Horses and Riders Head to Chile for 2011 Pan American Endurance Championship

By USEF - ALL DISCIPLINE - Posted October 11, 2011

Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation has named the following horse/rider combinations for the 2011 Pan American Endurance Championship being held in Santo Domingo, Chile, October 22, 2011.

The following horse/rider combinations will represent the U.S. at the Pan American Championship (listed in ranked order):

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

John Crandell III/49/West River, MD/Heraldic/Arabian/13/Gelding/John Crandell JR
Meg Sleeper/43/Frenchtown, NJ/Syrocco Cadence/Arabian/8/Mare/Meg Sleeper
Deborah Reich/51/Croton on Hudson, NY/Pandor/Arabian/12/Gelding/Deborah Reich
Melody Blittersdorf/51/Jeffersonville, VT/Synthetic/Arabian/11/Gelding/Melody Blittersdorf
Valerie Kanavy/65 /Fort Valley, VA/Spectacular Gold/Arabian/9/Gelding/Valerie Kanavy
Cheryl Van Deusen/52/New Smyrna, FL/Moro Amado/Arabian/8/Gelding/Miguel Pavlovsky

Running over a 120km course, riders will race for both Team and Individual medals.

Two members of the Silver medal winning U.S. team from the 2009 Pan American Endurance Championship in Uruguay will once again represent the U.S., Kanavy and Van Deusen. Kanavy, who finished sixth individually in 2009 will ride her own Spectacular Gold, a 9-year-old Arabian gelding who has raced to top ten finishes both in the U.S. and abroad. Van Deusen will ride Moro Amado, owned by Argentinian endurance competitor Miguel Pavlovsky.

The U.S. will also be represented by two members of the U.S. team from the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG), Reich and Sleeper. Reich, the only U.S. rider to complete the WEG course, will ride her new partner Pandor. The 12-year-old Arabian gelding has finished in the top 10 in all CEI outings in the last three years. Sleeper will ride her homebred mare, Syrocco Cadence, an eight-year-old Arabian. The pair most recently finished second at the Asheville CEI3* 160km.

Crandell and Heraldic, a 13-year-old Arabian gelding, are veteran partners having been the first pair in history to win the endurance "Triple Crown" crossing the finish line first at the Old Dominion 100, Tevis and the AERC Championship 100 in 2006. In 2010, the pair took two legs of the "Triple Crown" winning at the Old Dominion 100 and at Tevis. This will be Crandell's second time representing the U.S., having ridden on the U.S. team at the 2008 FEI World Endurance Championship in Malaysia.

Rounding out the U.S. team is Blittersdorf and Synthetic. Partners since 2003, Blittersdorf and Synthetic began competing in CEI events in 2008 and have consistently finished in the top 10.

Malaysia: Terengganu To Enhance Sultan Mizan Cup Endurance Challenge Next Year

Bernama.com.my

October 9 2011

SETIU, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- The state government will ensure the Sultan Mizan Cup Endurance Challenge 2012 will be a more exciting affair offering bigger prize money next year to attract more local and foreign riders.

State Youth and Sports committee chairman Rozi Mamat said that more international riders would be invited to participate in the tournament next year.

"Therefore, we will enhance the tournament to be more exciting and better in future. The state had set aside a bigger allocation for prizes this year," he told reporters after the Sultan Mizan Cup Endurance Challenge 2011 prize-giving ceremony here Sunday.

Also present was the World Endurance Equestrian Championship (FEI) director Ian Williams.

Williams said that the challenge could be expanded across Asia since Terengganu has a strategic venue that was suitable for high-level tournaments.

-- BERNAMA

Malaysia: Thai Rider Wins Sultan Mizan Cup 2011

Bernama.com

October 9 2011

SETIU (Terengganu), Oct 9 (Bernama) -- Wipawan Pawitayalarp of Thailand rode home first to pocket RM63,000 cash and an AmaSwiss watch worth RM54,000 at the Sultan Mizan Cup 2011.

He completed the 120km track astride Mulawa Angelus in 6:17:43 with an average speed of 19.06km per hour. This is the third time Wipawan, 35, has competed in the endurance challenge formerly known as the Sultan's Cup Terengganu Endurance Challenge.

Mohammad Fuad Hashim from the State of Terengganu Endurance Team (STET), riding M Marlon, finished next on 6:29:17, and received RM44,000 as the second-placed winner.

M Marlon won the Best Conditioned Horse Award, and for that, Mohd Fuad received an additional prize money of RM18,000.

In third place was Zelma Lotter on board Nashaar, winning RM32,000 after having completed in a time of 7:02:35.

Completing the ride on 7:38:30 astride Shardell Galazan, Warit Khuntarhporn rode in fourth while Mohd Sulaiman Muda on Jakim Murphy came in fifth, clocking 8:15:15. The fourth prize winner took home RM19,000 and fifth, RM13,000.

A total of 11 riders who completed the 120km race were awarded a sum of RM6,000 and a buckle, a tradition of the sport of endurance.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, riding RTES Smith, a nine year-old gelding, was among the 53 Malaysian riders from teams across Malaysia.

The other riders were from France, Australia, Slovakia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah and Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said were present at the prize-giving ceremony today.

Jointly organised by the Terengganu government and the Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable, the Sultan Mizan Cup 2011 was held from Friday to today at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong here.

-- BERNAMA

Australia: Will Rewarded

Dailyadvertiser.com.au - Full Article

SIMON BRUNSDON
08 Oct, 2011 01:00 AM

WHEN most school students were spending the holidays playing video games and hanging with their friends, Wagga's Courtney Lewis was competing for a national title.

The 14-year-old Mater Dei Catholic College student made the marathon two-day road trip to South Australia's Barossa Ranges to compete in the prestigious Tom Quilty Gold Cup.

The cup is the national championships for endurance horse riding and brings together hundreds of Australia's best riders.

Created by famous Australian horseman Tom Quilty in 1966, the Gold Cup is now known as the largest professional endurance ride in the southern hemisphere.

It was Lewis's first time travelling to South Australia to compete, and she ended up running third in the junior division on horse Kyang Mister Personality.

The pair was one of just nine to finish the 160-kilometre endurance ride in their division, and Lewis returned home to Wagga with one of the coveted buckles she went over there to claim. She says while the trip took a lot of effort and organising, she loved the experience and was stoked with the result.

"The trip itself was really long, it took us two days to get over there," Lewis said yesterday while enjoying the last of her school holidays...

Read more here:
http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/news/local/sport/other/will-rewarded/2317231.aspx

Reynolds wins third Tevis Cup

Auburn Journal
Auburn teenager Shackelford second
By Todd Mordhorst Auburn Journal

The route was different, but the results were quite familiar for Jeremy Reynolds at the Tevis Cup endurance ride Saturday.

The endurance horse trainer from San Jose rode to his third Tevis Cup Saturday evening. He completed the re-routed ride in 9 hours, 31 minutes, accounting for the two hours of required rest time.

The ride began in Auburn for the first time after heavy snow high in the Sierra left much of the trail too dangerous for the horses to navigate. Tevis Cup was postponed from its usual July start because of the unusually deep snow pack in the Sierra that lingered through the summer.

Reynolds won atop 7-year-old Riverwatch after winning Tevis in 2004 and 2007 on CV Eli.

“Today was a blast,” Reynolds said. “We had a good plan and we stuck to it. I knew I had a lot of horse left at the end. It was a fun day.”

Reynolds rode with 19-year-old Rachel Shackelford at the front of the field for much of the day before pulling ahead for good about 12 miles from the finish.

Shackelford finished second, wearing a broad smile as she rode into McCann Stadium and tearing up at the finish. The Placer High graduate and Lincoln resident rode BR Cody del Sol, a 17-year-old Arab who completed his final endurance ride in style.

“I had a great start and he knows the trail really well so once his nose was headed toward Auburn he knew what to do,” Shackelford said. “I’ve been riding him since I was 5. It was a big moment for us (at the finish) because I knew this was his last ride.”

Reynolds imparted some of his riding knowledge to Shackelford as they rode Saturday. The two met when Rachel was just 9 at the Fort Shelbourne Endurance Ride and they’ve ridden together several times since then. Shackelford was happy to be able to pick up some tips on her to the impressive result.

“He’s a good family friend and he was giving me some pointers along the way,” she said. “We had a great time.”

Reynolds said he was impressed by Shackelford’s maturity. She slowed down late in the race, sensing her horse’s fatigue.

“She put the horse first and I admire her for that – especially because she’s such a young rider,” Reynolds said.

Saturday’s victory was the latest and most prestigious in a series of impressive results for Reynolds, whose wife Heather is also a former Tevis winner. Reynolds has won rides each of the last three weeks, including the North American Endurance Team Championship in Plumas County.

Dennis Summers of Gifford, Wash. rode in just before 8 p.m. Saturday night to claim third place. Dayna Weary, from Prescott, Ariz., placed fourth, followed closely by Garrett Ford of Durango, Colo., and Scottsdale, Ariz. resident Clydea Hastie.

Riders have 24 hours to complete the ride and earn a coveted Tevis Cup completion buckle. The top 10 finishers are eligible for the prestigious Haggin Cup, which is awarded to the horse judged most fit to continue riding at the finish.

The Tevis Cup and Haggin Cup will be awarded today at the Gold Country Fairgrounds. There will be a barbecue at 1 p.m. followed by the awards ceremony at 2 p.m.

See Monday’s Journal for results of the Haggin Cup judging.

Full article, Auburn Journal

Australia: Determination wins for Oxford Falls rider

Manly-daily.whereilive.com.au - Full Article

6 Oct 11 @ 02:30pm by Andrew Priestley

HE was told it couldn’t be done, but Cherry Cummins and her horse Winter showed all doubters when they completed a 400km endurance ride, coming fourth in their weight division.

Ms Cummins, 21, and Winter took part in the Shahzada, a five-day ride around St Albans in northwest Sydney.

The Oxford Falls pair rode for up to nine hours every day of the Shahzada, billed by organisers as the longest annually held endurance riding event in the world.

She was told by her riding colleagues the event would be impossible for Winter, since the 12-year-old gelding has a clubfoot and was difficult to motivate.

“It felt so good because I was always told the horse couldn’t do it,” she said. “He finished the hardest ride in the world.”

The ride involved Ms Cummins and Winter being up at 3am every day for the ride, held at the end of August, riding along “the most ridiculous terrain” on bush tracks and, at times, over boulders...

Read more here:
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/determination-wins/

Australia: Wade returns to Tom Quilty Gold Cup

Weeklytimesnow.com.au

Kim Woods | October 5, 2011

LEGENDARY endurance rider Meg Wade has staged a remarkable comeback from a near fatal injury to ride at the Tom Quilty Gold Cup.

Meg, who suffered a brain injury in a horse riding accident almost three years ago, completed a "celebrity" 5km ride at the prestigious event.

Still aided by a walking frame, she completed the ride aboard an Anglo Arab mare called Actress.

She was accompanied by fellow competitor and friend, Ron Males, a winner of 25 Tom Quilty buckles.

Meg was buoyed by her stable rider Kristy Taprell winning this year's 160km Tom Quilty riding Kurrajong Concorde in 10 hours, 10 minutes and 42 seconds.

The Cup was held at Mt Pleasant in South Australia on September 30-October 1 and attracted 193 entries.

Staged in adverse weather conditions, the race resulted in 60 per cent of competitors completing the course.

Meg is the only person to win the Tom Quilty a record four times, and was ten times awarded Australian Endurance Rider of the Year.

She suffered a fractured skull in a fall from her horse during a 100km endurance ride at Tumbarumba, in southern NSW, in April 2009.

Meg was airlifted to Canberra in a coma and then spent nine months at Epworth Hospital in Melbourne.

Defying medical opinion she would never ride again, Meg took her first steps aboard a horse at Riding for the Disabled in Melbourne last December.

"I had my first 5km introductory ride in Victoria a few months ago and it was pretty special to be back in the saddle," she said.

"The best thing was I wasn't scared at all.

"I am taking things step by step."

Meg is aiming to complete a 20km introductory ride.

"I am walking now and need to get to the point where I can trot first – it will take time," she said.

Meg runs Castlebar Arabian stud with husband Chris Gates at Burrowye, in the Upper Murray.

Malaysia: 2011 Sultan Mizan Cup Brings Together Sports and Entertainment All In One

The three-day event will kick off on 7 October 2011 at Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP), Lembah Bidong, bringing the public a fun-filling carnival and concert by local artistes

KUALA LUMPUR, October 4 - Sultan Mizan Cup formerly known as Terengganu Sultan Cup Endurance Challenge is a world-class event that has always been more than just a sport of endurance for horse lovers. It brings together sports and entertainment in a single venue catering to people from all walks of life.

This year, Sultan Mizan Cup is back again with more fun-filled activities and a series of entertaining events at the Carnival on 7 to 8 October 2011 that is meant for the whole family. Among the activities scheduled are model horse colouring competition by secondary students, Pony Club Mounted Games Challenge, colouring contests for kids, face painting, coral and marine life exhibition, carriage rides, food and game stalls, street soccer tournament and many others.

The public should be on the lookout at this event for the model horse colouring competition. The horse model made from fibre glass is as big as the real-life horse. The students will have to create a piece of art reflecting the theme of the event – the exquisite and beautiful corals of Terengganu.

The carnival is specially designed for the whole family, and kids will get to enjoy the fun offered by the many activities. Both children and adults will have their share of excitement as they watch Pony Clubbers from Terengganu face-off each other in teams to win the Pony Club Mounted Games Challenge which will be held over 7 and 8 October.

The street soccer tournament, also held over two days, will see footballers under 18 years old competing on Friday, 7 October, and the open category will be on Saturday, 8 October. Winners from both categories will be awarded with cash prizes. Advance registration is required for all those who are interested in joining this fun and healthy tournament.

Set to rock Lembah Bidong with performances by popular artistes such as Faizal Tahir, Hujan, Bunkface, Shiha Mentor5, Black Mentor3, Faizal AF4 and many more. the concert this year is from 8.00 pm to 11.00 pm on 8 October.

The carnival which admission is FREE opens on 7 October from 3.00 pm to 10.00pm and 8 October 2011 from 9.00am to 10.00pm.

Sultan Mizan Cup with its new brand identity is set to cement itself as the most important event in Terengganu and the premier endurance event in the nation. It is being repositioned as a world-class premier endurance event that is important for the region.

The CEI 2* Sultan Mizan Cup run over a distance of 120 km with five phases over undulating terrain. The endurance race has a time limit of 12 hours including holding time totalling 210 minutes at the first four vet gates. The first phase is 30 km, second phase is 25 km, third phase is 20 km, fourth phase is 25 km and the fifth and final phase is 20 km.

His Majesty, Yang DiPertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, an endurance aficionado, will be competing at the 2011 Sultan Mizan Cup.

More than 60 riders are expected to compete this year for a total prizemoney of USD68,000.00 which has been doubled since last year. The first prize is USD20,000, second is USD14.000, third is USD10,000, fourth is USD6,000 and the fifth prize is USD4,000. The winner of the Best Conditioned Horse will receive prizemoney of USD14,000. Malaysia is fielding the biggest contingent and the other riders are from Argentina, Australia, Chile, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.


For media enquiries, kindly contact:
Ms. Wai-Fai Lo
Head of PR, Asia Promote Ventures
M: 012-209 0068
E: waifailo@asiapromote.net

Noor Nazatul Janah Bt Mahmood
PR & Event Manager, Asia Promote Ventures
M: 012-940 5848
E: nazatul@asiapromote.net

Australia: Kalgoorlie or Bust Endurance Ride - Raising Funds For Cancer Victims

Horsezone.com.au - Full article

Published on Friday, September 30, 2011 in General

Kids who have horses and ponies are usually a little tougher than your average teenager!

The thought of spending more time with their beloved mate, camping out under the stars and bonding with their “best- horse-friend” is irresistible. So when the idea came about for a ride to Kalgoorlie along the Golden Pipeline these four friends jumped at the chance.

Holly Bongers, Larissa Cooney, Bessie Traylen & Maddy King are all members of the Wooroloo Horse and Pony Club, a small club, in the Perth Hills. All the kids have been close to cancer at some stage in their 14 years and it was decided to make something that they love to do, into a fundraiser for the WA Cancer Council.

The girls asked Kylie Martin, a good friend and mentor, to come on board. Kylie is an endurance rider and also has a business in horse massage, Kyanna Equestrian – Healing Hands for Healing Horses.

Kylie is a huge influence on the girls and is extremely supportive of each and every one of them. She is teaching them about caring for an endurance horse, not a pony club horse, and how to rise to the challenge of so many days in the saddle...

read more here:
http://horsezone.com.au/news/kalgoorlie-or-bust-endurance-ride-raising-funds-for-cancer-victims-1685/

Spain: Shortlisted for the 2011 World Junior Championship Ride in Abu Dhabi

El Raid Blog

25 September 2011

From the Spanish Equestrian Federation and on behalf of the National coach Raid, gives a statement with horses shortlisted for the Young Riders World in Abu Dhabi in December. This is the note of the National Coach of Raid:

SCREENING OF YOUTH RIDERS RAID - ABU DHABI WORLD 2011.
RELATED PROVISIONAL OF HORSES COMPETING TO GO TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF YOUNG RIDERS OF ABU DHABI 2011.
PRIZE USHAMIR BEN
LUCERO MIKI
HUMBUG YEP
VODKA O AMAL
XENA ROSE TRA
TRA CLICK
Of the 6 horses the 4 shortlisted will be chosen to represent the Spanish Raid after completing the tests that will convene promptly.

Yebra Quico
National Coach
Madrid September 23, 2011.

Kristie Taprell and Kurrajong Concorde win Tom Quilty

October 3 2011

In a riding time of 10:10.42, Kristie Taprell and Kurrajong Concorde won the S.A> Tom Quilty Gold Cup Barossa Ranges 2011. They were also the Middleweight division winners.

Second place went to Deb Grull riding Lauralyn Notorious. Tied for third place were Akhmed Pshunov riding Tarrangower Crecendo, and Matthew Sample riding Brookleigh Ricardo.

Heavyweight winner was Tony Purton on Beer Street Dimity; Lightweight winner was Erin Lee Krahnen on Kalkadoon Zorro; Junior division winner was James Green on Hirstglen Maybe.

193 riders started.
Complete results will be available here.

Hundreds ready for 24-hour endurance ride

Updated September 30, 2011 13:40:49

Hundreds of the world's best endurance horse riders will compete this weekend for the title of Australia's top endurance competitor.

From midnight on Friday, they will race for 24 hours for 160 kilometres through the Barossa Ranges and Mount Crawford state forest near Adelaide.

The Tom Quilty Gold Cup began when bushman RM Williams and pastoralist Tom Quilty wanted to see if current-day riders were as tough as those of past eras.

Event director Jean Sims says all the competitors will find it tough this year because heavy rain in recent days has made the ground heavy.

"It is a challenging course. The riders start in the darkness but they wear headlamps on their helmets and they follow luminous arrows which mark a track through the forest," she said.

"It's quite wet and muddy so they'll have to slow down and just look after their horse to make sure that they get around."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-30/tom-quilty-horse-endurance-riders/3193796

France: National Finals for Young Endurance Horses at Uzes

Horsereporter Blog - Full Article

Posted on September 20, 2011 by worldreporter

Finales Nationales Des Jeunes Chevaux D’endurance Equestre a Uzes

September 19, Uzes, France ~More than 600 endurance horses aged 4-6 are expected to compete October 7,8,& 9 at Uzes in the Languedoc-Rousillon region, known as the cradle of endurance in France. The National Stud at Uzes has developed the discipline of endurance for the past 19 years and has confirmed hundreds of young French horses to the sport.

Each year, another nation is invited to discover these French finals. Last year the riders of Brazil were invited and rode horses that were prepared by the breeders of the region. This year an official delegation has been chosen from China to further their emerging interest onto the endurance scene. In past years, riders and trainers from Italy, Germany and Great Britain, Belgium and Sweden have been successful in this ride...

Read more here:
http://blog.horsereporter.com/2011/09/20/national-finals-for-young-endurance-horses-at-uzes/

New body created for Irish endurance riders

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Ben Scott H&H news desk

20 September, 2011

A new body to oversee endurance riding in Ireland has been created following a meeting (Friday 9 September) of Ireland’s top endurance riders.

Endurance Ireland will work to promote the sport and develop a calendar of events for both competitive riding and training in 2012.

The body has written to Horse Sport Ireland with a view to becoming a section of the organisation.

Ireland has not competed at a World or European championship in endurance riding since 2006.

An elected committee of Yvonne Croke, (chairperson) Anne Kinsella, (treasurer and health and safety officer) Patrick Miller (assistant treasurer) and Karen Kiely, (secretary and press officer) has been formed.

Spokesperson for Endurance Ireland Karen Kiely said: “The positive response to our formation from endurance riders in Ireland and abroad since the launch on Saturday 17 September, has confirmed to us the need for the new group...

Read more here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/309709.html

Australia: 12 Days till the 2011 Barossa Ranges Tom Quilty

SATomQuilty.com.au

16 September 2011

The event, known as the Barossa Ranges Tom Quilty Gold Cup will provide a challenging event for participants on a new course. There will be an away check point and riders will experience changing terrain as the course traverses Mt Crawford State forest, vineyards and pastures. The second and potentially most challenging leg will be through pine forests, then onto private land owned by the Ross family (by kind permission).

The ride base will be at Mt Pleasant which hosts annually a large agricultural show in addition to many livestock and horse events. One of the best scenic routes in our State runs through Mount Pleasant linking Adelaide with the Barossa via the rich pastoral lands, forestry and the wine areas of Springton and Eden Valley close to Mt. Pleasant.

Land was first purchased for forestry at Mount Crawford in 1909. Plantings commenced in 1914; two species of eucalypts (Narrow-leaved Ironbark and South Australian Blue gum) and two species of pine (Radiata and Maritime pine) which creates a fantastic horse riding environment. The current reserve area is in the region of 12,000 hectares.

Please note that the event will start at midnight on Friday September 30th 2011 and continue through Saturday October 1st.

For more information, see

Florac Championnat d'Europe 2011

Endurance-belgium.com

by Leonard Liesens

Of course Nobby and Maria Alvarez were the biggest favorites of this European Championship. Beside them, the two couples that Benedicte Emond (the new French Chef d'equipe) had chosen as individuals were also considered as very serious contenders. They were Pierre Fleury and Gregoire Tilquin. At the first vetgate, the battle for the first place had already begun. Nobby and Maria, Tilquin and Fleury were in the front. There was also another favorite who is always riding excellent horses. Last year she did well in Lexington with the German team; with the same horse she unfortunately crashed a bit during the last loop in Assisi two years ago, but now the horse has gotten more experience and was very strong. She is Sabrina Arnold; she lives in the south of France so the horse Beau was perfectly acclimatized to the grueling conditions. Another female rider did also come to play a role in forefront, Diana Origi, who lead the preride last year before that her horse pulled at the last vetgate. Unfortunately for the italian lady, her horse could hardly keep up in terms of recovery time and took everytime a few minutes more to enter the vetgate. In the front, alone, and opening the trail all the time, the extraordinary Kalifa from Abu Dhabi, ridden by his trainer Ali Khalfan. Amazing horse.

Even if we had a hard time following the race by car - actually it was harder for the people following the middle of the pack riders than for the one going along with the leaders- there were very few grumpy guys to critisise the principles of the in-line race. Florac is an in-line race and has always be and must remain as it is! Otherwise how could the riders -and the crew and spectators- enjoy the scenery and the various going and trails. There were a lot of discussions about the way that the course has been adapted to get a faster average speed, about the manicuring of some very rocky trails (rock crushing), but everybody has to salute the work of Jean-Paul Boudon and his team. Let's all hope that his team will continue the good work and offer us next year similar conditions. For sure there will be a lot of riders coming for the next edition.

The winning horse Kalifa is something like an extraterrestrial! Everybody - e.v.e.r.y.b.o.d.y - was betting at every stage on his future crash. We heard many times: "If he completes and win, I should better stop doing endurance riding and convert to golf or something else". By seeing Ali and Kalifa eating up all hills at the canter when others were taking them at the trot, of course, observers could only bet on the crash. Knowing also that this horse was bought in Uruguay where there are no hills. The horse was bought by Al Wahtba and went to Abu Dhabi. He finished second last year at the President's Cup and at the Maktoum Cup. In Uruguay he did decently, including a top ten at the PanAm in Costa Azul. It is obvious that this horse never saw the hills and  mountains he had to cope with in Florac. So we had to stop pretending that we can still beat the Arabian riders in our technical races... Another lost illusion... And not to mentioon that Kalifa lost a shoe during the last loop. The rider had to put his easyboot, but this one was not fitting well so he had to stop several time to re-put it on. Alio Kalfan should come to the States learning the new easyglove technique!!!

The French team was composed of Atger, Demedy, Santisteva et Goachet. Until the final trotting, that was Spain who hold the team gold; but the Spanish horse Arizona de Lafont was eliminated at the final trotting. Big dissapointement and big anger from the Spanish team, but it seems that the decision was correct. Anyway, they have got the silver.

Belgium play his role in this game on the perfect way. There was no reason to fight in the front, but the 3rd place was perfectly within reach. Pietro Di Geronimo was chosen as individual when everybody was betting on him for the team, but only the trainer sees the horse during the pre-race clinics and at the trotting, so it's difficult to have an opinion. Anyway Di Geronimo demonstrated that his horse Mengali was perfectly prepared, taking the 9th place at the european level, his best placing up-to-now. Belgium was shocked when Taborah, a difficult mare, was eliminated for lameness at the first vetgate. With only 3 horses in the team, no mistake was allowed. The three did very well, always together, cruising at a good speed, entering into the vetgate very fast. They finally completed the race in a tied finish, something that we -still- like to see. Team bronze for Belgium.

The other nations did sometimes well, sometimes bad. Italy was just 10 minutes behind Belgium on the total of the three riders' times. Netherlands completed the team ranking at the 5th place whichis probably their best result. 
Germany was dissapointing taking into account the team bronze they clinched in Lexington last year. Of course Sabrina Arnold take the individual silver, but it is clear that jl Leclerc has still a lot of work. Slovakia didn't suffer any elimination and completed its full team, at the average speed of 13 km/h. Not too bad.
Finally, the time has gone when the European riders could dominate the Arabian ones on their technical courses. Aue, Qatar and Bahrain has proven that they are the biggest challengers on any type of course. Qatar took 3rd and 5th place; UAE won; Bahrain did 12, 15 and 22.
 
 Photos by Caroll Gatelier here:
http://www.endurance-belgium.com/photos/florac2011c/index.html

Photos by Leonard Liesens here:
http://www.endurance-belgium.com/photos/florac2011/index.html

Endurance Europeans – France take team Gold

Frenchhorseandcountry.com

13/09/2011 By fhc

Virginie Atger, Sunny Demédy, Julien Goachet and Bénédicte Santisteva took to the podium to receive the team Gold medal for the French at Florac this weekend.

In the Individual In the individual race multi-medalist for Spain, Maria Alvarez Ponton,riding his exceptional horse Nobby. The silver medal went to Germany’s Sabrina Arnold on Beautiful Ox and the bronze medal for French Pierre Fleury who ran as an individual with Kergof owned by Stéphane Fleury.

The winning team consisted of:-

Virginie Atger on Antall de Jalima ,

Sunny Demedy on Nerval de Beders , owned by Delphine Johnson and Marc Labrunie

Julien Goachet riding Lubiana de Coat Frity , owned by Jean-Pierre Le Hegarat

Bénédicte Santisteva on Djour de Bozouls , owned by Marcel Mezy

Virginie Atger also was awarded the prize for the best condition...

Read more here:
http://www.frenchhorseandcountry.com/WP/2011/09/13/endurance-europeans-france-take-team-gold/

France: Two Al Shaqab Endurance Riders Finish in Top 5 of European Championships

AlShaqab.com

* Publication Date: 11/09/11 8:00 AM


Al Shaqab Endurance Team, member of Qatar Foundation, came away from the Open FEI European Endurance Championships with a Bronze medal and a 5th place finish this past Saturday in Florac, France.

(September 11, 2011) Al Shaqab Endurance Team, member of Qatar Foundation, came away from the Open FEI European Endurance Championships with a Bronze medal and a 5th place finish this past Saturday in Florac, France.
Jasim Mohammed Al Maadhadi captured the Bronze medal, riding Mazayha, coming in only 47 seconds behind the reining World Champion. With a total time of 8:45:52 for the 160 km race, Al Maadhadi clocked an average speed of 18.21 km/hr.

Scoring a 5th place finish, Faleh Nasser Bughenaim crossed the finish at 8:50:26 aboard Leonardo with an average pace of 18.05 km/hr.

This was the biggest race of the year in the Endurance world, for which all teams and riders have been competing all year long to qualify. In total, 65 individuals entered the race, but only 36 finished all six loops of the race.

Al Shaqab Endurance Team manager Hadi Nasser Al Naimi coaches the Al Shaqab team under the guidance of Fahad Saad Al Qahtani, Director of Al Shaqab. The team will next compete Sept. 30-Oct. 1, in Pinamar, Emerald Coast, Argentina.

His Highness, The Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani founded Al Shaqab in 1992 to preserve and further develop the Arabian horse in Qatar. Al Shaqab is led by H E Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and encompasses an Endurance Team, Breeding & Show division, Riding Academy. In 2004, Al Shaqab proudly became a member of Qatar Foundation. Al Shaqab’s mission is to be global leaders in preserving, improving and promoting the Arabian horse breed through setting the highest standard in breeding, show, equestrian arts and equine welfare, and encouraging community participation.

2011 Florac European Championship - Video

September 14 2011

A video look at Florac - the 2011 European Championship.



Youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8sQXA3ghjE&feature=share

France: FEI Open European Endurance Championships 2011 - Florac

FEI.org

11 Sep 2011

PHENOMENAL PONTON TAKES INDIVIDUAL TITLE WHILE FRANCE TOPS THE TEAMS by Louise Parkes

Spain's record-breaking partnership of Maria Alvarez Ponton and Nobby took their fourth Championship title in a row when putting in another phenomenal performance at the FEI European Endurance Championships 2011 in Florac, France yesterday. And the host nation had plenty to celebrate too, as Virginie Atger, Julien Goachet, Sunny Demedy and Benedicte Santisteva claimed the team honours for France.

Concerns about the intense heat in the days leading up to the event dissipated when a cooling mist shrouded the mountainous course as the riders set off with a racing start at 4.30am. And it was an extraordinary sight as their headlamps guided the 76 competitors from 17 countries through the darkness over the early stages of their 160 kms challenge. Florac is recognised as one of the toughest Endurance tracks in the world, with a climb to 1,665 metres at its highest point, and a completion, let alone a victory here, is a coveted achievement in this most demanding of equestrian sports.

The track did not follow the modern "clover-leaf" formula often used in the sport today, in which the loops return to a central base during the course of the race. In contrast, the six loops on the Florac track stretched out over fresh ground and, while helping maintain the interest of the horses throughout, this presented a significant logistical challenge to the hard-working support crews and officials.

THE STUFF OF LEGEND
Ponton and Nobby are already the stuff of legend however. The Spanish rider and her little 148cms super-champ broke all previous records with their hat-trick that included the 2008 World title, 2009 European title and then their gold medal winning performance at last year's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky, USA. And, a year later, they have now raised the bar even higher with their fourth extraordinary success.

Crossing the finish line in 08:45:05, they had an average speed of 18.237 kmh while silver medallist Sabrina Arnold from Germany broke the beam just under a minute later with an average speed of 18.208 kmh. Individual bronze went to Pierre Fleury and Kergof from France who cleared the line in 08:53:14 after recording an average speed of 17.958. A total of 43 horses and riders qualified through all phases to finish.

The European team title came down to a two-way battle between the Spanish and French, and it was the late elimination of Spain's Francisco Caselles Calm and Arizone de Lafon that decided the result. All four members of the French team completed and their total time of 27:24:55 gave them an advantage of almost 23 minutes over the the Spanish trio of Ponton, Oriol Casals Fores (Zarha de Vilaformiu) and Laia Crusellas (Flying Tornado). Bronze went to another team reduced to just three team-members, the Belgian side of Celine Just (Jahman), Michel Lequarre (Sahid des Fontaines) and Maritza Pereira (Lima du Barthas) whose total time of 30.06.12 was just 10 minutes faster than that of the Italians who missed out on the medal podium when slotting into fourth place.

A total of 11 teams lined out, with the fifth-place Dutch and sixth-placed Slovakian team performing beyond expectations. The fact that all four members of the Slovakian team completed is clear testament to the progressive and professional development of the sport in the region.

GLORIOUS MOMENT
Yesterday's success was yet another glorious moment for Ponton, who specialises in producing Nobby only rarely but to spectacular effect. This partnership first burst onto the international Endurance scene in December 2006 when finishing third in the 120 km race in Dubai (UAE) and they have been a force to be reckoned with every since. Ponton's husband, Jaume Punti-Dachs who is one of the leading Endurance trainers for the UAE's Sheikh Mohammed, is also a highly competitive Endurance athlete and helps Maria to keep Nobby in great shape. "I'm delighted with this win for myself and my great little horse - he really is unique", Ponton said, "to win four Championships together is something very special!".

In the Open classification, the United Arab Emirates' Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri and Kafia came out on top when registering the quickest average speed of the competition - 18.481 kmh - while Qatar's Jasim Mohammed Al Maadhadi and Mazayha finished third and fellow-countryman Faleh Nasser Bughenaim and Leonardo finished fifth.

Results:
European Team Championship: GOLD - France 17.4714 - Antall de Jalima (Virginie Atger), Lubiana de Coat Frity (Julien Goachet), Nerval de Beders (Sunnsy Demedy), Djour de Bozouls (Benedicte Santisteva); SILVER - Spain 17.2872 - Nobby (Maria Alvarez Ponton), Zarha de Vilamormiu (Oriol Casals Fores), Fying Tornade (Laia Muixi Crusellas); BRONZE - Belgium 15.9052 - Jahman (Celine Just), Sahid des Fontaines (Michel Lequarre), Lima de Varthas (Maritza Pereira).

European Individual Championship: GOLD - Nobby (Maria Alvarez Ponton) ESP 18.237 kmh; SILVER - Beau (Sabrina Arnold) GER 18.209 kmh; BRONZE - Kergof (Pierre Fleury) FRA 17.958 kmh.