Graham, Harmon help NZ team overcome Australian challenge

by DAVID DAWKINS - The Marlborough Express | Thursday, 4 January 2007

Marlborough riders led the charge as New Zealand continued their dominance of Australia in the Trans-Tasman Endurance Riding Challenge held at Twynham near St Arnaud on Tuesday.

Helen Graham and her mount, affectionately known as Ricky, were a class above the competition winning the 120km junior ride which doubled as the South Island junior title ride. Fellow Marlburian Linda Harmon, riding Landon V-erah, completed the 120km senior event in Landon V-erah's first attempt at the distance.

The win saw New Zealand retain the title they defended in Australia in 2005. New Zealand also won the inaugural Trans-Tasman Challenge in 2004.

A 100 percent completion rate by the New Zealand team highlighted the Kiwi performance as the Aussies struggled to adapt to their borrowed mounts and the hard, stoney conditions. Only one senior and two junior Australian riders completed the event. Most were vetted out after the 100km mark with stone bruises and what New Zealand endurance team manager Del Bissell described as "minor lameness".

"They pushed a bit harder than we would have, but then we know the country a bit better," Bissell said. "We certainly rode more conservatively than they did."

Bissell put the Kiwis' success and remarkable completion rate down to good team management and good coaching.

"Everybody listened to what they had to do, especially the juniors, they were brilliant," she said.

The event doubled as the South Island championship where Kylie Avery continued her impressive run, riding Silands Jasark to victory in the senior 100km event on Monday.

Marlexpress.co.nz - article

Results: Barroca d'Alva- Pre-ride 2007 European Championship Portugal

No: E1_POR048_06
Date: 07.10.2006

Event: CEI 3* Barroca d'Alva (POR)

Competition: CEI 3*

Rank Rider Horse
1 FIORUCCI Fausto JAIFAR

2 FRANCES Jean Philippe HANABA DU BOIS

3 YEOMAN Christine FAROUK DE LOZELLE

4 BARBAS Ana PAPOILA

5 AMANTE João PEPA-BEN-RITA

6 FIALHO Filipe SULTANA BEN DANDY

- ALVAREZ PONTON Maria Mercedes ISKA
- AMBROSIO Gaetano HASSAN THE KING
- ATGER Virginie KAENA
- AVO Guilherme LEVADA
- BARRADAS José RODIN DA CASA VELHA
- BATISTA Ricardo relvas NINA BEN RITA
- BEGAUD Jack JADE
- BELLE Laurie HYACINTHE IV
- CAEIRO André SOLERO TONECAS
- COMAS MOLIST Monica DALI
- CORIOU Andre JOLIE QUATRE VENTS
- DETREZ Anne IPSO DE LA DROME
- DIAS Luis RE-ELEITO
- ERIKSSON Anneli ROMARIO
- FRANCAS BOIX Jordi TRO DE MALANYEU
- GERVASONI Carlo COSROE GAWHAR
- GIACCHERO Patrizia JERANA DE LUX
- GODINHO Pedro MAGICA
- GONCALVES Laetitia MADDIRAN
- KANAVY Valerie SEGAR
- KELLEWAY Sarah TAKHAR PR
- KERJEAN Thierry JAMIN
- LAMAS Luis QUE VISTA
- LISSARRAGUE Barbara PERSIAH
- LOPEZ MAESO Francisco RED EXPRESS
- LUQUE MORAL Alex ATIKLAN
- MATOS Nuno QUI-ÇA CASA VELHA
- MEXIA DE ALMEIDA João ROLHA
- MONTEIRO Rui Manuel Ruivo DESCARADO II
- OWEN Emma Louise BRIGHT VESPER
- PABLO JOSE LOPEZ SANCHEZ PABLO JOSE RUFO
- PERNA Vincenzo MISTRALE
- PESCE Denis STIK
- POTTRICK Ulrike EL ENCANTADOR
- RAPOSO Joao QUINZA
- SUSANO João INFANTE
- TABORDA FERREIRA Mariana RABITA
- TILQUIN Gregoire FLAMMOTH
- TOMAS Philippe IRMAK CABIRAT
- TORRES VILLALON PEDRO VIKINGO
- VILHENA RODRIGUES Antonio josé Q.B.
- WELCH Anna FAX DE SKY

FEI Website

Sporting Linda helps Kiwis' rivals

By BETHANY MARETT - The Timaru Herald | Friday, 29 December 2006


It's not everyday you lend your "sports gear" to the opposition, but for Timaru woman Linda Pullar it's all about sportsmanship.

While Pullar will not be competing in the trans-Tasman 120km endurance horse riding event in Nelson next week, two of her horses will – carrying Australian riders.

While many poeple would question the rivalry, Pullar said it was all about sportsmanship and prestige.

Her Kishon Arabian stud has become internationally known for producing endurance horses with two already sold overseas.

The trans-Tasman event was a good way to enhance that reputation she said.

And athough she still hopes to be selected for the New Zealand team one day, in the meantime she has the satisfaction of seeing the horses she has trained taking part in the event.

Pullar has clocked up nearly 2000km on her nine-year-old horse Kishon Fashamatazz, which one of the Australians will ride.

Kishon Abigail, at seven years old, is not quite as experienced, but will be the ride for a second Australian team member .

While preparing two horses would be work enough, Pullar has also qualified a further two horses as "spare wheels".

Unfortunately one of the wheels has already fallen off as one horse has contracted mud fever due to the recent damp conditions and will not compete.

Kishon Brittany Blue, owned by her daughter Veronica will now be the sole travelling reserve.

The Australian riders will try out the horses the day before the race, then deciding on which to compete.

Pullar said hopping on a new horse was not a problem for experineced riders.

"They know how to drive, and where the gears are, they just have to adjust to the different model."

So is she right? While I haven't ridden for nearly two years and was never a spectacular jockey at the best of times, I took up the offer and saddled up for some endurnace training of my own.

I certainly hope the Australian riders are better than me because after I had spent two minutes on the sprightly Fashamatazz, Pullar suggested I board the somewhat more sedate Brittany.

But after going round the block at an energetic trot I soon understood how a well-trained horse made the rider's job that much easier.

While Brittany might be the "spare wheel" she gave me a great ride home – safely, securely and even left me without a sore bottom.

[More ...]

Harmon to ride for NZ against Aussies

by DAVID DAWKINS - The Marlborough Express | Friday, 29 December 2006

Trans-Tasman rivalry will be at its fiercest in the new year when New Zealand's top endurance riders, including Marlborough's Linda Harmon, take on their Australian counterparts at Twynham Farm near St Arnaud.

Harmon, riding Landon V-erah, is a member of the four strong senior team that will face the Aussies in the CEI three star 120km ride on Tuesday.

Fellow Marlburian Helen Graham will compete in the junior team that races over the same distance while Kimberly Ryan is a reserve for the team.

For Harmon it will be her first chance to compete in the New Zealand team. She was named as a reserve last year against the Australians and rode as an individual then had to pull out of the team's trip to Spain after her horse pulled up lame.

While she describes the Australians as a bit of an unknown quantity she is determined to retain the title New Zealand won in Australia last year.

"We really have to thrash those Aussies," she said.

The Australians will be at the disadvantage of riding borrowed horses for the race, something Harmon hopes will give the Kiwis an edge.

""When you've got your own horse you know its little ways," she said.

"You know when to push them and when not to."

Landon V-erah, or Abbey for short, is a young horse at seven years old and the 120km ride will be the longest she's ever tackled.

"I'll guess we'll see what she's got under the bonnet," Harmon said.

The riders will be faced with a variety of conditions from open flats, to rolling hills, steep forestry blocks and clay tracks through native bush. However, it is nothing new to Harmon who has tackled the course on numerous occasions before.

With the Marlborough summer finally heating up Harmon is hoping temperatures and the humidity stay on the low side.

On hot days strappers become especially important, as Harmon explained.

"If you don't have a strapper you are too busy looking after your horse and not yourself."

Harmon's husband Malcolm is set to take on the strapper's duty this weekend something Harmon is pleased about.

"Its great, it means I can yell at him," she laughed.

The meeting will also double as the South Island Endurance champs with Marlborough's Kylie Avery riding in the CEI two star 100km on Monday.

full articls

Abdulla, Layla race to victory

AL KHALDIYA Stable's Layla Al Ridha of the UAE notched the women's 80-km race while Abdulla Al Khatri of Al Asayel Stable took the 120-km junior competition of the Kingdom Endurance Horseride Championship at the Bahrain International Enudrance Village in Sakhir.

The women's race, which was divided into three stages, featured stiff competition among 15 riders, specially in the last stage as Layla crossed the finish line first in three hours 10 minutes 40 seconds.

Layla was ahead of her main opponents Maryam of Al Fateh Stable (3:15:57) who finished second and Royal Endurance Team rider Manal Fakhrawi (3:20:24) who came third.

Thirty riders were in the fray for the five-stage junior race which was won by Abdulla who completed the race in five hours, three minutes and 21 seconds after a tough battle with Royal Endurance Team members Mohammed Abdulaziz (5:03:30) and Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Khalifa (5:23:36) who were second and third respectively.

A 60-km qualifying race for new and young riders, was also included in the event with 15 riders in the fray.

The championship was held under the patronage of Prince Al Waleed bin Talal, chairman of event sponsors Kingdom Holding Company and attended by Kingdom Stable director Najeeb Al Burjus who flagged off the race and honoured the top three riders in each category at the presentation ceremony.

Al Burjus congratulated the winners and praised the efforts of the organisers and the impressive number of riders in all three races, specially in the women's event which was organised for the first time.

Al Burjus thanked Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa who gave his directives to host this race.
Gulf Daily News Article

Al Muhairi comes up with a brilliant ride

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter

(photo: Winners Ali Mohammad Al Muhairi, Omair Husain Al Bloushi, Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton and other officials.)

Abu Dhabi: Last Thursday Ali Mohammad Al Muhairi shrugged off the misfortune of having to sit out of the UAE team and chipped in crewing for the UAE team which registered a golden double triumph in the Doha Asian Games endurance event in Qatar.

Yesterday at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Seih Assalam, Al Muhairi compensated himself with a superb display to win the Shaikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge 120-km ride.

Al Muhairi, who is the Racing Manager for Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, was back on the consistent performer Karabil Narmar, and the reunited pair won the same event after a two-year gap from a strong field of riders.

In fact Al Muhairi's win in yesterday's 120-km Open event halted the winning streak of the Al Reef Stables who have won all four rides of the season so far.

Al Muhairi and Karabil Narmar won the 120-km ride in four hours 46 minutes and 59 seconds at an average speed of 25.09 with Al Reef's young star Omair Hussain Al Bloushi finishing second on Cameo Zinniaa, about three minutes later.

Skilful rider

Both rider and horse drew praise from Shaikh Hamdan, who attended the ride organised by the Dubai Equestrian Club.

"Ali Mohammad Al Muhairi is a skilled rider and he did well to regain the initiative after the third loop.

"The climate was very good and Al Muhairi brought the best out of Karabil Narmar, which was coming out of an injury," Shaikh Hamdan said.

"He was running after a long gap but soon looked like the top quality horse that he his. Al Muhairi paced his effort very well and they fully deserved to win," Shaikh Hamdan said.

The winner said he was pleased with his effort.

"It was a good ride and after leading in the first two loops I slowed down the pace to check out how my horse was faring. Once he looked good after that loop we regained our pace," said Al Muhairi.

"We started out to go out and win this ride and I knew I could do it on Karabil Narmar," he said.

Commenting on his Asiad misfortune, Al Muhairi said: "I really enjoyed being part of the team. We all chipped in with crewing for the UAE team and we are proud of the UAE's achievement." Al Muhairi has been a regular in the UAE national team.

Extending the good run by foreign riders here this season, Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton finished third.

Malta's Maria, who has won a ride here a couple of seasons ago, rode Nobby, a horse trained and owned by her rider-trainer husband Jaume Punti Dachs of Spain.

"This is the first time I am riding this horse which has just come to the UAE. Nobby has some good results under his belt in Europe but this is his first outing here and I had to keep this in mind while riding today," said Maria.

Results

1. Ali Mohammad Al Muhairi (Karabil Narmar) 4hrs 46 mins 59 secs;
2. Omair Hussain Al Bloushi (Cameo Zinniaa) 4:50.21;
3. Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton (Nobby) 4:51.19;
4. Mattar Ganim Al Mansoori (Hanadi) 4:56.10;
5. Ahmad Mohammad Al Merri (Dell Hama) 4:56.24;
6. Abdullah Thani Al Felaisi (Spendacrest Kamouflague)4:59.42;
7. Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri (Sha-Ali) 5:03.30;
8. Yousef Ahmad Al Bloushi (Al Galahn) 5:08.54;
9. Mohammad Ahmad Ali Al Sabousi (Antares Sauveterre) 5:12.50;
10. Jesus Manuel Berna (Out of the Blue) 5:15.16.

Gulf News Article

Hamdan foresees Olympic Gold

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter

Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, said that if endurance became an Olympic sport the UAE had a very good chance of winning the gold medal.

Speaking to reporters at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Seih Assalam during the Shaikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge ride yesterday, Shaikh Hamdan praised the display by the UAE endurance riders who won two gold medals and a bronze medal in endurance which made its debut in the Doha Asian Games.

Efforts on

The FEI, the governing body of equestrian sport has been making efforts to try and get endurance included as an Olympic discipline.

"If Endurance Riding becomes an Olympic sport the UAE, which is a dominant force in the discipline, have a 90 per cent chance of winning it," he said.

Shaikh Rashid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum won the individual gold in the 120-km endurance ride at the Doha Asiad and along with Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum won the team gold.

Sultan Bin Sulayem won the bronze medal in the individual category.
Gulf News Article