Australia: Endurance rider in Tom Quilty Cup

The Wagin Argus
16/10/2008 2:41:00 PM

photo: TROTTING TIME: Corey Lunt trotting out “Cameo Stormboy” during the pre-ride vet check at the 2008 Tom Quilty Cup National championship in Queensland.

WAGIN endurance rider Corey Lunt has just returned home from Nanango in Queensland, where he competed in the 2008 Tom Quilty Cup National Championship 160km ride, obtaining his second Quilty buckle.

The championship event travels from State to State each year, with Corey winning the junior division and his horse Assiff, receiving the best conditioned horse junior award last year when it was in Western Australia.

This year Corey and his mother Anita were offered horses to ride by former WA riders Roman and Tanya Stoffel who have relocated to Queensland.

More than 200 competitors from Australia, Malaysia, Canada, Japan, America and the United Arab Emirates started the event at 4am on Saturday with only 99 riders successfully completing the course in the allowed 24 hour period.

The course was split into six legs of distances ranging from 32km to 15km with the horses having to pass strict veterinary checks at the end of each leg before being allowed to proceed.

No longer eligible to ride in the junior division, Corey placed 38th in the middleweight division, completing in a time of 18 hours 42 minutes.

WA riders Harry O’Brien and Simon Slemint, both of Burekup, also completed the course successfully.

“The course was really hard, we were either going up or down with not much flat going at all,” Corey said.

“A lot of the course was over the same ground as the Trans Tasman last year so I had an idea of how hard it was going to be.

“The weather made it more difficult though, as it got to about 32 degrees and high humidity during the day, followed by a really big thunderstorm during the night.”

Corey was halfway up the highest peak with 15km left to go when the storm hit.

“Mum’s horse vetted out for lameness at the 120km mark so I was riding by myself at that stage, and there was that much lightning around it was like daylight and the thunder sounded like it was right on top of us,” he said.

“When it started to hail and rain I didn’t think about the cold too much, I was more worried about missing the directional markers and getting lost.

“My horse just put his head down and got on with the job, only spooking a couple of times when the thunder got really loud. He was brilliant.”

At the peak of the storm, organisers took the unprecedented steps to suspend the ride due to safety reasons.

Competitors due to go on track were held in until the storm had passed, with their ride times being adjusted accordingly.

However, riders already on the track had to keep moving and weather the conditions as best they could.

Corey said he would like thank Healthways Smarter than Smoking and Milne Feeds Team Pegasus for their continued support along with Roman and Tanya Stoffel and Wade Burgess for allowing him to ride their horse, aptly named Stormy.

[full article]

Malaysia WEC: National Horse Show in Kuala Terengganu

Nst.com.my

2008/10/16

The National Horse Show, a lead-up event to the FEI World Endurance Championships, will be organised for the first time in 14 years in Terengganu on Oct 31-Nov 2.
Among the events at the horse show, to be held at the Terengganu Equestrian Resort, will be the FEI World Jumping Challenge, World Dressage Challenge, Pint Club Mounted Games and an Endurance Riding competition.

The endurance event, which has attracted competitors from Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, will be held over courses of 40km and 80km at the Marang Endurance track on Nov 1-2.

The Pony event will showcase the skills and bravado of pony riders.

Another attraction is the horse breeds display, where enthusiasts will see 20 different breeds found in Malaysia.

The National Horse Show, which made its debut in 1994, is one of the most popular equestrian events in the country.

Malaysia WEC: Arab royalty to grace competition

Nst.com.my

2008/10/15

By : Ajitpal Singh

THE Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin will not be the only blue blood competing in the World Endurance Championships (WEC) at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Setiu on Nov 6-9.
Hot favourites, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) named its Crown Prince Shaikh Hamdan Mohammed Rashid Al-Maktoum and his brother, Shaikh Majed, to lead the team in the 160km event.

UAE are the favourites together with Brazil and Spain to win the individual and team titles.

Shaikh Hamdan is currently ranked 17th in the world while Shaikh Majed is at 33rd.

Among the other members of the UAE team are Mohammed Ahmed Ali Al Subose and Abdulla Thani Huzaim, who are ranked fourth and sixth, respectively.
Meanwhile, Bahrain will be led by Crown Prince Shaikh Nasser Hamad Al Khalifa, who is ranked No 9 in the world.

The 21-year-old Shaikh Nasser is best remembered for winning two silver medals (individual and team) at the 2006 Doha Asian Games. He will be riding Kheopsy Du Pilat at the WEC.

Also in the team is his cousin Shaikh Khalid who won the 160km endurance race in England, two months ago.

WEC operations manager, Salim Fazlay said security will be tight to ensure safety of the competitors, especially members of the royal families.

"We are also expecting UAE's ruler Mohammed Rashid Al-Maktoum at the event. He and the team will arrive in Terengganu on Nov 5 in their private jet," said Salim.

"Around 300 army personnel will be concentrated at all points of the venue (TIEP), including the 160km course".

Salim added the soldiers have been drilled months ahead for the event.

Brazil: Endurance Team Chages Route to Avoid Glanders Hotspot

Thehorse.com - Full Article

by: Irene Stamatelakys
October 14 2008, Article # 12893

The road to the FEI World Endurance Championship (WEC) will be a little longer for Brazil's six horses because of a recent case of glanders in a horse in Sao Paulo. The European Union (EU) originally refused to allow horses from Brazil to transit through Europe en route to Malaysia for the event. That decision has been modified, according to Derek Liebenberg, WEC technical advisor.

"(EU authorities) divided Brazil into different zones," Liebenberg explained on Oct. 11. "This meant that all the competition horses from Brazil are based in the so-called 'free zones,' and the EU ruled that the horses from these free zones may transit through Europe."

The EU declared Sao Paulo, where the glanders case occurred, a high-risk zone...

More...

Malaysia WEC: First B747-400 to land in Terengganu

New Straights Times Online
2008/10/12
By : Sean Augustin

KUALA TERENGGANU: For the first time, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 747-400 landed at the Kuala Terengganu Sultan Mahmud Airport, bringing a load of excited passengers and good news for the state. The debut flight yesterday signalled the beginning of direct flights to Mecca for Muslims on the east coast to perform the haj, bringing to fruit a four-year-old ambition.

This year will see 18 return flights to Jeddah beginning Nov 13 and the ferrying of about 3,000 pilgrims from Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang.

In the past, pilgrims from the east coast would head for Kuala Lumpur before boarding a flight to Mecca.

The landing also signified state preparations to fly in horses beginning on Oct 17 for the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in early November.
The state government also signed an agreement to finance a sum of RM4.6 million with MAS, being the excess cost for the haj this year and the WEC, including transportation cost for ground service equipment, logistics and petrol.

The cost was supposed to be borne by MAS due to the change in flight schedules from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the Sultan Mahmud Airport.

"With the new facilities, the airport has reached international standard and we are working hard to get the title from the Transport Ministry," said Terengganu Men-teri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said after greeting 224 passengers, including 40 orphans and journalists, on the flight.

"It will be a gateway to the east coast," Ahmad said, adding that negotiations were also ongoing with the Department of Civil Aviation to bring in more flights from China because of the airport's convenient location.

"The airport is a long-term investment for the state and we hope to get more international flights and develop the tourism industry.

"Right now, we are looking at incentives, including an airport tax subsidy to attract more international landings."

MAS external relations senior general manager Datuk Mohd Nawawi Awang captained a fly-past over the airport and the city before landing about 3pm, when it received a water salute from two fire trucks.

Full article, NST Online

Brazil: Glanders Case in Brazil Affects International Horse Transport

Thehorse.com - Full Article

by: Irene Stamatelakys
October 11 2008, Article # 12861

A case of glanders in a horse in a Sao Paulo, Brazil, has impacted international transport and competition in Brazil and abroad. Event organizers, equine transport companies, and governmental authorities are working closely together to keep horses moving while minimizing risks.

A horse in a university veterinary hospital was diagnosed with glanders on Sept. 3. While glanders is considered endemic in some northern and north-eastern areas of the country, this case occurred in the southeastern portion of Brazil. The contagious disease has been eradicated from many countries, including the United States, Canada and Western Europe.

As a result, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) moved to delay the Global Champions Tour CSI-5* Final show jumping competition in Sao Paulo to Oct. 15-19. The event was postponed to give competing European horses time to travel to Brazil following a meeting of European Union (EU) authorities on Oct. 2 to determine the re-import procedure for those horses due to the glanders case. Authorization has been granted for the event to be held and European horses will compete.

The Sao Paulo glanders case almost kept Brazilian competitors out of the World Endurance Championships (WEC) to be held in Malaysia on Nov. 6-9...

More...

Australia: Lachlan members few but spirited in endurance ride

Full article - Cowra Guardian

10/10/2008 9:04:00 AM
There were only a few of the Lachlan Club members attend this year’s state championships at Manilla as it was very close to both the Shahzada 400kms in August and the Tom Quilty which this year took the unusual date in September in Queensland at Nanango.

This was necessary due to the timing of the comeback out of EI restrictions and the Victorian committee not quite being ready to take interstate horses at the time.

The event attracted a good number of riders with a total of 86 combinations to tackle the Manilla course which was generally considered to be an “easy” course if there is such a thing in 100 mile rides.

What did make it difficult was the concussive nature of the hard roads and tracks in the district together with lack of natural water on track.

The ride organisers did put some troughs about on the later legs of the ride during the more difficult sections of the track.

Outright winner and state champion was Stuart Hitchcock of Kurrajong riding his gelding Farras coming across the line with lightweight rider from Blayney Dianne Luker riding Peter Cooper’s gelding Anabriar Khaboul.

Robin Gossip of Woodstock made the trip with her gelding Wesswood Willow and strapper Dianne Cameron. Robin unfortunately went out after the fourth leg with Willow pulling up lame.

John Symons of Canowindra also competed on his mare Forestdale Xasperation, however this duo also suffered lameness after the third leg.

Alan Lindsay took his mare Kintamani Charisma and junior rider Emma Smith rode Alan’s gelding Kintamani Mistral in the Manilla event in order to qualify for the Tom Quilty as riders have to have completed a 160km event before they are permitted to take on the Quilty.

Both Alan and Emma were successful with Emma coming in third junior, an excellent effort considering both her and the horse were making their first 160kms event.

Malaysia WEC: Definite Entry List is submitted

After months of non-stop hoping and waiting, the FEI World Endurance Championship 2008 Organising Committee has finally confirmed the definite entries for the most awaited championship of the Endurance Sport!

142 horses and their riders from 34 countries are set to battle to become World Champion for the FEI World Endurance Championship 2008 that will be held from 5 - 9 November 2008 at the Terengganu International Endurance Park.

View Definite Entry List

Spain: French riders win individual, team events in Oviedo

Thu Oct 09, 2008 By FEI

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

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

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

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

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

European Endurance Championship Open 2009

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

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

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

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

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

Assisi Endurance Lifestyle

South Africa: Local rider set for world champs

news24.com - Times Hermanus

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

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

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

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

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

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

Competition Schedule Set for 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Endurancegb.co.uk - Full Story

29th September 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

More...

Malaysia WEC: Royal treatment for horses

NST.com.my

7 October 2008

By : Ajitpal Singh

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Malaysia WEC: Teammates at ease with the King

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

Nst.com.my

Ajitpal Singh - ajitpalsingh@nst.com.my

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

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

"Tuanku Mizan is truly a professional endurance rider.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Malaysia: WEC - Norlaily the only rose in national team

Nst.com.my - Full Article

By : Ajitpal Singh

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Australia: Endurance horse riding showcased in Tom Quilty Gold Cup

News.com.au - Full Article and a video

By Phil Hammond

October 01, 2008 05:15pm

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

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

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

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

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

More...

Qatar: Endurance Team ready for Worlds

Thepeninsularqatar.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

World Equestrian Games releases ticket info

Kentucky.com - Full Article

By Jim Jordan
jjordan1@herald-leader.com

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

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

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

The tickets will be online at TicketMaster.com.

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Hamdan and Majid in UAE endurance team

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

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

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

Considerable success

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

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

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

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

Individual gold

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

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

[More ...]

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

Thisisderbyshire.co.uk - Full Article

Saturday, September 20, 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Australia: Tom Quilty Endurance ride this weekend

Abc.net.au

By Jane Paterson

Friday, 19/09/2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Release: September 17 2008

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alternates in ranked order:

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

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

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

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

ENDS

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

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

Malaysia: A sight to behold - horses on our shores

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

Thestar.com.my - Full Article

Wednesday September 17, 2008

Story and pictures by NIK NAIZI HUSIN

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

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

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

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

Tuanku Mizan completed the route in eight hours.

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

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Malaysia: Participants from 36 countries expected

Thestar.com.my

Tuesday September 16, 2008

By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Belize: Speed and Endurance in the Wild West

7newsbelize.com - Full Story

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Horse Breathing Heavy]

More...

Malaysia: King launches book on endurance challenge

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

Thestar.com.my

Tuesday September 16, 2008
By JADE CHAN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Malaysia WEC: USA selects squad

by Steph Teeter
Endurance.Net
September 2008

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

Definite Entries:

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

Ranked Alternates:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bahrain: Season-opening endurance horse race set

Gulf-Daily-News.com

THE Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) will host the first endurance horseride of the season on November 22 at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

The federation, under its president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, approved the 2008/09 season calendar at its board of directors meeting. The inaugural race of the new season will be a 90-km qualifying event for young riders seeking experience in endurance races.

The first official race this year will be the National Day Championship set for December 13 and is over 120km. That will be followed by a 12km open race on January 3 next year.

Other events are the Women's Open Championship on January 31, the National Stables Championship on February 7, His Majesty King Hamad Cup on March 7, the Crown Prince Cup race on April 3 and the Season-Ending Championship on May 1.

Meanwhile, the Breef members also discussed the showjumping season and confirmed the schedule of its events. The showjumping season will get underway on November 7 with the Season Starting Championship, to be followed by the National Day Championship on December 19, then the Breef Cup on February 13.

In other competitions, the Arab League round for His Majesty King Hamad Cup will be held from February 19 to 22, the second Breef Cup on March 27 and the Season Ending Championship on March 10 and 11.

The federation also decided to form a marketing committee to promote its programmes and activities. The committee, to be headed by Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa, will start looking for sponsors to support the federation this season.

The meeting was also attended by Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, second vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, general secretary Ghalib Al Alawi, assistant general secretary Dr Khalid Hassan, public relations head Faisal Al Ajmi and members Tawfeeq Salehi, Haider Al Zo'bi, Mahmood Abdulsaheb and Fahad Al Rumaihi.

Endurance horse reaches 20,000 mile mark

A BOY MORAB NAMED TULIP

20 YEARS OLD and 20,035 miles-AERC Hi-Mileage Horse

-and Still Going Strong Down the Trail-

(How We Did It?)

Les Carr, Ph.D.

Without the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) record keeping and supportive services; without the energetic efforts of ride managers; without Pony Express (XP) multi-day 3-5 day 50 mile/day rides; and without significant help from AERC members during the 15 years it took to make a hi-mileage Morab horse—-Tulip would not be the hi-mileage horse of all time. Yes, Tulip has 15 years of riding and trails under his belly, and has averaged about 1,350 miles/year in recorded, vet-checked, endurance competition (American Endurance Ride Conference).
[More ...]

Australia: Emma continues on her winning ways

Emma Smith has continued to
compete extremely well
and has recently completed
her first ‘100 miler’ -
the 160kms Horseland NSW
State Championships - riding
Kintamani Mistral.

TheGrenfellRecord

10/09/2008 8:54:00 AM

Emma has brought the mare Kintamani Silver Belle through the novice division where they can only do a minimum of 6 hrs, and once they have completed their 3 x 80kms rides in that division, they gain their ‘yellow log book’ and are able to compete faster.

In their first ride out of the novice classification, they won the Coolamon Junior section in 5.32 and backed up at the Zone Two Championships two weeks later, covering the 110kms in 7.52, a good time for that distance to win again and gain Best Conditioned horse as well.

Emma is next entered in the Shahzada 400kms Marathon ride at St Albans near Wisemans Ferry in ten days time riding Kintamani Silver Motif, a gelding owned by Erika Lindsay.

This horse has covered the distance before and Emma is looking forward to the challenge.

Emma is entered 3 weeks later in the Tom Quilty Gold Cup National Championships at Nanango in Queensland - a distance once again of 160kms.

Emma has become a valuable team member and very reliable, embracing a sport she has only begun competing in this year under the guidance of Alan Lindsay who has completed most of the rides with her.

Alan also works in Grenfell at the Weddin Shire on occasions.

Malaysia WEC: USA to select Team

Endurance.Net
September 9, 2008

Twelve horse and rider teams have gathered in Florida for the final selection of the squad to represent the United States (United States Equestrian Federation - USEF) in the 2008 FEI World Endurance Championship in Malaysia, November 6-9. Of these 12 horse and rider pairs, 6 will be selected to travel to Malaysia and 3 alternates will be named.

Friday September 12, is the first day of a 3 day evaluation session designed to determine which horses are the fittest and which riders and crews are the most capable and prepared for the ultimate international endurance challenge. All US hopefuls will begin the session with meetings and discussion Friday evening, introducing the staff to the riders and explaining the itinerary for the weekend.

Saturday morning will begin with a physical evaluation of each of the horses to determine base levels of metabolic and physical fitness. All will then participate in a 40 mile controlled demonstration 'competition'. Riders will be released in stages, 2 at a time, and will traverse the 40 mile course in 10 mile increments at pre-determined speeds, beginning at 10mph, and increasing speed in each consecutive phase, not to exceed 15mph. Ambient conditions will factor into the speed determinations. After each 10 mile phase, a veterinary check will be staged to evaluate the horse's condition.

In addition to the horse's evaluation, riders and crews will be expected to perform at peak efficiency and this will also factor in to the final selection. The full 'team' of horse, rider and crew will be on site for the demonstration ride, and will be expected to demonstrate efficiency and competency. At the World Championship level, a good crew can make a huge difference in the ability to minimize recovery time, cool and care for the horse during holds, trouble shoot, and prepare horse and rider for the next phase. Minutes can be shaved off of final ride times in this way, and minutes can often make the difference between medal winning performances.

Conditions in Florida will be as close as possible to what the US team will experience in Malaysia. The session is being held at the Black Prong Equestrian Center near Ocala, in north-central Florida. The trails in this area are flat and sandy. Heat and humidity will still be relatively high and according to Vonita Bowers, USEF Endurance Director, USEF feels that this will be an ideal test to determine which horses and riders are best suited to compete in Malaysia.

Becky Hart, 3-time World Endurance Champion, is the USEF Chef d'Equipe and has been coaching the USEF team since she was appointed to the position several months prior. Becky is aware of the unique challenges facing US riders in Malaysia and the need to prepare and acclimate both horse and rider.

"Horses going to Malaysia, for the most part, will have proven their ability in humid conditions. We have two west coast horses, one lives in a micro-climate of high humidity, the other is training in a neoprene neck sweat and wool rump rug in 104 degree weather. He wears his winter blanket at all times.

"The horses will be tested at the final training session over a 40 mile fast-paced course in Florida. Blood will be taken every 10 miles to compare fitness to the prior training session and to see where the horses are now in fitness. The horses will stay in Florida until they ship out, wearing their blankets to reduce hair coat growth as much as possible."

The USEF selection committee (Fred Clusky, Tom Johnson, Linda Howard, Jim Wiseman and Kathy Downs) will determine the final 6 horse and rider pairs to represent the United States. Also contributing to the selection will be USEF Chef d'Equipe and 'coach' Becky Hart and the USEF 3-member veterinary panel of Jim Bryant DVM, Tom Timmons DVM and Duncan Peters DVM.

Sunday, day 3 of the Florida session, all 12 horses will once again stand for a veterinary evaluation, similar to a Best Condition judging. Sunday evening the final selection will be made and the 6 member traveling squad and 3 alternates will be announced.

In 2010 the United States will host the World Endurance Championship as part of the World Equestrian Games. While USEF is determined to ship the best possible squad to Malaysia for the 2008 Championship, they are keeping their sites on the 2010 goal as well.

According to Becky, "We are just setting out on a new program for world competition and to develop a TEAM. Malaysia will be a test to gauge how we are doing. It takes time to develop a team, especially among independent endurance riders. How would you like someone telling you what pace to ride and with whom? Yet that is what our riders must do if we are to have any kind of team strategy. Winning for individual glory is not the goal. A rider may need to sacrifice an individual gold medal so the team can have a solid finish. This is what we are asking our best riders on their best horses
to do. Wait 'til the WEG in Kentucky. By then we should really have this team thing down."

With just 4 weeks left before shipping, the United States is now focused on choosing the best possible team to compete in Malaysia. Hopefully the efforts of the USEF staff and the hard work and focus of the riders will pay off with a medal performance in Malaysia.

The 12 nominated entries for United States:

Kathy Brunjes & Theatric
Cecilia Butler-stasiuk & Djb Sombeiul
Johnt Crandell & Hh Saba Shams
Cheryl Dell & Reason To Believe
Lisa Green & Lr Amana Tabi
Ann Hall & Bogus Thunder
Valerie Kanavy, Valerie & Flash Flame
Valerie Kanavy & King Ali Gold
Heather Reynolds & Cal Flaming Emit
Margeret M. Sleeper & Syrocco Reveille
Margeret Sleeper & Shyrocco Troilus
Janice Worthington & Golden Lightning

Malaysia: Final List Of 12 Riders For WEC To Be Announced On Oct 1

Bernama.com.my

September 08, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama)-- The names of 12 riders who will represent the country in the Federation Equestrian Internationale (FEI) World Endurance Championship to be staged at the Lembah Bidong, Setiu in Terengganu will be announced on October 1.

The National Sports Institute (ISN) director general Datuk Dr Ramlan Abdul Aziz said 16 riders have qualified for the prestigious event, scheduled from Nov 6 to 9 but only 12 will be selected.

"All 16 will undergo centralised training from Oct 15 to beef up their team spirit, physical and mental strength," Dr Ramlan told reporters here Monday.

Ramlan added that the Selection Committee has set a number of criterias for the riders as well as their horses to ensure that they will be in the right condition for the gruelling race.

"In addition to horses that riders already have, we have also bought 13 horses from overseas at a cost of about RM2 million," he said.

Dr Ramlan said the horses which arrived early this month are to be quarantined for a period of four weeks before exposing them to the local conditions and weather.

The Malaysian team competing in the 160km race will be spearheaded by non other than the country's number one sportsman, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

So far 26 countries have confirmed their participation and from the total, 24 countries will compete in the team event and 12 in the individual event.

The list of riders who have qualified for the FEI World Endurance Championship on merit are Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Datuk Kamaruddin Abd Ghani, Datuk Shuib Isahak, Datuk Abdullah Taib, Mohd Faizal Ismail, Rosdam Mohd Noor, Che Ahmad Yusri Muhamad, Muhammad Alif Sabidi, Yusran Yusof, Zainuddin Yusof, Md Rino Abd Rani, Abdul Halim Alihan, Bakar Aman, Norlaily Buniyamin, Muhammad Firdaus Hamid and Md Aizie Ismail.

-- BERNAMA

Australia: Tom Quilty Cup on horizon for Fleming

The Inverell Times

9/09/2008 9:32:00 AM

LOCAL endurance rider Clare Fleming and her grey Arab gelding Mangueira Moksha have been chosen in the 2008 team to represent the Queensland Endurance Riders Association (QERA) at the Nanango Tom Quilty Cup.

Fleming received the email notification that her application had been successful late last week.

And she said she was thrilled to have been selected.

On being chosen as a team member, Clare's Quilty nomination fee will be paid for by QERA.

She will also receive a pair of Qera team jodhpurs', a Qera team T-shirt and a Qera team saddle cloth for her horse all in Queensland colors.

On the day of the Quilty, Clare will proudly dress in this outfit and her horse will use the saddle cloth provided.

Jade Vergis, Angela Hawks, and Mitchell Teuwsen are the other three team members, with Gayle Holmes as the reserve.

The Tom Quilty Story began in 1966, when 26 riders rode the first Tom Quilty 100 mile endurance ride on a course west of Sydney in the Hawkesbury area.

The ride was the brainchild of R M Williams.

The idea - ride your horse 100 miles in one day. - no mean feat!

R M had convinced his friend Tom Quilty, a Kimberly cattleman and renowned horseman, to donate $1000 to make a gold cup.

This cup is known as Tom Quilty Gold Cup.

It is a perpetual trophy and it is on permanent display in the Stockman's Hall of Fame in Longreach.

Each year a field, often upwards of 250 riders, lines up to ride the 160 km of the Quilty course.

Only a handful of elite equine athletes are ever in contention to win the prestigious Gold Cup.

For most it is simply the challenge, complete the ride and win one of the famous silver buckles and achieve the motto of the sport - 'To Complete is to Win'

This year, Fleming and Moksha will join the line up of riders at Nanango in Queensland to endeavour for a completion and a Quilty buckle in this grueling 160km event and a QERA Team win for Queensland.

New Zealand: Hundreds expected for endurance champs

Wairapa-Times Age
09.09.2008
By Gary Caffell

The Wairarapa Endurance and Competitive Trail Riding Club will host the national endurance championships at the Whareama Domain on Easter weekend, April 11 to 13, next year.

Entries are expected to run into the hundreds for the event which can be likened to a cross-country mega-marathon for horses with the longest "race" covering 160kms and taking at least 10 hours to complete.

Wairarapa club president Shane Dougan says Whareama offers ideal conditions for endurance riding with flat to rolling country allowing for some faster stretches but also enough hills to provide an excellent test of stamina.

He said organising the logistics for accommodating, feeding, watering and co-ordinating so many people and horses would be a huge task, and one only made possible by the generosity and support of the Whareama community.

Endurance rides are held in several loops of up to 40km each, and horses must pass rigorous vet checks for any signs of fatigue or injury after each loop before being allowed to continue.

The longer events begin in the middle of the night to avoid having to race in the heat of the day, and often riders don't finish until late the following day.

Not surprisingly, it takes years of training to develop an endurance horse to peak performance and the sport is considered the ultimate test of strength, fitness and stamina & for both horses and riders.

Some overseas competitors could be amongst the starters next Easter with the defending champion in the 160km race being Wairarapa's very own Jenny Champion.

She and her horse Freckles came with a late burst to win the title in the South Island

last year.
[More ...]

Malaysia WEC: Norlaily plans to seal her spot

By : Janet Singh

FIFTEEN men and one woman rider have been shortlisted to train for the World Endurance Championships (WEC) in Terengganu on Nov 6-9.
But four will be dropped after centralised training, and the gutsy Norlaily Buniyamin (pic) does not want to be one of them.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin is also among those who have qualified for the WEC, and he has registered Pascha Larzac and Moonlight Pharaoh as his mounts.

"I have a good feeling that I will be able to make the final cut as my horse has been in terrific form this year," said Norlaily, who is more at home when astride her mount, Jessie James riding 160 kilometres under torturing conditions.

So, when it came to getting ready for yesterday's press conference, she found out she had no make-up available.

"I had to rush out and buy lipstick and powder for this function, and my mum gave me an earful," said Norlaily.
Which is just as well because there is no special category in the WEC, and she will be competing against rugged men from all over the world on equally tough horses. "Jessie James is from Australia and has been in Malaysia for the past five years, and we finished second in the Royal Kelantan Endurance (in August)," said Norlaily with a touch of pride.

"I believe the WEC will be better suited for 'local' horses as opposed to horses which have to be flown in and then get them to acclimatise."

National Sports Institute director general Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz said: "In June this year, only five riders had qualified and we were worried on how to get seven more into the WEC.

"And so, it was a nice surprise when 11 more qualified via various races. Now we will have to trim the squad to meet the quota allotted."

The training squad: Datuk Kamaruddin Ghani, Datuk Shuaib Isahak, Datuk Abdullah Taib, Faizal Ismail, Rosdam Noor, Che Ahmad Yusri, Alif Sabidi, Yusran Yusof, Zainuddin Yusof, Rino Rani, Halim Alihan, Bakar Aman, Norlaily Buniyamin, Firdaus Hamid, Azizie Ismail.
[More ...]

Malaysia: King to lead nation at world meet

Nst.com

by AJITPAL SINGH

THE Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin (pic) will lead the Malaysian team in the 160km World Endurance Championships, and as hosts, will be looking to make an impact in the team event at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Lembah Bidong, Setiu on Nov 6-9.

Among others expected to be picked are veteran rider Datuk Kamaruddin Abd Ganai and Mohd Shuaib Ishak, who together with Tuanku Mizan, are the top local qualifies after having earned four Certificate of Capability (COC) to qualify two horses each in the world meet.

In total, 16 local riders made the event's qualification cut but only 12 will be selected by the National Sports Institute (NSI) today at a function to be attended by Tuanku Mizan in Kuala Lumpur.

A total of 36 countries, including Malaysia, will be competing.

NSI director-general Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz hopes the Malaysian riders will be in their best form for the event. "Tuanku Mizan is one of the best riders we have in the squad. For several months now, he has been undergoing serious physical and mental training for the event," said Ramlan recently.
He said the Malaysian squad have a strong chance to make an impression. "It will be quite tough to challenge the overseas riders in the individual category but there's a chance in the team event," he said.

"The local riders will also start the race with an advantage as they know the course well."

Among the top international riders competing are current World No 1 endurace rider Maria Alvarez Ponton of Spain, France's Jean Daniel Aiello and John Crandell of the US.

World championship Quispamsis man preparing for global race in Malaysia

World championship Quispamsis man preparing for global race in Malaysia


Telegraph Journal

photo: Bob Gielen of Norton and his horse, FC Galaxy, are training for a unique sporting event later this year. Gielen wil ride FC Galaxy at the World Endurance Championship in Malaysia in November.

NORTON - Bob Gielen extends his right arm as he approaches FC Galaxy, an 11-year-old Arabian gelding.Seconds later, the 58-year-old Quispamsis man is cheek-to-cheek with his horse. There's a special bond that develops from the miles they've logged and the places they've been over the years.

Gielen will ride Galaxy in the World Endurance Championship in Malaysia, where competitors from nearly 40 countries will compete in the 100-mile race on Nov. 8.

Galaxy appears up to the task. His caramel coat is like velvet wrinkled by rippling muscles and veins. His ears are pointed straight up as if he enjoys the praise coming from his owner and rider.

"You need a special horse to do 100 miles,'' Gielen said. "A lot of them will do 50 miles and then they'll quit. You need one that will keep going.

"I have another horse that is probably more athletic than Galaxy, but Galaxy has the drive and the desire to finish. You need both.''

And some serious strength helps, too. Gielen trains Galaxy on the rugged, rolling hills of Norton.

The horse weighs close to 900 pounds and carries about 200 pounds with the saddle. The 5-foot-10 Gielen weighs about 165 pounds, but he's not always applying direct pressure to the horse.

"He's carrying over 20 per cent of his body weight,'' Gielen said. "They're quite amazing beasts to actually be able to do that.''

Galaxy has owned Gielen for nearly six years. The ex-racehorse was bred in Texas and raced in Delaware.

"He was on the circuit for about two years and I bought him as a five-year-old,'' Gielen said. "He won a few races but he wasn't fast enough for that. Then it becomes a problem. When they retire race horses, quite often they don't make really good quiet saddle horses for people.

"This has been a second career for him and he's good at it. I don't know where he would have ended up. He probably wouldn't have made it as somebody's pet horse, because he is a handful and he came with a lot of fears.

"Even the first year I had him, he would always move away from you. He was afraid of everything. Now, it's amazing how much trust he has in what we do. He'll still let me know if he's not happy about something, but he's much calmer than he was when I first brought him home.''

Despite the physical demands, the 100-mile race is organized to keep horses healthy. There are several different phases that serve as rest stops.

Veterinarians are on hand to make sure that each horse's heart rate goes down to 64 beats per minute at each stop. Once that happens, the horses go into a hold of 40 minutes before continuing the race. As the race goes on, hold times increase to 50 minutes and an hour.

Gielen and Galaxy have done several 100-milers. Their best showing was in June in Montana, where the tandem finished with a time of 11 hours and 24 minutes.

"It's very comparable to a marathon,'' Gielen said. "After they've been out there for a few hours, it becomes kind of a mental thing for them. They're either happy to keep going or they might just say 'That's enough.' ''

Gielen takes comfort in knowing horses were born to run.

"If (Galaxy) grabs the bit and takes off, it's about all you can do to get him stopped again,'' the rider said. "That will happen at the beginning of the ride if there's a lot of activity around. He gets wound up just like any other horse.

"Because he's an ex-racehorse, I think they have a lot of that (excitement) bred into them. They want to run and they want to be first. It's also part of their instinct. As herd animals, the herd was their safety. The last guy gets eaten, so you never want to be last.

"They're flight animals. If you come up to them, they're natural reaction is to move away. They don't normally attack, so their nature is to flee. A good flight instinct is what is left over from their evolution, but it also makes them jumpy when you're on them.''

Gielen believes Galaxy's racing background is an asset in the endurance rides.

"If there's another horse in sight, he wants to catch up to it. Conversely, if there's one coming up from behind, he doesn't want to get passed. You can hear him flicking his ears back trying to tell me someone is coming and that it's time to pick up the pace.

"A lot of people don't realize this, but in some places in the U.S. and Canada, they race Arabian horses the same as they do thoroughbred horses. They typically go over a mile, a little bit longer than the thoroughbred racers do. They're not as fast as thoroughbreds, because they don't have the long legs to get going, but they do race Arabs and that's what these guys were bred for.''

It's Gielen's job to harness all that horsepower.

"The rider's job is to pace the horse,'' he said. "We're supposed to be the brains of the operation. When they head out for a ride, they don't necessarily know that they're going to do 100 miles. It's our job as riders to hold them back initially and encourage them when they feel tired.

"I think the best feeling of accomplishment is being able to get your horse through the ride. At the end of the ride, your horse isn't supposed to be completely spent. He's supposed to look as if he's finished 100 miles, but he's also supposed to look like he could still do some more. It's a real team effort.''

Gielen came to New Brunswick from Edmonton in 1977. He operated a nursery in Norton before going into a semi-retirement to become a substitute teacher.

When he's not in the classroom, he's riding while also trying to stay fit himself. In endurance racing, it's not uncommon for the rider to get off the horse and hoof it himself for a few miles.

"Quite often, if there's a steep hill, I'll get off and walk up the hill beside him,'' said Gielen, pointing out that endurance riders wear running shoes. "Sometimes, I run down the hills, too, just to give him a break. I used to run a lot more, but my knees are not real good anymore, so I don't run as much as I used to.

"Some (riders) run probably run five or six miles out of the 100 miles. It also helps your own knees just to get off the horse's back for a while. The better rider you are, the easier you are on the horse's back and the less work he has to do.''

Whether on the flat plains or tough terrain, Gielen finds peace in his sport.

"If I have an hour or two to myself, I can go and ride the horse and forget about everything else in the world. There's an old saying that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man, and it's true.''

[More ...]

Australia: World's highest ranked rider coming to ride in Tom Quilty

August 2008

Margaret "Meg" Wade is currently highest ranking endurance rider in the world – July 2008 and a Tom Quilty Gold Cup Champion.

Meg’s record includes three Tom Quilty wins, nine M/Wt Points National Rider of the Year and she has completed 62 endurance rides over 160 kms each time.

Meg and her husband Chris Gates run three properties on the border of Victoria and New South Wales. They live in the homestead on “Dingley Maze” in the Upper Murray Valley at Burrowye, 95km east of Albury/Wodonga.

Castlebar Endurance stud is famous in Australia and overseas for its breeding of Arabian and Arab derivative horses. Castlebar’s major client base is the Middle East.

While Meg loves breeding horses and riding (August 2nd 2008 she competed in the Canadian championships flying home in time to head for Victoria to ride the following weekend), she has another passion, thanks to noted Australian aviator Dick Smith. He introduced her to flying, helicopters in particular and after 12 months of training at Heliflite, Bankstown she received her wings. Four years later she has just taken ownership of her second helicopter, a Robertson 44.

Meg was born and bred on the land and has been riding since she was old enough to walk.
Her mother, Betty Wade now retired and living in Canberra, grew up in Broken Hill and passed on her love of horses to Meg.

Meg’s husband Chris Gates grew up in Nyngan in western NSW and was a member of
the local pony club. This was when he first heard of the famous Tom Quilty endurance ride, the largest of its type in the world. “We all wondered why riding one hundred miles in a day on the same horse was such a big deal, as we had ridden many miles in the bush out to Pony Club camps and mustering cattle” he said. This was back in 1966. “After all that was only riding from Nyngan to Dubbo.”

But that was on flat land, and in a leisurely manner. “When we first did the Quilty held in the Colo valley, north west of Sydney, up and down hills and through rough terrain, we realised just what a challenge it is,” Chris said.

Meg has her name emblazed on the Tom Quilty Gold Cup three times. This year she aims for a fourth.

The Tom Quilty Gold Cup will be held 19th, 20th, 21st September 2008 Nanango Queensland Australia

World championship Quispamsis man preparing for global race in Malaysia

Telegraph Journal

photo: Bob Gielen of Norton and his horse, FC Galaxy, are training for a unique sporting event later this year. Gielen wil ride FC Galaxy at the World Endurance Championship in Malaysia in November.

NORTON - Bob Gielen extends his right arm as he approaches FC Galaxy, an 11-year-old Arabian gelding.Seconds later, the 58-year-old Quispamsis man is cheek-to-cheek with his horse. There's a special bond that develops from the miles they've logged and the places they've been over the years.

Gielen will ride Galaxy in the World Endurance Championship in Malaysia, where competitors from nearly 40 countries will compete in the 100-mile race on Nov. 8.

Galaxy appears up to the task. His caramel coat is like velvet wrinkled by rippling muscles and veins. His ears are pointed straight up as if he enjoys the praise coming from his owner and rider.

"You need a special horse to do 100 miles,'' Gielen said. "A lot of them will do 50 miles and then they'll quit. You need one that will keep going.

"I have another horse that is probably more athletic than Galaxy, but Galaxy has the drive and the desire to finish. You need both.''

And some serious strength helps, too. Gielen trains Galaxy on the rugged, rolling hills of Norton.

The horse weighs close to 900 pounds and carries about 200 pounds with the saddle. The 5-foot-10 Gielen weighs about 165 pounds, but he's not always applying direct pressure to the horse.

"He's carrying over 20 per cent of his body weight,'' Gielen said. "They're quite amazing beasts to actually be able to do that.''

Galaxy has owned Gielen for nearly six years. The ex-racehorse was bred in Texas and raced in Delaware.

"He was on the circuit for about two years and I bought him as a five-year-old,'' Gielen said. "He won a few races but he wasn't fast enough for that. Then it becomes a problem. When they retire race horses, quite often they don't make really good quiet saddle horses for people.

"This has been a second career for him and he's good at it. I don't know where he would have ended up. He probably wouldn't have made it as somebody's pet horse, because he is a handful and he came with a lot of fears.

"Even the first year I had him, he would always move away from you. He was afraid of everything. Now, it's amazing how much trust he has in what we do. He'll still let me know if he's not happy about something, but he's much calmer than he was when I first brought him home.''

Despite the physical demands, the 100-mile race is organized to keep horses healthy. There are several different phases that serve as rest stops.

Veterinarians are on hand to make sure that each horse's heart rate goes down to 64 beats per minute at each stop. Once that happens, the horses go into a hold of 40 minutes before continuing the race. As the race goes on, hold times increase to 50 minutes and an hour.

Gielen and Galaxy have done several 100-milers. Their best showing was in June in Montana, where the tandem finished with a time of 11 hours and 24 minutes.

"It's very comparable to a marathon,'' Gielen said. "After they've been out there for a few hours, it becomes kind of a mental thing for them. They're either happy to keep going or they might just say 'That's enough.' ''

Gielen takes comfort in knowing horses were born to run.

"If (Galaxy) grabs the bit and takes off, it's about all you can do to get him stopped again,'' the rider said. "That will happen at the beginning of the ride if there's a lot of activity around. He gets wound up just like any other horse.

"Because he's an ex-racehorse, I think they have a lot of that (excitement) bred into them. They want to run and they want to be first. It's also part of their instinct. As herd animals, the herd was their safety. The last guy gets eaten, so you never want to be last.

"They're flight animals. If you come up to them, they're natural reaction is to move away. They don't normally attack, so their nature is to flee. A good flight instinct is what is left over from their evolution, but it also makes them jumpy when you're on them.''

Gielen believes Galaxy's racing background is an asset in the endurance rides.

"If there's another horse in sight, he wants to catch up to it. Conversely, if there's one coming up from behind, he doesn't want to get passed. You can hear him flicking his ears back trying to tell me someone is coming and that it's time to pick up the pace.

"A lot of people don't realize this, but in some places in the U.S. and Canada, they race Arabian horses the same as they do thoroughbred horses. They typically go over a mile, a little bit longer than the thoroughbred racers do. They're not as fast as thoroughbreds, because they don't have the long legs to get going, but they do race Arabs and that's what these guys were bred for.''

It's Gielen's job to harness all that horsepower.

"The rider's job is to pace the horse,'' he said. "We're supposed to be the brains of the operation. When they head out for a ride, they don't necessarily know that they're going to do 100 miles. It's our job as riders to hold them back initially and encourage them when they feel tired.

"I think the best feeling of accomplishment is being able to get your horse through the ride. At the end of the ride, your horse isn't supposed to be completely spent. He's supposed to look as if he's finished 100 miles, but he's also supposed to look like he could still do some more. It's a real team effort.''

Gielen came to New Brunswick from Edmonton in 1977. He operated a nursery in Norton before going into a semi-retirement to become a substitute teacher.

When he's not in the classroom, he's riding while also trying to stay fit himself. In endurance racing, it's not uncommon for the rider to get off the horse and hoof it himself for a few miles.

"Quite often, if there's a steep hill, I'll get off and walk up the hill beside him,'' said Gielen, pointing out that endurance riders wear running shoes. "Sometimes, I run down the hills, too, just to give him a break. I used to run a lot more, but my knees are not real good anymore, so I don't run as much as I used to.

"Some (riders) run probably run five or six miles out of the 100 miles. It also helps your own knees just to get off the horse's back for a while. The better rider you are, the easier you are on the horse's back and the less work he has to do.''

Whether on the flat plains or tough terrain, Gielen finds peace in his sport.

"If I have an hour or two to myself, I can go and ride the horse and forget about everything else in the world. There's an old saying that the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man, and it's true.''

[More ...]

Britain: Your Horse Masterson Method video star crowned National Endurance Champion

Yourhorse.co.uk - Full Article

By Amanda Stevenson

04 September 2008

Barnowl, the equine star of Your Horse's Masterson Method web videos has been crowned National Endurance Champion. The nine-year-old Arab X Argentinian Polo Pony was ridden to victory in the 100-mile Cirencester Park Ride by his owner and breeder Sally Hall, just a week after the filming of Barnowl's treatments by Jim Masterson in June this year.

Jim Masterson commented: "Barnowl is a handsome and fit horse and when treated was without any serious issues other than some of the usual tension in the poll, neck and shoulders that we often find in competition horses. While doing the bodywork I do remember that he was somewhat suspicious and didn't really feel that he needed us messing with him. But horses that compete on his level need the same attention as human athletes, and we didn't take "no" for an answer.

"He turned out to be a pretty good star both in the video and as an athlete!"

The Cirencester Park Ride hosts three FEI CEI 3* classes over 160 km (100 mile) and 120 km (75 mile) routes. Ride conditions were extremely difficult after heavy rain the night before the major classes left deep mud in many places on the route. The humidity also took its toll on many competitors in the 160 km (100 mile) race.

The winner was Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoun from the UAE, who rode an average speed of 14.68 kph, while Sally and Barnowl were the first British combination home, earning them the title of British Champions.

More...

Australia: Country music star joins Quilty endurance lineup

Australia's renowned Tom Quilty endurance ride will this year host 150 horses and riders including two from the US - as well as the one of the country's up-and-coming country music stars.

Dean Johnston is on his way to Nashville, Tennessee to perform at the famous annual Fan Fair, but on the way will stop off to perform at the Quilty, at Nanango on September 18, and will also entertain guests at the closing night dinner on Sunday September 21 at the Nanango Cultural Centre.
[More ...]

Malaysia WEC: Havens Horsefeed 'Official Supplier' World Endurance Championship Terangganu

Press release
August 2008

The FEI World Endurance Championship 2008 (www.malaysia-wec.com) will be held in Malaysia from November 6 – 9th. The WEC 2008 will be staged at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong, 25km north of Kuala Terengganu on the South Chinese Sea. In total 150 riders from 36 countries will compete at the bi-annual WEC, that was held earlier in Aachen (2006) and Dubai (2004).

The WEC 2008-Organising Committee has named HAVENS Horsefeed from the Netherlands ( www.horsefeed.nl) as "Official Horsefeed" of the WEC 2008.

As part of the agreement, Havens will supply all horsefeed for all participating horses; from arrival on October 13th (start quarantine) untill departure of the horses after November 10th. All feeds will meet the highest quality standards and will be specially tested on absence of any prohibited substances in the Equestrian Labs in Newmarket (UK).

"We are proud to have found a strong european partner, that also provides guarantees as to quality and non-doping conformity”, says Azrin Zuhdi, Director and Organising Secretary of WEC 2008 OC. “Moreover, the presence of Havens in more than 55 countries in Europe, Middle East and Asia will add to the international image of the 2008 WEC."

Havens feeds are produced in the Netherlands by a family-owned company (since 1845) in 5th generation. Considered in Europe as the "Mercedes" of horsefeed, Havens has also been supplier of several Olympic Games (Barcelona, Sydney, Athens, Beijing) as well as the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Germany. All feeds are produced in the same factory which guarantees the same worldwide quality.

Havens has been present in the Asia since 2005; in Malaysia it is represented by Tallahesse Equestrian Supplies ( www.tallahesse.com ) from KL.

Australia: Levy on horse owners moves step closer

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

September 4, 2008

A plan to levy Australian horse owners for eradication efforts in any future disease outbreaks has passed its first parliamentary hurdle.

The legislation setting up the framework for the levy passed in the lower house yesterday and is bound for the Senate.

The amount of the levy remains unknown. It will be set in consultation with the horse industry.

The levy proposal was attacked by opposition MPs, who argued it was inequitable, with many unregistered horses unlikely to be subject to the levy. Opponents argued that the levy would place an unfair share of the responsibility on recreational horse owners.

The levy proposal is likely to go before a Senate committee.

The Australian Horse Industry Council said a decision to put the matter before a Senate committee would provide further opportunity for industry consultation on the merits of the current proposal.

But it added: "It might also further delay protection of the horse industry should there be an emergency disease outbreak while this examination process is under way."

More...

Kiwi endurance riders place in South Africa

September 1, 2008

A team of New Zealand endurance riders has performed well in South Africa, at a ride in Dullstroon last month.

Kirsten Deuss placed second in the 123.5km ride on Arkab Aqrab, finishing in a time of 10 hours, six minutes and nine seconds, behind the winner in 10:40:05. Teresa Birkett was fifth (Moolmanshoek Maximus, 11:16:20), and Nadine Barker finished sixth (Tuarec Jamill, 11:40:42) of the six riders to finish. Tony Masters vetted out, along with four other riders. The team finished second of three teams.

The team's next start was to be a tri-nations event in Namibia, with teams from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana also competing. Gaewyn Churchill was to replace Tony Masters on the team.

[More ...]