Malaysia WEC: Royal treatment for horses

NST.com.my

7 October 2008

By : Ajitpal Singh

THE Boeing 747 and Airbus A300 will make their respective maiden flights to the Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Terengganu when they bring in horses for the World Endurance Championships (WEC) in Setiu on Nov 6-9.

The Airbus A300 will transport a total of 21 horses from Australia, Qatar and Oman. The plane, which will arrive on Oct 17, will also be carrying the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's horse -- Taljari Moonlight Pharaoh from Australia.

The Boeing 747, a direct flight from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, will have 36 horses on board and will arrive at the Sultan Mahmud Airport a day later. Previously, the airport could only accommodate smaller planes due to its short landing airstrip.

However, the runaway has been extended from 2,012 to 3,480 metres to allow bigger planes to land. WEC operations manager, Salim Fazlay said the project to extend the airport runway was mooted by Tuanku Mizan during the Sultan's Cup in November, last year.

"The runway extension project was completed last month," Salim confirmed yesterday.
A total of 34 countries, comprising 150 competitors, have entered for the WEC.

Salim said horses will start arriving from Oct 17 onwards with the last batch from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due in on Nov 3.

"The UAE and Bahrain will be transporting their horses with their own planes," he said.

Salim said the horses will be kept in stables at the venue (Terengganu International Endurance Park) when they arrive.

"Unlike UAE and Bahrain, riders from the other nations are arriving earlier to let their horses acclimatise and also get used to the 160km arena," Salim added.

The WEC, being held during the monsoon season, is expected to be a wet experience for the competitors.

Tuanku Mizan will lead the Malaysian team, comprising 16 riders.

Malaysia WEC: Teammates at ease with the King

Norlaily Buniyamin with a horse at the Selangor Turf Club in Sungei
Besi yesterday. (Inset)

Nst.com.my

Ajitpal Singh - ajitpalsingh@nst.com.my

THE Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who is passionate about horse riding, wants his compatriots to treat him like any other competitor when they ride together at the World Endurance Championships in Setiu, Terengganu on Nov 6-9.

This was revealed by his teammates -- Abdul Halim Alihan, Datuk Mohd Shuaib Isahak and Norlaily Buniyamin -- who have raced together with Tuanku Mizan in both local and international competitions for the past two years.

"Tuanku Mizan is truly a professional endurance rider.

"He told me and others several times to treat him just like any other layman in competitions," said Abdul Halim, who will be making his debut at the world meet.

"The King is also very supportive towards us during competitions. He often gives us advice and guidance."

Abdul Halim, who works as a horse trainer at the Royal Terengganu Stable Club in Sungei Besi, said he would not have qualified for the world meet if not for the King.

"I have been one of the King's horse trainers for the past two years. Tuanku Mizan encouraged me to venture into competitive riding and even loaned me his horse (Brookleigh Kentara) for competitions.

"I managed to earn two Certificates of Capability (COC) on this horse for the world meet," added the 27-year-old who is from Kuching.

Meanwhile, Norlaily, who will be competing in her second world meet in Terengganu, said Tuanku Mizan doesn't like to be bonded with certain protocols in competitions.

"I have traveled with him for many competitions and he treats me like a friend. We exchange ideas on tactics and strategies when we are competing," said the 47-year-old, the only woman local rider in the event.

Mohd Shuiab said Tuanku Mizan's warm and gentle attitude makes everyone in the team feel comfortable.

"He's always wiling to learn from others without hesitation. It's always a pleasure to ride with him," said Mohd Shuiab, who will ride Blue Bronco at the world meet.

Malaysia: WEC - Norlaily the only rose in national team

Nst.com.my - Full Article

By : Ajitpal Singh

NORLAILY Buniyamin will be the sole woman rider for the Malaysian team -- led by the King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin -- for the World Endurance Championships at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Setiu on Nov 6-9.

Norlaily's inclusion in the 12-rider team comes as a surprise as she was picked over four men qualifiers.

A total of 16 local riders were in the running for 12 quota slots after each earned two Certificates of Capability (COC).

She will be riding Bremervale Jessie James while Tuanku Mizan will be on Taljari Moonlight Pharaoh, in the event.

Among others shortlisted are veteran rider Datuk Kamaruddin Abd Ghani, Datuk Muhd Shuaib Isahak and Abdul Halim Alihan.
A total 34 countries, comprising over 150 riders, will be competing.

Among the favourites for the individual and team titles are the United Arab Emirates, Spain and Britain.

Brazil could be a last minute entry but that is subject to approval from the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

Foreign horses and riders will be arriving in Terengganu from Oct 17.

The Malaysian team: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin (Taljari Moonlight Pharaoh), Datuk Kamaruddin Abd Ghani (Navidad), Abdul Halim Alihan (Brookleigh Kentara), Bakar Aman (Amira Alborada), Norlaily Buniyamin (Bremervale Jessie James), Muhammad Firdaus Hamid (Ifra Des Jamets), Datuk Mohd Shuaib Isahak (Blue Bronco), Md Azizie Ismail (Janor Fee), Mohd Faizal Ismail (Edenfels Zephyr), Rosdam Mohd Noor (Janor Mamatembo), Yusran Yusof (Nashaar), Zainuddin Yusof (Texas).

Australia: Endurance horse riding showcased in Tom Quilty Gold Cup

News.com.au - Full Article and a video

By Phil Hammond

October 01, 2008 05:15pm

IN the horse world, there's no better compliment than being recognised as a good rider. And in the popular sport of endurance riding, that means ensuring you ride so well that your horse stays healthy over vast distances.

So when the sport's national championship event; the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, was staged around Nanango in the South Burnett, it was a community gathering of people who adore their horses.

All year they compete and exercise their lean and elegant companions, covering multiple long-distance rides, which may include the 400km Shahzada ride and the 320km, four-day Faraway event.

Riders and horses must succeed in many events to qualify to enter the Quilty. The honour is to finish and be awarded a belt buckle.

At the weekend, 55 per cent of 204 starters finished the course. International competitor Meg Wade, from Victoria, was first home in under 11 hours, averaging 16km/h over the full distance. A massive storm on Saturday night caught 60 riders out on the course. One woman crawled beneath a parked car and held her horse's reins as rain bucketed down.

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Qatar: Endurance Team ready for Worlds

Thepeninsularqatar.com

Web posted at: 9/26/2008 8:52:31
Source : The Peninsula

Doha - After two years of preparation and competition the Qatar Endurance Team has qualified eight riders for the FEI World Endurance Championship to be held from November 6 to 9 in Terengganu, Malaysia.

Although eight riders have qualified only six riders are allowed to compete. Qatar team officials must trim the list to six and submit the final entries to the sports governing body, Federation Equestre Internationale, by October 1.

The eight riders include: Faleh Nasser Abugnaim, Ali Yousef Al Malki, Abdulla Towaim Al Marri, Hassan Tahous Al Nuaimi, Khalid Sanad Al Nuaimi, Mohammed Tahous Al Nuaimi, Mohammed Sultan Al Suwaidi, and Atta Mohammed Beer.Owaida Al Hajeri serves as Chef d'Equipes for the 2008 Qatar Endurance Team and Hadi Nasser Al Naimi trainer.

The Qatar roster is entirely made up of riders from Qatar Foundation's Al Shaqab Endurance Team. During the past two years the riders have competed in various international events to qualify for the championship.

The prestigious World Endurance Championship is held every two years. When nominations closed on August 21, a total of 36 countries entered for the contest. The group included 24 nations represented by teams and an additional 12 countries that will feature individual competitors. In addition to the Qatar team other GCC nominations were received from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman.

Over the past 10 years, Endurance riding has grown as one of the most popular equestrian events. The sport requires the teamwork of rider and horse as they work to maintain pace over the grueling 158.1km cross-country course.

World Equestrian Games releases ticket info

Kentucky.com - Full Article

By Jim Jordan
jjordan1@herald-leader.com

Tickets for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will go on sale in one year — on Sept. 25, 2009, the World Games 2010 Foundation announced Thursday.

Prices will be set early next year, the foundation said, but the cheapest reserved seats will cost $25 each.

There also will be general admission tickets that will allow visitors to the Kentucky Horse Park to see equine exhibits and demonstrations, visit the trade show and restaurants, and attend competitions, such as endurance and cross country riding, that do not have reserved seats.

The tickets will be online at TicketMaster.com.

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Hamdan and Majid in UAE endurance team

Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, are part of the nine-member UAE team of riders nominated for the 2008 World Endurance Championship to be held in Terengganu, Malaysia from November 6 to 9.

The UAE, who will be starting off as one of the favourites for the individual as well as team championship, will be pruning down their nine-man list over the next few days as the deadline for final entries is October 1.

Apart from Shaikh Hamdan and Shaikh Majid the other UAE riders who have been nominated are Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya, Abdullah Thani Bin Huzaim, Yousuf Abdullah Al Hammadi, Khalid Ali Al Shafar, Mohammad Ahmad Ali Subose and Mohammad Rashed Saeed Khamis Al Subose.

Considerable success

While Shaikh Hamdan and Shaikh Majid were winning members of the UAE team which won the Asian Games gold and the Pan Arab Games gold in the team championship, Sultan Bin Sulayem won the bronze in the individual event at the Doha Asiad.

The 160-km world championship will be held for the first time in the evening and finish at night and a total of 36 countries have sent in their nominated entries.

Among the 36 participating countries, 24 countries will be participating in the team championship with a team of four while 12 countries will be participating with individuals.

Apart from the UAE the remaining countries taking part in the event are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay.

Individual gold

The UAE endurance team have achieved considerable success on the international stage with Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Maktoum winning the individual gold in the 2002 World Championship held in Jerez, Spain while His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai won the silver medal at the 2004 World Championship held in Dubai.

The UAE, who will be starting off as one of the favourites for the individual as well as team championship, will be pruning down their nine-man list over the next few days.

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