[WEC Reports] Bahrain endurance team receive award

Gulf-daily-news.com

10th November2008

BAHRAIN'S Royal Endurance Team yesterday received the bronze medal following their third place finish in the World Endurance Horseride Championship which concluded on Saturday at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Terengganu.The Bahraini team was captained by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa who came eighth in the individual category.

Other riders of the Royal team were Ghazi Al Dossary who was ninth overall, Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Yousif Taher, Raed Mahmood and Ahmed Abdulla.

The Bahraini team is coached by Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa while the team manager is Dr Khalid Hassan who received the trophy on behalf of Shaikh Nasser who returned to Bahrain right after the race.

A total of 242 riders, representing 34 countries from across the world started this race but few managed to cross the finish line due to heavy rain, especially in the first three stages.

The awarding ceremony was held under the patronage of the Malaysian monarch Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin who deputised his wife to honour the winners.

Maria Mercedes of Spain won the race while Argentinean rider Agustin Vita finished second and Sultan bin Sulayem of the UAE was third.

Finished

The next four places were won by UAE riders - Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum finished fourth and was followed by Mohammed Al Saboosi, Mubarak bin Shafia and Abdulla bin Hazeem in that other.

Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Khalid congratulated the members of the UAE and Qatari teams who finished first and second respectively in the team event, adding that the Gulf nations will now pose a stronger challenge to the Europeans, Americans and the Australians.

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Posted By Merri to WEC Reports at 11/10/2008 04:39:00 PM

[WEC Reports] Riders give event the thumbs up

New Straits Times - Full Article

By Ajitpal Singh - ajitpalsigh@nst.com.my

THE 12th FEI World Endurance Championships (WEC), which concluded yesterday was an intense competition among the best endurance riders in the world in Lembah Bidong, Setiu.
The race was a success as 48 riders or 38.09 per cent of the 126 participants completed the 160km race, one of the highest completion rate ever to be recorded in this event.

Riders also praised the challenging track conditions.

Spain's Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton emerged as the individual champion, becoming the 10th woman in the history of WEC to achieve the feat.

Argentina's Vita Agustin and the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Sultan Ahmed Sultan Sulayem won the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Maria's horse - Nobby, was also named the "Best Condition Horse" in the competition.

"I would not have won if not for Nobby's perfect condition during the race. I'm happy that my horse won the award," said Maria at the closing ceremony at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Setiu yesterday.

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Posted By Merri to WEC Reports at 11/10/2008 02:19:00 AM

[WEC Reports] Asia reigns top in World Endurance Championship

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
Published: November 09, 2008

Terengganu, Malaysia: A colourful ceremony brought the curtain down on the World Endurance Championship as officials hailed the 'no casualty' event a success in tropical Malaysia - one of the toughest environments for riders and horses.

The King of Malyasia Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abideen Bin Al Marhum Sultan Mahmoud who took part in the 160-km endurance ride in which the UAE reigned supreme with a team gold, graced the prize distribution ceremony on Sunday and a gala dinner function was later held.

Later, speaking to Gulf News, Ian Williams, the FEI Director for Non-Olympic equestrian sport, said Malaysia confirmed the global status of endurance.

"A lot of people were sceptical about this championship because of the tropical climate. But the teams took on board the challenges and addressed them and we saw some high levels of horsemanship..."

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Posted By Merri to WEC Reports at 11/09/2008 10:39:00 PM

[WEC Reports] I'm on cloud nine, says UAE endurance winner

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
Published: November 09, 2008

Terengganu: Winning a gold medal in the World Endurance Championship with the UAE team in his very first appearance in his country's colours, Abdullah Thani Bin Huzaim is still on cloud nine.

After the triumphant UAE team led by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, returned home after winning the team gold and an individual bronze medal, Bin Huzaim was elated after receiving the gold medal for being a member of the winning quartet.

Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Mubarak Khalifa Bin Shafya, Mohammad Ahmad Ali Subose and Bin Huzaim took the team gold while Sultan Bin Sulayem won the bronze in the individual event.

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Posted By Merri to WEC Reports at 11/09/2008 10:38:00 PM

[WEC Reports] Terengganu prepared to organise WEC if given chance

New Straits Times

2008/11/09

SETIU, TERENGGANU:

The Terengganu state government is prepared to organise the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in future if given the opportunity to do so, said Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said.
"We are prepared to become the main sponsor in view of the good response from the public besides the benefits derived in terms of the state's economic activity," he said.

He disclosed this to reporters after the prize giving ceremony for the WEC 2008 at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) at Lembah Bidong, near here today.

In the championship that ended yesterday, Spanish rider Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton emerged as champion in the individual category while the team from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) won in the team category. Ahmad said that in the WEC 2008, the state government only assisted in ensuring the smooth running of the championship organised by the National Sports Institute with the cooperation of the Equestrian Association of Malaysia and sanctioned by International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

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Posted By Merri to WEC Reports at 11/09/2008 04:40:00 PM

[WEC Reports] Azizie, Halim do Malaysia proud

Azizie Ismail was the best-placed Malaysian finishing 34th in a time of 11:54:32s.

New Straits Times

THEY many not have won any medals but Azizie Ismail and Abdul Halim Alihan brought cheer to the Malaysian camp at at the Terengganu Endurance International Park yesterday.

They were the only two finishers among the 12 Malaysians who took part in the gruelling 160km FEI World Endurance event which was won by Spain's Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton, astride Nobby.

Azizie and Halim finished 34th and 39th respectively in times of 11:54:32s and 12:27:53. The event started with 126 riders and only 48 lasted the distance.

Malaysia's hopes for a placing in the team event were dashed when all four horses were eliminated for various reasons

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's horse Ibrahim Paschal Larzac was eliminated after the fifth loop as were Datuk Mohd Shuaib Isahak (third loop), Mohd Faizal Ismail (fourth loop) and Rosdam Mohd Noor (fifth loop). The King had to ride under extreme weather conditions caused by a thunderstorm between loops one and two.

He said that he was pleased other Malaysian riders were able to complete the race under such difficult conditions.

"I'm sad because my horse could not continue but I am happy that there were so many fans who came to watch the event."

The six other Malaysian riders in the individual category who were also eliminated included former World No 1 Datuk Kamaruddin Abdul Ghani.

The others were Datuk Abdullah Taib, Che Ahmad Yusri, Muhammad Firdaus Hamid, Norlaily Bunyamin and Zainuddin Yusof.

A beaming Halim said although he had completed 160km races before, finishing the WEC was a special feat that he would cherish.

"I only started endurance racing two years ago and earned a ticket to compete in event on merit," said the Sarawakian who started as a groom and riding boy at the Royal Terengganu Stable Club in 2006.

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

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Posted By Merri to WEC Reports at 11/09/2008 02:31:00 AM

[WEC Reports] Qatar turn out to be surprise package

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
November 08, 2008

Terengganu, Malaysia: Qatar turned out to be the surprise package as they grabbed the silver medal in the team championship while Argentina's Vita Austin took the silver in the individual event of the 2008 World Endurance Championship as the two countries announced their arrival on the endurance scene.

Qatar's win, which was fashioned by Atta Mohammad Beer, Faleh Nasser Abugnaim and Mohammad Sultan Al Suwaidi now means that the Gulf nations will pose a stronger challenge to the Europeans, Americans and the Australians.

While the UAE have already underlined their supremacy in the sport, Qatar followed up their silver medal in the individual and team events in the Doha Asian Games with a superb display in the team championships in Portugal last year when they won the silver medal in the European Open.

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Posted By Merri to WEC Reports at 11/08/2008 10:25:00 PM