Marzouqi wins Malaysian ride

Staff Report
Published: November 16, 2007, 00:10

Image by Cidinha Franzao

Dubai: The UAE's Naser Marzouqi on Hafiza Du Mas won the 160-km Sultans Cup in Terengganu, Malaysia last week with countryman Khalid Al Shafar finishing fourth on Supreme Dream.

Ali Moosa Al Khamiri, General Manager of Dubai Equestrian Club, who was Chef d'Equipe of the UAE team, said the Emirati riders did extremely well in the night ride which was hit by heavy rain for almost the entire 160-km distance.

The ride, which got off to a 4.30 pm start, also ensured the Malaysia will be hosting the 2008 World Cup as the Organising Committee achieved the requirements of the FEI to host the world championship, according to a press release.

"The first two loops saw two Malaysian riders around 10 minutes ahead of the main group but the UAE riders made up ground and departed into the second and third loop in second and fourth place respectively," Ali Moosa said.

Last loop

"In the third loop, the two UAE riders, two Brazilians and a Malaysian rider were misdirected by a steward and ended up doing an extra 2.5 kms.

"That allowed French rider Jack Begaud gain a 17 minute lead but the UAE's Naser Marzouqi stayed in second place," he said.

Marzouqi went into the last loop close behind Begaud and soon overtook the Frenchman with a final loop average speed of nearly 25kmph to win.

He and Hafiza Du Mas completed the 160-km ride in a timing of 10 hrs 31 mins 50 secs.

Begaud finished second while Al Shafar and Brazil's Maria Vitoria finished almost joint third though a second separated the two to leave the UAE rider in fourth place.

The UAE winner Hafiza du Mas, trained by Antonio Moreno for the Emirates Stables won the Best Conditioned horse award.

"In the closing ceremony the speaker said 'It is often said the best Chefs come from France, the best Engineers come from Germany, and now we can also say the best endurance riders come from UAE,' purred Ali Moosa.

Results

* 1. Naser Marzouqi - UAE- (Hafiza Du Mas) 10 hrs 31 mins 50 secs;
* 2. Jack Begaud -France-(Idais Tohiba) 10:33:27;
* 3. Maria Vitoria-Brazil-(Filoteu Rich) 10:39.07;
* 4. Khalid Al Zafra-UAE-(Supreme Dream) 10:39.08;
* 5. Catherine Brunjes-USA-(Theatric) 11:02 .05.


Original Article

Pan Arab Endurance: Egypt seeks UAE assistance

UAE Equestrian Federation

Egypt had sought the help of the UAE to help them organize the equestrian activities in general and endurance riding in particular, during the forthcoming 11th Pan-Arab Games, which is scheduled to be held in Cairo from November 11, 2007.

The Egyptian Equestrian Federation through a letter addressed to the Secretary General of the

UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, requested technical support and guidelines to organize endurance ride as part of the Pan-Arab Games.

The letter hailed the development of endurance sport in the UAE with the able support of the country's rulers, as a result of which the UAE today is the global leader in endurance discipline. The letter said that the UAE has been actively involved in organizing endurance rides not only in their country but are also instrumental in helping several other countries in the region to develop the sport. "Their superiority in the field knows bounds and we request them for their support."

Two endurance officials Ahmed Ali Al Hammadi and Mohammed Esa Al Adhab from the UAE visited Egypt to offer their inputs in making the endurance rides successful.

The venues of the Pan-Arab Games will be in eight governorates in Egypt, namely Cairo, Giza, Port Said, Ismailia, Alexandria, Assiut, Aswan and North Sinai, said the official on condition of anonymity.

According to Egyptian media reports, it's estimated that some 7,000 sportspersons and officials from 22 Arab countries and regions will participate in the Games.

The Pan-Arab Games are one of the most important regional multi-sport event held in the Arab world, with the first Games being held in 1953 in Alexandria, Egypt.

UAE Endurance team For 11th Pan Arab Games in Egypt

The UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation has nominated the following UAE riders for the 120-km endurance ride to be held as part of the 11th Pan Arab Games on November 19, 2007, at Saqarah Club Endurance Village, Cairo, Egypt.

The riders include Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Sultan bin Sulayem, Mubarak Khalifa Al Shafya, Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subose, Majed Mohammed Salman Al Sabri and Abdullah Thani bin Huzaim.

The first four riders are included in the Team Event category.

The Pan-Arab Games are one of the most important regional multi-sport event held in the Arab world, with the first Games being held in 1953 in Alexandria, Egypt.
Two Federation Qualifiers Held for ladies

The UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, in cooperation with the Al Asayl Endurance Centre, organized two Federation Qualifiers for ladies on Friday, November 9, 2007 at the Al Asayl Endurance Centre, Sweihan, Abu Dhabi.

Eleven lady endurance riders took part in the 80-km Qualifier out of whom nine riders completed the distance successfully. In the second 40-km Qualifier, 14 ladies started the ride in the morning and nine of them completed the distance.


All the rides were held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of the UAE Equestrian Federation.

The lady riders/horses who completed the 80-km qualifier are as follows:

Sheikha Alyazia bint Sultan Al Nahyan (Yeraandco Jakara Silver, eight-year-old grey gelding owned by Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa),
Sheikha Maryam bint Omeir Al Qassimi (Sultan, six-year-old bay gelding),
Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi (Jen A Dale Zamarah, chestnut mare, Al Reef Stables),
Nouf Mohd Khamis Al Dhaheri, Sekura, 10-year-old chestnut mare, Al Reef Stables),
Reem Shaban Ibrahim Hasan, (Rivendell Sharman, 13-year-old chestnut gelding, Al Reef Stables),
Dana Ahmed Al Mansoor (Al Galhan, nine-year-old bay gelding, Al Reef Stables),
Shamsah Awad Al Otaiba (Eden Hope Liberty, 10-year-old grey gelding,
Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa),
Nariman Abdul Aziz Al Rostamani ( Lucien De Loube Jac, eight-year-old grey gelding,
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum),
Sonia Le Hecho (Steel the Thunder, 11-year-old grey gelding,
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum).

In the 40-km Qualifier, the following riders/horses completed the distance:

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan Al Nahyan (Sonia, eight-year-old chestnut mare, Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa),
Sheikha Asma Taleb Al Qassimi (Castlebar Navho, six-year-old grey gelding, Sheikh Faisal bin Saqr Al Qassimi),
Amna Jumaa Al Awami,VVC Bon Vivant, 16-year-old chestnut gelding,
Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qassimi),
Brenda Cooke (Al Habeeba, 14-year-old bay mare, Al Asayl Management),
Madiyah Masaood Al Mehairi, Raheef, 14-year-old gelding owned by rider),
Azza Mohd. Hela Al Kaabi (Sahi, eight-year-old bay gelding,
Obaid Ghedayer Al Dhaheri),
May Yousef Mubarak Al Khemairi, Baraka Latih, 10-year-old grey gelding, Al Rawahei Pvt. Stables),
Sonja Timani (RS Jaabir, 10-year-old bay gelding, owned by rider),
Mariam Mohammed Saeed Al Suwaidi (Botusa Park Tulas Lad, 12-year-old chestnut gelding, Hassan Rakan Al Mansouri).

Original Article

Shaikh Nasser hails UAE riders

November 15
BAHRAIN Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa congratulated the UAE Crown Prince and Dubai Ruler and UAE Equestrian Federation president Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoom on the Emirati riders winning the Malaysian Endurance Horseride Cup held yesterday in Malaysia.

Nasser Al Marzooqi of the UAE came on top in this 120-km race, beating favourite Jack Peugeot who came second, with third position won by the UAE's Khalid Al Sha'afar.

A total of 41 riders, including Malaysian Monarch Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, took part in the race which was divided into six stages.

The remaining riders represented Argentina, Brazil, the US, Japan, Spain, France, Portugal, South Africa, the UAE and Qatar.

Mubarak opens today Pan-Arab games

Egyption State Information Service
Sunday, November 11, 2007
President Mubarak opens the Pan-Arab Games at 7:00 pm with a number of Arab Kings and Presidents as well as Arab and foreign athletes attending including the Palestinian president and the head of the International Olympics Committee.

The 11th Pan-Arab Games (11-25 Nov.) will kick off in Cairo, the Arab Sports Capital, Sunday11/11/2007, with more than 8,000 athletes from 22 Arab countries participating.

They will compete in 33 games. The event will be covered by 1500 representatives of the media.


The opening ceremony, to be held at Cairo International Stadium, will feature a song by renowned Egyptian signer Tamer Hosni, to be followed by an operetta titled "Arab history and civilization".

More than 5,000 armed forces personnel, in addition to 950 students from the physical education faculties of Zaqaziq and Melwan universities, will take part in the operetta.

The operetta's music is composed and orchestrated by Omar Khairat. Executive direction will be under the supervision of the Armed Forces Department of Morale Affairs.

Egypt participates in these games with the biggest number of athletes, 671 athletes, followed by Saudi Arabia represented by 314 athletes, then Kuwait with 239 athletes.

Furthermore, Egypt takes part in 29 games, in addition to four for the handicapped.

Endurance Coverage of the Games

From A Club To A Village

Most of the time Sakkara Country Club is a fairly quiet place where Cairenes come to get away from the city smog, let their children have riding lessons, and read or chat by the pool. The past few days it has been undergoing a major transition to become an endurnance village in the style of the UAE under the guidance of a team from Abu Dhabi. The grass paddock where mares and foals used to graze or children would be led on ponies has had pristine white trot out lanes erected for the past two weeks. The vet gates are placed next to the wooden playground with the sign warning that the equipment is only for children under twelve, but no one is taking time to sit on the swings with tents for the press and important visitors to be constructed. As the teams arrive, the sounds of drills, spray painters and hammers are wafting on the autumn breeze in place of birdcalls and horse chatter from the stables, but the work looks good to be finished in time for the Monday race.



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Many of the members' horses have been moved to neighbouring stables to afford some boxes for the visitors. The Qatar team have been here for almost two weeks on their way home from France. Interestingly, this weekend is the Egyptian International and National Horse Show at the EAO (the Egyptian government stud in Ain Shams) and the line up for the International show is said to be spectacular as many of the horses have come to Cairo en route to a big halter show in the Gulf. Cairo is filled with horses right now.

I stopped by the lonely help desk to find some young people there who were more than happy to help, but who didn't know much about the technical issues I wanted to follow..I suspect that it's going to be much more of a generic help desk. But as I spoke to them I spotted an old friend who works with the Dubai team and the informational log jam broke. He was able to confirm that the set up and the track are being supervised by an organisational team from Abu Dhabi. He was on the team that was arranging the races in 2000 when Egypt was introduced to endurance racing, and said happily that he was enjoying just competing this time. He couldn't stop to chat as he had to meet people. Everyone is hustling now.

The trail looks like a recap of the trail used in the 2000 120 km race with a long loop that comes out of the club and south to the pyramids of Dahshur and then back again. The second and third loops will also leave the club to the south and then branch to the right and then to the left respectively. The encroachment of the Giza municipal dump and the sand and gravel miners on the desert to the west of the club has eliminated any trails to the immediate west or north. The quarries provide trails in abundance but not the sort of trails that are of interest in this racing climate, and they aren't all that photogenic.

The tennis courts at the club have been taken over by an army of men with screwdrivers and paint sprayers who are erecting temporary boxes for visitors. Previously, some of the teams have stabled at farms close to the club, but this is probably a better solution. At this point, it isn't completely clear how many teams are coming. There will be Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Syria, Libya, Bahrain, possibly Jordan, and of course Egypt. I will visit the offices of the set up team at the club to try to get a list of horses and riders today. Endurance riding doesn't even ping on the news radar in Egypt so there have been virtually no public statements available.

In all the bustle of construction, the people working with the horses are on their own more relaxed schedules. All the training that can be done has been and now everyone is just seeing that the horses are calm and healthy, going for walks in the desert and taking them out to graze on the grass at the edge of the desert. Showjumpers from participating countries are joining endurance colleagues as they finish with their competitions and the talk is all horses of course. The Libyans are newcomers and finding the scene a bit daunting, but one of the Qatari riders was saying that they've been encouraging their Libyan counterparts to enjoy the competition and figure out how it all works to be ready for more in the future. The brightly painted horse truck that they used for transport will probably have to give way to air transport at some time.

The Syrian horses were supposed to come in last night and the temporary boxes should be pretty much done by this afternoon, so I expect to see more activity at the club when I check there after my daily schedule of trail rides and lessons for kids. Hopefully, I will find out who is riding for Egypt as well. At this point, I know that one of my neighbours was nominated to the team, but he was expressing some concern about the footing for the trail. The desert here is empty sand with a sprinkling of flint on top. The horses usually sink into the sand enough that the stones don't bruise but the minimum four to six inch layer of soft sand that they have to cope with does take its toll on the tendons. The "trail" is not a track, groomed or otherwise and while the organisers will try to select the best footing, there will be deep spots as well. The temperatures are looking good for riding, with projected highs of about 26 C (about 78 F), fairly low humidity and mixed sun and clouds.

Sultans Cup: Temperature and Humidity statistics

www.Malaysia-Wec.com (full size image)

Dr Balakrishna Polanaidoo, DVM, (aka. Dr. Bala) has prepared a detailed analysis of the weather which prevailed during the 2007 Sultan's Cup.

The following image is a graph of statistical weather data, including air temperature and humidity. Of interest:

lowest temperature: 22.5 C (72.5 F) at 5:45AM
highest temperature: 31.4 C (88.5 F) at 11:45AM
lowest humidity: 70% at 11:45AM
highest humidity: 100% 5:45PM - 5:45AM

USA: Amie Chenault wins 2007 Old Dominion Tripple Crown

11.13.07
Sweet Briar Stable Manager Hangs on for Endurance Riding Triple Crown
Amie Chenault, the stable manager at Sweet Briar College, and her 13-year-old Arabian, Zeek, are winners of Old Dominion Endurance Rides Inc.’s 2007 Triple Crown.

To receive the award, the same horse and rider team must compete in all three distance rides organized by Old Dominion, a Virginia-based non-profit group that promotes and supports the sport of endurance riding.

The first event, the 30-mile “No Frills” ride was held on April 14 in Front Royal. Chenault and Zeek tied for first place with a ride time of four hours.

The second ride, a 50-miler called the “Old Dominion,” was held June 9 in Fort Valley, Va. Zeek and Chenault rode to a second-place finish in seven hours and 56 minutes, winning the Best Condition Award in the process.

The final leg of the Triple Crown, the 50-mile “Fort Valley” ride, was held Oct. 27 in Fort Valley. Chenault and Zeek took first place with a ride time of six hours, 32 minutes.

“I was really shocked at how well we did at the last ride in Fort Valley because Amherst and the surrounding counties had a few cases of Potomac horse fever this summer,” Chenault said. “Zeek tested positive [for it] in July."

Chenault said she was one of the lucky ones who caught the signs of the disease in time.

“Zeek was treated and, as you can tell, he has fully recovered,” she said.

Chenault said she is grateful for her family and friends’ support, as well as her pit crews at home and on the road. Zeek’s home pit crew includes veterinarians Martha Moses and Anne Bonda and farrier Becky Vail. Chenault’s aunt Melissa Carter and her family and her friend Ellen Eagle supported them on the road.

“Without a great pit crew this would not have been possible,” Chenault said.

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