Malaysia WEC: Thoroughbred Arab Horses are Main Pick of Endurance Riders for WEC

Malaysia.news


Bernama - Wednesday, October 22

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Thoroughbred Arab horses aged from six to 12 are the popular choice of a majority of riders competing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) to be held at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong, Terengganu from Nov 6-9.

Project Manager for WEC 2008 Malaysian riders, Mohd Din Mat said not all bred are suitable for endurance races, especially to withstand the gruelling 160km endurance race at WEC, considered the toughest race in the world.

"The race is a real test and combination of the horses' stamina, endurance and the riders physical and mental strength. The Arabian horses are picked because they are renown for their intelligence, high spirit and outstanding stamina," he told Bernama here today.

Mohd Din said Malaysian riders, including the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin too, would be using Arab horses during the competition.

"Tuanku Mizan who qualified for the championship on merit, will be using two Arab horses named Taljari Moon Pharoah and Ibrahim Pascha Larzac, during the competition," he said.

He added that apart from being physically and mentally fit, horses must also qualify for a Certificate of Competition (COC) from the Federation Equestrian International (FEI) to compete in the bi-annual championship.

Mohd Din said endurance race horses needed special care, attention and food to ensure they remained in good shape.

"Among the types of food consumed by such horses are Cuibes, Haven, Chaff and their food are supplemented by vitamins.

"For race horses, expenses for food can cost anywhere between RM1,000 to RM2,000 a month, based on the owner's financial capability," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Malaysia WEC: Canadians headed to Malaysia

Standard-freeholder.com

Most area horse people know the names of Lynda and Ken Townsend of Ste-Justine, Que. through their horses, ponies, buggies and sleighs as well as the “Cadillac” of petting zoos and pony rides, “Town and Country”, which they ran for many years.

What many don’t know, though, is that while most of us have been winding down our competition season and preparing for the colder weather, their daughter, Wendy MacCoubrey and “Mariah”, a sixteen-year-old Arab gelding, have been doing the exact opposite!

They are part of the six member Canadian Endurance Team (plus four officials and 15 grooms and crew members!) which left JFK Airport last week headed to Malaysia (read: heat and humidity) for the World Endurance Championships, Nov. 7 to 9.

Wendy herself has logged over 4,500 competitive miles in the saddle, and more than 4,000 of them with “Mariah” as they worked towards making this team.

Here’s wishing them all the best of luck in the competition.

The team can be followed through www.endurancecanada.ca.

Go Canada, go!

Malaysia WEC: Women rule in endurance riding

New Straits Times Online
Ajitpal Singh
10/22/08

SINCE its inception in 1986, only two men have managed to win the World Endurance Championships (WEC) individual title and in next month's edition, a woman rider is tipped to be the winner again.
In endurance racing, women make up the majority of competitors and more than 50 per cent of the 141 competitors for the 12th edition on Nov 6-9 will be women.

WEC technical advisor, Derek Liebenberg said endurance racing is a popular discipline in equestrian among women riders.

"The reason women riders have won nine out of 11 world individual titles is because of their huge numbers in each previous editions.

"I have reason to believe that women riders will start as favourites in Terengganu," said Liebenbery at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong, Setiu on Saturday.
"The 160-km race is supposed to be tougher for women as they are lighter and need to strap 'dead weights' to their saddles.

"The minimum weight for competitors in endurance events is 75kg and normally only women athletes need to strap weights to their saddle."

Women riders from the United States have won seven consecutive editions, starting with the inaugural event in Italy through Cassandra Schuler, followed by three-time winner Becky Hart (1988-United States; 1990-Sweden; 1992-Spain).

Valerie Kanavy won in 1994 in The Netherlands and in 1998 in the United Arab Emirates, while her daughter Danielle nailed the 1996 US edition.

France's Milla Killa Perringerard broke the US dominance in 2000 to ensure a woman won it again, while Ahmed Al Maktoum of the UAE emerged the first men's winner in the 2002 edition in Spain.

In the 2004 edition in UAE, Barbara Lissarague of France won it for the ninth time for the women while Spain's Miguel Villa Ubach struck one back for the men when he emerged champion in Germany in 2006.

Meanwhile, the national squad, consisting of 12 riders led by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, have begun their final preparation for the WEC at the TIEP.

Malaysia are hoping to win their first ever world meet medal in the team event.

All the local horses, including Tuanku Mizan's ride -- Taljari Moon Pharoah -- are in good condition for the event.

Belgium: World Cup for Veterans/Coupe du Monde des Vétérans

POUR DIFFUSION IMMEDIATE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Coupe du Monde des Vétérans – Mons/Ghlin – Belgium – Date d’envoi : 19 Octobre
La Coupe du Monde des cavaliers d’endurance vétérans se déroulera le samedi 25 octobre à l’Hippodrome de Wallonie à Mons/Ghlin.

Au départ, plus de cinquante cavaliers représentant neufs nations (Allemagne, Argentine, Belgique, Danemark, Finlande, France, Italie, Norvège, Russie). Les concurrents partiront de l’Hippodrome de Wallonie pour se diriger vers la réserve naturelle de la Mer de Sable où se dérouleront les contrôles vétérinaire et la deuxième boucle, avant de revenir vers l’Hippodrome pour l’explication finale sur la 4ème boucle.

Quelques vétérans de renom seront au rendez-vous, notamment Jack Begaud(Fra), Vincent Dupont(Fra), Miguel Pavlovsky(Arg) et Fausto Fiorucci(Ita), Freddy Meurrens (Bel) pour se disputer ce premier titre.

Une selle sera offerte par Gaston Mercier (deux fois Champion d’Europe) au vainqueur. Les selles Gaston Mercier, d’une qualité et d’un fini exceptionnels, équipent un nombre considérable de cavaliers belges et étrangers.

Plus d’informations ainsi que les résultats et les photos sur www.endurance-belgium.com

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WorldCup for Veterans – Mons/Ghlin – Belgium – Release date : 19th October

The WorldCup for Veterans riders will take place on Saturday 25th October at the Racetrack of Wallonia, located in Mons, Belgium.

At the start, more than fifty riders representing nine nations (Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Italy, Russia). The flag-off will be done from the Racetrack of Wallonia. Horses will head toward the natural reservation of the “Mer de Sable”, near the superb castle of Beloeil. The first and second vetgates will take place there, then horses will come back to the racetrack, before the 4th and final loop.

Several well-known veterans will be competing, including Jack Begaud and Vincent Dupont from France, Miguel Pavlovsky from Argentina, Fausto Fiorucci from Italy and Freddy Meurrens from Belgium.

But there will only be one winner. The winner will be presented a saddle from Gaston Mercier, the double European Champion. The Gaston Mercier saddles equip many Belgian and international riders and have gained an international reputation thanks to their ultimate design and comfort.

More information, including photos and results on www.endurance-belgium.com

Malaysia WEC: US team arrives in Malaysia for 2008 World Endurance Championship

USEF News
October 21, 2008

Six US Horse/Rider combinations arrived in Malaysia this past week with the hope of a stellar performance on Nov 7-8 when 141 entries from 33 countries compete for the honor of being named World Endurance Champion. Over the past year, those hoping for a position on the US Team have attended competitions and training sessions under the guidance of Becky Hart, three time World Champion and Chef d'Equipe for the US Endurance Team.

The Endurance Selectors named the following horse/rider combos to the Team:

Kathrine Brunjes/ Theatric
John Crandell III/ HH Saba Shams
Cheryl Dell/ Reason to Believe
Valerie Kanavy/ Flash Flame
Margaret Sleeper/ Syrocco Reveille
Janice Worthington/ Gold Lightening

While in Malaysia, the team has access to the added expertise of Team Veterinarian Jim Bryant DVM, assistant Team Veterinarian Todd Holbrook DVM, Team Farrier Jeff Pauley and Equine Massage Therapist Jim Masterson. Due to the warm, humid conditions in Malaysia, the competition will begin at 5:00pm local time on Friday November 7th so that the majority of the competition will be run in the dark on a lighted course. The latest news will be available on the official website www.malaysia-wec.com and also on www.Endurance.Net.

Malaysia WEC: UAE riders saddle up for title mount

The National
Amith Passela
October 20. 2008

ABU DHABI // Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed will lead a six-member UAE team in the FEI World Endurance Championship in Terengganu, one of the three east coast states of the Malaysian Peninsular, on Nov 7.

The others in the team include his younger brother Sheikh Majid, Mubarak Khalifa bin Shafya, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Mohammed Ahmed Ali Subose and Abdulla Thani bin Huzaim.

The UAE are one of the favourites in the 160km race that has drawn 142 entries from 34 countries.

The race will be held at night for the first time. This is because the country experiences afternoon rains, particularly from November to January. And the days are warm with humidity more than 80 per cent.

The course takes the riders along a stunning coastline, through palm plantations, along canal banks and through natural vegetation forests. The start is a long and wide grassy stretch of track and the finish line is the entry back into the Endurance Park.

Sheikh Hamdan, who has won a number of endurance trophies, including the Asian Games Gold and, more recently, a fourth place in the European Open in Portugal last year, is set to ride Jazyk.

The 11-year-old Arabian chestnut gelding finished 15th under Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed in that race after recovering from time wasted in replacing a shoe he lost in the opening loop.

Sheikh Majid rides another European Open campaigner Spenda Crest Kamouflage, another 11-year-old chestnut gelding who is joint seventh in the FEI Endurance horses’ world ranking list.

Shafya is to reunite with Zakah Zahara, who was first past the post in the 160km race before being disqualified when failing to pass the post-race veterinary test. Sulayem is booked on Tazoul El Parry while Subose and Huzaim, who are ranked fourth and fifth respectively in the FEI rankings, are set to partner Koum Des Jamets and Castlebar Kadeem.

The UAE have a proud record since the sport was first introduced officially in the country in 1993. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, on Bowman, became the youngest and first male rider to win the world championship in Jerez, Spain, in 2002.

They have hosted two world championships, the first in 1998 and then in 2004 in which Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed shared the podium with the winner Barbara Lissarague of France.

The UAE will be aiming to regain the world championship and also claim the team title they have come close to winning on numerous occasions only to fail on the final loop of the race.

The UAE season, meanwhile, gets under way with a 100km race for young riders and juniors at the Bouthdib Endurance Village on Nov 1.

The week after is free because of the World Equestrian Championship in Malaysia, and Nov 15 sees the first of the open rides of the season at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba.

Original Article

Abu Dhabi: Hamdan and Majid to take part in Malaysia Endurance event

www.gulfnews.com

By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
Published: October 20, 2008, 00:12

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 will be part of a six-strong UAE team at the 2008 World Endurance Championship to be held in Terengganu, Malaysia from November 6 to 9.

According to the list of entries announced by the organisers, Shaikh Hamdan and Shaikh Majid along with Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya, Abdullah Thani Bin Huzaim and Mohammad Ahmad Ali Subose complete the UAE line-up.

Jazyk, Spenda Crest Kamouflage, Koum Des Jamets, Castlebar Kadeen, Zakah Zahara and Tazoul Al Parry are the six horses that will partner the UAE riders.

While four of the UAE riders will take part as a team all six will get a chance to go for gold in the individual event.

The 160-km ride will be held at the Terengganu International Endurance Park and is the first world event to be run in the evening with a 3.30pm start.

Apart from the UAE and hosts Malaysia, 32 other countries have entered their riders with 142 horses and riders being confirmed as definite entries. All countries can enter a six-member team while the hosts Malaysia can enter a 12-member team of riders.

Domestic season

The UAE team is a formidable line-up with Shaikh Hamdan and Shaikh Majid having been winning members of the UAE team which won the Asian Games gold and the Pan Arab Games gold in the team championship. Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem won the bronze in the individual event at the Doha Asiad.

The UAE's best result in the world championships was in 2002 in Jerez, Spain when Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum won the individual gold.

While the UAE will be starting off as one of the strong favourites, joining them in the race for honours will be the French, Spanish, Australian and the US teams. Two-time world champion and silver-medallist once, Valery Kanavy of the US and the French team riders who have achieved the most success in the world championships will be taking part in the November 7 ride.

The UAE's domestic endurance competitions for the 2008-09 season is set to start with a junior ride at the Boudtheib Endurance Village in Al Khatem on November 1. Al Wathba will kick off the open competition with a 120-km ride on November 15, a week after the World Endurance Championship in Malaysia.

According to the tentative endurance calendar for the 2008-09 season, rides will be held at Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, the Dubai Endurance City in Seih Assalam, Boudtheib Endurance Village in Al Khatem and ;ladies rides at the Al Asayl Endurance Village in Sweihan, Abu Dhabi.