Kuwait: Bahrain Royal Team set for Kuwait race

Gulf Daily News

SOUTHERN Governor Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa arrived in Kuwait yesterday along with Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Khalid are set to compete in the 120-kilometre Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Open Endurance Horseride Championship. The two-day event starts today.

Shaikh Abdulla, Shaikh Nasser, and Shaikh Khalid were welcomed upon their arrival by Kuwait News Agency director general Shaikh Mubarak Al Duaij, Bahrain's Ambassador to Kuwait Shaikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and Kuwait's Ambassador to Bahrain Shaikh Azzam Al Sabah.

More than 100 riders from Bahrain, Kuwait, and other GCC countries are set to take part in the championship, which will be held at Kabad desert, located in the southwest of the state.

The race is being held as part of Kuwait's National Day celebrations. A total of $50,000 in prize money is up for grabs, including $10,000 to the winner.

Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Khalid are part of a 12-rider Bahrain team, which also features Yousif Taher, Jaffer Mirza, Abdulrahman Al Saad, Ahmed Abdulla, Mohammed Al Thawadi, Abdulhaq Qadori, Ahmed Abdulsamad, Raed Mahmood, Fahad Ismail and Abdulrahman Al Zayed.

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UAE: On Target (Presidents Cup)

Gulf News
By M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
Published: February 13, 2009, 22:58

Abu Dhabi: Some of the world's top riders will be seen in action today at the Al Wathba International Endurance Village, battling for a slice of the Dh 1.5 million in cash and four cars, all part of the bonanza on offer for the 10th running of the President's Cup.

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and winner of last year's President's Cup leads a strong line-up of UAE riders, while an invited pack of 20 riders from around the world and the Dubai-based reigning World Endurance champion from Spain, Maria Alvarez Ponton, will be looking to halt the UAE domination.

The prestigious ride is supported by the Breeding Stables in Normandy, France owned by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, Hydra Properties and Al Awani Enterprises.

Today's ride will be run over the championship distance of 160 kms and Shaikh Hamdan, who won last year on Kaysand Farrazah, will be riding Wadhnan in a bid to defend his win.

Shaikh Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the 2007 winner, along with his elder brother Shaikh Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan will also be in the fray.

Other UAE riders who are expected to be making a strong bid for victory are Al Reef riders Yousef Ahmad Al Beloushi and Omair Hussain Al Beloushi; Al Wathba Stables star campaigner, Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri, and Ali Mohammad Al Muhairi, who rides Sudan today hoping to add the President's Cup to his National Day Cup triumph earlier in the season.

Maria Alvarez Ponton, winner of the World Endurance Championship in Malaysia last year, partners EO Fawati, a horse on which she finished third here earlier this season, and should be there battling for top honours.

The invited riders include Phillippe Benoit, Caroline Denaye, Pascale Dietsch (from France); Australians Penny Toft, Kristie McGaffin and Meg Wade, Portugal's Rui Pereira and Joao Raposo; Italians Simona Garatti, Patrizia Giacchero and Cinzia Iacchelli; Germany's Belinda Hitzler, Stefanie Arnold and Rebecca Arnold, American riders Janice Worthington and John Crandell, Belgium's Maritza Pereira, Spain's Jon Zabalua Dorronsoro, Poland's Beata Dzikowska and Kamila Kart and Jordan's Farah Abunameh.

Over 70 riders are expected to take part in the ride which will be run in six stages of 34 kms, 32 kms, 30 kms, 24 kms, 24 kms and 16 kms and gets off to a mass start at 6 am.


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New Zealand: Avery rides to endurance victory

The Marlborough Express
Friday, 13 February 2009

Talented Waihopai Valley endurance rider Kylie Avery continued her winning form by taking her second championship event for the season at Fairlie last weekend.

Riding Silands Mia Bella, Avery won the South Island Endurance Championship's CEI 2-star 120-kilometre ride by an impressive margin of two hours six minutes over the second-placed horse.

It was the first time the seven-year-old, part-Arabian mare, bred by Avery's mother, Barbara Avery, had attempted the distance.

She finished the demanding course in 7.41.06 hours looking fresh and keen, taking the award for the best-conditioned horse.

The win added to the CEI 1-star 100km North Island Championship Avery claimed aboard her New Zealand representative stallion Silands Jasark at Aria in January.

The final main event on the calendar is the New Zealand Endurance Nationals held in the Wairarapa at Easter where Avery plans to step the mare up to the CEI 3-star 160km event and her stallion to CEI 2-star 120km.

Four other Marlborough riders also attended the South Island endurance champs.

Kevin Prangley, riding his stallion, WD Amir Ibn Kaliph, was second in the CEI 1-star 100km and daughter Alice Prangley rode BTR Symphony to sixth in the CEIJY 1-star 100km.

Unfortunately Linda Harmon vetted out lame in the CEI 3-star 160km main event; Penelope Valk also went out lame in Avery's race.

The Marlborough club hosts its next competitive trail ride this weekend on the Godsiff's Wairau Valley property, The Haycocks.

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HH the President of the UAE Endurance Cup FEI CEI*** 160 km

Full coverage on Endurance.Net

12th February 2009
Merri Melde
Endurance.Net

The 10th Running of the His Highness the President of the UAE Endurance Cup FEI CEI*** 160 km will be held at the Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi on February 14, 2009.

The race is sponsored by Hydra Properties, Shaikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Al Wathba breeding stables of Normandy, France, and Al Awani General Enterprises Establishment, whose support for equestrian activities in general and endurance races in particular is an integrated partnership between the economic and sport sectors of the UAE.

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Gulf News article: President's Cup winners will ride away with Dh1.5m and cars
Abu Dhabi: A whopping Dh1.5 million and four cars are up for grabs in the President's Cup 160-km endurance ride to be held at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba tomorrow.

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An amount of 1.5 million AED has been allocated as cash prizes and will be distributed to all riders who complete the race. In addition, four cars will be awarded as prizes to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, and for Best Conditioned Horse.

115 riders are expected to participate, including 20 foreign invitees from France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, USA, Germany, Belgium, Australia, Poland, and Jordan.

The ride will consist of 6 loops of 34, 32, 30, 24, 24, and 16 km, with holds of 30, 30, 30, 50, and 40 minutes, with 2 presentations to the vets at each hold. Minimum weight carried is 75 kg, and maximum pulse is 64 bmp, with recovery inspections during the 4th and 5th holds.

The race begins at 6 AM.

Foreign riders:

Belgium - Maritza Pereira - Taborah De Sier

France - Phillippe Benoit - Akim Du Boulve
- Caroline Denayer - Kouleur Du Parc
- Pascale Dietsch - Hifrane Du Barthas

Australia - Penny Toft - Kitt
- Kristie McGaffin - Castlebar Darthvader
- Meg Wade - Castlebar Kalahari

Spain - Jon Zabalua Dorronsoro - Eteldjel De Peyrinie

Portugal - Rui Pereira - Trovador Da Oliveirinha
- Joao Raposo - Titanic

USA - Janice Worthington - Golden LIghtning
- John Crandell - LR Jasuur Melika

Italy - Simona Garatti - Drago Sauro
- Patrizia Giacchero - Sunny Boy
- Cinzia Iacchelli - Missouri

Germany - Belinda Hitzler - Shagar 5
Stefanie Arnold - TBA
Rebecca Arnold - TBA

Poland - Beata Dzikowska - Cyryl
Kamila Kart - Cert

Jordan - Farah Abunameh - Zarazeen

Kuwait: Bahrain Royal team for Kuwait event

SHAIKH Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa will lead a 12-member Bahrain Royal Endurance Team at the 120-km Kuwait Open Endurance Horseride Championship scheduled for Saturday. The Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president will be accompanied by Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, captain of Al Khaldiya Stables, besides 10 other members of Bahrain's finest riders who are expected to reach Kuwait today.

They are Yousif Taher, Jaffer Mirza, Abdulrahman Al Saad, Ahmed Abdulla, Mohammed Al Thawadi, Abdulhaq Qadori, Ahmed Abdulsamad, Raed Mahmood, Fahad Ismail and Abdulrahman Al Zayed.

Team manager Dr Khalid Ahmed Hassan had already arrived in Kuwait to arrange the accommodation and training venue for the team.

More than 100 riders from Kuwait, Bahrain and other GCC countries are taking part in the championship to be held at Kabad desert located in the southwest of Kuwait as part of Kuwait's National Day celebrations.

The race, which provides a total prize money of $50,000, will be divided into five stages, including 30km each for the first two stages, 25km for the third, 20km for the fourth and 15km for the fifth.

The prize includes $10,000 for the winner, $9,000 for second place and $8,000 for third.

The veterinary examination is set for tomorrow while Breef general secretary Ghalib Al Alawi was named head of the ground jury committee. Other committee members are Abdulsamad Al Busta, Mohsin Al Battal of Kuwait besides Eyad, Nasser, Yaqoob Al Khalaf, Ali Faraj, Falah Fahad, Ali Ghuloom and Mohammed Dadulla.

Commenting on this participation, Shaikh Nasser said he is excited to take part in this event which brings his memory back to 2005 when they won top positions in a similar race which was also held in February.

Shaikh Nasser added that this race will be a useful experience for his team who are gearing up for the third and final round of the Endurance Horseride Grand Prix scheduled for February 28 in Dubai.

After two rounds, Shaikh Nasser is holding third place overall with 140 points, just 10 behind UAE riders Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan who are sharing the lead.

Shaikh Mohammed, the UAE vice-president, Prime Minister and the ruler of Dubai, steered Tahhan to win the second round race which was over 120km and staged at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

After coming fifth in the first round race held in Abu Dhabi where he won 50 points, Shaikh Mohammed gained 100 points for winning top spot in the second race.

For Shaikh Mansoor, he was given 80 points after finishing second in Abu Dhabi then 60 points for coming fourth in the Bahrain event, received an extra 10 points for riding the same horse in both races.

Shaikh Nasser took 60 points for coming fourth in the first race and 80 after finishing an impressive second in the second race.

The Breef chief is being followed by Shaikh Hamadan, son of Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with 70 points gained from taking third place overall in the second race of the series.

Shaikh Hamdan was unable to win any points in the first race in Abu Dhabi where he had to pull out after his horse suffered from exhaustion.
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FEI announces 2010 WEG COC requirement

The FEI has announced the qualification (COC - Certificate of Capability) requirement for the 2010 WEG:

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Australia Fires: Livestock Assessment Begins, Feed Needed

Thehorse.com - Full article

by: Erin Ryder, TheHorse.com News Editor
February 09 2009, Article # 13589

Recovery from the recent fires in the Australian state of Victoria is just beginning. The fires burned an estimated 850 square miles. According to the state's Department of Primary Industries, Victoria produces around 26% of Australia's agriculture and food from 3% of Australia's arable land.

According to a statement on the DPI Web site, livestock assessment teams will go into affected areas as soon as it is safe to do so. They will also asses other losses, and are working with the Victorian Farmers Federation to arrange for emergency feed.

Senior DPI veterinarian and Manager of Animal Health Field Services, Lloyd Klumpp said farmers have three major options:

* Destroy immediately--if the animal is down, unable to walk, has excessive burns, swelling of limbs, or difficulty breathing.
* Keep and nurse--if the animal is mobile and alert or has burns to less than 10% of its body. These animals will need shade, water, feed, daily inspection, and veterinary advice and treatment. They will also need constant reassessment.
* No apparent damage--Livestock will still need shade water and feed and they will also need to be reassessed.

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