Malaysia WEC: Raja Permaisuri boost for Team Malaysia

photo: A horse bound for the FEI World Endurance Championships is led from a MAS Airbus A300 at the Sultan Mahmud International Airport in Kuala Terengganu yesterday.

The New Straits Times Online: Raja Permaisuri boost for Team Malaysia
By : Ajitpal Singh

THE Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin will be hoping for a perfect start at the World Endurance Championships as his consort, the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah has been given the honour to flag off the race on Nov 7.

The event will be held at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong, Setiu.

WEC event manager Azrin Zuhdi said Tuanku Nur is all excited about flagging off the race and watching Tuanku Mizan in action.

"Her role in the race will definitely inspire Tuanku Mizan and the other local riders to make an impression at the event," said Azrin at the TIEP yesterday.

Twelve Malaysian riders will be competing, both in the individual and team events at the world meet.
Malaysia's best hope is in the team-of-four event.

"Malaysian riders stand almost no chance in the individual category but there's a chance of making a grade in the team event, which will have 22 countries competing," said Azrin.

The favourites for the team event are Spain, France, Brazil and Australia.

Meanwhile, Denmark's only qualifier Inger Elisabeth Pitter Bertelsen has pulled out, which means 33 countries, comprising 141 riders, will be competing.

Azrin said Bertelsen and his ride Raouel Ox suffered an accident during training last week.

"Bertelsen decided to withdraw as his horse is suffering from lameness."

Meanwhile, the MAS Airbus A300 successfully transported 15 horses, including Tuanku Mizan's horse Taljari Moonlight Pharoah from Australia, yesterday.

It was the Airbus A300's maiden flight to the Sultan Mahmud International Airport.

The C130, carrying nine horses from Argentina and Uruguay, also landed at the airport.

The Boeing 747, a direct flight from Amsterdam, will be arriving with 30 horses today.

New Straits Times Online - full article

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Malaysia WEC: 142 Riders To Participate In WEC 2008

Bernama.com

October 17, 2008

KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- The World Endurance Championships (WEC) 2008 which will be held at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) starting Nov 6 will see a participation of 142 riders from 33 countries.

Apart from Malaysia, among the other countries represented are South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, France, Portugal, Qatar, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United States, Britain, Uruguay.

Terengganu Youth and Sports Committee Chairman, Datuk Abdul Rahin Mohd Said said 64 of the foreign participants had arrived in the state so far.

He said Malaysia would be represented by 12 riders, led by Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin himself.

Tuanku Mizan is also scheduled to officiate the championship at the Sultan Mizan Stadium, State Sports Complex, in Gong Badak on Nov 5.

-- BERNAMA

Malasia-WEC: TIEP set to stage best-ever championships

The New Straits Times Online
by Ajitpal Singh

THE Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) is set to host the best-ever World Endurance Championships on Nov 6-9 with its world class facilities.

According to WEC technical advisor Derek Liebenberg, the TIEP has the best facilities if taken as a package.

"It has the best stables, complex and track. TIEP comes with a complete package, unlike in previous editions where something was always lacking," said Liebenberg at TIEP in Lembah Bidong, Setiu yesterday.

"The venue has been certified 100 per cent ready by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to stage the event.

"I guarantee that people will be talking about the event for many years to come."
Meanwhile, Liebenberg said certain sections of the 160-km course have been modified to overcome the expected wet conditions during the race.

"We have lifted the soil by 30 centimetres and also installed a proper drainage system at a few sections to avoid flooding."

A total of 34 countries, comprising 142 riders will be competing in the WEC.

Liebenberg believes the race will be slower, unlike previous editions, and the winning time would be around nine hours.

"It will be a slow race because of the tough track and weather conditions. Less horses will fail the veterinarian's checks and I predict a completion rate of 45 per cent.
"Previous editions recorded an average completion rate of 33 per cent. Then the race was much faster and it led to many horses failing the checks."

Meanwhile, the Airbus A300 and C130 Hercules bringing the first batch of horses, will arrive today.

The Airbus A300 will be transporting 16 horse including the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's horse Taljari Moonlight Pharoah from Australia.

The C130 will carry 12 horses from Argentina and Uruguay.

[More ...]

Malaysia-Wec: Canadian Endurance Team En Route to Malaysia

Hunter Jumper News article

October 16, 2008

Ottawa, ON—Malaysia brings thoughts of shining beaches at exotic resorts, tropical drinks under equatorial skies and bargains at crowded bazaars, but this November, it will also mean eager horses, determined riders, organized grooms and crews, veterinarians, officials and 100 miles of track which will wind among the beautiful countryside, the shore of the South China Sea, tropical rainforests and farms. The World Endurance Championship will be held in this exciting land on November 7, 2008.

The venue will be the Terengganu International Endurance Park, Lembah Bidong, Merang Setiu, Terengganu, Malaysia. The Organizing Committee has set up two excellent websites: www.malaysia-wec.com and www.eventuz.com, which will include ride information the day of the event. This will be the first time that a world championship will be held in a tropical location. The track will be fully lit, as the ride is planned to start at 5:00 p.m. and run into the night.

Horses and riders will represent some 36 countries, with 24 sending teams, and the others fielding individual riders.

Endurance Canada is pleased to be sending a full complement of six riders and horses. Four of the riders, still to be chosen, will comprise the team, and two will ride as individuals.

The Canadian Endurance Team Members

Julius Bloomfield (Naramata, BC) and Avtar, 1999 Arabian gelding
Wendy Benns (Pontypool, ON) and Supreme Justice, 1999 Arabian gelding
Wendy MacCoubrey (Ste. Justine, QC) and Mariah, 1999 Arabian gelding
Ruth Sturley (Owen Sound, ON) and RBF Super Sport, 1993 Arabian gelding
Yvette Vinton DVM (Simcoe, ON and Morriston, FL) and Teese, 2000 Arabian gelding
Bob Gielen (Norton, NB) and FC Galaxy, 1997 Arabian gelding


Canadian Officials

Kay Melvin (Ontario) – Chef d’ équipe
Maura Leahy (Manitoba) – assistant Chef d’ équipe
Roxy Bell DVM (Alberta) – team veterinarian
Glenn Sinclair DVM (Manitoba) – assistant team veterinarian


Canadian Support Crew

Nancy Beacon
Robert Benns
Ruth Benns
Toni Bloomfield
Mike Bostic
Angela Gielen
Barb Gielen
Julie Green
Alycin Hayes
Scott Hie
Murray MacKenzie
Bianca MacKenzie
Laurie Whaley Pearson
Rocky Rehel
Ken Sturley

"With its emphasis on bringing the horse across the finish line in best health rather than merely in the shortest time, Endurance is the ultimate test of sympathetic horsemanship," noted Equine Canada CEO, Akaash Maharaj. "The 160km course will be the culmination of years of training and perseverance for our horses and riders, and we are very proud that they will represent our country and our sport at the World Championships.

Just getting to the ride has been an organizational, technical maze. The horses will be leaving from Los Angeles, Miami and New York. Riders, officials and crew will travel from Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles and Miami—all converging at Terengganu—where the real adventure begins.

"Enough of the paperwork and red tape—let’s just do it," says Kay Melvin, Chef d’ équipe.

Endurance Canada wishes the entire team congratulations, and good luck.
About Endurance Canada

Endurance Canada is a committee of Equine Canada, and the National governing body of the sport of Endurance Riding in Canada, from the grassroots to the international level. Endurance Canada is responsible for the growth and pursuit of excellence at all levels of the sport, providing support and guidance through various programs and committees: veterinary; rules and sanctioning; athlete and sport development; education and coaching; communication and awards.

Written by Julie Cull

Australia: Endurance rider in Tom Quilty Cup

The Wagin Argus
16/10/2008 2:41:00 PM

photo: TROTTING TIME: Corey Lunt trotting out “Cameo Stormboy” during the pre-ride vet check at the 2008 Tom Quilty Cup National championship in Queensland.

WAGIN endurance rider Corey Lunt has just returned home from Nanango in Queensland, where he competed in the 2008 Tom Quilty Cup National Championship 160km ride, obtaining his second Quilty buckle.

The championship event travels from State to State each year, with Corey winning the junior division and his horse Assiff, receiving the best conditioned horse junior award last year when it was in Western Australia.

This year Corey and his mother Anita were offered horses to ride by former WA riders Roman and Tanya Stoffel who have relocated to Queensland.

More than 200 competitors from Australia, Malaysia, Canada, Japan, America and the United Arab Emirates started the event at 4am on Saturday with only 99 riders successfully completing the course in the allowed 24 hour period.

The course was split into six legs of distances ranging from 32km to 15km with the horses having to pass strict veterinary checks at the end of each leg before being allowed to proceed.

No longer eligible to ride in the junior division, Corey placed 38th in the middleweight division, completing in a time of 18 hours 42 minutes.

WA riders Harry O’Brien and Simon Slemint, both of Burekup, also completed the course successfully.

“The course was really hard, we were either going up or down with not much flat going at all,” Corey said.

“A lot of the course was over the same ground as the Trans Tasman last year so I had an idea of how hard it was going to be.

“The weather made it more difficult though, as it got to about 32 degrees and high humidity during the day, followed by a really big thunderstorm during the night.”

Corey was halfway up the highest peak with 15km left to go when the storm hit.

“Mum’s horse vetted out for lameness at the 120km mark so I was riding by myself at that stage, and there was that much lightning around it was like daylight and the thunder sounded like it was right on top of us,” he said.

“When it started to hail and rain I didn’t think about the cold too much, I was more worried about missing the directional markers and getting lost.

“My horse just put his head down and got on with the job, only spooking a couple of times when the thunder got really loud. He was brilliant.”

At the peak of the storm, organisers took the unprecedented steps to suspend the ride due to safety reasons.

Competitors due to go on track were held in until the storm had passed, with their ride times being adjusted accordingly.

However, riders already on the track had to keep moving and weather the conditions as best they could.

Corey said he would like thank Healthways Smarter than Smoking and Milne Feeds Team Pegasus for their continued support along with Roman and Tanya Stoffel and Wade Burgess for allowing him to ride their horse, aptly named Stormy.

[full article]

Malaysia WEC: National Horse Show in Kuala Terengganu

Nst.com.my

2008/10/16

The National Horse Show, a lead-up event to the FEI World Endurance Championships, will be organised for the first time in 14 years in Terengganu on Oct 31-Nov 2.
Among the events at the horse show, to be held at the Terengganu Equestrian Resort, will be the FEI World Jumping Challenge, World Dressage Challenge, Pint Club Mounted Games and an Endurance Riding competition.

The endurance event, which has attracted competitors from Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, will be held over courses of 40km and 80km at the Marang Endurance track on Nov 1-2.

The Pony event will showcase the skills and bravado of pony riders.

Another attraction is the horse breeds display, where enthusiasts will see 20 different breeds found in Malaysia.

The National Horse Show, which made its debut in 1994, is one of the most popular equestrian events in the country.