RSA: Saldanha CEI*** Interprovencial Challenge

Willa Botland riding Koringkloof Deena are first to finish at the 2006 Saldanha CEI***160km event held at the South African Military Academy in Saldanah Bay South Africa. This year's Saldanha event is the first time that the Inter Province Challenge has also provided FEI divisions.

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AU: Lachlan endurance riders success at the Shahzada 400m marathon

Lachlan endurance riders success at the Shahzada 400m marathon
Monday, 4 September 2006

Always a huge effort is required to complete this ride successfully to the veterinary team's satisfaction on Friday afternoon after riding 80kms per day for 5 successive days over some of the roughest country that one would dare to take a horse through.

The Lachlan club only had 3 entries in the 400kms event this year, with all three successful, with the rest of the field success rate of 60% this was a very good result.

Karen Rhodes made it buckle no. 13 of her 14 starts, a very consistent completer with her horse "Shadow". Karen will have to front up again next year now as the record no. of buckles earned by any rider is 14, and it would be great to see another local on top of the completion lists.

Local horse "Kintamani Fosta" remains at the top of the horse buckle list with 10 out of 11 successes even though he has not competed in this ride since 1998 as he is now 27 years young.

Alan Lindsay made a return after 8 years to the tracks of St.Albans riding his homebred "Kintamani Charisma" over the 400kms to earn his 8th buckle, accompanying his daughter Erika riding "Kinitamani Silver Motif" for her first attempt at the Marathon distance. Both Erika and Motif coped easily with the day to day workload with youth on their side and great support from mum and dad. Interestingly, both the sires of Charisma and Motif completed Shahzada many years ago.

Shahzada was a grey Arab stallion, foaled in 1913 at Mr H.C. Stephens' stud in England. Shahzada's sire Mootrub, was purchased by General John Hills in India soon after he arrived from Arabia. He won races in India and numerous championships and prizes in the U.K. Shahzada's dam Ruth Kesia (descended from the desert bred mare Kesia), was acquired from the Gomassa tribe of the Sabaa Anazeh by Major Robert Upton. The mares from the tribe were noted for their fine free-trotting action.

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Official Shahzadra Results Pages

WEC Closing Ceremonies

I stood in this very arena 14 days ago at the sunrise of this 5th FEI World Equestrian Games and I shared with you my hopes and dreams that this global celebration of the horse would provide a platform for a new dawn for the horse world and you have proved us right even beyond our wildest dreams, and expectations.

Your welcome has been seen by this generation of horsemen and women and will be recorded in the chapters of equestrian history.

I say to you on behalf of all those who have basked in the warmth of your hospitality "Wir lieben Aachen".

You have been able to provide the substance and platform to make these Games possible, and I know that you will join me in saying that it is the athletes who have given it the breath of life and moulded its soul. Their performances in the arenas and their statesman like behaviour outside the arenas have been an example to all.

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Bahrain: Shaikha Najla finishes 8th

Gulf Daily News
BAHRAIN's top female rider Shaikha Najla bint Salman bin Saqer Al Khalifa clinched an eighth-place finish at the French Combian Endurance Race near Paris. Shaikha Najla, who took part in the Watford Race last month in the UK, competed in this 119-km race with top riders from Europe such as Jack Peugeot and Fillip Tuma, and managed to complete the event among the top 10. The young Bahraini rider said she was pleased over her performance and result at the race during which more than 100 riders were in the fray.

"The race was very important for me to gain more experience and confidence ahead of the new season which starts after the summer break," said Shaikha Najla.

"I encountered some hard times during the race due to the tough surface and the stiff competition among most of the participants who are well experienced. I am really looking forward to take part in further races in the near future," she said.

Shaikha Najla was accompanied by her father Shaikh Salman bin Saqer Al Khalifa, Shaikh Ahmed bin Saqer Al Khalifa and other delegation officials.

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NZ: Eketahuna rider toast of equestrian champs

Wairarapa Times-Age
23.08.2006

Eketahuna horseman Shane Dougan was the toast of the New Zealand team and his horse the centre of overseas attention after the combination finished eighth in the endurance race at the World Equestrian Games in Germany yesterday.

Dougan, and his 10-year-old Arabian stallion Vigar Riffal produced New Zealand's best endurance result at a World Games on the way to overtaking a dozen other combinations in an extra quick final loop in the 160km event.

Dougan averaged 41km/h in the final of the six loops after finishing the first in 70th place of the 159 starters.

"He could have gone quicker," Dougan said.

"There was plenty left in the tank, he's a great little horse."
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EnduranceNet Coverage

FEI: President Haya Focuses on the Future

FEI PRESIDENT?S PRESS CONFERENCE
Speech by HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan
2006 FEI World Equestrian Games, Aachen
27 August 2006

I will concentrate today on the FEI as an organisation, as I believe from discussions over the last few days that this is the area that you would be interested in and I will outline clear deliverables and the approach.

As a result I will speak less about horses than perhaps I would like ? but that is because it goes without saying that they are the reason that we are here ? and their partners are those we, the FEI, ultimately are here to celebrate and serve.

My own experiences as an athlete mean that this is never far from my mind ? my experience of this at grass roots level and my many friends in the sport mean that I am privileged to be able to keep my fingers on this pulse ? and I am aware, as true friends are, of what they are critical of in the organisation. My vision for them is similar to that of the IOC ? "for the athletes by the athletes". I hope that by the end of my tenure as President, I will not only have created an organisation that walks this road hand in hand with them, but also that we will have created through them a future generation equipped to run and serve the horse world by allowing them open entry into the ranks of the organisation, and give them the tools in addition to those of their field to do this with complete professionalism.

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Festival Modail d'Endurance: Compienge

From: "David-specialized saddles"


Eighty four horses vetted in the Young horse 119k world Championship today at Compiegne France.The grounds became crowded compared to preceding days as the entrants and crews arrived for the climaxing event here

Everyone gathered in the big dining tent to sample the finest buffet I have ever enjoyed with more variety of food and desserts than I knew existed. All prepared by a staff of top notch chefs and complete with ample bottles of wine on each table.

During the vetting in a thunder storm interrupted things for about twenty minutes.the ground is wet but the footing is sand over clay and the mud isn't deep and footing will be good, and speeds are expected to be fast. The quality an depth of talent was evident in the team 160 k championship with 15 horses finishing under ten hours.Start is 7am,
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KIDSON LORNA of GBR took the lead and held it to take a seven minute lead in the first 30K loop averaging 17.5 k per hour.

Although recent winners of championship rides have nearly always come from mid pack with a seriss of negative splits to take the lead late, she's going against conventional wisdom, the very strong field of french horses, and has held on thru the second vet gate.

From the confident look in her eye and the look of her horse she just might pull it off.

Over Twenty horses are within ten minutes of the leader at this point following the second vet check so as they say, its anyones race.

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In an exciting climax,nine riders left the final vet gate 3, within six minutes of each other, all at a hand gallop.

Stephanie Arnal of France riding a modest size grey Stallion was in first,followed by Romua Theisman of Belgium who was a large man on a large chestnut.

The finish was on a turf course in front of hundreds of spectators. it was Jean Frances of France who romped into view with hammer down, followed closely by Stephanie Arnal, finishing in 6:18 having run the last loop of 21kilometers in an average of 24 k per hour and 18;5 k for the day. it would be another 10 minutes before 3rd place Romua Theisman crossed the line for third.

All watched the carefully scrutinized trots for completion and Jean had to retrot before the jury of vets gave the thumbs up to a roar of the crowd.

What a race, great photos to follow.

Hi from France,
Sephanne Arrnal riiding Liana el Baraka, the second place horse, took the Best Condition. It seems her horse was a mare, not a stallion, as I previously reported.

your correspondent in France
David kaden


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