Al Beloushi renews rivaly with Maria

Gulf News article
Yousuf Ahmad Al Beloushi celebrates his victory in the Shaikh Maktoum Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge last year.
By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
Published: February 23, 2008, 01:05

Abu Dhabi: Precisely a year ago, Yousuf Ahmad Al Beloushi on Cameo Zinniaa finished ahead of Spain's Maria Alvarez Ponton in the 120-km second Shaikh Maktoum Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge endurance ride at Dubai International Endurance City.

The two riders are back on the same horse for the third edition of this ride which gets off to a mass start at 6am this morning and will be joined by over 100 other riders.

While the two rider will be looking to again do well in the event, sponsored by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, there is also another reason the two will be hoping to better each other.

In the latest FEI World Ranking (calculated up to December 2007) Maria leads with 1,784 points followed by Frenchman Jack Begaud (1581) while Yousuf is third on 1044.

Both Yousuf and Maria also completed this event in its inaugural edition in the 2005-06 season with Yousuf finishing 10th and Maria 34th.

Other top riders in the fray include Pan Arab Games Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The Shaikh Maktoum Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge over 120-kms will be run in five loops of 31, 32, 27, 18 and 12 kms each. An 82-km Qualifier ride with 31 riders and a 44-km Qualifier with 35 riders will also be held today at the Dubai International Endurance Village in Seih Assalam.

The total prize money on offer is Dh550,000 which will be distributed among the top 20 who finish the ride while the winner will also drive away with a Nissan Patrol Car.

The first 10 horses finishing within one hour of the first-placed horse will be eligible to enter the Best Condition Competition while Dh 50,000 will be given away as cash prizes to the public through a free raffle.

Abu Dhabi: Love blooms in the desert for Spanish duo

Gulfnews.com - Full Story

February 23 2008

By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter

Abu Dhabi: Their interests are common as they are passionately involved in the sport of endurance.

Though both hail from Spain they had never met until in 2001 in Dubai and seven years later they have not only exchanged vows but progressed into world class riders.

Jaume Punti Dachs hails from Barcelona and arrived in the UAE in 1999 to train endurance horses...

More...

Australia: Recognition at last for rider

Mudgee Guardian - full article
FINALLY RECOGNISED: John Howe with the recognition he waited more than 17 years to receive.
By DON MAHONEY

Endurance rider John Howe was recognised for a rare achievement, some 17 years after the event, when he attended the annual general meeting of the NSW Endurance Riders Association on Saturday, February 9.

Howe was the first ever endurance rider to complete the Tom Quilty, Shahzada and the NSW State Championships on the one horse back in 1991.

In 1991, in the days before riding helmets were a compulsory part of an endurance riders’ equipment, Howe rode his 16HH American Saddle Horse ‘Beau Gallant Omen’ to complete all three rides.

"At the time Beau was a 9YO and I started with the 160 kilometres of the Tom Quilty on the June long weekend, then in August completed the 400 kilometres of the Shahzada and in October the 160 kilometres of the NSW State Championships at Mt Macquarie near Blayney," Howe said.

"I may never have attempted the feat if it hadn’t been for the late Paul Grieve, who was a great endurance rider.

"I asked if there was one thing he would like to do in his lifetime and he said he would like to complete these three events with one rider, one horse in the same year.

"Paul never got his wish so I set out to achieve it for him.

"To get over the line in all three events Beau had to pass 22 fitness tests on 22 occasions during the three rides and I’ll never forget the relief when the vets pronounced him fit after I crossed the finish line at Mt Macquarie.

"I decided to run the horse out myself for the last vet check as tired as I was and all the vets were there as well as a lot of endurance enthusiasts.

"I ran him out and then when I brought him back I felt him surge in his movement and felt confident he would make it - to this day it was my biggest thrill in the sport.

"Since 1991 only 10 people have been able to emulate the feat and at this year’s AGM at Port Stevens all 10 of us were presented with a special Big 3 award.

"Endurance riding is about completing the course safely and the horse being fit at every veterinary check point, including the final one."

Endurance riding has been at a standstill since the Equine Influenza outbreak forced the cancellation of the 2007 Shahzada last August.

The sport returns to the Mudgee district when the Mudgee Endurance Club hosts their 2008 race ride from the popular Cooyal base on May 18.

Britain: Inside Story from UK's Golden Horseshoe ride - Feb 20 2008

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Story

A reporter with Britain's BBC is to ride in a division of the Golden Horseshoe Ride, the country's most well-known and toughest endurance riding event.

Reporter Adam Henson is planning to ride in the The Exmoor Experience class, which is 80km (50 miles) over two days, 25 miles on each day...

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FEI Endurance Rankings

FEI Press News
13/02/2008 - 2008 FEI Endurance World Rankings now available!

We are happy to announce that the new 2008 FEI World Rankings are now available online by clicking on the following link:

Rankings

Following several requests to the FEI, we have created two new Rankings for 2008. These Rankings are:
- 2008 Open Horse World Endurance Ranking
- 2008 Junior/Young Rider Horse World Endurance Ranking

These Rankings highlight the performances of horses, and the points gained within FEI competition throughout 2008 by the individual horses. The points are distributed using the same calculations as per the Rider and Combination Rankings. Please refer to the above link for the calculation of the FEI World Endurance Rankings.

Full ranking lists include:
- 2008 Open Riders World Ranking List
- 2008 Open Combination World Ranking List
- 2008 Young Riders World Ranking List
- 2008 Young Riders Combination World Ranking List
- 2008 Open Horse World Ranking List
- 2008 Young Riders Horse World Ranking List

Australia: Horse flu's huge impact on the economy

Nqr.farmonline.com.au - Full Story

Friday, 15 February 2008

The Australian Horse Industry Council has released an Equine Influenza Economic Impact Study, revealing just how significant the cost of the horse flu has been, with small communities the hardest hit.

In the survey, the 2700 respondents estimated that there were losses of $29 million per week between August and December 2007.

The financial assistance available through government grant payments have only offset these losses by 8.5pc, the report states.

The greatest losses were in the not-for-profit sector and at the local community level.

AHIC president, Dr Barry Smyth, said that if the losses estimated by the survey respondents were applied to the whole of the Australian horse industry, "then the total would be in the billions".

Losses were significantly more than those estimated in a previous survey conducted in September 2007, Dr Smyth said.

The positive news is that the efforts to control the Equine Influenza outbreak and eradicate it from Australia seemed to have been successful, with no new cases reported in 2008.

Ladies Challenge - ready for Round III

FEI Press News:

Sue Sidebottom on Fenwick Cadenza, photo by Gillie Wheeler

Round II - Al Asayl Ladies’ Race sets New World Record!

Friday 8 February saw an exciting Second Round of the HH Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Challenge. This three part series, held at the Al Asayl Endurance Village, Sweihan near Abu Dhabi, is specifically for Lady Riders. This is the second year the Challenge has been run and its ever increasing popularity is clear by the rise in the number of entrants.

Friday’s race saw 34 ladies set off into the chilly dawn of the day. Thirteen nationalities were represented with competitors from as far afield as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Canada.

The winner of Round II was Sue Sidebottom (GBR), assistant to the General Manager, Mr Ali Moosa, of the Dubai Equestrian Club. She was riding Fenwick Cadenza, an 11 year old Anglo Arab owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Sue had previously accompanied the chestnut gelding to 5th place in Round I of the Ladies’ Challenge and is aiming for the 3 finish hat trick with the same mount. ‘I am delighted to have won, the win belongs to Seeh Al Salam stable, HH Shk Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and my thanks go to him. Ali Al Mehairi trains the horse, he and his team have done a brilliant job and I had fantastic crewing.’

The top 5 finishers completed the 100km at over 26kph. The race was won at an average speed of 26.18kph, the fastest time recorded for an Open FEI 2* 100km Endurance Event. This is the second World Record to have been beaten in 2008. Omair Hussein Al Bloushi broke the 160km World Record in Dubai earlier this year finishing at an astonishing 24.71kph. The same combination hold the World Record for the fastest speed in a Young Rider FEI 2* 100km Endurance Event, 26.32kph – just 1 minute 51 seconds faster than the the finishing speed on Friday.

Reem Shaban Ibrahim Hasan (UAE) rode her mount for the day, Rivendell Sharman from Al Reef stables, into 2nd Place. This 14 year old Chestnut gelding, bred in Australia, was going for his 6th completion over a desert course and put in a great performance ensuring his 2nd top 3 placing for Al Reef Stables.

Third place went to another British rider Kayleigh Smith, on Stanpark Trooper, a part bred Arab Gelding also owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Of the 34 starters, 16 ladies finished giving an overall completion rate of just over 47%, a most impressive number given the highly competitive nature of the HH Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Challenge.

The winner of the first round, Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi (UAE), finished in 4th place on Friday. She was riding the 10 year old bay gelding Al Galahn from Al Reef stables, not the same horse she won with in the first round. Ladies that have now finished in both Round I and Round II and are in strong contention for the title are:

Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi (UAE) – 1st & 4th
Sue Sidebottom (GBR) – 5th & 1st
Kayleigh Smith (GBR) – 4th & 3rd
Martha Mary Mischeff (USA) – 8th & 7th
Allison Jane Buckley (GBR) – 10th & 10th
Margaret Wade (AUS) – 7th & 11th
Sheika Maryam bint Omer Al Qasimi (UAE) – 9th & 15th
Karine Nelly Peron (FRA) – 14th & 16th

The third part of the Challenge is to be held on 7 March, and with a several ladies in strong contention to be the overall winner, it certainly looks to be a highly anticipated event!