2005 FEI EUROPEAN ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP IN GREAT BRITAIN CANCELLED

The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) today announced that the Organising
Committee of the European Endurance Championships, due to take place on 6
August 2005 in Stourhead House, Wiltshire (GBR) had taken the decision to
cancel the event to be held in August.

The OC commented as follows ?The level of total funds available had not
reached initial expectations, requiring the OC to take action now?. John
Hudson, a member of the Organising Committee went on to say, ?The Organising
Committee wishes to express it?s thanks to the BEF and the FEI for their
support during this difficult time for everyone, and especially wish to
thank the many Endurance GB members, friends and other volunteers who have
given up many days of time and effort to help in this venture?.

The FEI has found a potential replacement to ensure the Championship will
still take place and is in contact with the OC and the NF concerned to
finalise arrangements at this time.

Details of the rescheduled Championship will be announced shortly and all
National Federations advised accordingly.

Abdulla grabs seniors crown

QATARI rider Abdulla Al Mirri clinched the seniors race and Shaikh Saqer bin Khalid Al Khalifa the juniors title in the season-ending Endurance Horseride Championship at the Endurance Village premises in Sakhir.

His Majesty Shaikh Hamad witnessed a section of the race and hailed Bahrain efforts in hosting such top-level endurance races.

Abdulla clocked four hours, 37 minutes and 14 seconds in the four-stage event over 100 competitors. More than 45 riders from Bahrain and other GCC countries took part in this race.

Saleh Al Katheer (4:43:36) of Saudi Arabia was second and Qatar's Ahmed Al Malki (3:33:59) third.

Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation's (Breef) first vice-president and Al Khaldiya team leader Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa finished sixth.

Breef president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa pulled out of the race after the second stage when his horse Free Lance failed to pass the veterinary examination.

A total of 28 riders took part in the five-stage 120-km juniors race which was won by Shaikh Saqer of Ahmed Al Fateh Stable. He finished the race in six hours, 23 minutes and 35 seconds. Shaikh Saqer was followed by Mohammed Al Thawadi (6:44:50) of Al Asayel Stable in second place and Khalid Al Attiya (7:04:31) of Qatar was third.

Endurance riders set for challenge

RIDERS from Bahrain and the GCC are set for today's season-ending Endurance Horseride Championship starting at 5am at the Endurance Village premises in Sakhir.

Organised by the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), the event consists of races for seniors and juniors which are over 100 km and 120 km respectively.

Breef president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa will lead the riders in the seniors event which consists of four stages while one more stage was included for the juniors race.


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FEI ENDURANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP- FEI JUDICIAL COMMITTEE DISMISSES POSITIVE MEDICATION CASE OF GOLD MEDALLIST

On 28 April 2005, the FEI Judicial Committee decided the positive medication
case concerning the horse Hachim and rider HH Sheik Hazza Bin Sultan Bin
Zayed Al Nahyan (UAE), who won the gold medal of the World Endurance
Championship in Dubai last January.

Analysis of the urine sample taken from Hachim, conducted by the associate
Laboratory of the FEI Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Equine
Forensic Unit (UAE), revealed the presence of Methylprednisolone, which is a
prohibited substance according to FEI Rules.

A confirmatory analysis was requested by the Person Responsible (PR) and was
performed by the FEI approved central laboratory, Laboratoire des Courses
Hippiques, France, on 24 March 2005. This analysis confirmed the presence of
Methylprednisolone.

However the PR was not duly informed of the date and place of the
confirmatory analysis (B Sample) and was therefore unable to send a
witnessing analyst to the laboratory, despite having requested the
opportunity to be represented.

While noting the existence of two positive results, the Judicial Committee
nevertheless decided that the fact that the PR did not have the opportunity
to have a witness present at the confirmatory analysis compromised his
rights to such an extent that the results had to be disregarded. The
Judicial Committee cited several relevant decisions of the Court of
Arbitration for Sport in reaching its ruling, which terminates the
proceedings.

Consequently, the results of the FEI World Endurance Championship remain
unchanged as published on the FEI website. The FEI Secretariat will ensure
that HH Sheik Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan will receive the Gold
medal and all relevant prizes won by him. The Judicial Committee is not
ordering a new Official Award Ceremony to be held.

Note to the editor:
Hachim, ridden by HH Sheik Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (UAE) won
the FEI World Endurance Championship held in Dubai on 27 January 2005.

Metylprednisolone is an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid acting on the
locomotor system and is graded 3 by the Medication Sub-Committee of the FEI.
Under the FEI grading system, a substance is graded ?1? if it has a relative
high potential to affect the performance of the horse and is grade ?5? if it
has a relative low potential to affect the performance of the horse.

The Official Award Ceremony by the Organising Committee, who did not invite
HH Sheik Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to receive his gold medal, is
the subject of a separate inquiry and may be examined by the Judicial
Committee at a later stage.

The list of prohibited substances for horses is published on the FEI website
www.horsesport.org section veterinary ? medication control. The FEI complete
legal procedure for positive medication cases is published in the section
legal ? legal procedure.

The full decision will be published today on the FEI website section
Legal/Judicial Committee

Shaikh Mohammed?s horses triumph in tough Australia Ride

DUBAI ? The spectators were treated to a spectacular racing finish as a trio of Australia?s leading riders galloped to the finish in an endurance ride in Australia recently.


The gutsy little stallion Al Mahzoz, owned by General Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, ridden and trained by Meg Wade, produced a brilliant burst of speed to win by a head.

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Team USA Takes Silver Medal At 2005 Pan American Endurance Championships

It was a Silver-medal performance for Team USA at the 2005 Pan American Senior Team Championships on Friday, April 15, in the host city of Pinamar, Argentina. Battling against the U.S. athletes for a spot on the medals stand were two South American nations ? Uruguay (Gold) and Brazil (Bronze). Fifty-four combinations started the ride with 29 completing the full distance of 100 miles. The ride was held under ideal conditions, which made for a competitive race.

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2005PAC: VetIn - TrotOut Images

Competitors present their horses at the 2005 Pan American Endurance Championship to run tomorrow in Pinamar Argentina! 60 Senior and 37 Young Riders will challenge each other and the trail in the sands of Pinamar. The ride starts at 4am! Full coverage will be provided on EnduranceNet at: www.endurance.net/2005pac.


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