[WEC Reports]Bahrain looking for podium finish

THE Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president, Shaikh Nasser Hamad Al Khalifa will lead his country in the FEI World Endurance Championships (WEC) at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong, Setiu on Nov 6-9.
The other team members are Shaikh Khalid Hamad Al Khalifa, Yousif Taher, Ghazi Al Dossary, Raed Mahmood and Ahmed Abdulla.

The team is coached by Shaikh Daij Salman Al Khalifa while Dr Khalid Hassan is the manager.

This will be Bahrain's third appearance in the world championship following their debut in the 2005 edition in Dubai.

Shaikh Nasser, said the team members are optimistic of a podium finish.
"We have been training for over a year for this championship," Shaikh Nasser told www.endurance.net, recently.

Their preparations started right after finishing second in last year's European Championships in Portugal.

The riders have been training in Europe, where they had a month-long camp in the United Kingdom, Austria and France.

However, Shaikh Nasser said the team will encounter a fierce test as the surface of the race area is presently wet due to continuous rain. But Shaikh Nasser expressed faith in the team members who have gained enough experience to help them pass this stern challenge.

Malaysia: Marisa's first strides to excel in equestrian sports

Thestar.com.my - Full Article

Monday November 3, 2008

By SHAHRIL CHE WAN

MARANG: Having taken up horse riding four years ago, Marisa Hasmah Mokhzani has taken her first strides towards excelling in equestrian sports.

Marisa Hasmah, who is the ninth grandchild of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was among the three youngest participants to take part in the 40km Royal Tournament Endurance Stables/National Horses Show Ride 2008 at Kampung Permatang Seratus, yesterday.

"I was nervous at first but I am glad that I took part in this tournament as the experience gained today can be considered a stepping stone for me to further succeed in this sport," she said after the prize-giving ceremony.

Marisa Hasmah, 12, rode Blanco, an Argentinian horse, during the race.

She said she practised by riding her horses, Blanco and Otto, with her family every Sunday.

She decided to enter the competition after being invited by her friend Her Highness Tengku Nadhirah Zahrah, who is the daughter of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Her father Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir beamed with pride at his daughter’s achievement although she was a novice in the strenuous endurance competition.

He added that his daughter picked up horse riding from Dr Mahathir and the two would ride in Putrajaya and at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club.

"We are proud of her achievement and talent. She is a brave girl," he said. Terengganu's Regent, Tengku Muhammed Ismail, 10, was the youngest participant and got fourth placing with his horse, Harmere Cairo.

His sister Tengku Nadhirah, won fifth place with her horse Aanetta.

The overall champion in the 40km category was Tengku Temenggong Raja, Tengku Baharuddin Sultan Mahmud while the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin won third placing in the 80km category.

King rides to third place in race

New Straits Times Online
2008/11/03

Photo: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin (left) taking part in the National Horse Show’s endurance race at the Marang Endurance Track in Marang yesterday. With him are other participants, including his son, Terengganu Regent Tengku Muhammad Ismail (second from right) and his daughter Tengku Nadhirah Zaharah (third from right).

MARANG: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin warmed up for the World Endurance Championship, scheduled for Nov 5 to 9 at the Terengganu International Endurance Park, with a third-placed finish in the National Horse Show's endurance race at the Marang Endurance Track yesterday.
The debut 80km category race at the three-day show, which ended yesterday, was flagged off by Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah with 23 riders taking part.

National Horse Show 2008 supreme committee joint vice-chairman Che Mat Din Ismail said the downpour in the morning made the ride more challenging for the competitors.

First place went to Nazuki Muda of Langkawi Endurance Team while Ahmad Ali Abdullah Kanis Mohd Yusoff of D'Bali Stable came in second.

Che Mat Din said the event was a good test of the riders' stamina besides providing opportunities for local grooms to familiarise themselves with new methods of cooling down horses.
He said Terengganu Regent Tengku Muhammad Ismail, 10, his sister Tengku Nadhirah Zaharah, 12, and Marisa Hasmah Mokhzani, also 12, who is the granddaughter of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, participated in the 40km category race.

He added the 70 per cent completion rate in the 40km category was an outstanding achievement as in endurance racing, it was important for both horse and rider to finish in good condition to prove a test of good horsemanship.

New Straits Times Online Article

Turkmenistan Riders to Take Part in UAE Endurance Events

Khaleejtimes.com - Full Article

3 November 2008

ABU DHABI -The doors have been opened and now its just a question of when. If everything goes according to plan, endurance aficionados will get to watch and compete alongside riders and horses from Turkmenistan in the UAE.

These racing horses are known for their unique colours somewhat different from thoroughbreds and pure Arabians.

This was the outcome of a recent visit by a high-ranking delegation from the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, headed by the secretary general Taleb Dhaher Al Muhairi, to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, according to a Press release.

The visit was in response to an invitation extended to Dr. Shaikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, chairman of the UAE Equestrian & Racing Federation, from the president of the Turkmenistan Equestrian Federation, in an effort to boost mutual relations in this field. The visit, which coincided with the 17th independence day celebrations of Turkmenistan, included the opening of a mega building which houses the headquarters of Turkmenistan Equestrian Federation. Some races were held to mark the occasion.


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Ireland: Ireland decides against WEG 2014 bid

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

November 2, 2008

Despite a €10 million pledge in sponsorship Ireland has decided not to bid to host the World Equestrian Games in 2014.

The decision was made at a Horse Sport Ireland board meeting on Thursday.

Horse Sport Ireland Chairman Joe Walsh said that the decision was an acknowledgement of the changing fiscal climate and the need for HSI to concentrate its resources on developing the sport.

Mr Walsh said that Horse Sport Ireland had a recent meeting with the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen T.D. At the meeting an initial feasibility study that had been prepared for Horse Sport Ireland by Mazars Consulting was discussed. From the report it was clear that substantial Government and commercial funding would be required to bring the games to Ireland.

"We had a very open discussion with the Minister and while we all agreed that hosting these games would be of great benefit to Ireland we cannot ignore the economic realities," he said.

"As the Governing Body for the sport we have to be prudent and be absolutely sure that the games would be viable. With the global economic downturn the risk factors in taking on a project like this have increased significantly in recent months. We all know what happened in 1998 and we cannot risk a repeat of that." he said.

Mr. Walsh said he wanted to thank Dr. Pearse Lyons, Global President of Alltech, for his generous offer to sponsor the Games.

"As an Irishman Dr Lyons really wanted to bring the games to Ireland. His offer to be the title sponsor of the games was extremely generous and it is unfortunate that the timing just isn't right," he said.

He said that he was confident that Ireland would bid for the World Equestrian Games at some stage in the future and the work done in assessing the feasibility of a bid for 2014 would prove useful.

Bidders for the games are to be circulated to the FEI Bureau. Bidders will be asked to make a formal presentation prior to the decision by the Bureau on the host Organiser, which will be taken in the spring of 2009.

UAE: Munthar wins season's first race

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
Published: November 01, 2008, 22:58

Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Al Reef Stables sent out the first winner of the 2008-09 endurance season as Munthar Ahmad Al Beloushi claimed victory in the 100-km Boutheib Endurance Challenge for Junior & Young Riders here on Saturday.

Riding Carallio, an 11-year-old horse trained by his elder brother Yousef Ahmad Al Beloushi, Munthar scored his first career win completing the 100km ride in three hours 46 minutes and 51 seconds.

Munthar used to ride horses at the Al W'rsan Stables and shifted to the Al Ain base of Al Reef Stables. His horse Carallio was coming back after a long layoff due to injury.

"I was a bit tired toward the end of the race," said Munthar.

Despite winning the race, Munthar was not the first to cross the finish line.

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[WEC Reports] Royal support makes it possible for Abdul Halim

The New Straits Times
11/02/2008

ABDUL Halim Alihan could not have fulfilled his dreams of competing in next week's FEI World Endurance Championships (FEI WEC) if not for the support of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.
Abdul Halim's interest in horses began when he was a youngster. He often read books on horses but could not venture into the sport due to financial constraints.

However, his chance came when he started work as a groom and riding boy at the Royal Terengganu Stable Club in Sungai Besi in 2006.

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

"I managed to earn two Certificates of Capability (COC) on this horse for the world meet," said the 27-year-old rider.
Abdul Halim is one of the 12 Malaysian riders competing in the FEI WEC at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong, Setiu..

The 27-year-old rider, who has competed in four 160-km endurance competitions so far this year, is ranked 161st in the world. His best result was fifth placing at the Saera event in Australia in June.

The FEI WEC will have 133 riders from 32 countries competing.

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Posted By Steph Teeter to WEC Reports at 11/02/2008 04:55:00 AM