Australia: Heat took its toll at Oberon ride

Mudgee Guardian
0/03/2009 3:32:00 PM

The heat took its toll on riders during the Oberon endurance ride on March 1, with hot and dry conditions proving different from previous rides.

There were 107 entries received on the day, and participants tackled the deceptive, up and down, course over four events.

Three entrants started at 2am in the FEI 20km event while 31 entrants tackled the FEI 80km and 60 entrants participated in the 80km ERA event at 5am.

Thirteen entrants were ready to go at daylight with the start of the 40km trainer.

Mudgee was well represented with five riders competing successfully in the different events.

Mette Sutton riding Tuldar the Magician and Paddy Smith riding Jamaal elected to tackle the FEI 80km. Mette and The Magician finished fifth in the middleweight while Paddy and Jamaal were successful in the heavyweight division.

Sutton’s time was five hours, six minutes.

Sutton commented that it was very dark at the start of the race and it seemed to take forever for daylight to appear.

“It was a bit of a scramble strapping the horses after the first 30km leg, as there was only a 30 minute hold time and the horses didn’t have much opportunity to recover, eat and drink,” Sutton said.

“It was a little better after the second 30km as there was a 40 minute hold and after the final 20km leg there was a 60 minute hold in which to present to the vets.”

Garry Bennett and Karabil Yanigi, Bernice King and Noble Navaar Destiny and Haydn Fisher and Silky entered the ERA 80km.

Bennett and Yaningi repeated their previous success again, taking home the ride winner and first in the middleweight division in only four hours and 50 minutes. Yaningi was also awarded the best-conditioned horse prize.

King and Destiny completed successfully in a time of six hours, 53 minutes, while Fisher and Silky were third in the heavy weight competition in seven hours and 24 minutes. Silky was also awarded the best-conditioned horse.

Following the third ride at Oberon at the end of the month, the next zone ride will be at Tooraweenah on April 19.

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Malaysia: Shuaib Ishak Wins ISN-RTES-PENN Endurance Race

Bernama.com

SETIU, March 8 (Bernama) -- A rider from the Ar-Raudhah Equine Centre, Mohd Shuaib Ishak emerged as champion in the 100km event of the ISN-RTES-PENN Endurance Race while Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin ended in sixth place in the competition held at the Lembah Bidong, here today.

Riding the horse "Martika", Mohd Shuaib clocked six hours, eight minutes and 27 seconds to walk away with the cash prize of RM3,000.

In second place was Amir Ghani Ahmad, also from the Ar-Raudhah Equine Centre, who clocked six hours, 23 minutes and 10 seconds while Abdul Rahman Mohd from the Terengganu Endurance team was third with a time of six hours, 32 minutes and 13 seconds.

The runner-up walked away with a cash prize of RM2,000 and the third-placed winner received RM1,500.

Tuanku Mizan, who represented the Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable (RTES), completed the race in six hours, 59 minutes and 41 seconds. Meanwhile, eight riders failed to complete the race.

In the 80km event, Mohd Nizam Muda from RTES emerged as champion clocking five hours, 26 minutes and seven seconds.

In second place was Zainuddin Yusof from the Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club (5 hours, 48 minutes and 33 seconds) while Raja Adib Hariz was third (5 hours, 52 minutes and 32 seconds).

In the 40km event, Nik Azmi Daud from Kelantan won with a time of two hours, 17 minutes and 56 seconds while Sabidi Ismail from Terengganu was second (2 hours, 20 minutes and 38 seconds) and Mohd Ramkli Abdul Wahab from Elmina Equestrian Centre was third (2 hours, 53 minutes and 49 seconds).

The Regent of Terengganu, Tengku Muhammad Ismail, also took part in the race.

Fifty-eight participants from throughout the country competed in the three categories.

Chairman of the State Committee on Youth and Sports Datuk Rahin Mohd Said gave away the prizes.

Bahrain: Leading riders for King Hamad race

Gulf-daily-news.com

8th MARCH 2009

TOP riders across the GCC region will be seen in action in the His Majesty King Hamad Endurance Championship scheduled for March 14 at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

Many riders have already written to the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), the organisers of the event, seeking rules and regulations for the season's biggest endurance event.

The event will be organised under the guidance of Breef president Shaikh Nasser and under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad.

The event will consist of five stages and will be sponsored by Marsa Al Seef. The race will be kicked off at 6am. The first two stages will be over 30 kms each while the third and fourth are over 25 kms 20 kms respectively. The final stage will be over 15 kms.

A junior race will also be held simultaneously starting at 6.30am.

This prestigious championship follows the remarkable achievement of Breef president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa who finished second overall in the first-ever Endurance Grand Prix series held recently in Dubai.

Shaikh Nasser said this race has special meaning to all riders who are always keen to compete at the highest level.

"His Majesty's race is regarded as one of the most exciting competitions in the season due to the number of riders taking part and the valuable prizes on offer," said Shaikh Nasser.

The Breef chief is expecting to see a close battle among the region's most prominent riders.

He thanked His Majesty for backing endurance races in general and equestrian sports in particular. Shaikh Nasser also thanked Marsa Al Seef for sponsoring the championship this year.

His Majesty King Hamad's Championship was originally scheduled for Saturday but has been postponed for March 14.

Examination

The race was rescheduled to give all stables and riders the opportunity to prepare for this prestigious event.

The veterinary examination for participants in both races will be held on Friday from 3pm to 5.30pm.

The organisers have formed the ground jury and technical committees. Ireland's Brian Dunn was named head of the ground jury committee which also includes Bahrain's Haider Al Zu'bi, Ghalib Al Alawi, Abdulsamad Al Busta, Mahdi Hassan, Ali Ghuloom, Gahad Al Rumaihi.

The international steward is Mahmood Abdulsaheb of Breef while Mohammed Abdulla has been chosen as the technical representative.

The veterinary committee consists of 13 officials from Poland, Malaysia, India, Pakistan.

UAE: Al Kamda stables score 1-2 finish

Gulfnews.com

By M Satya Narayan
March 07, 2009

Abu Dhabi: Ahmad Saeed Al Kamda and his 10-year-old chestnut gelding Al Galyb HCF made it two out of two when they won Saturday's Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Challenge 2 100-km endurance ride at the Dubai International Endurance City.

The 25-year-old was, infact, delighted as another horse from the Al Kamda Stables, Jeelan, under Mansour Ebrahim Ahmad Esmail finished second to complete a 1-2 for the private stable.

Both finished hand-in-hand, Al Kamda just a second ahead of Esmail - and this time both horses cleared the final veterinary check.

On January 24, Saeed and his brother Rashid had finished in similar fashion on Al Galyb HCF and Jeelan but the latter was disqualified in the final vet check.

In yesterday's ride, a total of 72 started, but right from the start it was Esmail, closely followed by Al Kamda, who led. The pair were ahead after each of the first three loops of 32km, 29km and 27km. It was only in the final loop that Al Kamda forged ahead and registered his second consecutive career win with Al Galyb HCF.

The pair also bettered their previous best timing of 4 hrs 6 minutes and 19 seconds recorded in Al Wathba, when they clocked 3 hrs 59mins and 40 seconds yesterday.

Hamad Ebrahim Abdullah Al Marzouqi, who had won the Round 1 of the Challenge with Tiramisu 2, was again in fine form when he rode into third place while Abdul Aziz Al Redha was fourth on Mystic Dream.

Ali Moosa Al Khamiri, general manager of Dubai Equestrian Club, presented the winner Al Kamda with the keys to a gleaming Nissan Patrol 4WD car while Esmail and Al Marzouqi got Dh50,000 and Dh45,000.

Bahrain: Manal declared winner

Gulf-daily-news.com

8th MARCH 2009

BAHRAIN'S Royal Endurance Team rider Manal Fakhrawi was declared the winner of last month's 120-km Women's Endurance Horseride Championship following the disqualification of the original winner, it was announced yesterday.

Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Stables rider Latifa Al Shaikh had won the race on February 7 at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir while Manal was second.

But Latifa's horse Castle Bar failed a dope test later and was disqualified.

An official from the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), who preferred not to have his name mentioned, said the result of the blood tests did not pass the regulations of the International Equestrian Federation.

Manal, who rode Samara in the race, said she was delighted to hear the news. "It's a honour to receive the Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Cup," said Manal.

It was the second victory this year for Fakhrawi's coach Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa who is also manager of the Bahrain Royal Endurance Team.

Malaysia: King Among 58 Riders In Endurance Race

Bernama.com

March 07, 2009

SETIU, March 7 (Bernama) -- The ISN-RTES-PENN Endurance Race was flagged off today at Lembah Bidong with 58 riders, including Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and his two children.

Tuanku Mizan representing RTES, riding on "Kentara" competes in the 100km category together with 16 other riders while his son Tengku Muhammad Ismail and daughter Tengku Nadhirah Zahrah compete in the 40km distance category.

Tengku Muhammad set out on "Hermere Cairo" while Tengku Nadhirah was riding on "Anetta".

The gruelling race, held over 40km, 80km and 100km distances also sees riders from Australia, Singapore and Indonesia competing.

The championship, organised by the state government with the collaboration of the National Sports Institute (ISN), Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable (RTES) and Penn Endurance & Equestrian Club, was flagged off by Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said at 5pm today.

The race will be a platform to identify talented riders for the European Open in Italy (Sept 26) and the World Equestrian Championship in Kentucky, USA next year.

UAE: Al Kamda brothers eyeing top prize at endurance race

Gulfnews.com

By M. Satya Narayan
March 06, 2009

Dubai: Over 90 riders, all UAE nationals who are either individual owners or riders who represent the smaller private stables in the UAE, will start in today's Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Challenge II ride to be held at the Dubai International Endurance City.

The 100km ride is a National ride and will be run in four stages of 32km, 29km, 27km and 12 km.

Brothers Rashed Saeed Al Kamda and Ahmad Saeed Al Kamda, Layla Abdul Aziz Al Redha and a few other consistent performers in this series of national rides will all be eyeing the top prize which is a Nissan Patrol 4-wheel-drive vehicle.

Organised by the Dubai Equestrian Club, the second and third placed riders will receive Dh50,000 and Dh45,000 respectively, while all others who finish between 4th and 20th positions will also receive cash prizes.

"We thank Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, for his support to endurance events in the UAE. These National rides encourage UAE riders who are trying to improve and equip themselves to take on the more established riders from the bigger stables," said Ali Mousa Al Khamiri, General Manager of DEC.

"By restricting this event to private stables and individuals, this ride gives a chance for more UAE riders to take part and compete in a field that is a level playing field," said Ali Mousa.

Riders from the Al Ain Stables, Al Ahli Riding Club, Al Giyad Stables, Al Neyadi Stables, Al Rawahel Stables, Al Sila Stables, and Emirates Desert Stables among others will be taking part in the ride which gets off to a mass start at 6.30am.