Saud Jaber pilots Bahar to win in Endurance Ride

Winners of the First Endurance Ride of the 2005-06 season, seen with HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman, Qatar Endurance Committee, and HE Dr Sultan bin Hasan Al Dosari, Minister of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture.



DOHA: Saud Jaber Al Saaq rode his Anglo-Arab horse Bahar to a superb victory in the first Endurance Ride of the 2005-06 season in Mesaieed on Saturday night.

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman, Qatar Endurance Committee, and HE Dr Sultan bin Hasan Al Dosari, Minister of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture, under whose patronage the First Ride was held, attended the race.

The 100km race was held at the Sealine area in four stages ? the first two restricted to 30km each and the last two to 20km each with an optional pause of 20 minutes between the legs. The race carried a total prize money of QR 300,000.

Hadi Nasser Al Ramazani piloted his Pure-Arabian chestnut Akh Tut to the second place while Hassan Salman Ridah rode Bashan Silver Shadow to the third place.

The 80km ride for youth was won by Khalid Mohammed Al Ali, who rode Bahij to victory and was followed by Mohammed Harban Al Mass on Vakil Ibn Nefous. Mansoor Khalil Al Mansoori, on Mesafir Al Shaqab, finished third.

The Qatar Endurance Committee will be conducting the following five major races (with prize money in bracket) in the coming months:

Open Race on Dec. 3: 120km (QR350,000); 100km for youth (QR170,000), 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

Open Race on Jan. 7: 100km (300,000); 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

GCC Endurance Championship on Jan 28: 120km (QR500,000), 100km for youth (QR200,000).

Qatar International Endurance Race on Feb 26: 120km (QR500,000), 100km for youth (QR300,000).

Local Endurance, March 17 and 18: 160km (QR450,000).

Portable stables boost for BREEF

FIFTY portable stables arrived from Dubai as a supportive gesture for the 120-km World Endurance Championship for Juniors and Youth to be held in Bahrain commencing on December 15.

This was announced by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation second vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa after the organising committee meeting at the National Stadium's conference hall.

Shaikh Khalid said the stables were sent by Dubai's Endurance Office and delivered at the Endurance Village premises in Sakhir where the event will take place.

Shaikh Khalid said the committee confirmed the schedule of the opening ceremony which includes a song by popular singer Rashid Al Majid, fireworks and an open local market.

The committee also approved the accommodations for the judges, technicians, veterinarians, media and other invited guests following a report submitted by accommodation and transportation committee head Abduljalil Assad.

The event will be held over four days with the race scheduled on December 17 and will be divided into five stages.

The meeting was also attended by tournament director Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa and members Shaikh Mohammed bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Tawfeeq Salehi, Dr Khalid Ahmed, Rashid Al Shaikh, Aref Al Mansoori, Mahmood Bodrees, Fahad Al Rumaihi, Mahmood Abdulsaheb and Hana Al Askari.

Endurance ride hosted by MAU

By Randy Wilson/Special to the Mercury-Register

The Lake Oroville Mounted Assistance Unit (MAU) staged another successful Lake Oroville Vista Endurance (L.O.V.E.) ride on November 5, with 143 horseback riders from all over the state, also including some from as far north as Oregon and Canada, who began either an early morning 30- mile or a 50-mile trek around and through the foothills above Lake Oroville and back again.

Originally we were told there were 72 50-milers and 50 30-milers. Chairwoman Kathy Papa and her able crew of 120 volunteers and committee persons ensured the event went well and safely for all involved, after which a barbecued dinner was served before prizes were awarded.




Pictured are only a few of the committee, including Alyssa Agee (11 years old), Casey Jones, Tina Sorenson, Kathy Papa, Nancy Weinzinger and Jill Farris. Mother Nature was very kind in giving everyone pleasant and clear weather, just two days before her rains fell. As a result, many enthusiastically told us they would be sure to return next year.

Twenty eight of the 120 volunteers were from the Auburn area and were operating portable radios for rider safety. Oroville's Dr. Roy Shannon organized the pulse and respiration services, as well as supplying the catered food offered at the halfway point at the Loafer Creek Horse Camp. And Raley's Market came up with apples and carrots for the horses to enjoy.

For the fifty milers, Kassandra DiMaggio of Greenville, riding Buck Mt. Wind Prince had the winning time, and Michaela Anderson (12) of Oroville, atop CRM Xpressions was the leading junior rider. Kathie Perry on ARR Heartbreak won for Best Conditioned Horse.

Deanna Guinasso of Redding, riding RGK Flashfire, had the best time for the 30-mile competition, and Colton Deaver (11), also of Redding, and riding Kceko, was the best junior entrant. Renie Burnett won for Best Conditioned Horse, and Cathy Kneupef of Alturas took the Good Samaritan Award.

The awards for youngest riders went to seven-year-old cousins Mariah Lynch of Chico and Tristan Barger of Anderson. We didn't witness any awards for oldest entrants, although some appeared to be seasoned veterans.

US: Top junior endurance rider

In for the long haul
Simpsonville teen is nation's top junior endurance rider
By Missy Baxter
Special to The Courier-Journal

Aunna Lisa Wood and Miss Pepper Ann rode a trail near Henryville, Ind. (Photos by David R. Lutman, The Courier-Journal)

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Aunna Lisa Wood will turn 16 in February. Unlike most teens, though, she's not very concerned about when she will get her driver's license and a car.

"Mom says if the gas prices keep going up, I might just have to ride my pony to school," said Aunna Lisa, a sophomore at Cornerstone Christian Academy.

"I tell her that I wouldn't mind that at all. My school is in Shelbyville, but I know we could make it."

The 16-mile jaunt to school would be a breeze for Aunna Lisa and her prized pony, Miss Pepper Ann
[More ...]

Endurance horse racing: when to finish is to win

Nov 02 2005

Golden's Cindy Penno has owned, trained and shown horses for a number of years. But nothing in her previous experiences quite prepared her for her latest venture.
Penno, along with local veterinarian Michael Peterson, is coming off a season where they became heavily involved in the relatively obscure sport of endurance riding.
Endurance riding, as defined by the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), is an athletic event with the same horse and rider covering a measured course within a specified maximum time.
Penno says she and Peterson became interested last spring after he received a memo from the Endurance Ride B.C. (ERBC) group in Kelowna, regarding a clinic they were putting on to encourage more veterinarians to participate in the sport.
"Because he [Peterson] was interested in continuing education, and we both have a similar interest in horses, we thought: 'What the heck - let's go down there'," says Penno.
It was the start of a busy season that saw both attend a host of competitive events throughout B.C.
In total, Penno says she logged 112 competitive miles of rides during four events - her first one in Summerland last May.
Penno used two of her horses during the season but recently purchased another that she will ride for the next one.
Her new horse, Ali, is a nine-year-old Arabian gelding - an experienced endurance horse with 960 competitive miles already under his saddle.
Peterson became a valuable contributor to ERBC events and ended up working five of the eight B.C. races. He recently returned from a prestigious endurance race event in Boise, Idaho where he served as head veterinarian.
"The motto in the sport is: 'To finish is to win'," says Penno. "The horse needs to be fit to continue and that is the biggest challenge - doing the race with a horse that is sound and healthy and has energy left to go."
Penno explained that races vary in length from 25 to 100 miles and that there are a variety of ways the track can be set up. "Most of the rides I've been on have been done in what they call 'loops'," she says. "You are given a map and you follow these marked trails."
As the sport does demand a lot from both rider and horse, the main focus is on the well-being of the animals. "It is not on the rider, it's totally on the horse," says Penno.
She explains that the horses are stopped throughout a race and given a thorough check-up by the attending veterinarian before being allowed to continue. The number of stops is dictated by the length of the race.
Penno is now looking forward to next season and conquering many miles with her new competitive horse - the aptly-named Ali.
richard mackenzie
Star Reporter

So Easy For Champion Philip

Wednesday 2nd November 2005

Ulster rider Philip Giles from Donaghadee recently won the title Irish National Endurance Champion on his 2* horse Bridgewater Vicki, beating last year's winner by over 10 minutes.

Terri Moore from Wicklow defending her title riding Galeshill Boffin, made a sustained and valiant attempt but was unable to meet the challenge set by Philip on the last 10 miles stage of the race and had to settle for second place.

The riders set out from Tullybrannigan at 8am and headed up into Tollymore Forest. After completing around eight miles around the forest tracks they headed across country over fields, tracks and bridle paths for Castlewellan Forest, returning to Tollymore and Tullybrannigan having completed the first 25 miles of the 50 miles race at a steady pace of just over 16k per hour.

Philip was first to call time for the vet in just over three minutes from arrival, his horse vetting successfully with heart rates, well below the maximum 64bpm, a theme set to continue throughout the day. The second loop took the riders in the opposite direction down around Donard Wood across to Tollymore and back to Tullybrannigan, a distance of approximately 15 miles. The riders still only minutes apart remained in sight of each other throughout this loop returning to the venue together.

Once again the speed of vetting gained Philip those extra precious minutes allowing him to set his challenge in the final loop. At the second vet gate the horses were rested for 30 minutes before a compulsory veterinary representation and departure on their final leg of the race. Philip was off first with a four minute lead over Terri. He cantered up the steep incline out of the venue towards Tollymore Forest just taking time to glance over his shoulder before disappearing out of sight and setting a blistering pace of over 19kph, returning to the finish line from Tipperary Wood just 50 minutes later and putting another six minutes between himself and second place.

Terri immediately rose to the challenge and was unrelenting in her effort to catch him right to the line but unfortunately for her was unable to make any impression on his lead. Third place went to another young rider George Finlay also from Co Wicklow who had been a contender for the title earlier in the day during the first two stages of the race but was unable to keep up the momentum on the final stage. Philip has had a very successful 2005 season crossing the line in first position on three occasions and twice in second out of six starts. However, his season is not yet over as later this year Philip will be representing Ireland at the Young Rider World Championships in Bahrain on 1December 17, and is now concentrating his efforts on the final preparations of his 3* horse Millers Light.

Six major endurance races to be held in the 2005-06 season

Six major endurance races to be held in the 2005-06 season
Web posted at: 10/31/2005 7:56:6
Source ::: The Peninsula
photo: HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani

DOHA: The Qatar Endurance Committee, under the chairmanship of HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, has approved the 2005-06 calendar. In the new season, six major races will be held at the Endurance Village in Sealine, Mesaieed.

The races are planned in such a way that even the seniors and juniors get opportunities to show their talent.

Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki, director of the endurance committee, said the highlight of the season will be the Qatar International Endurance Race to be held on February 26, 2006.

?We are ready for the new season. I am sure we will see exciting contests in the new season also. Horse racing is a passion with people in Qatar and there?s never a dull moment when the horse racing season starts,? Al Malki told reporters yesterday.

?We hope the new season will be a memorable one for all those concerned with endurance races.?

The GCC Endurance Championship will also be a big event and will be held on January 28.

For a long period of time, some of the world?s best horses and riders have seen in action in various events staged in Qatar.

The following are the six major races with prize money in bracket:

Open Race on Nov. 12: 100km (QR 300,000); 80km for youth (QR150,000); 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

Open Race on Dec. 3: 120km (QR350,000); 100km for youth (QR170,000), 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

Open Race on Jan. 7: 100km (300,000); 60km for juniors (QR5,000).

GCC Endurance Championship on Jan 28: 120km (QR500,000), 100km for youth (QR200,000).

Qatar International Endurance Race on Feb 26: 120km (QR500,000), 100km for youth (QR300,000).

Local Endurance, March 17 and 18: 160km (QR450,000).