Huge field for Emirates Endurance Ride tod

By A Correspondent

9 March 2006


DUBAI ? Over 80 riders have confirmed their participation for the Emirates Challenge endurance ride to be held at the Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, on Thursday, March 9, 2006.

The CEI 3-star, 120-km Emirates Challenge ride will be run in five stages of 32 km, 30 km, 24 km, 18 km and 16 km respectively. It will feature horses aged six and above and the ride is scheduled to start at 6am.

Some of the contenders taking part in the ride include Shaikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Shaikh Abdul Aziz bin Faisal Al Qassimi, Shaikh Abdullah bin Faisal Al Qassimi, Jaber Bittar, Jesus Manuel Berna, Yousef Ahmed Al Bloushi, Omair Hussain Abdullah Al Bloushi, Ahmed Hassan Ahmed Al Hammadi, Khalid Abdul Rahim Al Hammadi, Khalifa Ahmed Atiq Al Marri, Khalifa Matar Mohammed Al Neyadi, Abdullah Saeed bin Huzaim, Abdullah Thani Ahmed Al Dalali, Layla Abdul Aziz Al Redha, Salem Rasahid bin Ghadeyar, Mubarak Khalifa bin Shafya, Ali Mohammed Al Muhairi, Thani Mohammed Al Muhairi, Hassan bin Ali and Sultan Ahmed Al Bloushi.

As is the case during all the endurance rides in the UAE, whips, spurs and long reins are not permitted during the ride.

The riders have been requested that they make sure that their horses are sufficiently warmed-up before being taken inside the vet gate. No more than two persons and the rider will be permitted to accompany a horse inside the vet gate at any time.

The riders have also been instructed that they must wear hard type riding helmets and shoes with heels.

It is also forbidden to give water or any other kind of assistance from inside a car. Any horse that is retired after the start must be shown to an official Ride Veterinarian before it leaves and venue. Furthermore, crewing of horses is not permitted in the entrances or inside the vet gate. All the participants have been requested by the Federation to follow these rules to make the rides smooth and trouble-free.

In the Emirates Challenge ride, The Best Condition Competition is restricted to the first ten horses that cross the finish line.

Asian equestrian panel meet in Abu Dhabi

By A Correspondent

7 March 2006


ABU DHABI ? A three-member committee from the Asia Equestrian Federation held a meeting in Abu Dhabi on Sunday with the officials of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation and discussed equestrian activities during the forthcoming 15th Asia Games, scheduled to be held in Doha, from December 1 to 15. Hussein Mohammed Hussein, secretary-general of the UAE Federation, chaired the meeting.

The members of the Asian Federation included II-Hong Kim, secretary-general of the Asian Equestrian Federation, Won-Oh Park, secretary-general of the Korean Federation and Mehdi Nikooee, chairman of the R&R Committee and also council member.

The meeting discussed at length the problems faced by some of the Asian Federations willing to participate in the Doha competitions due to the exorbitant costs of transportation of horses from the Asian countries via Europe and then to Doha. In lieu of this, the Asian Federation members suggested Dubai could be considered as the intermediary place from where the horses could be sent to Doha.

Hussein Mohammed Hussein expressed UAE?s readiness to provide all possible facilities to make this event a success. Hussein requested that the suggestion should be put forward in the meeting of the Organising Committee in Doha. A joint technical meeting attended by both the parties could follow this to discuss the other procedures. He also requested for a list of the participating countries to be submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in the UAE to make sure that those countries maintained the quarantine procedures in accordance with the UAE regulations. Hong Kim explained that they were working on appointing endurance technical committees. He said since endurance was not very popular in the East Asian countries and that the Asian Federation did not have sufficient experience in selecting the ride officials, the FEI had prepared a list of officials. The FEI recommended that the list be presented to Hussein Mohammed Hussein, who is also the chairman of the Asian Endurance Committee, who on his behalf offered all the support from the UAE technical committee to make the event successful.

Hong Kim also sought advice and help from the UAE Equestrian Federation keeping in mind the humble standard of endurance rides in Asian countries. He suggested that a seminar should be organised on endurance on the sidelines of the General Assembly meeting of the Asian Equestrian Federation to be held in Malaysia from April 27 to May 2.

Endurance ride at Boudthib today

By A Correspondent

2 March 2006


DUBAI ? The UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, in cooperation with the Boudthib Endurance Village, is organising Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Nahyan Challenge Cup for Juniors and Young Riders at Boudthib Endurance Village, Al Khatem, Abu Dhabi, on Thursday, March 2, 2006.

The CEI, Two-star, 100-km ride, which will be run in four phases of 30 km, 30 km, 24 km and 16 km respectively, has so far attracted over 30 riders. The ride is scheduled to have a mass start at 6.30 am.

The Federation is also organising two Federation Qualifiers on the same day at the same venue. The 84 ?km Qualifier, which will be run in three phases of 30 km, 30 km and 24 km respectively, will feature around 50 riders and will start at 6.45 am. As many as another 50 riders will vie for qualification in the 46-km ride which will be run in two phases of 30 km and 16 km respectively and will be flagged off at 7 a.m.

The UAE Equestrian Federation organizes Federation Qualifiers at regular intervals to help riders and horses to qualify themselves to ride in higher category rides.

The rides are held under the patronage of Shaikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Emirates Heritage Club. The Boudthib Endurance Village is part of the Emirates Heritage Club.

The Emirates Heritage Club is closely involved in the development of several traditional and cultural activities and sports in the country, including endurance riding. The club also provides vital training facilities for children in the UAE and its modern and excellently planned endurance village has become a training ground for several aspiring young endurance riders.

Boudthib is located past Al Wathba on the left side of the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain highway. One can also reach the Boudthib endurance Village from different emirates by following these directions: From Abu Dhabi ? On Al Ain Road at exit for Zayed Military City, turn left and follow signs.

From Dubai- On Abu Dhabi Road at Al Mafraq bridge take exit to Al Ain Road and continue up to exit for Zayed Military City, turn left and follow signs.

From Al Ain ? On Abu Dhabi Road at Al Khatem Bridge exit right and follow signs.

The sheik behind the port deal

Economists, international experts say the backlash is rooted in anxiety that the U.S. is losing its top spot in the global economy, not in fear of terrorism

By Susan Chandler and Stephen Franklin, Tribune staff reporters. Tribune reporters Ameet Sachdev, Thomas A. Corfman, Becky Yerak, James P. Miller and Mike Hughlett, and The Associated Press contribute
Published February 26, 2006


He is an acclaimed poet. He is a world-class equestrian who favors endurance racing. He is an ardent believer in economic development from a country with close U.S. ties, a man who has built amazing hotels, shopping centers and office towers, transforming his tiny city-state into an international finance center and playground for jet-setters.

With his existing investments in U.S. hotels, Sun Belt apartments and health-care facilities, Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum doesn't seem like the kind of foreign investor who would create a political uproar on Capitol Hill. But a proposed $6.8 billion deal by a state-owned Dubai company to take over operations at six U.S. ports has done exactly that.

[More ...]

12-member team for Qatar Open

"12-member team for Qatar Open Championship

A TWELVE-MEMBER Bahrain national endurance team will head for Doha today to take part in the 120-km Qatar Open Endurance Championship schedule for tomorrow at the Seleen Racecourse.

The Bahraini riders represent three stables - Royal Endurance Team, Ahmed Al Fateh and Al Asayel. The Royal Endurance Team riders are veteran Khalid Al Ruwaie, Mohammed Abdulaziz, Abdulsamad brothers Mohammed and Ahmed, Jaffer Mirza and Raed Mahmood.

[More ...]

USA: Granite Chief Distance Horse of the Year

TBR Granite Chief+/ Earns Distance Horse of the Year Award
Arabian horse TBR Granite Chief+/ (CF Sorcerer x MI Princessa), owned by Karen Chaton of Gardnerville, NV, has earned the 2005 Arabian Horse Association (AHA) Distance Horse of the Year Award.

The 10-year-old gelding was the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) National Mileage Champion in 2004 with 2,135 miles and has captured that title again in 2005 with 2,245 miles. He has accumulated 4,835 lifetime miles to date and is the only Arabian horse in this century to cover more than 2,000 miles in a single ride season, which he did in both 2004 and 2005.
[More ...]

US: AERC Anual Conference Coming

The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), the national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, will hold its annual convention in Texas for the first time in 2006. The two-day program of seminars, informational meetings and a free trade show is set for February 24-25 at the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk in San Antonio.

Leading experts in equine health care and endurance-related fields will be featured at several seminar sessions. Other highlights of the AERC's convention will include a trade show featuring vendors from across the country. Regional awards will be presented at an evening reception on February 23, and the convention will culminate with AERC's national awards on the evening of February 25.

[More ...]