Uruguay to host 2009 Pan American Championship

December 3, 2007
Steph Teeter
www.Endurance.Net

The FEI has accepted Uruguay's bid to host the 2009 Pan American Championship. The competition will be held during the month of April, which is autumn in South America and the weather is typically cool and pleasant. The exact location of the competition has not been determined, but a possible venue might be Punta del Este, the popular resort town on the southern coast of Uruguay. This area, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Rio del Plata River, is modern and upscale and a very popular vacation destination with a wide range of hotels, restaurants, country clubs and resorts. It also offers everything for a beautiful and challenging competition - forests, grasslands, lakes and long stretches of sandy beach. The Club Burnett, a large equestrian center is being considered as a venue which would provide a large competition area complete with stabling for the horses.

According to Ketty Friedman, a Uruguay FEI 4* Judge who has been involved with International Endurance in Uruguay since 1997, there is a very dedicated core group of people who have been working together to build the sport in this country. They will work during the next several months to finalize the date and the venue for the 2009 event. Gustavo Sclavo, president of the Uruguay Equestrian Federation has strong ties with Endurance discipline, has also been instrumental in building International Endurance in Uruguay, and in helping secure the bid for the 2009 Pan American Championship. They are certain that Uruguay will host a world class event and they look forward to introducing the world to this small South American country.

Uruguay Endurance - Endurance.Net coverage of 2007 Rocha Internacional





Photos: Beach at Punta del Este, Ketty Friedman and Gustavo Sclaro at Rocha Internacional Endurance, Pueblocasa - artist Carlos Paez Vilaro, Sailboats at Punta del Este

Al Beloushi's dominating display - Dec 1 2007

Gulfnews.com - Full Story
Winners of 120 KM international and 100 KM for junior and young riders of Endurance Ride with Mohammad Saif Al Neyadi, Head of Board of Directors of Emirates Heritage Club at Boud Thieb Endurance Village. Photo by Abdul Rahman

Al Beloushi's dominating display gives him another first-place finish

By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
Published: December 02, 2007, 01:07

Abu Dhabi: Yousuf Ahmad Al Beloushi and Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri featured in their second successive 1-2 finish in two weeks to bag top honours in the Sorouh-sponsored - 120km UAE International Endurance Cup ride here on Saturday.

Yousuf, the champion of last season and representing the all-conquering Al Reef Stables, came up with another superb ride on Charlande El Sharif to finish ahead of the Al Wathba star Ali Khalfan.

Yousuf, who won the ride on November 24 at the Dubai International Endurance City ahead of Ali Khalfan, completed the 120-km ride in a time of 4 hours 56 minutes and 58 seconds.

The Al Reef trainer-cum-rider has almost a 100 per cent record on the 10-year-old chestnut gelding, yesterday's being his second win while the pair also completed a 240-km three-day ride before the runner failed the final vet check after finishing first.

Important ride

It was yet another dominating performance by the Al Ain-based champion as he forged ahead on the first loop and then allowed the others to gather pace and pass him before making his run in the final two stages of the five-stage ride.

"Yes, being one of the favourites has its own share of pressures. Most of the riders want to stay close to me and watch for what I do," he said after his win.

"I maintained the same speed for most part of the first four stages while the others did get ahead. Charlande is a great champion and he stayed good till the finish which helped me win today," said Yousuf, who now turns his attention towards the National Day Cup ride.

"That is an important ride and I have two horses earmarked," he added.

Ali Khalfan's second place finish for Al Wathba Stables came after young stable-mate, Abdullah Rashid Mohammad Saeed Al Naqbi, rode Leblond to a smart win in the 100km ride for Juniors and Young Riders.

Results

Surouh-sponsored - 120 km UAE International Endurance Cup

(top five):

1. Yousuf Ahmad Al Beloushi (Charlande El Sharif) 4 hrs 56mins 58 secs;

2. Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri (SB Silver Choice) 5:01:49;

3. Majid Mohammad Salam Al Sabri (Manana Travis) 5:16:56;

4. Hassan Bin Ali (Nassat) 5:21.33;

5. Ahmad Salim Al Beloushi (Silversprings Kabir Arwa) 5:21.38.

Surouh-sponsored - 100 km UAE International Endurance Cup for Juniors

(top five):

1. Abdullah Rashid Al Naqbi (Leblond) 3:49.52;

2.Kimberley Dean -GBR-(Karabil Wyoonah) 4:32.09;

3. Omair Hussain Al Beloushi (Al Galahn) 4:32.32;

4. Kayleigh Smith -GBR-(Torryburn Gallant) 4:32.45;

5. Aliya Ali Mohammad Al Marzouqi (Kyama De Lux) 4:44.32.

Pan Arab Results

Detailed Results for the recent Pan Arab Endurance Race are now available:
[More ...]

Yousef maintains his hot streak

The key players at the Bab Al Shams Challenge endurance ride celebrate the latest success of last season's star man Yousef Ahmad Al Beloushi.

Gulfnews.comBy M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
Published: November 25, 2007, 00:26

Dubai: Last season's champion rider Yousef Ahmad Al Beloushi and Estaban, another top performer among horses last season, combined in impressive fashion to win the Bab Al Shams Challenge 120km endurance ride on Saturday.

In a thrilling tussle for supremacy, Yousef, along with Al Wathba rider Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri on Sha-Ali and Spain's Maria Alvarez Ponton on Antares Sauveterre, battled throughout the five-stage 120km ride, which kicked off endurance action for the Dubai Equestrian Club at the Dubai International Endurance Village.

It was Ali Khalfan who led for most of the first three stages, with Maria in close pursuit while Yousef and Estaban were in sixth place during the first half of the ride.

Worried

"The ride was run in two groups. The first group of which I was a part set a very fast pace and I was a bit worried. But I kept him behind and went for it in the final two loops," said Yousef, who was riding Estaban for the first time.

The 15-year-old bay gelding was earlier trained by Spaniard Jesus Manuel Berna and was one of the top horses of the previous season.

"This was one of the fastest rides and the average speed was very high. In the last stage we touched 26.37 km/h," said Yousef, who won five rides last season.

The winners were timed at four hours, 42 minutes and 32 seconds, with Ali Khalfan second in 4:47.08.

Ali Khalfan said he was equally worried about his horse which just kept pulling him during the start.

"I really found it very difficult to keep him as he kept pulling. In fact I was keen to retire after the third stage but the grooms said Sha- Ali [his horse] was in good shape. I am happy he finished and the second place is certainly a good result for the stables," Ali Khalfan said.

Maria, another top performer of last season, once again displayed superb form and in fact posed a stiff challenge to the two UAE riders. After being placed fourth in the first two stages she moved into second in the third stage before being pushed back by Yousef and Ali Khalfan.

Earlier in the morning a total of 103 riders got off to a mass start in this Bab Al Shams Resort-sponsored ride which was also DEC's first of the season. Two Qualifier rides were also held at the venue in Seih Assalam.

Dubai Equestrian Club General Manager Ali Moosa Al Khamiri; Abdin Nasralla, General Manager, Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa; and Hussain Mohammad Hussain, Secretary General of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, gave away the trophies after the finish.

Results: Bab Al Shams Challenge 120km

1. Yousef Ahmad Al Beloushi (Estaban) 4hrs 42 mins 32 secs;

2. Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri (Sha-Ali) 4:47:08;

3. Maria Alvarez Ponton (Antares Sauveterre) 5:13:05;

4. Mohammad Ahmad Ali Al Subose (Hamlet El Indalo) 5:16.12;

5. Naser Abdullah Al Marzouqi (Ras Islam) 5:19.03.

Aziz dances Foxtrott to 100km victory

Gulfnews.com
By M. Satya Narayan, Staff Reporter
Published: November 25, 2007, 00:26

Abu Dhabi: Layla Abdul Aziz used all the experience gained as a UAE rider in the world championships to win on Saturday's 100km Al Ain Endurance Cup at the Boudtheib Endurance Village in Al Khatem.

Riding 10-year-old bay gelding Foxtrott 40, Layla paced her run and ensured her horse was in a fit condition at the final vet check which helped her clinch first place and drive away with a new Nissan Pathfinder.

Layla finished third behind India's Narayan Singh on Al Qudra and UAE's Fahd Abdullah Mubarak on Nakita. But both Al Qudra and Nakita were eliminated due to lameness and metabolic reasons respectively.

Full marks

However, Layla's horse Foxtrott 40 was cleared with full marks at the final vet check and she was declared the winner.

"This was the first time winning on this horse," said Layla, who had finished sixth at the World Junior Championship and fourth at the next World Championship in the Czech Republic. Layla came up with a steady performance as they averaged around 21.47 km/h for the 100-km ride which was restricted to riders from smaller stables.

"It was a tough ride and I just kept my horse behind initially and then ensured he lasted the distance," said the winner.

Results

1. Layla Abdul Aziz Al Redha (Foxtrott 40) 4hrs 39 mins 31 secs; 2. Gulam Nabi Mohammad Arf-Pakistan-(Tiramisu 2) 4:43.30; 3. Saeed Amhi Al Mansouri (Shawol) 5:07.58; 4. Saeed Bin Helweh (Vonk) 5:24.28; 5. Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi (Alonha Kaila) 5:43.14.

DHL Jordan announces sponsorship for Equestrian Tahani al Masri

AlBawaba.com article
Posted: 25-11-2007 , 08:38 GMT


DHL Jordan, the leading express and logistics provider in the Kingdom, has announced its support and sponsorship for budding equestrian Tahani Matouq al Masri who just participated in her first Wadi Rum Endurance Race. The sponsorship is in line with DHL Jordan's commitment to supporting young local athletes and raising the standard of this noble sport.

The Wadi Rum Equestrian Endurance Race took place on the 14th of November in Wadi Rum and covered 120 km. A number of outstanding equestrians who qualified in the preliminary race of 80 km and registered with the International Equestrian Federation also took part in the race.

Masri who only trained for a total of 10 months was among the first and few who reached the finish line.

Bara Obeidat, Marketing Manager at DHL Jordan, said, "The DHL Jordan team are proud to offer their support for upcoming equestrians with a promising future. Our sponsorship is part of our commitment to support the local community and with it we hope to play our part in shaping the future of Jordanian youth and in turn putting Jordan on the international map."

Tahani al Masri thanked DHL Jordan for taking the initiative to sponsor her in this race and for supporting her first participation in it. She said that this is the most important stage for the champions of this sport who wish to excel on an international level.

She added, "Participating in these types of races and championships helps an equestrian to hone her talents and consolidates her ability to overcome all the obstacles in her way. Receiving this sponsorship from DHL helps to raise awareness of this sport and also helps to build confidence and bring encouragement in this challenge.”


About DHL
DHL is the global market leader of the international express and logistics industry, specialising in providing innovative and customised solutions from a single source.

DHL offers expertise in express, air and ocean freight, overland transport, contract logistic solutions as well as international mail services, combined with worldwide coverage and an in-depth understanding of local markets. DHL's international network links more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. 285,000 employees are dedicated to providing fast and reliable services that exceed customers' expectations.

DHL is a Deutsche Post World Net brand. The group generated revenues of more than 60bn euros in 2006.



© 2007 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Bab Al Shams to sponsor first ride of the season - Nov 23 2007

Gulfnews.com - Full article
Staff Report
Published: November 23, 2007, 01:05

Dubai: A strong field of riders is expected to take part in the Dh550,000 Bab Al Shams Challenge tomorrow, the opening event of the endurance season at Dubai International Endurance City (DIEC).

The November 24 challenge, a FEI three-star 120-km ride organised by the Dubai Equestrian Club (DEC), is the first of eight rides at DIEC, including six FEI and two National competitions.

Dubai Equestrian Club General Manager Ali Moosa Al Khamiri said: "We are delighted that Bab Al Shams is continuing its long association with Dubai International Endurance City in sponsoring the opening ride.

"The first ride of the season is always an exciting event, and many of the leading riders will be in action, hoping to get their campaigns off to the best possible start. We look forward to seeing many of you there for what should be a great day."

Higher categories

Abdin Nasralla, General Manager, Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa, said: "We are delighted to be supporting the Endurance Races again this year. The Endurance Races are a national tradition and form part of the cultural heritage of the UAE; as such they share a strong synergy with Jumeirah Bab Al Shams's own efforts to support and promote UAE national culture as well as highlighting the Jumeirah Group's continued commitment to Stay Different.

"We look forward to welcoming participants and supporters for the 'Bab Al Shams Challenge'."

The Bab Al Shams Challenge starts at 5.30am and will also stage two Qualifier Rides over a distance of 40 and 80 kms, in which riders and horses can qualify for rides of higher categories.