, by October 1.

The eight riders include: Faleh Nasser Abugnaim, Ali Yousef Al Malki, Abdulla Towaim Al Marri, Hassan Tahous Al Nuaimi, Khalid Sanad Al Nuaimi, Mohammed Tahous Al Nuaimi, Mohammed Sultan Al Suwaidi, and Atta Mohammed Beer.Owaida Al Hajeri serves as Chef d'Equipes for the 2008 Qatar Endurance Team and Hadi Nasser Al Naimi trainer.

The Qatar roster is entirely made up of riders from Qatar Foundation's Al Shaqab Endurance Team. During the past two years the riders have competed in various international events to qualify for the championship.

The prestigious World Endurance Championship is held every two years. When nominations closed on August 21, a total of 36 countries entered for the contest. The group included 24 nations represented by teams and an additional 12 countries that will feature individual competitors. In addition to the Qatar team other GCC nominations were received from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman.

Over the past 10 years, Endurance riding has grown as one of the most popular equestrian events. The sport requires the teamwork of rider and horse as they work to maintain pace over the grueling 158.1km cross-country course.

World Equestrian Games releases ticket info

Kentucky.com - Full Article

By Jim Jordan
jjordan1@herald-leader.com

Tickets for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will go on sale in one year — on Sept. 25, 2009, the World Games 2010 Foundation announced Thursday.

Prices will be set early next year, the foundation said, but the cheapest reserved seats will cost $25 each.

There also will be general admission tickets that will allow visitors to the Kentucky Horse Park to see equine exhibits and demonstrations, visit the trade show and restaurants, and attend competitions, such as endurance and cross country riding, that do not have reserved seats.

The tickets will be online at TicketMaster.com.

More...

Hamdan and Majid in UAE endurance team

Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, are part of the nine-member UAE team of riders nominated for the 2008 World Endurance Championship to be held in Terengganu, Malaysia from November 6 to 9.

The UAE, who will be starting off as one of the favourites for the individual as well as team championship, will be pruning down their nine-man list over the next few days as the deadline for final entries is October 1.

Apart from Shaikh Hamdan and Shaikh Majid the other UAE riders who have been nominated are Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya, Abdullah Thani Bin Huzaim, Yousuf Abdullah Al Hammadi, Khalid Ali Al Shafar, Mohammad Ahmad Ali Subose and Mohammad Rashed Saeed Khamis Al Subose.

Considerable success

While Shaikh Hamdan and Shaikh Majid were winning members of the UAE team which won the Asian Games gold and the Pan Arab Games gold in the team championship, Sultan Bin Sulayem won the bronze in the individual event at the Doha Asiad.

The 160-km world championship will be held for the first time in the evening and finish at night and a total of 36 countries have sent in their nominated entries.

Among the 36 participating countries, 24 countries will be participating in the team championship with a team of four while 12 countries will be participating with individuals.

Apart from the UAE the remaining countries taking part in the event are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay.

Individual gold

The UAE endurance team have achieved considerable success on the international stage with Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum winning the individual gold in the 2002 World Championship held in Jerez, Spain while His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai won the silver medal at the 2004 World Championship held in Dubai.

The UAE, who will be starting off as one of the favourites for the individual as well as team championship, will be pruning down their nine-man list over the next few days.

[More ...]

Great Britain: Counter attack in hope of blazing a trail to the Olympics in London

Thisisderbyshire.co.uk - Full Article

Saturday, September 20, 2008

KAY Counter heads to Spain with her horse Cheeky Charlie today with the hope that it could be the first step on a long road to the London Olympics.

Endurance horse riding may be a relatively new sport but there are genuine hopes it could become an Olympic event by 2012, especially with major financial backing from the United Arab Emirates.

At 18, Counter has time on her side and her selection for this month's FEI European Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders with the Great Britain team suggests she has the talent as well.

The Bargate rider has been targeting a place with the GB squad for two years after an injury to her horse forced her to drop out of selection last time.

When the call-up finally came this summer, it justified her faith in her mount, Cheeky Charlie, and two years of hard work.

"I was absolutely over the moon," said Counter.

"When you've worked for something so hard and for so long, for it to finally happen is the best feeling you can have.

"The selectors were really chuffed for me as well because they wanted to select me last time. He was like a different horse going around the selection ride."

More...

Australia: Tom Quilty Endurance ride this weekend

Abc.net.au

By Jane Paterson

Friday, 19/09/2008

Nanango State Forest, a couple of hundred kilometres north-west of Brisbane is the setting for the annual Tom Quilty endurance ride this weekend.

Around 200 competitors will saddle up for the Australia's number one endurance ride which kicks off at 4am tomorrow.

The 160-kilometre ride has attracted horsemen from the United States, Japan and New Zealand as well as Australia's elite endurance riders.

Tom Quilty was born at Normanton in 188, he was said to be "Robust and energetic", honing his horsemanship by riding with a band of wild young stockmen known as the 'Forest Devils'.

Quilty was an outstanding cattleman, an authority on northern Australia, a skilled 'poddy-dodger' and 'a bit of a menace' to his neighbours.

In 1966 he donated the Tom Quilty Gold Cup for what has become the national endurance-riding championship.

President of the Nanango Heritage Endurance Riders Association Barbara Timms says the event has been six months in the planning and of the over 200 horses registered to start, around two-thirds will probably finish.

In this report:
Barbara Timms, one of the organisers, Tom Quilty Cup, 2008.

USA: USEF Names Definite Entries for FEI World Endurance Championship 2008

Release: September 17 2008

Lexington, KY - The World Endurance Championship Definite Entries and Alternates were named after the final Training Session in Williston, Florida on September 13. All 12 nominated entries participated under the guidance of Chef d’ Equipe and three-time World Champion Becky Grand Hart. The Veterinary Panel examined the horses and the Endurance Selectors observed the horse/rider combinations as they completed a 38 mile course.

The following horse/rider combinations were selected to represent the US at the FEI World Endurance Championship 2008 to be held November 6-9 in Terengganu, Malaysia:

Name/Age/Hometown/Horse/Age/Breed/Sex/Owner

Katharine Brunjes/55/Bethel, ME/Theatric/10/Arabian/G/Katharine Brunjes

John Crandell III/46/Star Tannery, VA/HH Saba Shams/9/Arabian/G/Ann Crandall

Cheryl Dell/48/Springville, CA/Reason To Believe/10/Arabian/G/Cheryl Dell

Valerie Kanavy/62/Fort Valley, VA/Flash Flame/10/Arabian/M/Valerie Kanavy

Margaret Sleeper/39/Frenchtown, NJ/Syrocco Reveille/8/Arabian/M/Margaret Sleeper

Jan Worthington/68/Scales Mound, IL/Golden Lightning/8/Arabian/G/Jan Worthington

Alternates in ranked order:

Lisa Green/39/Star Tannery, VA/LR Amana Tabi/8/Arabian/M/Lisa Green

Heather Reynolds/31/Doswell, VA/Cal Flaming Emit/11/Arabian/M/Heather Reynolds

Margaret Sleeper/39/Frenchtown, NJ/Shyrocco Troilus/15/Half Arabian/G/Margaret Sleeper

The Team will remain in Florida until shipping to Malaysia next month.

ENDS

For information regarding selection, please contact USEF Director of Endurance, Vonita Bowers at vbowers@usef.org.

For media requests, please contact USEF High Performance Communications Manager Joanie Morris at jmorris@usef.org.

Malaysia: A sight to behold - horses on our shores

Gallant: Tuanku Mizan leading other
horsemen to the start of the
challenge.

Thestar.com.my - Full Article

Wednesday September 17, 2008

Story and pictures by NIK NAIZI HUSIN

IT WAS a test of wits and skill for 100 horsemen who took part at the Pahang Penn-Endurance Challenge at Cherating village near Kuantan recently.

This inaugural equestrian event was spread over five days with contests under the 100km, 60km and 20km categories.

The participants rode on a scenic route in Cherating covering its beautiful beaches, coastal jungle and village roads along the Kuantan-Kemaman stretch near Kampung Baging.

The challenge was graced by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin who rode his horse Magna Thor to win the 100km individual category.

Tuanku Mizan completed the route in eight hours.

Royal Terengganu Equestrian Stable took first place in the 100km team event.

More...

Malaysia: Participants from 36 countries expected

Thestar.com.my

Tuesday September 16, 2008

By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ

MALAYSIA is ready to host the International Equestrian Fede-ration (FEI) to host the FEI World Endurance Championship at the Terengganu International Endu-rance Park in Kuala Terengganu from Nov 6-9.

Malaysia is the first tropical country to host the endurance race covering 160km.

The event is organised by the Yayasan di-Raja Sultan Mizan (YDSM) and participants are from 36 countries.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin will lead the Malaysian team in the four-day championship.

YDSM vice-chairman Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor said preparations for the Fei World Endurance championship started in 2006.

“We had organised two trial events since 2006. One was for Malaysians while the other was the Sultan’s Cup for invited foreign participants.

“The trials gave us the opportunity to test all necessary aspects which are required to stage the prestigious event,” said Salleh.

The greatest challenge, he added, in organising the event was the climate-imposed hurdles as the foreign horses were not accustomed to the local climate.

“However, during the trial runs, we discovered that the hurdles can be handled.

“During both trial runs, the horses handled the heat and humidity well as we had 63% completion which is very good,” he said.

For the purpose, most of the rides will be done at night and coloured LED guide lights will be used as markers on the trails.

The first batch of horses, from the seven pick-up zones around the world, will arrive in Terengganu on Oct 13 while the riders are scheduled to arrive from Oct 29.

The horses from the different zones will be placed at different stables to ensure that they are free of diseases.

The championship has attracted top teams from France, Spain, United States, Germany, New Zealand and Australia.

Belize: Speed and Endurance in the Wild West

7newsbelize.com - Full Story

It was a staple on the sporting schedule for years and horse racing is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. And while in America it's called the sport of kings, in Belize, it's the country folk who keep the sport alive. In Cayo, it's more than a tradition, it's a passion, and this weekend we witnessed an off-road horse race unlike anything we'd ever seen. 7NEWS was there from start to finish and Keith Swift has the story.

Keith Swift Reporting
With the command to go - the 11 riders were off on the 24 mile Hanna's Endurance Challenge.

Rodolfo Juan, Organizer
"Today we're going to select who is really the toughest rider in this country. We are having an endurance race which is a test over 25 miles of horse and rider and it selects really who will be the toughest rider in the land."

And though they set off at lightning speed, the winner would be decided not on speed - but on endurance. That endurance was tested in 8 three mile laps up hills and down valleys on the sprawling but rugged and difficult terrain of the Juan family's 400 acre ranch in Cayo.

Santiago Juan, Organizer
"The goal of the race is to get the horse and the rider to learn about each other, to pace yourselves, it is not only about speed - it is about knowing your horse, knowing what to do and when to do it and that's what endurance racing is all about."

The riders spent months on horsebacks preparing for the race but it takes more than just knowing how to ride a horse to win. You need to know how to manoeuvre a horse like this through rough jungle terrain. These riders have to know their horses.

Rodolfo Juan,
"It is really about knowing your horse and knowing how to pace the horse. As you can see it is a very warm hot sunny day, it is 25 miles, that is a lot of distance to cover and therefore you need to know how to pace your horse so that you don't push it too much, otherwise you will just exhaust the horse or you risk injuring the horse."

A difficult balancing act - and that’s why on his fourth lap when Cesar Shi heard this:

[Horse Breathing Heavy]

More...

Malaysia: King launches book on endurance challenge

Significant achievement: Salleh
with the 160-page coffee table
book — the first ever endurance coffee
table publication in Malaysia.

Thestar.com.my

Tuesday September 16, 2008
By JADE CHAN

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abdin launched the Sultan’s Cup Terengganu Endurance Challenge 2007 coffee table book recently.

The book, published by the Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation (YDSM), is considered significant to the equestrian community as it is the first ever endurance coffee table publication in Malaysia. The book will be sold at major bookstores in Malaysia from next month.

The 160-page book, with 11 chapters, is a colourful documentation showcasing the moments leading to the hosting of the Sultan’s Cup Terengganu Endu-rance Challenge in 2007.

YDSM vice-chairman Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor said the book would serve as a testament of the glorious moments of the event.

“The publication also acknowledges the efforts of those who worked hard in organising the challenge and marks an honour for the country and its people in hosting such a prestigious event,” said Salleh.

Thirteen countries took part in the challenge that saw a completion rate of 67%, which exceeded the expected 40% set by the International Equestrian Federa-tion (FEI).

The outstanding success of the Sultan’s Cup Terengganu Endu-rance Challenge 2007 had prompted the FEI to give Malaysia the chance to host the FEI World Endurance Championship on Nov 6-9.

Malaysia WEC: USA selects squad

by Steph Teeter
Endurance.Net
September 2008

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has made final selection of the six horse and rider pairs to travel to Malaysia for the 2008 FEI World Endurance Championship:

Definite Entries:

Kathy Brunjes/ Theatric
John Crandell/ HH Saba Shams
Cheryl Dell/ Reason to Believe
Valerie Kanavy/ Flash Flame
Meg Sleeper/ Syrocco Reveille
Jan Worthington/ Golden Lightning

Ranked Alternates:

Lisa Green/ Amana Tabi
Heather Reynolds/ Cal Flaming Emit
Meg Sleeper/ Shyrocco Troilus

The selection was made at the end of a 3 day trial and evaluation held over the weekend in Florida. All horses were examined by the USEF staff of veterinarians. The performance of the riders and horses over a 40 mile demonstration course was evaluated by USEF staff including an independent selection committee, veterinarians, and Chef d'Equipe Becky Hart. The 40 mile course was run in 4 phases, with speeds of 10, 12, 14 and 15 mph respectively, with holds of 20, 30 and 40 minutes.

According to USEF Endurance director, Vonita Bowers, the trial went very well. "All of the horses that were selected recovered after each phase in 1 to 3 minutes. The horses did very well and we were pleased at the focus and professionalism of all of the riders and crews."

The selected horses and riders, as well as alternates, will now stay in Florida for the next month, prior to traveling to Malaysia. This will give time to train together, as a team, and to develop skills and strategies to improve their chances of winning a medal in Malaysia.

Three of the selected riders, Brunjes, Crandell and Sleeper gained valuable experience at the Sultan's Cup 160km event held last November in Terengganu, the venue for the 2008 WEC. Kanavy, Brunjes, Sleeper and Worthington have all had prior experience competing at World Championships, and Kanavy has won 2 Gold and 1 Silver individual medals.

Kanavy brought 2 horses to the selection trial, King Ali Gold and Flash Flame. While King Ali has out-performed Flash Flame in terms of speed and winning performances, he can also be a challenging horse to ride and difficult to rate. The final selection of Flash Flame was made based on her performance in Florida. Additional consideration was given to her prior experience at International events (a 5th place at the 2005 Pan American Championship in Argentina) and a more even temperament, which made her a better team choice. This year's goal for the USA in Malaysia is a team medal, and riders and horses were selected with that goal in mind.