WEC: Awards Wrap-Up

http://www.endurance.net/2006wec/awards.html

The sky was mercifully blue for the Endurance prize-giving ceremony which took place today in the main stadium of the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games at Aachen. The medals and flowers were presented by the FEI President, HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein.

The World Champion Miguel Vila Ubach (ESP) could still not believe his luck. He had not been able to sleep last and was still in a dreamy state. He was especially satisfied by the freshness and fitness of his horse.

France, the World Team Champions, highlighted ones again the quality of their team effort. Given the technical difficulty of the course, they had decided to stay together for as many as 100 km, making their final effort towards victory in the final stages of the competition. The French are well known of the great number of quality horses they have. ?My job is very difficult and very easy at the same time,? French Chef d?Equipe commented. ?It is easy because there is so much talent to choose from; it is difficult because at a certain moment a decision has to be made and there?s so much talent that will be left behind.?

For the second time in history, Switzerland wins a silver medal in a World Endurance Championship. The team is composed of one man, Urs Wenger on Zialka, and three women Anna Lena Wagner on Tessa IV, Nora Wagner on Temir and Karin Maiga on Platyn (drop score); two ladies, Anna Lena, 18, and Nora, 19, are sisters. The strategy of the Swiss had been slightly different but almost equally efficient. They had decided to let Urs ride in front, at the risk of being eliminated, and having the ladies follow slightly behind.

Another great achievement is that of the Portuguese team, in bronze, who won here in Aachen their very first equestrian medal. Team member Joao Raposo is sixth individually, which is the best individual placement by a Portuguese rider.

The French team had yet another cause for celebration. The 11-year old mare Hifrane du Barthas ridden by Pascale Dietsch won the Best Condition Award. It is given on the basis of points earned throughout the competition on a pre-agreed scale on the basis of various criteria. Additional points are awarded depending on the final placement and on the horse?s condition under veterinary inspection conducted the following day. Given the degree of veterinary control that exists in the sport of Endurance, the Best Condition Award is just as important and valuable as the final medal.

Kanavy hopes to revive US domination

Gulf Daily News
By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter

Aachen, Germany: Two-time world endurance champion Valerie Kanavy is here at the World Equestrian Games endurance championship in a new role.

A regular competitor on the international circuit, Kanavy won the second of her gold medals in the UAE in 1998. She also has a silver medal to her credit, finishing second behind her daughter Daniella.

Here in Aachen, Kanavy is the Chef de Equipe of the US team, a role which is certain to bring out the fighting qualities that she displayed as a rider par excellence.

Since 1998 the US domination over the endurance sport has been halted with France and the UAE grabbing most of the limelight.

"Yes, we have lost out to other countries. But we are working towards regaining the past glory," Kanavy told Gulf News as she went about directing her team of five riders.

"In the past the US equestrian authorities have not taken some constructive advice from the riders. However, now I can try and implement some of the ideas and I am confident that we can be back as a strong force," said Kanavy.

Becky Hart won three world titles after another American Cassandra Schuler won the first title at the inaugural event in 1986. Valerie and her daughter won the next three before the French put an end to the US domination in 2000 with a 1-2-3 finish. In 2002 the UAE won the individual gold and France took it again in 2005.

"We have a strong talent as far as riders are concerned. But it is also true that riders from the UAE have become world-beaters in a short span of time. His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is an ace horseman and under his guidance the UAE have done very well," she said.

The grandmother-champion from US, however, stated that she had not quit competitive riding and was looking forward to getting back to the saddle.

[More ...]

WEC: Ubach and Hungares take Games' first gold

The Independent Online

A massed start of 159 endurance riders from 42 countries got the World Equestrian Games off to a spectacular start at 6am yesterday.

But there was a long 160 kilometres and some drenching rain ahead before Spain's Miguel Vila Ubach cantered into the main arena at Aachen on the sodden grey Hungares and Spain claimed their first endurance gold medal.

Yesterday's route took riders through three countries - Belgium and the Netherlands as well as Germany. It took more than 12 hours for the Spaniard to finish and some of his opponents spent much longer in the saddle.

[More ...]

WEC: Bahrain's pair complete race

Gulf Daily News

SHAIKH Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa successfully completed the 160-km endurance race at the World Equestrian Games yesterday in Aachen, Germany.

Riding Shar Ruskhkin, Shaikh Daij was the first to complete the race among the five-member Bahraini team, led by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser who was riding Ganda Koy.

Shaikh Daij was 10th and Shaikh Nasser 15th.

The race was held under heavy rains. The remaining team members were Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikh Salman bin Saqer Al Khalifa and Yousef Taher.

[More ...]

WEC: Spaniard heads off French riders to win Endurance

Today in Aachen, the Spanish rider Miguel Vila Ubach (ESP), 33, aboard the grey Arabian gelding Hungares, won the Individual world title in Endurance.

Two young French ladies join him on the podium: Virginie Atger, 22, on Kangoo d'Aurabelle in silver and Elodie Le Labourier, 24, on Sangho'Limousian in bronze.

This is the first time since the FEI World Endurance Championships began in 1986 that a Spanish rider has won the supreme title.

This definitely was an emotional victory. After 160km in six loops and a riding time of 9 hours 12 min 27 seconds, the winning pair entered the main stadium to cross the finishing line in a torrential downpour. The crowd cheered loudly the new World Champion and the tears of rider and crew were streaming down with the rain drops.

"I knew we were good but I don't believe I'm here today," a happy Miguel declared at the press conference that followed his arrival. "I was a European Champion back in 1999 and I've been dreaming for another title ever since but I'd never have thought it would be this one."

The pair were in 47th position after the fourth vetgate but this had not discouraged them. On the contrary, they had been saving their strength for the last 13km loop. "I knew my horse could fly over the last bit. We rode out of the vetgate, I saw the French girls and decided to follow them as I was sure they would get good placings. The horse felt so strong that we found ourselves quite up front. And then I felt we could make it and decided to just go for it.
[More ...]

Kiwi finishes 8th in endurance - International horse news; equestrian event news, equine news - Horsetalk

Horsetalk.co.nz


Shane Dougan was the toast of the New Zealand team and his horse the centre of overseas attention after the combination finished eighth in the endurance at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany today.

Eketahuna's Dougan and his 10-year-old Arabian stallion Vigar Riffal produced New Zealand's best ever endurance result at a World Games on the way to overtaking a dozen other combinations in an extra quick final loop of the 160km journey.

Dougan averaged 41kph in the final of the six loops after finishing the first in 70th place of the 160 starters.

"He could have gone quicker," an ecstatic Dougan said afterwards. "There was plenty left in the tank, he's a great little horse. It was very slippery out there but it has been a real thrill to be at the World Games and something I will remember all my life."

Marlborough's Kylie Avery, the team's youngest member at 20 and her nine-year-old part-Arabian stallion Silands Jasark also performed with distinction to be the only other combination to finish for New Zealand in 22nd place.

The New Zealand team of five - one individual combination and four members riding as a team - were part of a high attrition rate in today's competition where the test of fitness and stamina for both horse and rider also had to endure torrential rain in the last two laps which made the going treacherous.

New Zealand received an early set-back when the experienced Brian Tiffan and Sonny failed the first vet check with the horse pulling up lame. It was a disappointing final outing for the combination as the 13-year-old homebred Anglo-Arab gelding is to be sold to overseas interests.

With pressure on the remaining three team riders having to complete the course to be in with a chance of a medal, the New Zealanders made significant strides in the second lap. Australian-based Howard Harris and Harmere Turfan worked their way into second place and the Kiwis into third overall.

Although Harris slipped back over the ensuing two laps, Avery and Dougan were making inroads and kept the trio in the hunt for a team bronze right up until the penultimate loop.

Harmere Turfan lost his footing in the conditions causing lameness which resulted in the pair being vetted out, leaving the remaining two-horse team of Dougan and Avery out of the medal count.

The individual combination of Philip Graham and Wolfgang Amadeus also faced bad luck on the fifth loop when the 11-year-old Anglo Arab gelding also suffered a leg injury and was ruled ineligible to carry on.

"It was great to be a part of this team and just a shame it didn't work out how we thought it was going too," Dougan said. "But that's the way it goes. It was a pretty hard track with a lot of rock and hard surface."

Dougan, who nearly pulled out of the trip because of financial constraints, is now in the happy position of weighing up a variety of tidy offers he has had for Vigar Riffal.

WEC: Ubach is the champion

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
Aachen: Spaniard Miguel Villa Ubach came from nowhere to bag the gold in the endurance championship at the World Equestrian Games yesterday.

The 13-km final stage came to a dramatic end after leader Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum's chances of the gold ended on the slippery track amid pouring rain. Sultan Bin Sulayem, riding Galagolan du Desert, produced a sterling show to finish eighth after being placed 22nd at one point during the ride.

With the visibility almost nil, the final loop of the 160-km race crippled all top six riders, which included Shaikh Rashid, Portugal's Raposa, Spain's Jaume Punti Dachs, Belgian Valerie Ceunick and Bahrain's Shaikh Duaij Bin Salman Al Khalifa, none of them figuring in the top three.

The 32-year-old Ubach, 1999 European Open champion riding eight-year-old grey gelding Hungares, was eighth midway through the stage. He, however, came up with a searing finish to win the gold, while the French duo of Virginie Atger and Elodie Le Labourier took the silver and bronze.

The battle for the team honours was still on at the time of going to the press.

Earlier in the morning, the five-member UAE team lined up with 152 other riders from 41 countries to underline their domination in the sport.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, followed the progress of the UAE riders. But even before the end of the first two stages, the UAE suffered major setbacks.

The rain-affected terrain took its toll and Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum's 10-year-old Bay Arabian gelding Nashmi (lame) and Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum's 11-year-old Hera de la Crouz (metabolic) made an early exit.



With the double-exit, the UAE's chances of a team gold vanished, but Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum, 2002 World champion Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum and Sultan Bin Sulayem were still in the fray.

However, Shaikh Ahmad, riding Jazyk, and Shaikh Rashid on Keroual du Breuil brought UAE to the front when they finished ahead of the pack after the fourth loop.

However, an overzealous official shouted and upset Shaikh Rashid's horse and UAE ace lost about three to four crucial moments. That left Shaikh Ahmad as the leader and Shaikh Rashid in third place with Portugal's Jaoa Raposo in between.

Shaikh Rashid made up in the fifth leg to finish first but the UAE suffered another setback when Shaikh Ahmad's horse went lame just before going out on the final loop.

[More ...]

2006 WEC-YH: Festival Mondail d'Endurance!

Compiegne France was the venue for the 2000 WEC - The grounds of the Norther Villa used by Napoleon and the home of Joan d'Arc - and this week - the center of the endurance universe:) There will be lots of rides going on around the world (Old Salam here in Idaho); but in your spare time - check out the images of endurance coming from the three days of races, rides, shows, and auctions:

<http://www.tourisme.fr/tourist-office/compiegne.htm>Compiegne France:
<http://www.open-60.com/index.php?lang=uk&rub=5>Calendar of Events:

August 23: Inter-Regional Rides Young Horses 4-5-6 yrs
August 24: Breeding Show for Mares and Foals
August 24: Horses for Sale Presentation
August 25: CEI*** Sponsors Trophy
August 26: Sponsors Trophy Best Condition and Prize Giving
August 26: Breeding Show
August 27: CEI*** FEI WEC for Young Horses

Coming this Wed: http://www.endurance.net/2006wec_yh/

2006 WEC Official Results Posted

The Aachen Organizing Committee has posted the official results for the 2006 World Endurance Championship. No Surprises -- Just LOTS of detail to show how the best in the world played out their strategies today!

There were 159 Starters. There were 94 Eliminations. There were 65 WINNERS and there was 1 Champion Horse and Rider from Spain -- and 1 Champion Team from France!!

our congratulations to everyone that was involved in this event!

The Endurance.Net team!!

WEC: Team Medals

Annonced w/o details by the OC. Congratulations to all competitors on a real test!

Team Results (firth 3 teams)
1. France – total riding time 28:11:27
2. Switzerland – 29:57:20
3. Portugal – 30:38:32

WEC: first 8 finishers

The Top 8 Finishers at this years WEC

1 - 17.38 km/hr Spain - Miguel Vila Ubach on Hungares
2 - 17.26 km/hr France - Virginie Atger on Kangoo d'Aurabelle
3 - 17.26 km/hr France - Elodie Le Labourier on Sangho'Limousian
4 - 17.08 km/hr Spain - Jaume Punti Dachs on Elvis HB
5 - 17.26 km/hr France - Philippe Benoit on Akim du Boulve
6 - 17.01 km/hr Portugal - Joao Raposo on Sultai
7 - 16.82 km/hr New Zealand Shane - Gray Dougan on Vigar Riffal
8 - 16.82 km/hr UAE - Sultan Ahmad Sultan bin Sulayem on Galagolan du Desert

2006 WEC Gold/Silver/Bronze

Individual Medal Winners

	Gold	Miguuel Vila Uback and Hungares (Spain)
	Silver	Virginie Atger and Kangoo d'Aurabelle (France)
	Bronze	Elodi Le Labourier and Sangho'Limousian (France)

WEC: Gold at Aachen

the 2006 World Endurance Individual Champions:

Gold: Miguuel Vila Uback and Hungares (Spain)
Silver: Verginie Atger and Kangoo d'Aurabelle (France)
Bronze: Elodi Le Labourier and Sangho'Limousian (France)

WEC: 2006 World Equestrian Games Opening Ceremonies

By Nancy Jaffer
equisearch.com

achen, Germany, August 20, 2006 -- Horsepower in all its glory was on parade as the World Equestrian Games officially opened this afternoon, celebrating the beauty, grace and diversity of the animals we so admire -- as well as the people who ride and drive them.

There were 37,500 enthusiastic fans packing the stands, clapping in time to the music and doing the wave, so happy (like me) to be at the world's biggest horse show.

The WEG's breadth was epitomized by the moment when reining horses were spinning, a vaulter was leaping off the back of her mount, four-in-hand drivers toured the ring, show jumper Christian Ahlmann cleared a fence, endurance riders trotted around, world champion dressage rider Nadine Capellmann put her horse through its paces and eventers tore around the turf. Now I've mentioned all of the seven disciplines that will be showcased here for the next two weeks, and if today's kick-off was any indication, it will be a time of excitement and drama that goes by far too fast.

[More ...]

WEC: Endurance race set for off

Gulf Daily News
BAHRAIN's national endurance team is set to compete with world class riders in the 160-km race of the World Equestrian Games today at 7am (Bahrain time) in Aachen, Germany.

The one-day race will be held through the city and the District of Aachen, The Netherlands and Belgium, with 162 riders representing 42 countries in the fray.

Captained by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the five-member team had their last training session yesterday under rainy conditions.

The remaining Bahraini team members are Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikh Salman bin Saqer Al Khalifa, Yousef Taher, Hamad Al Muraisi and Khalid Al Ruwaihi who each completed three 160-km races to qualify for this prestigious event.

[More ...]

Endurance.Net Event Coverage

WEC: Tough conditions to test favourites UAE

By M. Satya Narayan Staff Reporter
Gulf News

Aachen: The UAE team will have to cope with difficult underfoot conditions when they compete in today's endurance ride on the opening day of the World Endurance Games (WEG).

The 160-km ride, sponsored by the Dubai Equestrian Club, will run through some treacherous forest terrain in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium that will severely test the riders.

A strong field of over 150 riders from 40 countries will be seen in action in the event, which gets off to a 6am start.

[More ...]

Endurance.Net Event Coverage

Canada: Local flavour at World Equestrian Games

Written by Jackie Shows

It's the largest equine competition in the world -- and Ruth Sturley of Owen Sound will be there, representing Canada.

The World Equestrian Games 2006 kick off August 20th in Aachen, Germany.

The event is held every 4 years and draws an international crowd of 500-thousand people.

It's a 5-star event including the 7 diciplines of -- show jumping, eventing, carriage driving, dressage, endurance, vaulting and reining.

Sturley will be participating in the disipline of endurance.

And there is something very unique about her case.

Sturley has been told she is the most senior member on the Canadian team -- at 60 years old.

The well-known Ian Miller is next in line.

This is Sturley's first time competing at the World level and she says she's been leading up to this event for the past two years -- and doing intense training for about 6 months.

Sturley says she is both nervous and excited -- but knows she must stay focused.

She has been working with her horse for the past 6 years -- and says the endurance competition seems to be a perfect fit.

Endurance racing takes place over 160 kilometres of dirt terrain -- Sturley says both the speed and stamina of the horse is tested.

During the ride -- the horses are stopped at intervals and must pass a veterinarian inspection in order to continue.

She says Canadians are held in good regard on the international scene in endurance.

The games wrap up September 4th -- and there are over 800 horse/rider combinations participating from around the world.
[Website...]

Bahrain: Riders ready for endurance challenge

Riders ready for endurance challenge

BAHRAIN's national endurance team continued their preparations for the World Equestrian Games scheduled for Monday in Aachen, Germany.

The Bahraini team, which is presently training at the race venue, comprise six riders, including captain and Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The remaining team members are Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikh Salman bin Saqer Al Khalifa, Yousef Taher, Hamad Al Muraisi and Khalid Al Ruwaihi, who each completed three 120-km races to qualify for this prestigious event.

[More ...]

Malaysia: Proposal for equestrian centre in every State

6 Aug 2006
S. Selvam

IN a move to erase any perception that equestrian is a sport for the rich, the Equestrian Association of Malaysia (EAM) has proposed to the Education Ministry and Sports Ministry to identify one boarding school in every State as a training centre.


Its president, Datuk Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis, who is the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, emphasised that equestrian is a sport that Malaysians can excel in, especially endurance riding.

"We have the potential to excel in equine sports, especially endurance riding," said Jamaluddin at the flag and national jersey hand-over ceremony to the endurance team competing in the World Equestrian Games which begins in Aachen, Germany on Sunday.

"Datuk Awang (Kamaruddin) was the No 1 ranked endurance rider in 2001. As such, we have done it (excelled in the sport) and we can do it again."

The endurance riding competition will be held the following day and the Games ends on Sept 3.

Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said handed the flag to team manager Datuk Balakrishna Polanaidoo.

Sultan of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, an avid rider himself, witnessed the ceremony.

Malaysia will be represented by Corporal Zulkelfi Saari, Mohd Izry Razali, Shamsudin Abdul Roni and Norlaily Buniyamin.

With the exception of Shamsudin, all the riders are from the Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable based in Terengganu.

"We are aware of the perception that the sport caters only to the rich. But we also firmly believe that no sport should be the exclusive right of any group of people," added Jamaluddin.

"What we have, at the moment, are individuals and families who have been very supportive of the sport.

"But we need to take it to the grassroots, and we have submitted a proposal to the Education Ministry and Sports Ministry to have at least one boarding school in each State to have a training centre."

The distance and categories for endurance riding range from 80, 100, 120 and 160 kilometres with the last being categorised as a three-star event. The race is completed within a day.

Kiwis Head to Aachen

by Virginia Caro, A Special WEG 2006 Preview provided by PhelpsSports.com
New Zealand ? August 3, 2006 ? The New Zealand team for WEG comprises six eventers, five endurance horses, one show jumper, and a vaulter. The cost of sending horses to Europe from New Zealand is so prohibitive that riders are not selected unless they are deemed competitive. As a result, a number of riders base themselves overseas to gain experience and measure themselves against international competition.

Endurance:

Having won team gold in Dubai in 1998 when the horses? costs were met by the organizers, endurance has been fired with determination to compete internationally ever since, and not just across the Tasman in Australia, where the Tom Quilty Ride is the gold standard.

Paulette Stannard battled to fund her horse, Zephyr, to The Hague in 1994, to compete as an individual, the first New Zealand-based Kiwi to have competed outside of Australasia. She entered the stadium in bronze medal position, but was vetted out, having twice been sent the wrong way, and covering extra distance as a result.

Zephyr was fine next morning, and bought by an American family who invited Paulette to go with the horse and settle him in. Following her showing at The Hague, Paulette was sure it was worth having a WEG team in the future, convinced the horses were up to it.

The other Kiwi competitor at WEG that year was Australian based Howard Harris, who is a member of this year?s team. At 60 years old, he is vastly experienced, having competed internationally since 1988. His horse, Harmere Turfan, a 12-year-old old home-bred Arabian gelding, placed second in the Tom Quilty Ride earlier this year. Howard and his horse traveled to Christchurch in the South Island to meet up with the rest of the team before flying out to Germany on July 24.

Brian Tiffen, a 47-year-old farmer from Fairlie in the South Island, who was the best performing Kiwi in the extremely wet weather at Jerez four years ago, will be hoping for better conditions at Aachen this year. Tiffen, who started endurance riding as a teenager, was a member of the NZ team at the endurance world championships in Dubai last year on his team horse Sonny, a 13-year-old home-bred Anglo-Arab.

Shane Dougan, a 55-year-old farmer from Eketahuna in the North Island, played polo-crosse prior to taking up endurance. He holds the NZ record over 160 kilometres, riding his 10-year-old Arabian stallion Vigar Riffal, on which he was a member of the winning Trans-Tasman team in Australia last year.

Philip Graham, a 51-year-old farmer from Cheviot in the South Island, was also a member of the same Trans-Tasman. His 11-year-old Anglo-Arab gelding, Wolfgang Amadeus, is a consistent performer, bred by the late Leo Nisbett.

The rookie in the team is 20-year-old Kylie Avery, from Marlborough, who has been competing in open company for three years. She was a member of the 2004 NZ Trans-Tasman team, and was runner-up for the 2006 Horse and Rider of the Year. Her horse, Silands Jasark, a nine-year-old part-Arab stallion, was also bred by Leo Nisbett.

Eventing:

The eventing team is a mixture of youth and experience, as the sport rebuilds after the ?dream team? years. They have the benefit of being managed by former World and Olympic Champion Blyth Tait, who is passionate about the development of the sport at home after decades of competing at the highest level in the UK and Europe.

Veteran Andrew Nicholson, based in Britain since the age of 18, now 44 years old and holding the record for the most Badminton completions, anchors the team with the choice of two horses, Lord Killinghurst and Henry Tankerville. The former, a 15-year-old bay gelding, is first choice for the World and Olympic team medalist, having placed third at Burghley for the last three years, fourth at Badminton last year and second in 2004.

Heelan Tompkins was the best placed New Zealander at Athens with the oldest horse, Glengarrick, and they look like creating another record at Aachen with the evergreen, black thoroughbred gelding now 19 years old. He has run sparingly, but won the Puhinui three-day event in December 2005 to prove he is still on top of his game. He was flown to the UK in time for team training in July.

The 35-year-old Joe Meyer was the best-placed Kiwi at Badminton this year, finishing 10th on his home-bred Snip, and has earned his debut for New Zealand after basing himself in the UK for some years now.

Caroline Powell (33), married and living in Scotland for fourteen years now, also makes her debut for New Zealand with the 13-year-old grey gelding Lenamore, having had good showings at Badminton and Burghley, where they were fifth last year.

Alex De Luca Oliveira, an ex-pat Brazilian now based in New Zealand, was short-listed with Clifton Checkers after producing the best Kiwi performance at the Adelaide CCI**** Trans-Tasman test last year. They went to England earlier this year to gain experience on the competitive European circuit. Alex is thrilled to be representing his newly adopted country.

Following injury to Dan Jocelyn?s Silence, 26-year-old reserve Donna Smith, based in the United States with Karen and David O?Connor for the last five years, has come into the team with Call Me Clifton. They completed Kentucky CCI**** earlier this year to put themselves in contention. Both Call Me Clifton and Clifton Checkers are New Zealand bred and owned by Frances Stead.

Show Jumping:

Thirty-two-year-old Belgium-based Grant Wilson will be the only NZ show jumper in Aachen. A reserve rider for Athens 2004, and a member of the NZ Nations? Cup teams last year, he has two horses qualified for WEG 2006, Up & Down, his first choice, and Utopia van de Donkhoeve. He will have former U.S. Olympic medalist, now NZ national coach, Greg Best helping him.

Vaulting:

In 1994 an exchange student from Paraparaumu was based in Germany for six months with a host family who got him involved in vaulting, although he had never ridden a horse before. He was coached by the then world champion, Christoph Lensing, and got a wild card entry into WEG in The Hague.

When 16-year-old David McIntyre returned to New Zealand he started a vaulting club, and Christoph came to New Zealand to coach them. David?s mother has kept the Kapiti Vaulting Club going, with German enthusiasts coming out to coach for six months at a time. The club gave a popular demonstration at the Horse of the Year Show this year.

Another wild card entry has been obtained for 23-year-old Hannah Mills, of Paekakariki, who has been vaulting with the club since she was 14. Hannah, who is also a surf-lifesaver and a BSc graduate, went overseas last year to stay with one of the German girls who had coached at Kapiti. This resulted in the opportunity to compete in Aachen, so Hannah has returned for six weeks to receive coaching in preparation for the WEG.


This special report is a preview provided by PhelpsSports.com. Look for the debut of this new equestrian news website during the World Equestrian Games in August. Visit http://www.PhelpsSports.com for more information.

Bahrain - Endurance riders on course

BAHRAIN's national endurance team continued their preparations for the World Equestrian Games scheduled for August 23 in Aachen, Germany.

The seven-member team will be captained by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa who is keen to compete with top class riders from across the world.

The remaining team riders are Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, Shaikh Salman bin Saqer Al Khalifa, Yousef Taher, Hamad Al Muraisi and Khalid Al Ruwaihi, who qualified for this event after each completed three 160-km races.

"We have prepared well for this prestigious race by taking part in a number of international races in the UK and France," said Shaikh Daij.

Shaikh Daij said the team members have gained in experience and confidence, and are looking forward to give a strong performance at the games.

"The team will try to achieve good results as they are participating for the second time in a world class event after the first one held in January in Dubai," he said.

"The riders showed high spirits during training and we are very grateful to His Majesty King Hamad, who always supports the sport of endurance riding, and Shaikh Nasser for backing us while we train for this race," added Shaikh Daij.

Four M'sian Riders To Compete In World Equestrian Games

August 15, 2006 17:33 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Four Malaysian riders will showcase their horse riding skills and endurance level at the Federation Equestrian International (FEI) World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany from Aug 20 to Sept 3.

The team, made up of three men and a woman -- all from Terengganu -- will be headed by team manager Dr Balakrishna Polanaidoo and will comprise of Cpl Zulkefli Saari, Mohd Izry Razali and Shamsuddin Abdul Roni with Norlaily Buniyamin, a member of the Doha Asian Games team, the sole woman rider.

Coached by Paul James Brown, the Malaysian riders are down to compete in the 160km Endurance competition that runs across three countries (Germany, Belgium and Holland).

Balakrishna said the route identified for this edition of the Games, held every four years, just like football or hockey World Cups, has been regarded the most difficult by FEI.

"There are many small hills along the route and the current wet season and prevailing chilly weather conditions (12 degrees celcius) there will make it all the more difficult.

"However, our riders have been training very hard for the competition and have pledged to give their best," said Dr Balakrishna after receiving helmets for the team, sponsored by Italian company, Las Helmet here, Tuesday.

He added that Zulkefli, Izry and Norlaily are from the Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable while Shamsudin comes from Ar Raudah club.

Malaysia are competing in the Games for the second time after making their first appearence at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain.

About 150 riders from 40 nations are expected to compete in the Games which also host events like showjumping, dressage, eventing, vaulting, four-in-hand driving and reining.

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said thanked Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu, for promoting the sport of equestrian and playing an integral role in the team's participation at the World Equestrian Games.

Sultan Mizan who is an accomplished rider, participating in major equestrian events all over the world, was instrumental in sending the team to Germany.

-- BERNAMA

Equestrian/World Endurance Championship: Sultan urges Terengganu to ride into new horizon

10 Aug 2006


SULTAN of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin wants the State to be equated with endurance horse riding, just like how Malaysia is associated with badminton.

"It is not impossible as Datuk Awang Kamaruddin carved his name when he achieved World No 1 status for endurance riders in 2001," said Sultan Mizan.

The Sultan was speaking to reporters before taking a ride on one of the tracks prepared for the Federation Equestrian International (FEI) 2008 World Endurance Championship.

The two-day championship, held once every four years, is slated for Aug 1-2, 2008 at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Lembah Bidong.

About 200 riders and 700 volunteers are expected to be involved in the championship.

The Sultan also dismissed claims that the sport was targeted to an elite group and cited Awang as an example.

Awang started off as a stable-boy before becoming a professional horse-rider.

"Horse-riding is a bit like golf in the sense that most of the professionals were caddies.

"Once they succeeded, they received sponsorship from companies and individuals," he said.

The Sultan admitted however that owning and maintaining a horse was costly, but it should not discourage anyone from taking up the sport.

"We have a few equestrian clubs here and all the people need to do is to become a member."

ENGLAND HONOURS FOR ENDURANCE RIDER

RIDING
An Island rider and her ten-year-old thoroughbred mare are off to Scotland this weekend to represent England in an endurance riding event.
Karen Whittington, 50, of Chale, and her horse Malthouse Maiden Ray ? stable name Mary ? will be taking part in the Home International and Celtic Challenge near Kelso.
The competition is being held as part of the 2006 Scottish Championship.
The duo have enjoyed a highly successful year so far, gaining grade one and grade two awards at a two-day endurance event in North Norfolk last month, and came second when representing the South East in an inter-region 50km race in Ludlow.
Now, she and Mary will pit their wits against talented riders and horses from across the home nations in a two-day, 80km event.
She said: "I had put my name down a couple of times in the hope I would be selected and now I have been picked, I am really happy and excited about taking part.
"To be chosen to ride in Scotland when we are from the Island is for me a great achievement, especially considering Mary is a thoroughbred and not the preferred choice as an endurance horse.
"It has been an amazing year for us and this has topped it off brilliantly."
11 August 2006

Bahrain Riders gear up for world challenge

he Bahrain Royal endurance team is stepping up preparations to participate in the World Endurance Horse-Riding Championship which will be held later this month in Germany. Bahrain Royal Endurance and Equestrian Federation (Breef) president and team leader Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa assured that the members are gearing up for the most important tournament in the sport's calendar.

Shaikh Nasser said that the national team participated in four events and achieved excellent results, and the team is now set for the world championship which will be over 160km.

The Breef president said that the team will try to achieve good results as they participate for the second time in the world class event, after the first one which was held last January in Dubai.

The names of the squad was also announced and they included Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, Shaikh Salman bin Sager Al Khalifa, Yousif Taher, Hamad Al Meraisi and Khalid Al Ruwaie.

Shaikh Nasser also appreciated the support of His Majesty King Hamad for the sport.

Many wins for keen endurance rider

Thursday, 3 August 2006

THIRTEEN-year-old Corey Lunt and his 11 year old Arabian gelding, Assiff were proving to be a winning partnership on the endurance scene after notching up another first place at the Annual Wickepin Endurance ride last weekend.

The event consisted of three components, a 20 km and 40 km non-competitive training ride and an 80 km competitive ride.

Organisers Phillip Martin and Vanessa Crispe of Trehaven Merinos marked a course that traversed gravel roads and farming properties softened by rain the day prior to the event.

Unfortunately numbers were down this year, which was disappointing. This however, did not detract from the event, which will be well remembered for the wonderful hospitality that the members of the Ten Mile Tennis Club provided.

Fourteen horse and rider combinations took part in the 40 km ride and nine riders commenced the 20 km ride with Tim Wiesse of Narrogin and Lisa, Caleb and Danelle Murray of Tincurrin successfully completing.

Twentynine riders began the 80 km event with Corey not only coming first in the junior section and receiving the best conditioned junior horse but also recording the fastest overall time on the day, completing the course in five hours and 23 minutes.

WFI, Narrogin Sports Arena and Kel's Tyres of Narrogin sponsored the junior trophies.

Corey and Assiff began their endurance career together 12 months ago and to date have completed nine out of 11 rides, been awarded six first junior placings, one second placing, six best conditioned junior horse awards, and totalled over 800 successful kilometres.

Their biggest achievement together this year has been to successfully complete a 100 mile (160 kms) ride, the first for both horse and rider.

These 100 mile rides are particularly taxing as the riders commence at midnight by torchlight. They continue riding during the next day, taking only four breaks, no longer than one hour throughout the ride.

The horses must pass strict veterinary controls between legs in order to continue.

Corey and Assiff completed this course in a total riding time of 19 hours and 44 minutes being one of only six out of 14 starters to complete the ride.

They went on to win the junior section and best conditioned junior horse.

Completing this event qualified them for the Tom Quilty Gold Cup National event, which will be held in WA next year.

With over half the 2006 endurance season completed, Corey and Assiff are aiming to continue their winning form in the second half of the season and to complete the State Championship 100 mile event in September.

Kiwi contingent eyes World Games success

August 4
The New Zealand team for WEG comprises six eventers, five endurance horses, one show jumper, and a vaulter. The cost of sending horses to Europe from New Zealand is so prohibitive that riders are not selected unless they are deemed competitive. As a result, a number of riders base themselves overseas to gain experience and measure themselves against international competition.

Endurance:

Having won team gold in Dubai in 1998 when the horses' costs were met by the organizers, endurance has been fired with determination to compete internationally ever since, and not just across the Tasman in Australia, where the Tom Quilty Ride is the gold standard.

Paulette Stannard battled to fund her horse, Zephyr, to The Hague in 1994, to compete as an individual, the first New Zealand-based Kiwi to have competed outside of Australasia. She entered the stadium in bronze medal position, but was vetted out, having twice been sent the wrong way, and covering extra distance as a result.

Zephyr was fine next morning, and bought by an American family who invited Paulette to go with the horse and settle him in. Following her showing at The Hague, Paulette was sure it was worth having a WEG team in the future, convinced the horses were up to it.

The other Kiwi competitor at WEG that year was Australian based Howard Harris, who is a member of this year's team. At 60 years old, he is vastly experienced, having competed internationally since 1988. His horse, Harmere Turfan, a 12-year-old old home-bred Arabian gelding, placed second in the Tom Quilty Ride earlier this year. Howard and his horse traveled to Christchurch in the South Island to meet up with the rest of the team before flying out to Germany on July 24.

Brian Tiffen, a 47-year-old farmer from Fairlie in the South Island, who was the best performing Kiwi in the extremely wet weather at Jerez four years ago, will be hoping for better conditions at Aachen this year. Tiffen, who started endurance riding as a teenager, was a member of the NZ team at the endurance world championships in Dubai last year on his team horse Sonny, a 13-year-old home-bred Anglo-Arab.

Shane Dougan, a 55-year-old farmer from Eketahuna in the North Island, played polo-crosse prior to taking up endurance. He holds the NZ record over 160 kilometres, riding his 10-year-old Arabian stallion Vigar Riffal, on which he was a member of the winning Trans-Tasman team in Australia last year.

Philip Graham, a 51-year-old farmer from Cheviot in the South Island, was also a member of the same Trans-Tasman. His 11-year-old Anglo-Arab gelding, Wolfgang Amadeus, is a consistent performer, bred by the late Leo Nisbett.

The rookie in the team is 20-year-old Kylie Avery, from Marlborough, who has been competing in open company for three years. She was a member of the 2004 NZ Trans-Tasman team, and was runner-up for the 2006 Horse and Rider of the Year. Her horse, Silands Jasark, a nine-year-old part-Arab stallion, was also bred by Leo Nisbett.
[More ...]

Tevis: Barbara White goes for # 26!

After 27 100-mile rides, Scotts Valley woman on her way to becoming Tevis Cup nobility -
By JULIE JAG - Sentinel Staff Writer - August 3, 2006

According to legend, White spent years helping her mother complete several editions of the Tevis Cup ? a 100-mile trek considered the granddaddy of endurance horse racing. Yet White didn't show any interest in riding in the race herself until 1967, when she heard a rumor that Baroness Margit Bessenyey, the granddaughter of Copper King Marcus Daly, would be among the entrants. As the story goes, White, then 19, was wooed by the chance to ride with nobility and signed up.

In the Tevis' 52-year history, only five riders have surpassed the 20 completion mark. Behind White and Hall is Julie Suhr of Scotts Valley ? White's mother and an endurance riding legend in her own right ? with 22.

[More ...]

Uncommon poise in the saddle

Months after graduating high school, Duncan looks to shine on at Tevis Cup

By: Todd Mordhorst, Journal Sports Editor
Tuesday, August 1, 2006 8:35 AM PDT

photo: Akim AGinsky/Auburn Journal Tosha Duncan will again be atop Rambo, a full-bred Arabian, at Saturday's Tevis Cup. A Bear River High grad who will study journalism this fall at the University of Nevada, the 18-year-old rode the horse to victory at a race outside Nevada City earlier this year.

Chris Martin's full-bred Arabian horse hasn't been on the race track in more than eight years. But at the conclusion of the Wild West Ride in May, the horse must have felt like he was on the oval again.

Tosha Duncan was in the saddle, making sure Rambo didn't burn out too early. She paced the horse to victory in the three-day, 150-mile ride at Skillman Flat, outside of Nevada City. The finish also gave the 18-year-old Duncan a ticket to Saturday's Tevis Cup endurance ride. She needed 300 miles in competition to qualify for the 100-mile ride from Truckee to Auburn.

"I made the promise to her that if she wanted to get the mileage, put in the effort, that she could ride Tevis and that's where we're at," said Martin, who owns a ranch in Penn Valley.

Tevis Cup is the centerpiece of a hectic summer for Duncan, who graduated from Bear River High in June. She's preparing to head off to the University of Nevada in the fall, where she plans to study journalism.

[More...]

Trail can be treacherous for Tevis riders

Auburn Journal

Rocky terrain, drop-offs, steep paths, intense heat are among the challenges

By: Penne Usher, Journal Staff Writer
Sunday, July 30, 2006 10:55 PM PDT

Editor's Note: This is part two in a series leading up to the 52nd Tevis Cup ride.

The 52nd Tevis Cup, to be held Aug. 5, will pit horse and rider against 100 miles of rocky terrain and treacherous trails that have already claimed the life of one horse this year.

The one-day ride begins at Robie Park, northeast of Squaw Valley and ends at the Auburn dam overlook.

Hannah Heuseveldt, 23, of Weimar, attempted the ride in 2004, but due to illness was unable to complete the grueling course. She said there are plenty of spots along the trail that pose risk to both horse and rider.

"There are different dangers at different portions of the trail," she said. "The first 36 miles are over the mountains and there are drop-offs and it's real rocky. It's the more technical part of the trail."

She said by the middle of the day, as the heat sets in, riders are usually along the steep side of the American River canyon.
[More ...]

AERC National Championship Challenges Riders on the Old Dominion Trail

July 2006 Article # 7330

Endurance riders from around the country will face the test of time and terrain when they compete for national titles at the 2006 American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) National Championship in October. The championship, sponsored by Gulf Coast 4 Star Trailers, will be held October 20-22 in Fort Valley, Virginia, on the trails of the historic Old Dominion Endurance Ride. The Old Dominion, first held in 1973, is considered by many to be the most prestigious endurance competition in the eastern United States.

The 100-mile national championship will take place on October 20 and the 50-mile championship will be held on October 22. Competitors qualify for the championship by completing a minimum of 300 miles in AERC competition with their horse and earning a top-five placing in their weight division or by having 1,000 or more miles together as a team.

Riders will follow a course that is rich in both scenery and history as they climb over the beautiful Blue Ridge and Massanutten Mountains during the height of fall foliage along trails that wind through the Shenandoah National Park.

AERC President Stagg Newman of Candler, North Carolina, considers the trails to be the ultimate challenge for endurance riders.

"The 2006 AERC National Championship will combine the challenge of a tough course with awesome scenery over historic trails," said Newman, who has won the Old Dominion Endurance Ride three times. "Completing the 100 miles of tough, rocky Old Dominion trail requires the highest degree of horsemanship, which is the essence of what endurance riding is all about. It's not about speed, it's about pace and heads-up riding."

[More ...]

FEI Aachen Endurance Update

---

The first discipline featured in the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games Newservice is Endurance as it will be the opening contest of the Games.

The start will be given at 6h00 on Monday 21 August. The estimated number of competitors is 168 from over 40 countries, which is a significant increase compared to the previous editions: 81 riders from 19 countries competed in Stockholm in 1990; 99 riders from 23 countries competed in The Hague in 1994; 150 riders from 36 countries competed in Jerez de la Frontera.

[More ...]

New Zealand Endurance Team to WEG Named

The team to represent Endurance NZ at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany during August has been named.
The team features two stallions and a wide mix of ages, experience and geographic locations. Three of the riders have already competed at 4* level - Howard Harris has ridden at four World Championships and seven Continental Championships, Denise Hill rode at the World Championships in Dubai last year, and Brian Tiffen rode at WEG in Jerez and again at the World Championships in Dubai last year.

Shane Dougan was in the victorious Trans Tasman team in October last year and this will be 20-year-old Kylie Avery's first competition overseas.

Team (in alphabetical order):
Kylie Avery & Silands Jasark (Marlborough)
Shane Dougan & Vigar Riffal (Eketahuna)
Howard Harris & Harmere Turfan (Australia)
Denise Hill & Delahaye Micah (Taumarunui)
Brian Tiffen & Sonny (Timaru)

Reserves:
Philip Graham & Wolfgang Amadeus (Cheviot)
Sarah Hamer & Rosewood Tahir (Oamaru)
Kevin James & SS Nassada (Oamaru)
Chris King & Aquila Al Nasir (Canterbury)
Garry Walker & Vigar Alzena (Kimbolton)

The number of Endurance riders has been reduced by the WEG organising committee, and there is now only one individual per country, with 4 riders making up the team. The team and individual rider will not be named until just prior to the event.

New Zealand Equestrian Federation Website

Malaysia qualfies for WEG Endurance

Tuesday, July 25th, 2006


After going through obstacles and challenges, Malaysia finally succeeded in producing world class endurance riders that will compete at international level at the World Equestrian Games 2006 in Aachen, Germany on 21st August next month.

Mohd Izry Razali, Kpl Zulkefli Saari, Norlaily Buniyamin from Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable and Shamsudin Roni from Kelab Ar Raudah will represent Malaysia at the Games. All four riders managed to qualify with their horses to this prestigious world event.

Malaysia succeeded in sending the endurance team to World Equestrian Games 2006 after making proper planning and preparations as endurance is a sport that emphasizes horse wellness and condition. They then had to fulfill the strict requirement criteria set by FEI.

[More ...]

Team Liberty plans to join the Great Santa Fe Trail Horse Race

By Chelle Delaney: Quay County Sun

---

Shawn Davis of Tucumcari and eight other horsemen from Quay County are setting their sights on The Great Santa Fe Trail Horse Race of September 2007.

Entered as Team Liberty, they will be one of the inaugural teams riding in the first race. The 13-day event from Sept. 3 through Sept. 13, 2007 will be from Santa Fe to Independence, Mo.

The race will be 550 miles over 11 days.

Rob Phillips is now race village coordinator and has been instrumental in organizing the organizers. Jim Gray is trail coordinator. Ray Randall is head veterinarian. Courtney Hart is ride manager and Dean Jackson is alternate ride manager.

The organizers have met with and are hoping to get the event sanctioned by the American Endurance Racing Association.
[More ...]

Tevis 2006

"Ride, Really Ride!"
August 5, 2006, will be our 52nd Ride!

Website

Libramont - CEIO J/YR - July 29

Website

Endurance European Championships for Juniors and Young Riders Zabreh 2006

Daily Programme:

Monday 11th September, 2006
9:00 a.m. Stables open

Tuesday 12th September, 2006
00:00 a.m. Stables open

Wednesday 13th September, 2006
00:00 a.m. Stables open

Thursday 14th September, 2006
10:00 a.m. Course inspection for Chefs d'Equipe
1:00 p.m. Dead-line for arrival of all horses
2:00 p.m. Initial meeting of Chefs d'Equipe
5:00 p.m. Opening ceremony
6:00 p.m. Dinner for Chefs d'Equipe and Riders

Friday 15th September, 2006
9:00 a.m. Veterinary inspection at stables and Vet Gate
5:00 p.m. Accompanying programme: Arabian horses under saddle
9:30 p.m. Stables close. Reopen at 3:00 a.m. on Saturday morning

Saturday 16th September, 2006
6:00 a.m. Start of the FEI OPEN European Endurance Championships - 120 km

Website

USEF Announces Endurance Team For 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games

For Immediate Release July 21, 2006

USEF Announces Endurance Team For 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games
Lexington, KY ? The United States Equestrian Federation® is pleased to announce the endurance team for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games. Five horse-and-rider combinations and one alternate horse were selected to represent the U.S. at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, August 20-September 3. The endurance competition will take place on August 21. The USEF endurance team for the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in no particular order includes:

-Kathryn Downs of Somerville, ME, riding Pygmalion, a 10-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Downs
-Joseph Mattingley of Scales Mound, IL, riding SA Laribou, an 11-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Mattingley
-Stephen Rojek of South Woodstock, VT, riding Finch, a 10-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Rojek
-Christoph Schork of Moab, UT, riding Taj Rai Hasan, a seven-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Schork
-Margaret Sleeper, DVM, of Frenchtown, NJ, riding Shyrocco Troilus, a 14-year-old Half-Arabian gelding, owned by Sleeper

Alternate Horse:
Cheyenne XII, a 14-year-old Arabian gelding, owned by Ruth Waltenspiel and ridden by Jennifer Niehaus of Cloverdale, CA

Living a Passion

Raid Qusti | Arab News




MANY of us did not see it coming. Others could not believe their eyes. But once again, history is generous when it comes to Saudi women who have excelled in fields traditionally dominated by their male peers.

Don?t be fooled by her fancy bag or her expensive sunglasses. She is not your typical mamma?s girl. She is Saudi Arabia?s first official female equestrian rider. And she has gone limits where other men have failed before.

Alia Al-Huwaete, 25, is a proud Saudi citizen from the city of Al-Jouf, in the north of the Kingdom. After her graduation from high school she decided to complete her college studies in Jordan where she studied business management.

Alia?s love for horses began at a very early age. When she was little, she used to ask her father or brother to take her along with them to the family?s farm so she could ride horses there. She started riding horses at the age of three.

?Everyone in the family knows how to ride horses. It is part of the family tradition,? she says.

As she grew older, the magnet in her drew her closer to the beautiful creatures. When eyes were not watching, she used to open the horse?s stables in the farm and lock herself inside, petting them and gazing at them for hours. Her dad, she says, often found her sleeping on the stable?s floor adjacent to the animals.

?My dad went crazy every time he found me sleeping in there. He told me how dangerous it was,? she said.

By the age of 10 she was already riding a horse around the farm, but practicing riding a horse was not all smooth for Alia. At 14 she was hospitalized for 10 days after jumping off a horse that was racing toward a hole. The horse was injured with a fractured leg (a virtual death sentence for horses that are built to spend most of their lives on their legs.)

?When it was time for me to be discharged the doctor told me, ?Alia, you?re forbidden from riding horses for a month,? she said.

Alia says that that the incident was tragic as it was painful. On one hand she couldn?t imagine herself not riding horses for that long, and on the other, she knew that she had to listen to her doctor?s advise because she was already enduring a lot of pain from her injuries.

After her recovery, she returned to her beloved hobby, ?but carefully?, as she describes it. She did not want to implant a fear in her from the animals that would have stopped her from getting anywhere close to them in the future.

On vacations to Jordan and Turkey during summer, she often sought areas where horse riding was available. She intensified her horse riding skills during her four-year stay in Jordan to attend college. There a professional trainer who took her to the next level instructed her.

The manager of the ?Jordanian Equestrian Club? noticed Alia?s quickness in learning the skills needed to acquire in the sport. She soon worked her way up to become a professional trainer in the club.

?Many hesitant boys put their fears aside when they saw that a girl my age could handle a horse,? she said.

While at the club, Alia enjoyed training boys and girls how to ride horses.

?Among the things I enjoyed was teaching them the relationship between the rider and the horse, as well as how to overcome their psychological fear,? she said.

Alia returned to the Kingdom after her graduation to seek work. She said she was not picky in finding a suitable job in the private sector. She tendered her resume to several places and got accepted in five. The fifth was Kingdom Holding Company where she is currently employed.

?The reason why I chose Kingdom Holding among the others was because I had heard of Prince Alwaleed?s characteristics and how much he supports Saudi women,? she said. Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal is the chairman of the company.

The prince took her under his wing when he had learned about her equestrian talents.

?He told me that if the Saudi Equestrian Association did not mind, he would see to it that I would compete as the first Saudi female equestrian in international events,? she said.

Alia said that she received the permission letter from the Saudi Equestrian Association soon after. The letter accredited her as a Saudi equestrienne for participation in international events.

The prince then provided her with a personal trainer, all the necessary equipment needed and access to some of the finest horses in the entire country.

Her first international participation as a Saudi female was in an endurance equestrian competition held in Dubai in December. The participation opened her eyes to a whole new world. There, she says, she saw things she had never seen before in her life. The riders competing were top notch participating from all over the world.

?I competed against titans,? she said. ?But I was glad that I had the prince?s confidence in me.?

The horse she was competing with, Falah, belonged to Prince Alwaleed?s stable. He was an eight-year-old purebred Arabian stallion. Alia came in seventh at the end of the race, finishing ahead of 58 other riders.

Her third and last international participation was several months ago in the endurance equestrian competition held in Qatar. She finished eighth at the end of the three-stage 120-km race.

?The horse sprained one of his legs in the final 10 kms,? she said. She was on the horse that day from 4 a.m. until 1 a.m. with only short stop in between. Alia and her colleague were the only two female riders that competed in the race.

Alia says she is satisfied with her ranks in the few international championships she has participated in so far.

?These competitions are tough. A rider sometimes can compete for ten years without finishing among the top ten,? she said. ?Not to mention that they are longer than 100 kms. So you can imagine how tough it is either for the horse or the rider.?

A rider and his horse are only given a 30-minute break after they finish each level of the race. No exceptions are made. During that period, the rider?s team must make sure the horse is inspected, hosed down with water, and drinks enough before he continues on to finish the other long kilometers in the race.

Alia?s family, be it her father, mother, or brothers, have always supported her from the very beginning.

?My dad gets so excited when he learns about my international competitions. He often decides to travel with me to cheer me,? she said.

She believes that Saudi women are ?stars? who are up for the challenges they face ahead. ?Saudi women have a bright future in the equestrian field. All they need is more confidence,? she said.

She says she is not bothered at all with some of the criticism she gets from certain sects of Saudi society for what she does as a Saudi female.

?I do not mind criticism at all, as long as it is constructive and not destructive,? she says.

She feels that some of the people in the Kingdom who criticize her have no solid ground to do so, whether it is to criticize her on the terms of religion or the terms of social norms and traditions.

?I feel that some of these people who only want to lash out are not educated. Equestrian sport has always been a part of Arab tradition, even for women, in the days of the Prophet (pbuh) and Caliphs,? she says.

Alia hopes that the equestrian sport, especially endurance championships, develops in Saudi Arabia.

?We have beautiful open areas that are suitable for these championships,? she said. ?Furthermore, it could be more developed when other competitors from foreign countries participate.?


[Arab news Article]

Top GCC riders are disqualified

THREE top riders from Bahrain and the UAE were disqualified after their respective horses failed the veterinary examination at the 160-km endurance race in Saint Galmeir in Paris late last night.

Bahrain's Al Khaldiya Stables team leader Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa was eliminated just before the start of the sixth and last stage, after his horse failed the medical examination. Another Bahraini rider Shaikh Salman bin Sager Al Khalifa could not proceed beyond the third stage.

UAE's top rider Khamis Al Rumaithi's horse also failed the medical check-up before the commencement of the final stage resulting in his elimination after an impressive performance.

The UAE's delegation sent their objections to this decision to the International Equestrian Federation urging them to re-check the horse which failed the test.

The first stage which was for 35km saw 100 riders starting the race with Al Rumaithi finishing in first place.

Shaikh Khalid finished the opening stage astride Vialettes in 25th place. Shaikh Salman bin Sager riding Delanize finished 42nd, Khalid Al Ruwaie came in 45th place on De Paute and Yousif Taher finished in 46th place on D Jid.

The UAE's riders continued to lead in the second stage in which Shaikh Khalid jumped to 22nd place.

The third stage showed no changes in the leaders with UAE taking the first and second places, while Shaikh Khalid came in 16th place. His teammate Shaikh Salman bin Sager was 28th, Khalid Al Ruwaie 40th and Yousif Taher 43rd.

Shaikh Khalid went behind one place to finish 17th in the fourth stage. Shaikh Salman bin Sager's horse was eliminated from the race at this stage, while UAE's riders remained in the lead.

The fifth stage saw the elimination for Shaikh Khalid who finished in the 24th place.

In the final stage, French rider Jack Pigo came first after the elimination for UAE's Al Rumaithi, while another Frenchman Simon Belot came second and Alan Lyon finished third.

France: 2006 French National Championship

Jack Begaud riding KEROUAL DU BREUIL have bested a field of 48 starters at the 2006 St Galmier  160km race. Jack won by 16 seconds in a group of 5 riding for the win. There were 21 finishers in the Championship Division.

The Open division (run concurrently) had 81 starters with 36 finishers. Endurance is alive and well in France!!:)

jt.

(results:

   http://www.endurance.net/rides/2006StGalmier/FRChampions.html
   http://www.endurance.net/rides/2006StGalmier/OpenResults.html

)

Australia: WEC Endurance Team Announced

Strong Team Selected for World Equestrian Games Endurance Race


Australian is sending perhaps its strongest ever team to take on the best in the world at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen Germany , August 2006.
The team announced this week includes Australia?s best performed combinations.
With a history of world class performances this will be a powerful team indeed.

The team :

Chef D?equipe: Dr. Patricia McKay-Annetts
Team Veterinarian: Dr. Anne Barnes
Assistant Chef D?Equipe Kerry Spratt
Assistant Veterinarians Dr. Pat Hodgetts and Dr Robyn Mather
Crew Manager and Team Co-ordinator John Simpson
Equine Therapist Emma Kirby

Horses and Riders :

Meg Wade and China Doll :
This combination have recently completed their Aachen preparation with a top ten placing at the 2006 Tom Quilty Gold Cup ,Australia?s National Championship ride .
Meg had a good run with this horse under European conditions last year , placing a gutsy 5th over the WEG track at the European championships in 2005.

Penny Toft and Bremervale Justice :
Our most experienced combination , Penny with many miles of desert and continental racing experience , and Justice the wonder horse, arguably the most successful endurance horse ever , with many placings and team medals in International competitions.

Peter Toft and the incredible Electra BBP Murdoch :
Affectionately known the world over as the ?lil ?ol appy? , this appaloosa arab cross gelding has carried his heavyweight rider to complete and compete on four continents . Most notable are Two tevis USA top ten completions , and a 17th overall and Team Silver Medal in the 2005 World Endurance Championships.

Brooke Sample and La Mancha Archduke :
Brooke is a household name in Australia with a reputation as a determined and talented rider , he has won the Australian National Championship Tom Quilty Gold Cup five times . Brooke and his WEG mount , La Mancha Archduke won the recent CEI*** 160k Trans Tasman Challenge and just yesterday , a few days before flying to Aachen , they were equal second at a tough local 80km ride.

Jennifer Gilbertson and Bramall Jazzmin :
Jennifer and Jazz were a part of out Silver medal winning team at the 2005 Dubai World Endurance Championship. Jazzmin is owned by Toft Endurance.

Joyce Corbett and Reeflex
Joyce is a new face on the International stage , although well known to the Australian endurance community . With her purebred Arabian Mare Reeflex , Joyce was the co-winner of the 2004 Australian National Championship Tom Quilty Gold Cup held in South Australia.

Donna Wiesman and Hirstglen Fargo :
Donna is an experienced rider . This combination have completed 2 x160km rides for a second and a third placing

Danielle O?Loughlin and Pravado :
Danielle is steadily working her way up into the top ranks of Australian endurance riders.
With Pravado , Danielle has completed 3 x 160k rides including a second place and best conditioned middleweight at the 2005 Queensland State Championships

Please note that the AERA has also announced the inclusion of four Reserve Horses :

Wybalena Lodge Shuska as a reserve for Meg Wade . ( Shuska is already in Europe )

Harriet as a reserve for Penny Toft ( Harriet is already in Europe )

Carnarvon Cavalier as a reserve for Brooke Sample

Tora Blar Zay , owned by Toft Endurance , will travel to Europe at the owners discretion as an uncommitted reserve horse

Kristie McGaffin will be In Europe for the event and has been included as a reserve rider


AERA Web Site

Bahrain Riders set for Endurance Test

The Bahrain Royal Endurance team are set to participate in the Saint Galmeir race which will start tomorrow in Paris, with the leader of Al Khaldiya Stables team Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa leading the team.

The race will be held during France's celebration of their national day.

This will be the fourth event for Bahrain in Europe in their preparations to gear up for the World Endurance Race to be held in Germany.

Shaikh Khalid will lead the team on behalf of Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who will not take part in this race because of studies. Bahrain's Yousif Taher and Khalid Al Ruwaie will also take part in this race.

The race which will cover a distance of 160km and consists of six stages. The first stage will be over 36km, the second 30km, the third 29km, the fourth 20km, the fifth 30km and the last stage 29km.

Arab riders from the UAE and Syria along with Bahrain will take part in this race where the temperatures reached 32 in Paris yesterday.

Endurance rider found dead near Georgetown

Endurance rider found dead near Georgetown
Doctors perform autopsy on the Vacaville woman

By: Penne Usher, Journal Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 11, 2006 9:51 PM PDT

An autopsy was being conducted Tuesday on a Vacaville woman who was found dead on the Dru Barner trail Saturday during the Gold Country Endurance Ride near Georgetown.

Pamela Page Briles, 59, was participating in the endurance ride at Dru Barner Equestrian Park and was found lying on the trail by other riders.

Cherryl Holbrook, ride manager, said Tuesday that about 29 miles into the 30/50 mile ride two doctors on horseback found the body.

"A couple riders, both physicians, came up upon her," she said. "They were going to give her CPR, but turned her over and determined that she was already dead."

Emergency crews from El Dorado County responded, but were unable to revive Briles.
ADVERTISEMENT

Lt. Marc Adams of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday that a preliminary autopsy report indicates the rider most likely died from an existing medical condition.

[More ...]

USA: Tevis horse plunges ...

A rattlesnake spooked a Roseville woman's horse Sunday as she was training for the upcoming Tevis Cup race sending both horse and rider over an embankment.

Rebel, a 13-year old Arabian, is feared dead after plunging more than 200 feet from the Western States Trail near Deadwood into the American River Canyon below.
Nicole Wiere, a veteran horsewoman, was out for a ride with friend and fellow equestrian Shawn Bowling Sunday afternoon when a rattlesnake on the trail, one-and-a-half miles from the Deadwood Cemetery, spooked Bowling's mule and Rebel.


[More ...]

---

Endurance test for riders

The Bahrain Royal Endurance team, lead by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Fredration president Shaikh Nasser bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and Al Khaldiya Stables team captain Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, will race today in the Thatford Endurance Challenge in England.

This race is part of the Bahrain team's preparations for the upcoming World Endurance Race which will be held in August in Germany, and also for the World Youth Endurance Race in September this year.

The Thatford event will consist of three races - the first one will be a 160km race which will start at 5am, the second will be an open race over 120km starting at 6am, while the third will be for the youth category and over 120km starting at 6.15am.

This will be the second race for Shaikh Nasser, who took part in a race last month to get prepared with his teammates for the World Endurance Race in Germany next month.

Shaikh Nasser, riding Jassim, will take part in the 160km race along with Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa on Hazali.

Shaikh Khalid will take part in the 120km open race, riding Karemba, and Salem Al Otaibi riding Jaleel and Sa'ad Al Yami riding Sandeena will also take part in this race.

Shaikha Najla bint Salman bin Sager Al Khalifa will be taking part in the youth category riding Lelek, while her teammates Mohammed Abdulaziz riding Batar, Mohammed Abdulsamad on Silver Diamond and Jaffar Merza riding Jallad will all be taking part in this race.

CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE OPEN D'ENDURANCE EQUESTRE

Pour un coup d?essai, la "grande semaine de l?endurance" 2005 à Saint Galmier fut une grande réussite. L?édition 2006 élève son niveau pour rentrer dans le groupe 1 et accueillir le Championnat de France CEI*** 160 km et la CEN* 90 km sélective pour le championnat du monde des 7 et 8 ans à Compiègne.
website

Les Deux Jours de Montcuq

AROUND THE WORLD IN 30 YEARS

The internationally known, prestigious endurance race, "Les Deux Jours de Montcuq" is embarking on its 30th year of existence. During those 30 years the founder, Pierre Passemard traveled around the world observing and participating in other endurance races, gaining a lot of experience and contacts. This enabled him to be able to bring together, here in the South West of France, international riders of the highest caliber, forging it into one of the preeminent races of its kind.

While many races have come and gone over the years, historically "Les Deux Jours de Montcuq is one of the oldest sustaining endurance races in the world. With few alterations, the course has remained the same, mapped over some of the most outstanding, unspoiled, rugged countryside of France relentlessly challenging some of the finest riders from all over the globe.

With this in mind, the officials of the "Deux Jours de Montcuq" wish to invite you to enter the premier classic endurance race of France, to compete with some of the world's best riders and horses in the beautifully unique venue of the "Quercy Blanc" on the 30th anniversary of its running.

Website

Rashid and Ahmad eager to get going at Euston Park

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter


Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum and Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum will be looking to just complete today's 160-km three-star endurance ride in Euston Park in UK.

Both the UAE riders have already qualified for the World Equestrian Games' (WEG) endurance event, to be held in Aachen next month. But today's 160-km event is important for Shaikh Rashid and Shaikh Ahmad as it will be their third 160-km event before the World Championship.

If both the riders complete today's event then they will be eligible to choose any one of the 12 horses that have qualified from the UAE.

If they do not complete the three 160-km three star events then they will have to ride the same horse with which they have completed one of the other two rides.

Shaikh Rashid recently won the 160-km three Star event in Gubbio, Italy while Shaikh Ahmad had finished fourth in the 160-km three-star event in Cirencester ride last month.

Apart from Shaikh Rashid and Shaikh Ahmad - who is the defending champion after having won the gold medal at the WEG in Jerez, Spain - Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum and Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum will also be riding today, but in the 120-km three star event.

Shaikh Hamdan and Shaikh Majid, along with His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, have already qualified in the open section with victories in three 160-km rides already.

Shaikh Majid has already tasted success in the European circuit this season, winning the 160-km three-star event in Peruggia, Italy, last month.

Apart from these top riders, quite a strong contingent of UAE riders will be in the fray in this Kings Forest event at Euston Park.

The UAE horses that have been named for the August 21 Endurance Championship in the World Equestrian Games in Aachen are also expected to use today's 120-km event as preparation.

"This is an important ride for the UAE and we are hoping that Shaikh Rashid and Shaikh Ahmad complete," said Esmail Mohammad, trainer of endurance horses for Shaikh Mohammad.

"The horses have all been doing well since they were shifted from Dubai after the UAE season and most of them will be having an outing today," said the trainer.

The endurance horses from the UAE have been based in New Market and have been taking part in the rides in Europe ahead of the WEG to be held in Germany.