France: Isa wins 160-km ride in Compiegne

Gulf-daily-news.com

Saturday, August 20, 2011

HIS Majesty King Hamad made a congratulatory phone call last night to Bahrain Royal Endurance Team rider Salman Isa, who won a 160-kilometre ride for horses eight years old and under, held yesterday in Compiegne, France.

Supreme Council for Youth and Sports chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa also made a call to Isa, congratulating him on his achievement.

Isa won the gruelling six-stage race in a time of eight hours 15 minutes 38 seconds. He overcame a top-quality field that included participants from Europe and the rest of the GCC.

France's Sandrine Lance was the runner-up, while Spain's Monica Comas came third.

France: Compiegne Young Horses

19 August 2011

Salman Isa Al Radhi of Bahrain, riding Persepolia Larzac, won the 8 Years Old CEI*** 160 km on Friday 19th August at Compiegne in a time of 8:15.38, averaging 19.44 km/h.

Finishing second was France's Sandrine Lance, riding Movisko du Lauragais, in 8:19.20, averaging 19.30 km/h. Spain's Monica Comas Molist, riding Princesse de Campagne finished third in 8:20.05. 20 started and 11 finished.

***

Saeed Sultan Shames al Marri of the UAE, riding Qatar La Majorie, won the 7 Years Old CEI** 120 km on Friday 19th August at Compiegne in a time of 5:39.53, averaging 21.20 km/h.

It was a close race for second, with France's Philippe Tomas, riding Quotien Persky edging out Qatar's Faleh Nasser Al Bughaneim on Querohz de Benech
by 3 seconds. Tomas' riding time was 5:44.25, averaging 20.92 km/h.

40 riders started and 23 finished.

***

Sunday is the Sponsor's Trophy CEI** 130 km Nations Sponsors Trophy. 130 are expected on the starting line.

***.
Photos by Osama Mohammed, and more on Compiegne at:
http://www.endurance.net/international/France/2011Compiegne

Spanish Riders in France

El Raid Blog - Gabriel Gamiz

[google translation]

Thursday August 18, 2011

In this month of August many Spanish riders move to neighboring countries to participate in the Raid of Compiegne and Pau.

This is the note from the Spanish:

"RAID: MASS DISPLACEMENT OF RIDERS TO FRANCE IN AUGUST

A total of 12 pairs move next weekend to Compiegne (France) to compete in the horse 7 to 8 years and the Sponsor.

Three other pairs are planning to move to Pau.

They are movement patterns of August to compete at the World Championships for Young Horses waiting for our great tasting high mountain Ripoll celebrated on 27th of that month and is already heating engines.

Remember that juniors may qualify and rate their horses for the next World Championships are national tests which will have priority for screening.

Since it has not yet come forward Dabhi Abbu program continue to be graded all national tests and CEI CEI ** *** up the presentation of the nominated entries. "

New Zealand: Girls are riding to success

Wanganuichronicle.co.nz - Full Article

Mark Dawson | Thursday, August 18, 2011

The success of young riders Charlotte Grayling, Tayla Mason and Georgia Smith should not be too much of a surprise.

The equestrian centre at Nga Tawa Diocesan School in Marton is reckoned to be the best school facility in the country.

It has 82 stables, three all-weather arenas and a 1200m all-weather track and about a third of the 270 girls at the school are involved in the equestrian programme which is run by Libby Whyte.

"We have developed a reputation for the equestrian centre and that, in turn, has attracted more up-and-coming riders," said Whyte.

Byline2The success of top equestrian stars like Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson and Caroline Powell has provided a boost for a couple of local young riders.

Aspiring horsewomen Charlotte Grayling and Tayla Mason have been invited to attend national training camps in Taupo next month by Equestrian Sports New Zealand.

Such camps were discontinued some years ago when national sports funder Sparc cut the money it put into riding after equestrianism suffered a slump, starting with a poor 2000 Sydney Olympics.

A return to form has seen New Zealand take bronze at last year's World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, and Todd win the Badminton Horse Trials, Powell take Burghley and Nicholson claim the British championship at Gatcombe.

The resultant 40 per cent boost in Sparc funding means the re-establishment of a development programme that will help the 17-year-old Marton schoolgirls with their dreams of one day making the Olympic three-day eventing team.

And a third Nga Tawa Diocesan student, 14-year-old Georgia Smith, is also making her mark in the riding world. Smith, from Taihape, is one of four riders chosen to represent New Zealand at the Junior World Endurance Championships in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, in December.

Her speciality is distance events and at the world champs that means a 120km race which could take up to six hours...

Read more here:
http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/news/girls-are-riding-success/1072246/

Thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk

Staveley breeders' Arabian horses at a premium

5:47pm Wednesday 17th August 2011
By Allan Tunningley

SOUTH Lakeland horse breeders Dom and Jan Atkinson have triumphed at a top equestrian event.

Their Arabian endurance horses impressed judges during a British Equestrian Federation evaluation held at Southview, Cheshire.

The Staveley pair, who run Seren Arabians, earned two first premiums with their colt Seren Hanau and filly Seren Bellatrix Malika, both three-years-old.

The BEF Futurity evaluation series aims to identify British bred young potential sport horses and ponies destined for careers in dressage, eventing, show-jumping or endurance – and may even find the Olympic Champions of the future.

Seren Hanau took the highest mark of the day for an endurance horse at Southview, and Seren Bellatrix Malika the second highest. Their respective scores of 8.43 and 8.14 and a first premium each indicate that they have the potential and outlook to perform at national level.

Dom said: “We have 15 horses, from foals to truly ancient, living in natural herds which gives them the temperament to cope well with difficult and unexpected situations and surroundings.

“We’ve been breeding Arabian endurance horses here at Seren Arabians above Staveley for 20 years, based on our foundation stallion Hanson. Sadly he died in 2009.

“This was also the year that the BEF futurity began to include endurance horses. In 2010, our first ever entry had the highest endurance score of the year nationally, and this year we entered the last two of Hanson’s youngsters that qualify: Seren Hanau and Seren Bellatrix.

“They both scored first premiums, and Hanson currently leads the all-time overall rankings for endurance sires – a fitting tribute to a wonderful old stallion.”

Meanwhile, in Outer Mongolia…

Sluggerotoole.com - Full Article

Pete Baker, Tue 16 August 2011

If you were wondering where the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, was [You were?! - Ed], he’s been in Mongolia [In a yurt! - Ed]. A “ger” actually. The NI Secretary of State is one of 23 riders, including his wife Ruth Paterson, who have taken part in the third Adventurists’ Mongol Derby – a 1,000 km multi-horse race over 10 days on the Mongolian steppes which began on the 6th August using “around 1000 semi-wild Mongolian horses” the Adventurists “select and train”, and changing horses at urtuus spaced at 40km along the 10o0km un-route.

The controversy surrounding the inaugral Mongol Derby in 2009 among endurance riders appears to have alleviated. And the official Derby site does note that the weight limit on equipment was halved in 2010.

There is a 5kg weight limit on equipment, so you’ll have to travel light. This may sound like very little but in 2009 the weight limit was 10 kg and riders soon discovered they needed far less than they had brought with them.

And there were other changes.

In 2009 a world class team of vets from Mongolia, Scotland, New Zealand and South Africa provided superb care for the horses taking part in the Mongol Derby. In 2010 the top class veterinary care will be provided by three emergency response vets from Massey University in New Zealand, as well as our 18 specially trained equine vets from Mongolia.

Though it’s difficult to get confirmation of official statements in such a remote event...

Read more here:
http://sluggerotoole.com/2011/08/16/meanwhile-in-outer-mongolia/

Northern Ireland: Minister's race plan raises £50,000

Belfasttelegraph.co.uk - Full Article
Sunday, 24 July 2011

Almost £50,000 has been raised for injured soldiers and other good causes by the Northern Ireland Secretary's planned participation in the world's longest horse race.

Owen Paterson will ride 1,000km (621 miles) across one of the world's last great wildernesses in the Mongolian steppe next month. The Mongol Derby is modelled on warrior Genghis Khan's legendary system for communicating across his vast empire.

Mr Paterson and his wife Rose have been raising money for the Royal Irish Benevolent Fund, the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries and a Mongolian charity.

He said: "We have been stunned by the generosity of the people of Northern Ireland who have shown really incredible support for the Royal Irish Benevolent Fund. So far we have raised £47,500 and we are tantalisingly close to our goal of £50,000."

Three soldiers from the regiment were killed during their recent tour of Afghanistan and another 16 were severely injured.

The Conservative MP said: "The work of the benevolent fund supporting members, their widows and children is very important. That's why we are delighted that people have given so generously. It is starting to sink in that we are going to be riding 60 miles a day for 10 days on semi-trained horses, which is quite a daunting prospect, so in the final weeks we are really stepping up our training..."

Read more here:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/ministers-race-plan-raises-50000-16027145.html

Belgian Team for European Championship

Endurance-belgium.com

15 August 2011

The final decision has fallen after a two-days clinic held last week in the south of the country, in the hilliest part of Belgium, to mimic a bit the environment of Florac.

The selection process was actually very simple for the Chef d'Equipe Pierre Arnould as two candidates on the short list had to give up.
They were Wendy Fallon (her mare has been injured) and Elisabeth Hardy (the mare Lutece de Crouz is back to the owner).

So the six couples who will represent Belgium are :
Maritza Pereira with Lima du Barthas (5th Florac2008)
Celine Just with Jahman (5th Tarbes 160km)
Raphael Van Cauter with Taborah de Sier (4th Tarbes 160km)
Michel Lequarre with Sahid des Fontaines(11th Castelsagrat 160km)
Pietro Di Geronimo with SD Mengali(21st Lexington 160km).

A good team with reliable horses which could do well at the team competition.

Other nations' selection for Florac
GERMANY: Six German Endurace Riders Participate at the European Endurance Championships in France After the last sighting the following endurance riders have been selected by the endurance commission of the German Olympic Committee (DOKR),
who will represent Germany at the European Championships in Florac, France to be held on 10 September 2011:
Joana Al Samarraie with Famosa
Klaudia Al Samarraie with Olymp
Sabrina Arnold with Beau
Dr. Gabriela Förster with Priceless Gold
Petra Hattab with Prince Sharif
Sybille Markert-Bäumer with Estopal Estopa

THE NETHERLANDS: Le chef d’équipe, Emile Docquier a désigné les couples suivants:
Jeanne Linneweever, Riki’s Macho Man
Suzanne Pen, Noniusz
Barbara Peterse, Pachinco
Carmen Römer, Gitana 220
Yvonne van der Velde, Joy Escobar
Jannet van Wijk, Zaira Star

ITALY:
Diana Origgi/Pervinca della Bosana
Alfonso Striano/Waligora
Danilo De Angelis/Present Jey
Simona Garatti/Badr Dell’Orsetta
Emanuele Fondi/Felicidad
Per la definizione del sesto binomio e della riserva, il tecnico si è riservato di procedere ad ulteriori valutazioni dei binomi formati da:
BRUNELLI ALLESSANDRA – KAILA DE TENSIONNIVES /I BATTISTA CARLO – FLUMINIO

Spain: Selection for the European Championships

August 16 2011

Completed tests developed past day 13, in St Feliu Sasserra facilities, which were convened by the national coach, Quico Yebra, binomials shortlisted the final list of seven candidates (the team signed four pairs, with two more individuals) for the European Chamionships in Florac on 10 September is composed of:

Nobby with Maria Alvarez.

Fling Tornade with Laia Muixi.

Calzadilla with Anna Mª Yebra .

Faref Bugati with Ivan Autet.

Zarha de Vilaformiu with Oriol Casals.

Arizona de Lafon with Francesc Xavier Casellas.

Pal Partenon with Otto Velez.

Throughout the week, after analyzing the results of veterinary examinations carried out, will communicate the final composition of the list.

Germany: Endurance Riders Nominated for European Championships

Horseweb.de

Aug 15th, 2011 | By kr | Category: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

15 Aug 2011

Six German Endurace Riders Participate at the European Endurance Championships in France

After the last sighting the following endurance riders have been selected by the endurance commission of the German Olympic Committee (DOKR), who will represent Germany at the European Championships in Florac, France to be held on 10 September 2011:

Joana Al Samarraie with Famosa
Klaudia Al Samarraie with Olymp
Sabrina Arnold with Beau
Dr. Gabriela Förster with Priceless Gold
Petra Hattab with Prince Sharif and
Sybille Markert-Bäumer with Estopal Estopa

Source: FN press

2011 Mongol Derby Has Been Won

TheAdventurists.com - Full Article

by Mr Tom on: 13 Aug 2011 categories: Mongol Derby,

After a week of adventures, injuries and some of the toughest horse riding in the world we have a winner. Craig Egberink of South Africa who led the field for most of the race has crossed the line in first place. In what turned out to be a nail bitting finish Sanbayier who had been catching up over the last few days of the Derby crossed the line just 2 minutes later to claim second place. Below is the listing at the moment. These take a while to calculate with accuracy as we have to cross check all the results and timings from each station. As soon as we can give you full details we will publish them live here.

All the riders are now at the finish and the 2011 Mongol Derby has come to a close.

1st Craig Egberink

2nd Sanbayier

3rd and 4th Bayinmuenke & David Ha (positions to be confirmed)

5th Jo Dawson

Crossing Sunday around midday was a group of 7 riders (positions to be confirmed):

Owen Patterson

Rose Patterson

Olivia Swingland

Kevin Pricemoor

Richard Allen

Tyga Helme

Jason Tse

Coming in towards the end of Sunday our last 3 riders crossed the line,

Sophia Mangalee

Frederique Schut

Ronald Van Der Velden

Of the 23 riders who started this year's Mongol Derby, only the 15 riders in bold above were still in the competitive race for the finish.

Riders who did not make the finish-line on a horse (they are all fine and most are at the finish line now for the party tonight):

Paul Erskine

Regina Bueno Ros

Borja Jimenez

Cara Barnes

Tommy Tsui

Marcus & Sarah Chenevix-Trench

Barry Armitage

More news, and radio interview with the winner here:
http://www.theadventurists.com/the-jibber/mongol-derby-2011-has-been-won

France: Compiegne Festival Mondial d'Endurance

August 15 2011

The World Festival of Endurance in Compiegne will be held 18-22 August.

the Young horse championship CEI** 120 km - 7 years old, and the CEI*** 160 km - 8 years old will take place on Friday 19th August; and the CEI** 120 km Sponsors Trophy will take place on Sunday 21st August.

43 riders from France, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Oman, Spain, Sweden, Great Britain, Netherlands, and Luxembourg have entered the 120 km; 27 riders from France, Oman, Portugal, Brazil, German, Qatar, Bahrain, Spain, Great Britain, and Slovakia have entered the 160 km; 131 riders from France, UAE, SLovakia, Great Britain, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Bahrain, Qatar, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Oman, Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland, and Uruguay have entered the 130 km Sponsors Trophy

Great Britain: Animal event with lots of Punch

Buryfreepress.co.uk - Full Article

Published on Monday 15 August 2011 01:00

COMPETITORS travelled from far and wide to take part in the heavy horse endurance event held at Euston Hall on Sunday, which also doubled as an opportunity to check the animals were in good health.

Before setting off on the 12-mile course, which the winner completed in 2hrs 46 minutes, the Suffolk Punches were placed on heart monitors by vets who also took blood samples.

Nigel Oakley, who has some 16 Suffolk Punches at Rede Hall Farm, said Sunday’s endurance event showed the animals were only needing to work at 50 per cent of their capability.

Entrants came from as far as Northamptonshire for the day, which is aimed to be mainly for the benefit of the animals, their owners and vets. Ten people with vehicles took part...

Read more here:
http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/lifestyle/animal_event_with_lots_of_punch_1_2955588

Australia: Endurance riders go extra mile

Margaretrivermail.com.au

10 Aug, 2011 12:11 PM
THE Margaret River Endurance Riders Club went to Wagin on the 29th to represent Margaret River at the annual Kazan Challenge. The ride, sponsored by Kazan Stables of Malaysia, attracted overseas and interstate competitors as well as buyers. It was a combined FEI and AERA event with ride distances up to 160km.

Margaret River Club members enjoyed the great tracks to compete in the AERA 80km and 40km divisions. Claudia Seke, riding Alcedo Mystique, qualified 1st in the 80km Lightweight division with Alcedo Mystique receiving the vet’s Best Conditioned vote. Noelene Cochrane came 2nd on Orchid Park Delilah. Tania Oosterhof completed 80km in Middleweight, riding Sileby Krystal Nile and congratulations to Emma Swarbrick and Redline Heaven Can Wait for completing their 80km in Heavyweight division - qualifying herself and her horse from Novice to Endurance status. Well done! Maria Bergstrom and Pagewood Ruby Shyne breezed through their first 40km ride.

Interested riders can contact us or can ‘have a go’ with our own Margaret River Ride on November 12. We also hope to hear from potential sponsors. Call president Emma Swarbrick 0438 778 058 Tracy Owen 0427 086 515 or 9758 2392.

-Tracy Owen

Owen Paterson on the Mongol Derby

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson and his wife are saddling up for the Mongol Derby.

By Cassandra Jardine

7:00AM BST 05 Aug 2011

Owen Paterson is on a diet. Carrying a few extra pounds doesn’t matter at Cabinet meetings, but the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland won’t be able to start the longest, most extreme horse race in the world unless his weight, including boots and clothes, is less than 85kg (just over 13st).

So he says no to a slice of bread with lunch at his home in Shropshire. But that, ominously, is all he has done to prepare for the Mongol Derby, a gruelling ordeal which competitors say “takes you through the pain barrier”.

Today he and his wife Rose, along with two dozen other competitors, will be dumped somewhere in the middle of the Mongolian steppe near UB, as the cognoscenti call the capital, Ulan Bator. They then have 10 days in which to travel 1,000 miles, equipped with only a pony, GPS and an 11lb bag of equipment. By the time they reach the finishing line, they will have encountered rivers, hills, thunderstorms, vicious dogs, dehydration, sunburn and, most likely, fallen off their semi-wild steeds...

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/active/8681505/Owen-Paterson-on-the-Mongol-Derby.html

Al Shaqab team shine in France

Gulf-times.com

4 August 2011
By Sports Reporter/Doha

Al Shaqab Endurance Team, member of Qatar Foundation, experienced another double victory in France at the Al Shaqab Challenge Tarbes-Ibos Endurance Rides, on July 30-31. The team pulled in victories in the 160km and the 125km races and the silver medal in the 125km event.
Abdulrahman Al Sulaitin was the gold medalist in the 125km races with a total time of 6:22:57.
In addition, Al Sulaitin set a new record for the 125km race for the history of the Tarbes-Ibos event at 19.58 km/hr, greatly surpassing the previous record of 19.21. The silver medal for the 125km race went to Al Shaqab team member Hassan Tahous Al Nuami at 6:30:14 with an average speed of 19.22 km/hr.
Capturing another 2011 victory, Faleh Nasser Bhugnaim collected gold in the 160km race in a total time of 9:05:01 and average speed of 17.61 km/hr, riding Amir.
The races were held in the Tarbes forest in Ibos, France. Just last week in France, the team had also achieved gold and silver medals in the junior and senior races.

Endurance Bayinbuluke, Xinjiang, China

Endurance-belgium.com

August 4 2011
by Leonard Liesens

China is developing at an incredible rate. There exists now a new class of wealthy, very wealthy entrepreneurs. They are interested in various things to occupy their life and spent their money. Equestrian sports are one of their occupations. China has a huge amount of horses, mainly in the Northern provinces, along the Mongolian and Kazakhstan borders, where nomadic people use the horse in their daily life. These horse are hardy ones, used to extreme climates, able to survive in harsh conditions, in the winter, digging into the snow to find some grey grass. Their horses are small, but with a correct conformation most of the time. The back are strong and able to carry a heavy riders on long distances. Traveling across the grasslands and the mountains has been their life since the era of Genghis Khan. Now, they are probably not the same anymore. They are taller, they have been mated with foreign blood, from Russia (Don and Orlofv). These horses are gentle, courageous and willing to work. Of course they are not treated the way we use to treat ours and they have a harder life. But they look good, the ridden ones (mostly the geldings are ridden) look a bit skinny for my taste (even if we were in a favorable period with plenty of grass). The breeding stock looked good (see photos of the herd of horses brought to the racetrack for the Mongol rodeo).

About the endurance race. They try hard. Mr Wu(manager of the Chinese Equestrians website) is working hard to organize all (or most of) competitions across China, trying to get everywhere the same model. Riders need probably a better education for riding long distance and coping with the art of pacing. I saw that also in other parts of the globe. They are willing to learn. Like us thirty years ago, they also learn from their mistakes. The horse from Xingjian (and also probably from Inner Mongolia) can do well with appropriate conditioning and pacing. Probably this kind of horse is limited in speed and will not be able to reach the speed of our Arabians, but 16..18 km/h doesn't seem to be a problem for well-trained subjects. That would be very interesting to condition and train them our way and see the results on tests. Introducing Arabian blood could be a plus of course, but China will have to wait for one generation to see how it goes. Will the part-bred survive in the same conditions? Will they not loose their rusticity? Will the owner accept to change a bit the training and maintenance regimen? Obviously, importing horses from abroad could be a quicker solution. But in the same time, the 'know-how' must be imported as well.

The race was very well organized. Almost like the European model, except the veterinary inspection. More metabolic parameters should be assessed and the gait's checking should be more strictly enforced.

Race time: 140 horses took the start. They went fast, too fast on the first stage. The three stages were drawn according to the model "Go to one point and head back". That's OK with cautious and experienced riders, but here many were letting the horse pick the speed(too high) -or even pushed them- at the return and were stuck at the vetgate (many not able to recover on time to 64BPM) for a very long time. And of course on the 2nd stage, many had to push to leave the venue, up to the return point where the horse understood that we was heading back. Same scenario as during the first loop. Only 38 completed. As far as I'm concerned: I took a conservative start, being the last all the way during the first stage. This allowed me the pass several dozens horse at the vetgate. During the second stage, at half way, my horse gaits were not the best. I dismounted and noticed the reason : "Actually, I arrived at the venue just one hour before the start. I was presented with one horse but he had some swelling along one suspensory and I asked to see another one. This one looked ok, but by lack of time, I could not check the hind feet. My mistake, always the rider's mistake!". His hind feet were very very asymmetric, probably 1.5cm difference between left and right part, forcing the horse to put his feet to the inside when walking or trotting. Of course, after 50km of this, he was sore. So I gently walked him back to camp and pulled.

The next days, we could attend the Mongol rodeo and the various activities and have a walk across the town. Very nice people, curious of our European look, everyone willing to be photographed with us. Very nice children, many saying the only English words they retained from school "Hello, how are you". Funny.

Also every noon and evening, eating and drinking and socializing. Amazing. Tasting the Mongolian food and the Chinese one. Accepting toasts from everyone during the whole dinner (numerous courses all served together on the Chinese round table). Of course, as special guests, we were the target of all toasts:-) A kind of Chinese vodka, 40degrees, during four days in a row, that's another kind of endurance...

I want to thank our guests for this incredible welcome and all the good time.

Photo gallery here:
http://endurance-belgium.com/photos/bayinbuluke11/index.html

Great Britain: Endurance horse wins top futurity spot

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

August 4, 2011

The top four scores at The 2011 Baileys Horse Feeds/British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Futurity Evaluations at The Grange, Devon all came from different disciplines and attained Higher First Premiums.


The popular event on July 14 attracted a wide range of entries and an endurance horse went home with the highest score of the day.

The top score of the day 8.82, was awarded to three-year-old Yawl Hill Maverick, by successful international in-hand Arab show stallion, H Tobago. Endurance rider and breeder Kirsty Wiscombe has owned Yawl Hill Maverick's dam, the exceptional Burrowshot Lass, since she was a three year old, she was on the endurance intermediate squad in 200 and has also evented. She has had five foals altogether including the FEI 3* stallion Yawl Hill Billy...

Read more here:
http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2011/08/029.shtml

Australia: Riders enjoy Kazan Challenge

Photo by Chris Ros Waginargus.com.au - Full Article

JULIE MANGALAVITE
04 Aug, 2011 04:00 AM

WAGIN hosted this year’s Kazan Challenge on the weekend which saw 90 riders from across the world compete in seven different endurance events.

Sponsored by the Kazan Stables Malaysia, the Federation Equestrian International (FEI) event was selected by the National Endurance governing body to be a World Championship Qualifier – one of only three being held in Australia this year.

Australians Seeking Performance in Ridden Endurance (ASPIRE) event secretary and local rider Anita Lunt said the weekend was a huge success.

“We've had very positive feedback from everybody involved which is fantastic because this was a big event that was great for the town,” Anita said.

“We (ASPIRE) applied to host the event in Wagin to help WA riders with their international aspirations and help them to achieve their goals, rather than having to travel over east.”

Anita said that they would now like to host more events and especially carry on with this particular event in future years.

“The whole weekend wouldn't have been possible without the fantastic support of all of the sponsors, the community and especially the Shire of Wagin,” she said.

“We are also very grateful and thankful to all the people that were involved in the actual running and organising of the event.”

Competitions like the one held on the weekend are how WA riders qualify and compete on the international stage...

Read more here:
http://www.waginargus.com.au/news/local/news/general/riders-enjoy-kazan-challenge/2247431.aspx

Australia: Young Riders Qualified for Abu Dhabi 2011

AERA.asn.au

Horse and Rider combinations in alphabetical order. These following combinations have fulfilled the qualifications as required by the FEI Endurance Rules (Art. 816.3.1 – 816.3.11) and have attained AES Level 4 (Young Riders):

Alexandra Toft, Qld - High Society te, Emily Jones te, Zalman, Travina -

Allix Jones, NSW - Castlebar Moonlight, Castlebar Topaz

Brook Warner, NSW - Kunama Safira, Quinta Essentia

Georgia Toft, Qld - Bremervale Arrogance, Zalman

Talea Haskow Stewart, NSW - Blakes Heaven Bombora, Blakes Heaven Venus

The Selection Panel congratulates these young riders and their horses in achieving the qualifications necessary to represent Australia at the forthcoming World Championships. This is an exciting and very experienced group of young riders and magnificent horses, who certainly have the ability to bring home medals.

The short list of 4 riders and 5 horses will be announced on September 30 (at the SA Quilty ).
The Team will leave for Abu Dhabi mid November.

Anne Barnes, Chair of Selection Panel