DubaiGate: Go... the Mass is ended

www.endurance-belgium.com - Full Report

13 February 2013
Leonard Liesens - Endurance-belgium.com

According to chats after the conference, it appears that several chef d’equipe fear the backslash for their team at upcoming championships. Are they suffering from acute paranoia or will the course of events prove they were right?

The ESPG showed self-satisfaction, more exactly relieve to have completed its mission without too shootout of the federations .

Yet its most active and most clear in his statements, namely Jean- Louis Leclerc, did not seem to be lulling into complacency during and after the conference.

Most European federations were represented. Yeah, but some showed a passivity and extreme shyness. We did not hear the UK or Italy , Sweden, Portugal, Czech Republic. Spain intervened but in a minor key and swinging raw truths.


France has expressed clearly and politely , by the voice of Christophe Pélissier . It is not obviously useful to raise your voice to be heard and Pelissier has nevertheless not failed to come back especially on the subject of veterinary reports ( 2012 Florac presumably) sent by France to the FEI and which did not land on the right FEI desk (or maybe better land directly in the bin) .

While the FEI had just told the organisation hardly received damning reports from official bodies. But once again, Ian Williams was able to maneuver to claim not to have received / seen these reports. And no one in the assembly dared intervene to push and dig more about this particular subject. We therefore remained the polite exchange of good intentions, it was congratulated , we even made hugs in front of the stage. There was no ' selfies '  (maybe the non French readers will not understand but the recent visit of President Hollande to Obama was a good occasion for journalist to picture themselves inside the White House) but we were not far away.
Clip-Devos-RapportsFEI

The two representatives of Italy did not say a word, they just came to listen, make an appearance and enjoy the lunch buffet - BTW delicious and flavorful. Bravo to the FEI for that. It must be said that Italy is entangled with a league judicial review and intergovernmental cooperation agreements with Emirates. Must not offend the patron.

According to chats after the conference, it appears that several chef d’equipe fear the backslash for their team at upcoming championships. Are they suffering from acute paranoia or will the course of events prove they were right? 

It is once again Pierre Arnould (which is still part of the FEI Endurance Committee, but was "impeachment" in relation to ESPG and therefore could speak freely on behalf of the Belgian Federation) was the most incisive.
He was also the first to intervene in the afternoon, after everyone fell asleep during presentations of self-satisfaction orchestrated by ESPG .

It was right before that, at the start of the conference, that we had to listen to a guy from ESPG reading a strong statement responding to the open letter sent by the Swiss Federation, concerning the lack of professionalism of the compilation of the responses of the federations. A sudden cold wind was then blowing thru the assistance, like someone opened the door overlooking the nice Lausanne Lake Leman…. oddly the Swiss did not respond .

Arnould began the debate by asking the killing question (La Question qui tue) :

"We are here to discuss a problem that affects 10% of federations who practice endurance , namely the Middle East, while they have not deign to come.As long as there is no clear answer to the question of whether you prefer the economic and financial aspects of our sport ethics and respect for our horses , all the debates and change regulations will be useless. "

Clip-Video-Arnould ici


He has obviously not received a response from the FEI or the ESPG . He was even retorted that his thinking did not advance the debate. When is the next "Verbal Warning" ?

He was unequivocally supported by the Team Leader of USA, Emmett Ross , convinced that sport has lost its identity , all because of the Middle East.
As might be expected, all federations have all voted for a return to classic endurance, technical, tactical. Endurance that allows horses to have a long career, riders express their riding skills and horsemanship. But does money not command?
...


For more, including video clips click here:
http://www.endurance-belgium.com/n-gazette/dubaigate.htm#espg1201

Swiss equestrian federation questions neutrality of Godolphin inquiry

Theguardian.com - Full Article

Lord Stevens' report, as commissioned by Sheikh Mohammed, demonstrated a 'clear conflict of interests' and the 'findings are nothing special', a leading international equestrian body said

James Riach
The Guardian, Wednesday 12 February 2014 15.50 EST

A leading international equestrian federation has heavily criticised a report exonerating Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the UK's leading racehorse owner, of having any knowledge of three drug-related scandals involving his organisation last year, lamenting the inquiry's "conflict of interests" after being commissioned by the Sheikh himself.

Lord Stevens, the former chief of the Metropolitan police, was employed by Sheikh Mohammed and his wife Princess Haya to investigate three separate incidents involving his equine operations, including the doping of Godolphin racehorses with anabolic steroids by the disgraced trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni and two seizures of "potentially toxic and dangerous" veterinary goods at Stansted airport and Moorley Farm, owned by the Sheikh's Darley Stud, in Newmarket...

Read more here:
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/12/godolphin-al-zarooni-scandal-stevens-report-slammed

FEI Endurance Conference in Switzerland Feb 9

The FEI held an Endurance Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland on February 9, 2014. Representatives from 20 member nations attended, though noticeably absent were members from region VII (Middle East), the nations in the focus of the doping scandals and horse abuses addressed by this conference.

The information from the conference, including the Conference Presentation, Plan on a Page, and Participant List, can be seen here:
https://docs.fei.org/docs/nfs/endurance-conference

Sheikh Mohammed exonerated by Lord Stevens' report into doping scandal

Theguardian.com - Full Article

• Investigation clears head of world's largest equine operation
• Management failings and complacency highlighted by review

James Riach
theguardian.com, Wednesday 12 February 2014 07.00 EST

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the UK's leading racehorse owner, has been cleared of having any knowledge of three drug-related incidents involving his organisation last year, according to a report commissioned by the Sheikh himself.

Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police chief commissioner, was employed to investigate a series of damaging incidents and interview a series of key figures. The report concluded that the seizures of unlicensed veterinary goods by British authorities resulted from "a sense of complacency" within the Sheikh's management structure.

Stevens interviewed several figures within Sheikh Mohammed's equine operations, including the disgraced former trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni who was banned by eight years by the British Horseracing Association in April 2013 for injecting thoroughbreds at the Godolphin stable with performance-enhancing anabolic steroids.

As revealed by the Guardian in September, the thoroughbred scandal was followed by later incidents within Sheikh Mohammed's endurance set-up, with veterinary goods described as "potentially toxic and dangerous to horses" seized from a Dubai Royal Air Wing flight at Stansted airport by the UK Border Agency and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in May...

Read more here:
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/12/sheikh-mohammed-exonerated-lord-stevens-doping-scandal

Abu Dhabi: Spaniards in the 2014 President's Cup

El Raid Blog - Gabriel Gamiz

The next Saturday, February 15, 2014, the President Cup 2014 will be held in Abu Dhabi (UAE), with six Spanish pairs in the test.
This is the information from the FEI.


"RAID - President Cup 2014 in Abu Dhabi (UAE)

On Saturday February 15 will be held in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) the race of the President's Cup 2014, one of the most prestigious equestrian and competed resistance tests on the international calendar.
 
The President's Cup was created in 1994 by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and is from the first edition one of the great tests of modality.
 
The race is a category three-star FEI, and run over a total distance of 160 kilometers in 6 stages 40, 27, 31, 26, 20 and 16 kilometers respectively.
 
Spain will in this race have six guest pairs. Agda Muixí with EROS, Laura Vilaregut with SERAS MABROUK, Cristina Yebra with CALZADILLA, Cristina Lobera with ALY, Ivet Pi with TRA DRUIDA and Bernat Casals"

Source: FEI.
Greetings from Gabriel.

Operation Desert Storm: A test of endurance or patience?

The legendary equestrian explorer, Aimé Tschiffely, who rode 10,000 miles from Buenos Aires to Washington DC in the late 1920s, faced a myriad of challenges, but perhaps none more so than the prospect of crossing a stretch of Peruvian coastal desert called Matacaballo – the Horse Killer.

The Swiss-born Argentine professor knew it was a high-stakes undertaking and planned carefully. He decided against carrying water for his magnificent Criollo mounts, Mancha and Gato, rightly believing it was a race against time in the scorching heat, and they needed to travel light.

Read More ...

Bahrain endurance incident was handled by authorities – FEI

The Bahrain incident in which an endurance horse was struck across the rump by support crew as it neared victory in a prestigious 120km desert race resulted in a formal warning to the rider and a ban, the FEI confirmed early today (NZ time).

However, equestrian journalist Pippa Cuckson, who brought the matter to wide attention in a piece in Britain’s Daily Telegraph, questioned why the incident resulted in the winner of the event receiving only a warning, despite what appeared to be multiple breaches of endurance rules.

Read more...

Cuckson to complain to FEI over contents of endurance video footage

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

By Horsetalk.co.nz on Feb 12, 2014 in News

British equestrian journalist Pippa Cuckson confirms she is sharpening her pencil to lodge a formal complaint to the FEI over horse welfare concerns arising from video footage of a recent endurance race in Bahrain.

The footage shows a person who was presumably a member of the rider’s support crew appearing to strike a horse in the rump area near the end of a 120-kilometre endurance race...

Read more here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/02/12/cuckson-complain-fei-endurance-video-footage/#ixzz2t7e7lyHR

Middle East Absent From FEI Endurance Conference

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

February 9, 2014
By: Pippa Cuckson

Delegates largely backed proposals to clean up endurance at the one-day Fédération Equestre Internationale conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Feb. 9, but the Middle Eastern federations at the center of the doping and fractures scandals were absent.

FEI vice president John McEwen urged delegates to generalize when speaking, rebuffing Belgian national coach Pierre Arnould for not being “helpful” when he claimed that “90 percent of the problems are caused by the federations who are not here.”

But Arnould was backed by U.S. Chef d’Equipe Emmett Ross.

“What Pierre says is correct,” said Ross. “Most countries do the right thing. I spent 10 years in Group 7 [Middle East] and am proud of that. I have good friends there. We were teaching and learning. But we can’t avoid what’s going on there now. Where has our leadership been?

“The American Endurance Ride Conference is the largest organization in the world, with 973 races last year and 19,000 riders, and they are about the kick us [FEI endurance] out,” Ross continued. “We cannot afford to stage our own races.”

Ross also expressed fears about the sport’s apparent inability to control the four-star races. “When I spend thousands of dollars to shift six horses [to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (France)] this summer I want to know there is more than one steward in a car supervising the field of play. That is not adequate...”

Read more here:
http://chronofhorse.com/article/middle-east-absent-fei-endurance-conference

FEI Conference delegates give positive response to Endurance strategic plan

FEI.org

9 Feb 2014

Delegates from 23 countries reached a broad consensus on the strategic plan for Endurance sport at the one-day Endurance conference in Lausanne (SUI) today.

The conference was attended by more than 70 delegates, with a total of 20 National Federations represented. Other bodies attending the conference were the European Equestrian Federation, World Horse Welfare, American Endurance Ride Conference and the Equine Community Integrity Unit (ECIU), as well as members of the media. FEI President HRH Princess Haya attended as an observer, along with members of the FEI Executive Board.

The morning session focused on feedback from the National Federations on the proposals outlined at the 2013 General Assembly in November 2013 by the Endurance Strategic Planning Group (ESPG).

Of the 47 National Federations involved in the sport, of which 33 run elite Endurance events, 20 Federations returned responses via the electronic survey, a further six sent additional comments. A team of veterinary surgeons also held its own scientifically based review and shared its views with the ESPG.

ESPG Chair Andrew Finding summarised the results from the survey, in which 32 of the Group’s 37 recommendations received an approval rating of over 80%.

“The consultation was never intended to be a referendum, it was designed to add value to the work we have been doing and vitally to give every National Federation an opportunity to comment,” he said. “Some decided to comment, many did not but every National Federation had an opportunity to do so.”

Andrew Finding pledged that every comment received would be addressed by the Group and, where appropriate, covered at the operational planning level. He also stated that the Group had recommended that members of the Endurance Committee should be tasked with a specific area of responsibility to cover each of the critical success factors outlined by the ESPG – culture and behaviour; structure and governance; foundation for growth, and communications and marketing.

His presentation then focused on the five recommendations that had a lower approval rating, but still in excess of 50%. These were the designation of Persons Responsible, and whether trainers should be included alongside riders, ride qualification standards, a trainers ranking list, awards for completions, and awards for officials. He also covered five other areas that National Federations had raised in their responses to the survey and which the ESPG felt had not been covered fully in its recommendations.

Debate during the day focused on the key areas of horse welfare; clean sport and the rules, which were widely accepted as fit for purpose; support for officials on enforcement of those rules; transparent and consistent reporting; the use of technology; rider competence and horsemanship; cost implications; sponsorship; the technicality of courses to help resolve speed-related issues; technical criteria during competitions; individual and team performance; and ensuring the long-term development of the sport.

There was also considerable discussion on the traditional Endurance rides, which are now being referred to as Classic Endurance riding, and Endurance Racing. There were mixed views on whether a different set of rules should be used, but it was generally agreed that the rules cover both elements.

Part of the afternoon’s session was devoted to establishing the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which will be used to evaluate the success of the strategic plan.

During his summing up of the day’s proceedings, moderator John McEwen thanked Andrew Finding and the ESPG members for all their work. “This conference was to complete the work of the ESPG,” he said. “I want to thank them all individually and personally and Andrew for leading them.”

“Endurance sport has expanded thanks to the expansion in Group VII; we mustn’t lose sight of that expansion,” he continued. “How we handle the expansion of the sport is down to you and it’s important we handle that right for the future of the sport.

“You’ve all said that actually the structure and governance is in place. Yes we need to implement it in slightly different ways in certain aspects. We have the guidelines from the ESPG, which are extremely helpful in helping us to do that. I think the feeling in general is that we want this to remain one sport. I am passionate about this and I believe that we need to stay as one sport and that is only possible if people are open-minded and have wide vision.”

The ESPG will now use the input from today’s conference to finalise its report, which will be presented to the FEI Bureau for further consideration. The FEI Bureau and the Endurance Committee will report at a special session on Endurance at the FEI Sports Forum (28-29 April 2014) about the follow-up on the conclusions of the ESPG.

Notes to Editors:
The 20 National Federations represented at today’s conference were from Belgium, Botswana, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Italy, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, United States of America.

The FEI Endurance Strategic Planning Group (ESPG), set up last year following the Endurance round table on 24 July, was tasked with creating a long-term plan for the discipline to tackle the issues currently being faced in Endurance. The ESPG is chaired by Andrew Finding, European Equestrian Federation Board Member and CEO of the British Equestrian Federation.

The members of the Group are veterinarian Brian Sheahan (AUS), chair of the FEI Endurance Committee; Joe Mattingley (USA), international Endurance rider; Saeed H Al Tayer (UAE), Vice President of the Dubai Equestrian Club and organiser of FEI World Endurance Championships; and veterinarian Jean-Louis Leclerc (FRA), an internationally respected and very successful chef d’équipe and team manager within the discipline.

Middle Eastern countries boycott International Equestrian Federation conference on endurance racing

Footage of multiple rule breaches in a 120km ride in Bahrain has provoked outrage and renewed concerns that Middle Eastern countries are not embracing the clean-up of endurance racing.

The footage was revealed on social media as stakeholders from the region boycotted the global conference called to debate the crisis in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The conference was the latest stage of the International Equestrian Federation’s (FEI) strategy to address doping and horse injuries in the high speed version of endurance practised by Middle Eastern countries, where stables owned by Sheikh Mohammed have been at the centre of scandals highlighted in the past 12 months.

But none of their member federations was present to hear about drastic proposals primarily aimed at them.

Read more...

Endurance: “I believe that we need to stay as one sport”

The FEI says there is a broad consensus among endurance nations on the future direction for the sport, but views are mixed are whether there should be different rules for the more aggressive distance racing which finds favour in the Middle East.

Delegates from 23 countries have met in Lausanne, Switzerland, for a one-day endurance conference, where they showed strong support for most of the recommendations for reform proposed by the Endurance Strategic Planning Group (ESPG), formed after several FEI member nations voiced concern about welfare issues and the worrying number of drug infractions in horses centred on Dubai, Qatar and Bahrain – all members of FEI regional group 7.

Read more...

UAE teen bags Dh100,000 and 4X4 in Al Wathba Endurance Ride

Thenational.ae - Full Article

Ramona Ruiz
February 8, 2014

ABU DHABI // Sixteen-year-old Saeed Al Harbi beat a field of 141 horse riders to win this year’s Al Wathba Challenge Endurance Ride on Saturday.

The teenager, who was riding Rashka, scooped Dh100,000 and a Toyota Landcruiser after finishing first in the race held at the Emirates International Endurance Village.

“I’m so happy to win this race,” said Emirati Mr Al Harbi. “I will give the car to my brother Hamad, who is 20.”

Mr Al Harbi, who has been training for two years, covered the distance in four hours, 21 minutes and 10 seconds at an average speed of 27.569kph to cross the finish line 47 seconds ahead of runner-up Rashid Al Baloushi...

Read more here:
http://www.thenational.ae/uae/uae-teen-bags-dh100-000-and-4x4-in-al-wathba-endurance-ride#ixzz2sqFxK3cA

Sabrina Arnold tops FEI World Endurance Ranking for 2013

Germany's Sabrina Arnold top the standings for the Open Riders World Endurance Ranking for 2013. The UAE's Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri was second, with France's Virginie Atger in third. USA's Cheryl Van Deusen ranked sixth.

In the Open Combination World Endurance Ranking, Sweden's Maria Hagman-Eriksson and Al Tayar topped the list. Japan's Toshiaki Hirohashi and Lucky ranked second, with Uruguay's Miguel Meireles and EO Shadi third. Two USA riders ranked in the top ten, with Cheryl Van Deusen and EBS Regal Majjaan in fourth, and Melody Blittersdorf and Synthetic in fifth.

In the Junior/Young Rider division, Malaysia's Azizatul Asthma Dato' Haji Abdullah ranked first, with Uruguay's Maria Pereira in second and Joaquin Stirling in third. Three USA riders ranked in the top ten: Christina Kimery in sixth, McCamey Kimbler in seventh, and Taylor White in eighth.

In the Junior/Young Rider Combination World Endurance Ranking, Uruguay's Frederic Maidana and JQ Zarial ranked first, with USA's Taylor White and Hoover the Mover in second. Chile's Paula Llorens Clark was third.

India: Ahmedabad: Horse’s heartbeat key to entry in race say cops

DNAIndia.com - Full Article

February 7, 2014 - 22:57 IST | Place: Ahmedabad | Agency: DNA
Abhishek Samuel

The upcoming Mahakali Ashwa Mela at Ambod is slated to be a decorated affair, with participation of as many as eight policemen from the state and 70 personnel from the Indian Army. These teams will ride alongside nearly 100 civilian equestrians from the country in the endurance race at the event, which kicks off on Sunday.

The eight participating cops from the state police include joint CP of special branch & additional director of anti-corruption bureau (ACB) Shamsher Singh along with mounted division police inspector LF Vasava and mounted PSI MS Barot among others. Singh, an avid equestrian, said that they have been training regularly and rigorously over the past fortnight for the event.

“A horse needs to be physically in tune with its rider and have the stamina to be able to finish the race. This has been our primary goal throughout the recent training. During the qualification round, the horse’s heartbeat is constantly monitored to see if it is normal. In case of high heartbeat, the horse may be disqualified for health reasons,” he explained.

As a cautionary tale of the heartbeat’s importance, one need only glance at the state police’s participation in the same event last year. Only one of the participating state police horses was cleared to race, while the rest were all disqualified due to high heartbeat...

Read more here:
http://www.dnaindia.com/ahmedabad/report-ahmedabad-horse-s-heartbeat-key-to-entry-in-race-say-cops-1960102

Bahrain: Riders set for Endurance Race Cup

Gulf-daily-news.com - Full Article

February 08, 2014

BAHRAIN'S best riders will participate in HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Endurance Race Cup, which kicks-off at 7am today at Bahrain International Endurance Village.

The championship will comprise two race-categories, the 120 kilometer race (five stages, 30, 30, 24, 20, 16 km) and the 80 km qualifying race (three stages, 30, 30, 24 km).

Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS) chairman, Bahrain Olympic Committee president and Royal Endurance Team captain Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa praised the organisers' efforts to ensure the success of the race, while he visited the veterinary examinations for participants' horses. The examinations were conducted by international experts at the village yesterday.

Shaikh Nasser said that the Royal Endurance team will be tough competitors for the title, wishing the best for the rest of the contenders...

Read more here:
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=370185

Abu Dhabi: 120km Hamdan endurance ride set for Saturday

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Elite UAE riders to compete in Al Wathba race that boasts Dh1m prize fund
WAMPublished: 17:37 February 6, 2014

Abu Dhabi: The Hamdan Bin Rashid Festival 2014 Al Wathba Challenge Endurance Ride (120km) will take place from 7am on Saturday at Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba.

The race, which is run under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, will feature an elite group of riders from stables across the UAE

The prizes, whose value totals Dh1 million, will be distributed between the riders who complete the five stages of the race, as well as the award of a sports utility vehicle for the champion...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/120km-hamdan-endurance-ride-set-for-saturday-1.1287537

Equine Herpes Virus Type 1 confirmed in NZ

NZEquestrian.org.nz

5/02/2014 12:00:00 p.m.

ESNZ wishes to inform its members that the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has notified of an outbreak of a neurological disease in horses arising from Equine Herpes Virus Type 1 (EHV-1).

· EHV-1 is a common virus in the NZ horse population.
· This is the first instance when neurological effects have been observed and confirmed in NZ.
· Many horses are infected as foals and show no clinical signs of disease. The virus often sits dormant and can be reactivated later in life. Reactivation is more likely in times of stress, such as, giving birth, weaning and long distance transport.
· This neurological form of the outbreak is very limited and has currently been isolated to a small part of a single property – a Waikato thoroughbred stud farm
· MPI have notified that 12 horses have been infected, of which 6 have been euthanised; all other horses on the property are being closely observed.
· MPI have examined horse and staff movements in relation to the affected property, and on the basis of known information, including consideration of the period of time since horses have left any part of the property, state that there is low risk of infection for horses that had been on the property.
· On the basis of information provided by MPI and having consulted with the NZ Equine Health Association; ESNZ advises no changes to continuation of all planned ESNZ equestrian activities.

MPI are urging horse owners to be vigilant for signs of the disease (see attached fact sheet) and to contact their own vet should you have any concerns.

More...

Chile: Enduro Ecuestre 2014 - Torres del Paine

Lastorres.com

At the end of the world, right in the middle of Chilean Patagonia, we invite you to be part of one of the most extreme, unique and unforgettable experience: The equestrian Endurance race of Torres del Paine. (FEI)
On April 12, 2014, right at the heart of Torres del Paine National Park the 10th version of the Equestrian Endurance Race will take place, combining the magic of this exciting sport with the spectacular scenery of one of the most important national parks in Chile.

Enjoy organized programs with accommodation, excursions, transfers and days of activities within the national park Torres del Paine. Get to know the most important attractions of the magnificent national park like Grey Glacier or the imposing Torres del Paine, which undoubtedly will surprise you.

Don’t miss this opportunity and participate in one of the most extreme and exciting endurance races in the world.
This race will run by the international FEI Rules valid since 2009. (Exceptions: junior ages and recovery time).

For more information see:
http://www.lastorres.com/all-inclusive-torres-paine/enduro-encuestre/

Oman: Endurance competition on Sat

Omanobserver.com

January 2014 / 23:35 Written by Oman Observer

MUSCAT — The Omani Equestrian Federation represented by the Endurance Committee announced the launching of the fifth endurance competition for 2013/2014 starting on Saturday.
The competition, which will take place at the Endurance Village in Saih al Mahamid /Al Wahra/ in the Wilayat of Barka, will be an exceptional qualifier in response to a request submitted by horse owners who are interested in tolerance
and endurance for 40 km and
80 km.
The Omani Equestrian Federation has announced an endurance competition on February 14. It is an international race for 120 km and a 90 km race for juniors.
The Omani Equestrian Federation also unveiled an endurance competition for female horse riders on March 7. — ONA

Getting Ready for the Games: Endurance

Horsechannel.com - Full Article

What does it take to prepare for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy? A top endurance rider shares her story.
By Leslie Potter | January 29, 2014

This spring will be an exciting time for the top equestrian competitors as they work to earn a spot at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2014 in Normandy, France. The Games will take place from Aug. 23-Sept. 7 and feature the world's best riders and drivers in eight different disciplines. Reaching this level of competition takes more than just practice. These competitors have to manage their horses' nutrition, conditioning and overall well-being in order to be ready for the challenge ahead.

Heather Reynolds and her husband, Jeremy, train endurance horses at Reynolds Racing in Dunnellon, Fla. Between the two of them, the Reynolds have four Tevis Cup wins, multiple national championship wins and best condition awards and team and individual golds from the North American Endurance Championships. Heather was the first American rider to cross the finish line at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 in Lexington, Ky. Currently, they have six horses—all purebred Arabians—that they are bringing along as prospective competitors for Normandy.

Miles of Training
Endurance horses at the Games compete in a 100-mile race, and the winning teams will finish in approximately seven hours. That kind of sustained effort requires careful conditioning, but Reynolds explains that they don't log as many training hours as people might think.

"Our horses work six days a week," she says. "We ride them three days and the other three they're on the EuroXciser [a type of hot walker]. When they're in top training, they're probably doing a total of 70 miles a week between the EuroXciser and riding..."

Read more here:
http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-news/2014/01/29-getting-ready-for-the-games-endurance.aspx

Saudi Arabia: Kingdom Team wins Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Cup

Arabnews.com - Full Article

January 29 2014

RIYADH: Kingdom equestrian team of Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal captured first place in the 120-kilometer endurance race in the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Arabian Horse Festival here.
Giving the Kingdom team’s 60th international achievement was international jockey Abdulaziz Aldweesh whose mount, Anwar Almamlakah, was awarded the Best Horse title in the championship.
Aldweesh and Kingdom Team coach and supervisor of Alwaleed’s private stables, Najeeb Albarjas, dedicated this accomplishment to Prince Alwaleed.
Prince Alwaleed commented: “We dedicate the team’s achievement to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia...”

Read more here:
http://www.arabnews.com/news/516766

FEI announces officials for Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014

Normandy2014.com

January 28 2014

The Ground Juries, Technical Delegates, Chief Stewards, Course Designers, Appeal Committee and Medical Officer have been appointed for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA), where from 23 August to 7 September athletes from 60 nations will compete for medals in the FEI’s seven disciplines.
 
“We are now 207 days from the Opening Ceremony of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014, the world’s biggest equestrian event”, said Ingmar de Vos, FEI Secretary General.
 
“We are extremely grateful to the international officials who will be travelling from around the world to Normandy, where they will be working closely with the Organising Committee, the FEI and our athletes, upholding the key values and principles of these Games including fair play and providing the perfect stage for this seventh edition of the Games”.

Appointed FEI OFficials for endurance are:
Ground Jury President Denis Letartre (FRA) is joined by Ground Jury Members Mathilde Beaur (FRA), Elizabeth Huyghe (CHI), Ruth Carlson (CAN), Haider Zubi (JOR), John Robertson (GBR) and Ahmed Ali Al Hammadi (UAE), with Technical Delegate Elisabeth van Schelle (BRA), Course Designer Jean Louis-Leclerc (FRA) and Chief Steward Derek Liebenberg (RSA).  

See more here:
http://www.normandy2014.com/news/articles/239/fei-announces-officials-for-alltech-fei-world-equestrian-games-2014

UAE: Al Jahouri wins HH The President Cup

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Youngster sets new record as three-day endruance festivals culminates at Bou Thib Endurance Village

By Leslie Wilson JrRacing & Special 
Features Writer
Published: 22:03 January 25, 2014

Dubai Khalifa Al Jahouri brought the curtain down on three days of thrilling competition when he won the HH The President Endurance Cup for youth in record time at Bou Thib Endurance .
Al Khalifa, the son of European champion Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri, completed the grueling 120km 2* ride in a time of four hours, 14 minutes and 11 seconds.
It was the fast time ever recorded for the junior division at Bou Thib.
“I am very happy to win such a prestigious ride as the HH The President Cup,” said Al Jahouri, who was partnering the Purebred Arabian Baraka Fard...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/al-jahouri-wins-hh-the-president-cup-1.1282157

Bahrain: Huge turnout in the first day of BREEF HH Shaikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa Arabian Beauty Horse Show

BNA.bh - Full Article

25 January 2014

Manama, Jan. 25. (BNA) -- There was no sunset at Bahrain International Endurance Village yesterday, where Bahrain Equestrian and Endurance Federation (BREEF) held the sixth edition of the late HH Shaikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa Arabian Horses Beauty Show (local production), lighting up the night of the village.

The event, which witnessed huge turnout, was organised under the patronage of the Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport, President of Bahrain Olympic Committee and BREEF Honorary Chairman HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who assured that the show is an important event that the Federation is keen on organising annually...

Read more here:
http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/599395

New Zealand: New Sponsors Annouced

NZEquestrian.org.nz

13 January 2014

ESNZ Endurance Board member Barbara Avery is delighted to announce she has signed up a joint Naming Rights sponsorship for the 2014 South Island Endurance & CTR Championships.

The partnership between CopRice and Farmlands came about through the efforts of CopRice’s Lee Jamieson (CopRice - Melbourne) and Peter Brown (CRT [Farmlands] – Dunedin) last season for the Marlborough hosted event. Into their second season as joint Major Sponsors of the South Island event, Barbara is now working closely with CopRice’s New Zealand field representative Mike Drummond. Hosted by the Canterbury Endurance & Trail Riding Club at Brooksdale Station over the weekend of 8th and 9th March, the club is enthusiastically looking forward to this partnership and they appreciate the sponsorship of product and cash injection the two sponsors have committed to this event.

To give you some background on our sponsors, CopRice are a leading supplier of nutritional feeds to the companion animal and livestock sectors. For over 30 years CopRice have been manufacturing high quality feeds and use the latest equine nutritional research to formulate their range of extruded and pelleted cool horse feeds. The CopRice NutriRice horse feed range has a product balanced to suit the activity level, life-stage and stamina and energy requirements of your horse. Included within this range is NutriRice Stamina and Performance, which is an idea feed for horses in intensive aerobic work such as Endurance and CTR, eventing and polocrosse. NutriRice Stamina and Performance has a unique formulation with rice and rice bran which ensures optimum digestibility and helps to conserve stored muscle energy, delaying fatigue and enabling sustained performance.

The CopRice NutriRice range is used by top riders including Louisa Hill and the Wilson sisters, so ask at your local Farmlands store about the CopRice horse feed product that best suits the requirements of your horse. CopRice have now been involved ESNZ Endurance and the South Island Championship for three years, so if our riders can show their continued support of their products, it is hoped we can retain their faith to continue their support in the future.

Farmlands, which are currently going through a name change from CRT in the South Island and a continuation of Farmlands in the North, is a New Zealand farmer owned Co-operative Society. They started out in 1962 when a group of like-minded farmers and growers banded together to get better prices on the rural supplies they needed for their farms and orchards. They had two objectives: to supply shareholders with products and services at a lower everyday cost than they’d pay elsewhere; and to deliver shareholder returns in the long term. As a business owned by its customers, Farmlands always work hard to earn the trust and confidence of the people that do business with them, delivering an unparalleled level of rural expertise, integrity, professionalism, initiative and fairness – and of course, a complete understanding of the challenges a farmer or grower go through. From all manner of stock food supplies (including an extensive CopRice and NutriRice range of horse and dog), through to Animal Health, Chemicals, Pet Supplies, Finance, Horticulture, Fencing, Hardware, Seed, Animal Management, Apparel, Dairy, Feed Conservation, Fertilizer, Home & Leisure, Shearing, Water Management and Bulk Fuel. This one stop shop is open to the general public and as a member you can receive favourable discounts with many businesses such as Meridian and Genesis to name two.

Look at it this way, purchase your CopRice feed through Farmlands, it’s a win - win for all concerned, Barbara says.

New Elite Chef for Endurance Great Britain

Endurancegb.co.uk

Congratulations to Andrea - our new Elite Chef
14 January 2014

Endurance GB is delighted to announce that the new Chef for the Elite squad will be Andrea Baker.
A challenging year awaits Andrea with the World Endurance Championships at the end of August.

Andrea is also a level 3 UKCC coach and this should be helpful in her new role.

A new FEI ride at Downpatrick, Northern Ireland with support for Young Riders

Endurancegb.co.uk

20th January 2014
The support comes in the form of a number of £250 bursaries to help with travel costs and is available to a limited number of Young Riders entering either the International CEI YR 2* or 1* classes

GB Young Riders Travel Bursary Announced.

British entrepreneur Andy Thorne and his wife, Nicki Gilbert, who is an FEI 3* Endurance Rider have very kindly agreed to support a number of up and coming young Endurance Riders to assist them to attend the St. Patrick's Coast (FEI) Ride being run in Ireland on 26th April 2014.

The support comes in the form of a number of £250 bursaries to help with travel costs and is available to a limited number of Young Riders entering either the International CEI YR 2* or 1* classes at the St. Patrick's Coast Ride. Applicants should be in full time education and be current members of Endurance GB or an affiliate organisation and be eligible to ride for Great Britain.

Speaking from her home in Norfolk, Nicki Gilbert said, "We are delighted to help with travel costs. Our Corporate and Social responsibilities are important to us and being able to help the younger competitors compete abroad is a great way to support the future of our sport." Andy Thorne went on to say, "With a reduction in other funding channels we felt this was a great way to help both British Young Riders and what promises to be a great new FEI event on our doorstep in Northern Ireland. The experience in travelling to and competing overseas is invaluable to our Young Riders, preparing them well in their quest to represent their country at major Young Rider, and in the future, Senior events." David Cunningham, St. Patrick's Coast Ride organiser, said, "We are delighted with the support from Nicki, Andy and Kestrel Liner Agencies. Getting a new event of this standard up and running is a major task and we trust this travel bursary will make a huge difference to those Young Riders looking for international experience and that it will encourage them to travel." Nikki Boud, from the organising committee said "Encouraging Young Riders and creating a pathway for those in Ireland is one of the key reasons we are organising this major ride and the support from Kestrel facilitating GB Young Riders to also compete means a lot to us as it will ensure that Young Irish Riders are up against stiff competition whilst also offering GB Young Riders a truly international experience."

The ride takes place at Downpatrick Racecourse, Co Down on Saturday 26th April 2014. Details can be found at www.stpatrickscoast.com.

Andy left school at 16 with no qualifications and went into the Shipping business. In 1994 he opened his first Company, and rapidly became the fastest growing Liner Agency business in the UK. In 2010 his efforts and those of his colleagues were recognised when they were named in The Queen's birthday honours list for services to International trade, receiving the coveted "Queens Award for Enterprise International Trade."

In 2011 he was named as one of 10 finalists for Entrepreneur of The Year in The UK National Business Awards and named by Lloyds of London as one of the "Top 100" people in Global shipping today.

Through their charity Kisses from Kestrel Andy and his wife Nicki donate a significant amount of their annual income to charitable and good causes. More information can be found at www.kestrel.com.

Endurance GB is the national governing body of long distance horse riding within the Great Britain and more information can be found on their web site at www.endurancegb.co.uk

Full eligibility details and details on how to apply for the Travel Bursary will be available from the web site soon.
Alternatively contact the organisers on stpats@enduranceridingireland.com from more information.

Bahrain: Shaikh Faisal horse show set

Gulf-daily-news.com - Full Article

January 23, 2014

THE sixth edition of the late Shaikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa National Arabian Horse Show (Arabian horses) will kick off tomorrow at 5.30pm at the Bahrain International Endurance Village and conclude on Saturday.

Organised by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), the event is being held under the patronage of chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport, president of Bahrain Olympic Committee and Breef honorary chairman Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Supervised

It will be supervised by local and international experts in the fields of veterinary, judging and registration, including skilled professionals from Belgium, Morocco, India, Switzerland and Dominican Republic...

Read more here:
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=369277

Darley Awards Hollywood 2014

Carmel, California/ USA - September 26, 2013

"Darley Awards Hollywood 2014" as it's being called, took center stage at press conferences on both sides of the globe; first at the Abu Dhabi International Exhibition Center during the second day of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) and then Beverly Wilshire, Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.


The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival Darley Awards, which come under the auspices of the Arabian Racing Cup, is clearly recognized as the highest achievement possible for racing Arabians in the U.S. This event, along with the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards for Ladies, have been graciously hosted the last two years by the Texas Arabian Breeders' Association. Now the Awards is taking the next step in international prominence. At the press conference, Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Head of International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) Ladies Racing announced "Darley Awards Hollywood 2014".


“As a celebration of the third year of sponsorship of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival with the U.S. Arabian Racing Cup Darley Awards, the Oscars of Arabian racing will be held April 4-5, 2014, in Hollywood, California,” she said. It will partner once again with the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards, which recognizes the outstanding international women of Arabian racing.



According to Sawaya, the Awards will be given glamorous treatment over two evenings. The Darley Awards will be presented on April 4 at the Dolby Theater (formerly the Kodak Theater) in Highland Center. The Celebration Banquet will be held the following evening at Universal Studios, and the host hotel will be the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel.



Denise Gault, Chief Steward of the Arabian Racing Cup said, “We are honored to continue the partnership with the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival for our third year together. Darley Awards Hollywood 2014 promises to be a world-class event."



Please check back here on the Cup's website, www.arabianracingcup.com, for more details as they become available.



Founded in 1983 by Dr. Sam Harrison, the Arabian Racing Cup (ARC)'s Darley Awards ceremony has become the showcase of U.S. Arabian racing. In 2012, the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival and ARC joined together to promote this prestigious event. Supported by an extensive list of sponsors, the Darley Awards is under the direction of Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the Festival, and organized by Arabian Racing Cup, the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, in association with International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities, Emirates Racing Authority, Emirates Arabian Horse Society, and supported by General Authority of Youth & Sports Welfare. Emirates Airlines is the official carrier.
Contact Denise Gault, Chief Steward of the Arabian Racing Cup - 831.625.4275

Dunshaughlin girls in Dubai

Meathchronicle.ie - Full Article

21st January, 2014

Dunshaughlin girls Amy and Ellen McAuley have been based in Dubai with their father Paul for the past number of years and are now high level endurance riders in the UAE.

Last week Amy competed in the seventh HH Sheikh Mohammed Endurance Cup a CEI 160km three star event in Dubai and was with Scala Derick for the Seeh Al Salam Endurance Team based in Dubai...

Read more here:
http://www.meathchronicle.ie/sport/othersport/articles/2014/01/21/4019195-dunshaughlin-girls-in-dubai/

UAE President’s Cup endurance race launches next Thursday in Bu Theeb

Gulfnews.com

Event includes six races and a variety of heritage activities

WAM
Published: 16:47 January 19, 2014

Abu Dhabi: Under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President’s Representative and Chairman of the Club, the UAE President’s Cup Endurance Race, organised by the Emirates Heritage Club, will begin next Thursday over three days in Bu Theeb International Endurance Village.
The competition, which will held in cooperation and coordination with the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, includes six races in addition to a variety of heritage events.
The organising committee aims to encourage young people from schools and universities to learn the arts and skills of the sport of endurance racing.
The commission said the event will be accompanied by a heritage festival under the auspices of the Heritage Village, which will include performances by folk groups and a variety of pavilions.

Bahrain: Al Dossary claims endurance win

Gulf-daily-news.com - Full Article

January 19, 2014

AL RU'OOD Stables rider Ghazy Al Dossary won the Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Endurance Horseride Championship yesterday.

The event was organised by the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) and was successfully held in the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

Al Dossary clinched first place after finishing the race in four hours 49 minutes and four seconds. He competed with an average speed of 24km/h.

Al Zaeem Stables riders Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and Ali Al Ka'aby placed second and third, respectively...

Read more here:
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=369005

Bahrain: Riders set for endurance championship

Gulf-daily-news.com - Full Article

January 18, 2014

THE Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Endurance Championship flags off this morning at 7am at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

The Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) announced that the veterinary examinations for the 120-kilometre and 84km (qualifying) races were successfully completed yesterday.

The examinations were conducted by international experts and was attended by the UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum...

Read more here:
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=368958

Namibia: June Endurance clinic & FEI race with Virginie Atger

Endurance clinic & FEI race in Namibia with Virginie Atger (3rd in the World classification in 2013; French Champion in 2011, European champion in teams in 2011)

15 to 24 June 2014
10 days / 9 nights (including 2 overnight flights) with:
3/4 days endurance training/clinic with safari on horseback
Endurance race FEI 1* & 2* or NERA (Namibian Endurance Ride Association) on 21/06/2014

A unique experience combining a horseback safari observing African wildlife with a training course or an introduction to endurance riding on superb thoroughbred Arab horses.

Details: http://www.cavalngo.com/media/documents/cavalngo_endurance_clinic_fei_race_namibia_15-24_june_2014_virginie_atger.pdf
And: http://www.cavalngo.com/products/86/horseback-safari-endurance-namibia

Benefits from the training/clinic:
• The International FEI race (1* and 2*) on 22/06/2013
• The Endurance clinic coached by Virginie Atger, trainer in various countries: France, Emirates, Brazil…
• The combination of a horseback safari an endurance race
• The high quality horses, trained for endurance riding
• High quality, light weight and comfortable saddles
• The reserve’s wide range of animals: giraffes, antilopes, lions, rhinos, oryx, zebras, crocodiles, birds, baboons, lynx…
• The charming and comfortable lodge

Caval&go – Unique Horseback rides
Tel. +33 (0)9 80 32 90 42 / Email. contact@cavalandgo.com
www.cavalngo.com

 Caval&go was created by Phoebé, Virginie and Aurélie, who each share a passion for horses and travelling. 

 These three curious and adventurous young women regularly set off for trail rides in France and further afield. With an interest in developing tourism that benefits the local population, they have formed a bond with local guides, farmers and horse owners on each of their trips, who share with them their culture, their love for their religion and, of course, their love of horses.

 With this experience of travelling and meeting locals, they created their travel agency specialising in equestrian tourism, organising trail rides and personalised horse riding holidays, in 2009. With a specialised knowledge of each destination and a close relationship with each travel partner, they create original holidays allowing each person to discover the world on horseback. Having ridden since they were children, they have each developed different areas of equestrian expertise over the years and will be able to advise you according to your level of ability, your desires and your budget, in order to find the most suitable trip for you.

For more information, see the flyer

and contact
www.cavalngo.com/

FEI Plan To Clean Up Endurance Won’t Include A Change In Person Responsible

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

January 14 2014
By: Pippa Cuckson

Andrew Finding, chairman of the Endurance Strategic Planning Group, has said there’s no intention to change the status of rider as the principal “person responsible” in doping and other disciplinary matters, as confusion has emerged ahead of the endurance conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Feb. 9.

Concern that trainers could be slated in preference to the rider is a strong theme of responses, circulated last week, to the ESPG’s drastic proposals to clean up endurance in the Middle East. Most consultees would oppose any such move, which was favored by ESPG member Saeed Al Tayer, a senior employee of Sheikh Mohammed, during his presentation at the Fédération Equestre Internationale Generaly Assembly in Montreux, Switzerland, in November.

Many feel that making the trainer the PR would disadvantage the amateur sport in the rest of the world while reflecting circumstances that are unique to the Middle East. There, horses are trained out of large professional barns and mostly allocated to riders “on the day” who could hypothetically then be excused from doping violations...

Read more here:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/fei-plan-clean-endurance-won%E2%80%99t-include-change-person-responsible

Pressure mounts on FEI over endurance racing abuses in Middle East

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article

Leading equestrian nations increase pressure on the International Equestrian Federation to act over the abuse of horses in endurance racing in the Middle East

By Pippa Cuckson
14 Jan 2014

Leading equestrian nations have increased pressure on the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to act over the abuse of horses in endurance racing in the Middle East.

One senior figure has even called for endurance racing in the Middle East to be disowned by the FEI, while the national governing body of the sport in America is considering banning FEI competitions being hosted alongside national events – a common practice worldwide – if the crisis is not addressed this season.

Last summer, Princess Haya, president of the FEI, convened the Endurance Strategic Planning Group in response to mounting global outrage about doping and the number of horses suffering fatal or serious injuries. Endurance stables in the Middle East, particularly those owned by the world’s most powerful racehorse owner Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, were at the centre of horse-doping and injury scandals...

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/equestrianism/10572626/Pressure-mounts-on-FEI-over-endurance-racing-abuses-in-Middle-East.html#disqus_thread

Horse racing-Godolphin door permanently shut for tainted trainer

Sports.yahoo.com - Full Article

Reuters
January 13, 2014

DUBAI, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Godolphin's former trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni, banned last year following a doping scandal, will not handle the horses again, Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum has said.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) banned Zarooni for eight years after finding him guilty of administering anabolic steroids at his stables in Newmarket last year.

"I was shocked, really," Godolphin owner Sheikh Mohammed...

Read more here:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/horse-racing-godolphin-door-permanently-shut-tainted-trainer-095949433--rah.html

UAE: Rashid Dalmook wins Shaikh Mohammad Endurance Cup

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Leads clean sweep of the top three places by riders representing the MRM Stables

By Leslie Wilson Jr
Racing & Special Features Writer
Published: 15:10 January 11, 2014

Dubai: Shaikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum rode a tactically superior final leg to capture the prestigious HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup CEI 3* and lead a clean sweep of the top three places by the MRM stables on Saturday.
Heading out of the final veterinary gate in sixth position, and just 14 second ahead of teammate Saif Ahmad Al Mazroui, Shaikh Rashid made good progress aboard his mount Aghaab to move into contention midway through the 20km loop before delivering a strong finish to edge out Al Mazroui at the line.

Only three seconds separated the top pair with Shaikh Rashid clocking an impressive 6 hours 22.44 minutes...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/rashid-dalmook-wins-shaikh-mohammad-endurance-cup-1.1276444

Australia: Wagin to host Quilty Cup

Farmweekly.com.au - Full Article

AMANDA RAYNER
12 Jan, 2014

WAGIN is set to host the 2014 Tom Quilty Gold Cup 100 mile endurance ride on October 3, 4 and 5.
The Tom Quilty ride is the premier event on the national endurance ride calendar and the one event that every endurance rider wants to compete in.

Riders leave with pitched excitement at midnight on Friday night, trying to complete the gruelling course before midnight on Saturday.

It is a test for both the horse and rider against the terrain and the elements.

Horses are vetted stringently pre-ride and along the way at various checkpoints and then at the end of the ride.

If all vet criteria is met the horse and rider are deemed 'fit to continue' and ultimately receive the coveted silver buckle for completion.

In 1966 RM Williams organised the first 100 mile (160km) endurance ride in Australia...

Read more here:
http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/rural-lifestyle/general-news/wagin-to-host-quilty-cup/2683846.aspx

FEI Endurance Rules Changes in Effect in 9th Edition, 2014

10 January 2014

A few changes were made to the FEI Endurance Rules, which took effect January 1 2014. The changes are as follows:

801 THE COURSE/*Field of Play:
801.8
The finish must be long and wide enough to enable several horses to finish at speed without interfering with each other , and must provide sufficient run - out to allow Athletes to safely come to a stop after crossing the finishing line in any potential sprint or gallop. It must be situated as close to the Vet Gate as possible.

1. The ‘field of play’ is defined as; the defined course (loops or phases), the defined crewing areas on course or within the vet gate, the vet examination area and the hold area at or within the vet gate. For Championships, there will be restricted access to the field of play as defined in the schedule.

2. The maximum number of grooms allowed within the vet gate will be 5 per horse to take into account availability of space or too ensure that the horse is allowed sufficient space to rest. A ccess to the vet gate and the vet gate examination area may be restricted by the Organiser under advice from the FEI Technical Delegate. Such restrictions must be clearly shown in the FEI approved schedule.

3. All horses must remain at all times clearly under observation of FEI Veterinary Officials, Ground Jury and Stewards.

815.3 Mandatory Rest for Horses:
815.3.1
After competing in a CEI events, a horse must be given a mandatory minimum rest period, as defined, before it is again eligible to participate in a National or FEI competition (Rest Period commences at Midnight on the day that the ride
finishes as denoted by the maximum ride time allowed and finishes at Midnight, the day before published ride start time):
Distance completed
start – 40 km - 5 days (retirement only)
start – 80 km - 12 days
Over 80 – 120 km - 19 days
Over 120 km-140 km - 26 days
Over 140 Km - 33 days


817.4 Teams and Individuals

817.4.1
Teams: If an NF starts three or more combinations all results are available to establish their Team result and are also eligible for individual classification and placing/awards. Only the highest placed three members shall count as the Team for classification and to receive a team medal.
Should any combination whose result was available to count towards Team Classification, subsequently fail an FEI sampling procedure which results in the loss of that individual’s result(s) within the event, the classification of that entire team will become null and void.
Such loss of Team classification will not affect the individual classification of the other members of that team.

825,4 CEI 1 & 2 Star Endurance Events
Where a Foreign FEI Official is required within the terms of Art. 825, such Foreign Official cannot be resident in the same country or time zone in which the event is taking place.

See the complete 2014 9th Edition FEI Endurance Rules here:
Clean version: http://www.horsesport.org/sites/default/files/Endurance_Rules-2014-clean_11Nov2013.pdf
Mark-up version: http://www.horsesport.org/sites/default/files/Endurance_Rules-2014-markup_11Nov2013_0.pdf

Year-End Endurance Videos from Endurance-belgium.com

January 10 2014

Leonard Liesens has created three new slide-show videos reviewing Endurance-belgium's last few endurance riding seasons:
Tribute to the Endurance Horse
Endurance Eldorado - Heaven or Hell
Endurance Riding and Amazones.

Liesens and Caroll Gatelier supplied the photographs that compose the slideshows from events in France, China, Russia, Italy (European Championship at Assissi), Czech Republic (European Championship at Most), Lexington, Kentucky (World Endurance Championship), Euston, UK (Workd Endurance Championship), and Idaho.

UAE: Dubai endurance race draws top horsemen

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup includes strong UAE contingent

By Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Features WriterPublished: 12:31 January 9, 2014

Dubai: Some of the UAE’s best endurance riders will face strong opposition from a high-quality field of international horsemen as they vie for honours in the HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup presented by Longines this weekend.

The seventh running of the 160-km CEI 3-star event is one of the highlights of the Dubai Equestrian Club (DEC) endurance calendar and traditionally attracts some of the best endurance riders in the world.

Organised and hosted by the DEC at the purpose-built Dubai International Endurance City course next to the Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa, the ride will be flagged off at 7am on Saturday...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/dubai-endurance-race-draws-top-horsemen-1.1275723

Journalist recognised for coverage of endurance scandal

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

By Horsetalk.co.nz on Jan 07, 2014

British journalist Pippa Cuckson has received an award for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism for her reporting of the scandal surrounding endurance in the Middle East.

The award was announced by the International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists...

Read more here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/01/07/journalist-recognised-coverage-endurance-scandal/#.Us16xmRDtLU

Malaysia: Azizatul back at the top

NST.com.my - Full Article

7 January 2014
By ZAINUDDIN MUHAMMAD | nstsport@nst.com.my

MOMENT TO CHERISH: She is set to be named 'World Rider of the Year'

SHE'S done it again! Azizatul Asma Abdullah is the world's highest ranked youth endurance rider again despite slipping to fourth place in the world ranking just over two months ago.

Even better, the 17-year-old Kuala Terengganu born is set to be declared 'World Rider Of The Year', a first for a Malaysian endurance rider.

Back in September, Azizatul made history by becoming the first Malaysian youth to be ranked first in the world but she slid down to fourth after missing a few races to prepare for her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination...

Read more here:
http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/equestrian-azizatul-back-at-the-top-1.456634

Oman: Vets Leave Nothing to Chance as Endurance Race Season Enters Second Half

Muscatdaily.com - Full Article

Muscat Daily staff writer
January 06, 2014

MUSCAT -

With the 2013-14 endurance races now midway in their season, the schedule for the horses, their riders, keepers and also veterinarians is busy.

How the horses perform, depends a lot on their training. Vets and trainers leave no stone unturned to see that the horses get the best of food and training for these races. As per the events calendar, five races were held last year and four more are slated this year, with the first race of 2014 on January 17 at Barka village.

Dr K P Nisar, veterinary surgeon associated with training of horses at the Ministry of Sports Affairs’ Oman Equestrian Federation, said the horses are made to follow a strict training schedule. Many precautions need to be taken and vets are constantly checking on their fitness.

“This is the time when the horses are ready to entertain viewers with a display of their talent. They also need to be healthy and fit,” he said.

Vets keep a close watch on the diet. For a horse to excel, its diet should have potassium and sodium salts in the right amount. Intravenous fluids give them the energy for long runs. There are blood tests every two weeks, Dr Nisar said...

Read more here:
http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Oman/Vets-leaving-nothing-to-chance-as-endurance-race-season-enters-second-half-2u03

IAEJ Announce Winner Of 2013 Bureau Award: Pippa Cuckson (GBR) for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism

Equijournalists.com

The International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists (IAEJ) has announced today that British journalist Pippa Cuckson has been awarded the 2013 Bureau Award, which is decided by members of the IAEJ Bureau. Cuckson has long been a credit to her profession but it is her intrepid reporting of the scandal surrounding the endurance sport in the Middle East for which the Bureau wishes to recognize her with the award for 2013.

Established in 2012, the award was created to honor members of the equestrian community for outstanding contributions to the industry. George H Morris was the inaugural recipient.

Cuckson has boundless enthusiasm for getting to the heart of the matter while always adhering to the principles of journalism. Having started out in newspapers, she spent 20 years on the editorial team at Horse & Hound, latterly as deputy editor. Following a seven year break working in the racing industry, Cuckson resumed journalism as a freelance in 2009, contributing regularly to The Daily Telegraph, H&H, Horse Sport International and Chronicle of the Horse. She is also a frequent contributor to Country Life writing on a range of topics, notably classical music and renewable energy, the latter for which she was recently presented with a journalism award by leading UK political weekly, The Spectator.

Cuckson’s concern about the high rate of horse fatalities, injuries and doping cases in Middle East Endurance, goes back to the late 1990s, when she was deputy editor of Horse & Hound. In April 2012 she attended the endurance debate at the FEI open forum and made the salutary discovery that things had become significantly worse in the last decade. She reported the debate in a number of publications but then began to dig deeper. “Largely though, I was unable to interest anyone in stories about it, firstly because of the distraction of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and also the reluctance, fear even, of critics to go on the record,” says Cuckson. “This is still a factor now. A number of key stories circulating on the internet still have not had the proper scrutiny they deserve in mainstream publications.”

Finally, a window of opportunity came in April 2013 with the doping scandal at Godolphin.

“A number of racing media were looking for connections between Sheikh Mohammed’s racing and endurance operations, because his disgraced Godolphin trainer, Al Zarooni, had previously worked in an endurance stable run by trainer Mubarak Bin Shafya who is well known to the FEI Tribunal,” explains Cuckson. “I then spent four solid days reading every single FEI Tribunal report involving the UAE, and tortuously tracking who owned the horses through the FEI database and national federation website. The sheer weight of doping cases from stables owned by Sheikh Mohammed or other members of his immediate family was astonishing.”

Timing is everything. Just as Cuckson was coming to grips with the enormity of the problem and the implications for horse welfare, the Belgian and Swiss Federations were intensifying their lobbying of the FEI. “I wrote a piece for the Daily Telegraph pulling the various strands together and it has snowballed from there.”

Cuckson does not view her commitment to this issue as a crusade.

“I am just doing what any news reporter ought to be doing, because this issue provides a snapshot of the two issues that will ultimately destroy equestrian sport as we know it – our responsibilities to horses when we use them as a piece of sporting machinery; and how the moral compass of stakeholders seizes up when they get a sniff of big money.”

Cuckson will be presented with the award at the IAEJ General Meeting during 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.

UAE: Hamad guides Loca Linda to victory in Endurance Cup

Khaleejtimes.com - Full Article

Hisham Al Gizouli / 5 January 2014
Shaikh Mansour and Shaikh Hazza attended the races

Hamad Obaid Rashed Al Kaabi partnered his eight-year-old crossbred mare Loca Linda to victory in the CEN 100km Al Ettihad Endurance Cup For Private Owners Only (UAE) at the Emirates Endurance Village here on Saturday. The winner covered the distance in 3 hours 34 minutes and 40 seconds at an average speed of 27.950km/ hour to cross the finish line two minutes ahead of Uruguayan contender Jaonatan Rivera Iriarte on board nine-year-old Part Arab mare HC Golden Queen. Yousif Mohammed Hassan Al Hammadi, astride Arabian gelding Sangha Fageole, was a minute away back in third.

Meanwhile, 84 riders from UAE and elsewhere started the race under ideal winter weather conditions, but only less than half of the field (34 riders) have completed the race or passed the final vet test...

Read more here:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/sport/inside_sport.asp?xfile=/data/nationsports/2014/January/nationsports_January25.xml§ion=nationsports

UAE: Endurance Festival in Portugal

Khaleejtimes.com - Full Article

Hisham Al Gizouli / 4 January 2014

Shaikh Mansour show will be held over three days in April which will see 15 UAE riders take part.

The Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Festival will be held over three days at Frontiera in the neighborhoods of the Portuguese capital Lisbon from April 25 to 27, 0214, it was unveiled on Friday.

The event will be held under the directives of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

“The festival will host four different rides including a 160km (3 stars), 120km (2 stars open), 120km (1 star open for junior and youth riders) and 80km Qualifier,” said Lara Sawaya, director of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, chairman of Ladies Racing Committee in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) and president of the Higher Organising Committee of the Endurance Festival...

Read more here:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/sport/inside_sport.asp?xfile=/data/nationsports/2014/January/nationsports_January20.xml§ion=nationsports

Bahrain: BREEF organises Shaikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa National Arabian Horse Show 2014

BNA.bh

2 January 2014

Manama, Jan. 2. (BNA) Following directives from the Honorary President of the Bahraini Royal Equestrians and Endurance Federation (BREEF) Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the late Shaikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa National Arabian Horse Show (Local Produce) will be held on January 15 and 16 at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

Royal Endurance Team manager Dr. Khalid Ahmed Hassan affirmed the importance of consolidating efforts in order to organise the tournament in an outstanding way, worthy of its precious name and in order to implement the directives of Shaikh Nasser in this regard, pointing out that BREEF has already started taking the necessary steps to equip the site to establish the tournament as required and invite the stables to participate in the tournament.

Dr. Khalid asserted that the committee will spare no effort to put in place all requirements of the success of the tournament, which commemorates the late Sheikh Faisal who was a lover of horses and constantly participated in BREEF’s events.

He noted that BREEF, led by Shaikh Faisal bin Rashid Al Khalifa, will ensure the success of the tournament so as to promote the endurance sport, one of the kingdom's deep-rooted sports.


BREEF urged participants to fill in the forms on its website (http://www.equestrianbahrain.com/show.php?id) or obtain additional information through its Instagram account (BAHRAINNF).