UAE: Equestrian officials discuss endurance season and new rules

Gulf News
Staff Report
Published: April 13, 2009, 23:06

Abu Dhabi: More than 70 veterinary doctors, trainers, riders, stable owners and equestrian officials attended an 'End of Endurance Season' meeting organised by the Emirates Equestrian Federation on Sunday at Fairmont Hotel, Dubai.

The meeting was organised by the Emirates Equestrian Federation (formerly UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation) to discuss the UAE's domestic endurance season and to share the experiences of various officials involved in the discipline.

The focus of the seminar was primarily on the new FEI rules (which came into effect in January this year), National Rules, Veterinary issues and medication control.

Taleb Dhaher Al Muhairi, Secretary General, Emirates Equestrian Federation, welcomed the gathering and stated that it was imperative to have such meetings at the end of every season so that experiences and problems could be shared and solved and an amicable solution arrived at to avoid future impediments.

Dr. Hallvard Sommerseth, Head of Veterinary at the Federation discussed several veterinary-related problems, elaborated on the changes in the new FEI rules and the National rules.

Dr. Sommerseth said that the UAE had a very brief season for endurance (4 to 5 months) compared to many European countries (for instance in France it extends over 9 months) He said the country had done exceedingly well despite the weather conditions.

Giving details of the endurance rides, Dr. Sommerseth said there were 61 rides including 22 FEI rides, covering a total of 5,540 kilometres and featured 3,288 starters and as many as 1,528 riders, which amounted to "46.47 per cent completion which is comparable to anywhere in the world".

Malaysia: Malacca Grand Invitational Endurance Ride 2009

Pearls and Gems blog
Anatomy of an Endurance Ride
[ from the perspective of a chronic endurance addict]

Malacca never fail to amaze me. Dynamic and forever changing thanks to the solid ground work and vision by former CM Rahim Thamby Chik [say whatever you like about his other 'interests'], and Ali Rustam's people friendly pragmatism. Of course being midway between KL and Singapore does help in the tourist industry and the significance of being the region's entreport in the 15th and 16th century under the Portugese, Dutch and finally the British, does add up to its sense of history.

Saturday 11th April saw the flag-off of the 2nd Malacca Grand Invitational Endurance Ride in the novice 40 km, 80km and 120 km events. I was in the 80km along with 28 other contestants. KDYMM was also in the 80. For most of us, we were reserving our 'peak' for next month Edaran Ride in Bidong, Terengganu. MGIER is a good warm-up.

80 km event was flagged off at 630 pm with heavily laden rain clouds threatening to fall any second. We riders do not mind the rain, but thunder and lightning would be a different cattle of fish. The start went off without any incident and it rained cats and dog soon after. KDYMM, as always now were among the front runners and I lost sight of the front group as darkness fell and rain started pouring . Myself along with Peter Lim, probably the only Chinese in this sport in this 'whole wide world' and a couple of his Australian guests were 'sweeping the floor' at the back. Midway through the 1st phase of 30 kilometres even Peter and his group left me. My Mr Gedebe is still new to the game and did not have the pace yet. This was not his race yet, this ride was supposed to be his LSD [ long, slow, distance ]training ride. I am bringing him up for the WEG2010 in Kentucky, USA, next year. For now we have to be used to sweeping the floor at the back. Despite the rain and darkness, the tract was superbly prepared. Weaving through lonely undulating paths in oil palm estates and amongst rubber smallholding in the main with occasional criss crossing on road tarmac, I must concede that by Malaysian standard MGIER trails was highly' techinical' and superbly done. I seek the company of one young rider from PENN Endurance Stable who was busy listening to some music on his i-phone. I was as usual on 'cloud nine' with my usual 'tahmid and tasbih'. I guess all endurance riders have to do something with their minds to help overcome fatigue, bodily pain, the occasional primal fear of being alone in the dark etc etc and to remain focused.

When I came in for the vet check at the 1st phase at 15 kph average [quite fast time by normal standard 3 years back],the front runners , including KDYMM were already about to leave for the 2nd phase of 25 km. Malaysian endurance has progressed. Even 'slow coach' Peter, a shipping man from Singapore, who based his arabians in Gelang Patah, has changed. The vets usually had to wait for Peter long after everyone of us have finished, before they could 'close shop'. Now in this ride Peter has graduated 'forward'.

Mr Gedebe get all A's for his check and both rider and horse were given a 30 minute holding time [rest] to replenish and refresh before starting on phase 2.

I left for phase 2 at 930 pm again alone. In the dark, riding alone, your horse give a 100% trust on you the 'leader'. He tend to get less spooky, the only disadvantage is that your own mind tend to play tricks on you. You tend to be more 'spooky'. People prefer to wait for the next rider but as in my case when you are the last rider to leave, you just 'bite the bullet' and ride on. It was a full moon and cool at night with the breeze. Man and horse remained focused on the job. Horse thinking when 'this stipid human' going to end his madness, man enjoying his 'tasbih and tahmid' oblivious of his mate and the surrounding, just focusing enough on the arrows so as not to get lost.

When I completed phase 2, KDYMM, Burn, Penn and group had already left for the final 25 km. Mr Gedebe failed the vet check due an abnormal gait arising from muscular cramp in the right hind quarter. So much for a 2010 WEG material! I made a mental note to start him on Arcoxia[I give expensive human NSAID to my horses, Arcoxia costs more than the traditional phenylbutazone but it works faster and is more softer on the stomach lining] for a week, to review in 2, and probably concentrate on hill intervals subsequent 2 weeks before Edaran's, to improve his endurance capacity and heart rate recovery.

That is the plan. A lot of time still for WEG but probably at the rate he is going, Gedebe is B material, unlike my previous Jogho [horses like Jogho will never come my way again in my present lifetime] and Miss Gedebe. Certainly looks like he is not going to be ready for Sultan's Cup this November!

At ride like this I get to meet many riders from all walks of life. Mus, the migrant worker from Lombok, riding for his boss Che Din of De Dengkil Stable and Stud Farm,on Dayang in the 40 km event. Grinning from ear to ear after coming home 3rd [A mental note for my good friend Dan,principal organiser of MGIER: Have some small token prize even for 40 km because even though for us 40km represent the entry point for begining horses, for many people like Mus and the young boys from Kelantan, by virtue of their dimunituve pony size, 40km is the race of their lives !]. I get to meet Hj Otto of Indonesian Equestrian Association who is always here for most endurance ride but this time not riding because he got too excited riding his 'leased horse' the day prior to the pre ride vet check, on the actual day itself ,the horse was proclaimed lame.

Abe Din of Paka who owns Duke, a tall and gangly ex-race thorougbred, and was introduced to the madness of endurance only in 2007 at Royal Kedah Ride. All very excited because his son came 2nd on Duke in my event! When I asked him how he did it in 2009 in the face of all the 'ferraris' of the 'pure arab' world. He told me he was inspired by my earlier writings on ex-race thorougbred and my insistence on hill work,hill work and more hill work. I was just 'theorising' then when I wrote. That make sense now. Thorougbred already got the height and speed, they just need the stamina build up. Beyond 80 , I do not think they can perform but I also thought in the past only 'horses from heaven cango beyond 16 kph at Bidong and Maria Mercedes debunk that belief. it is back to conditioning , conditioning and conditioning and 'hill work' cut short the LSD and conditioning process to some extent.

Abang Sop of Pekan,Tumpat who came all the way from Kelantan on his own to see his dimunutive Kelantan A champion pony ridden by his son challenging all the big boys in the 80's event. Abang Sop is a retiree, does not belong to any club, I do not think he has high income job to support his love for endurance but there he is : always around at any endurance event. I think his son did well at this ride.

I also get to meet KDYMM himself but because my Gedebe is not yet 'turbo-charged' at present, we only met at the start, did not manage to exchange pleasantries when passing each other each other on the trail as happened during previous rides when I was riding a more competitive mount.

There you are : this world is certainly not a level playing field, but for Abe Din , Abang Sop, Mus the migrant worker from Lombok, KDYMM and this lowly scribe from Subang, we share something in common. We represent a microcosym of Malaysia and we 'play accordingly within our 'designated' fields and levels' and find contentment and shared pleasure in one of the most beautiful creature accorded to man : The Horse.

Dr. Nik

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Guatemala: Results of The Mayan Adventure Ride 2009

The Guatemala Times
Sunday, 12 April 2009 15:48 Barbara Schieber

Guatemala - The Mayan Adventure Ride 2009 - Ingenio Magdalena Challenge 2nd Edition, ended successfully on Sunday the 8th of March.

The Mayan Ride 2009 proved once again that Guatemala can stage an event that is up to the highest international standards, classifying riders for their participation in world wide events of Endurance. This event places Guatemala at the vanguard of the whole region with the capacity to develop this equestrian discipline with the participation of excellent riders, FEI approved judges, veterinarians and officials.

Several months ago, Jinetes de Aventura Endurance - Endurance Adventure Riders, decided to organize The Mayan Adventure Ride 2009 - Ingenio Magdalena Challenge 2nd Edition, a qualifying event for national ranking, obtaining FEI starts for qualifying for the Central American and Caribbean Games, The Pan-American Games and for the World Endurance Championship 2010 USA. The decision to hold the event was based on several factors. The Guatemalan Endurance Riders had performed very well at many international events and they had a good chance to qualify, some riders have already qualified.

The location selected for the event, because of optimum conditions was again "Tierra Dulce" of Sugar Mill Magdalena, in La Gomera, Esquintla. The Sugar Mill Magdalena with their generous support made this big and logistically highly complicated event possible. They where the Platinum Sponsors of the event for the second consecutive year.

Other important Sponsors where: The National Federation of Equestrian Sport Guatemala (ANEG), The Olympic Committee of Guatemala, Supermarket of Woods Rio Blanco, Travel Agency Máxima Travel, VetCentro, NutriFert, Genética, Purina, Lama S.A , Ecoleños and The Guatemala Times with special news coverage.

Because of the climate, the race was scheduled to proceed during the night time. This added more logistical challenges to the organization of the race in order to be able to comply with the unusual requirements.

Results of the Race
International Category 120 km, Junior & Young Riders:
1st place: Maria Paiz, horse: Faraon

International Category Adults, 80 kms*:
1st place: Dr. Janio Johnston, horse: Ali Yassir
2nd place: Jaime Mansilla, horse: FKD Santiago
3rth place: Laura Paiz, horse: Lambrusco
4th place: Silvia Aldana de Wit, horse: Paisano
5th place: Dayan Serovic, horse Aladino

International Category 80 km, Junior & Young Riders:
1st place: Luis Miguel de la Roca, horse: Candelita

National Category 60 kms:
1st place: Andrea Herschel, horse: Goldie

National Category 40 kms:
1st place: Scarlet de Gonzales, horse: Shabah
2nd place: Sandra Mansilla de Gonzales, horse: TZ Santiago
3rth place: Juan Timeus, horse: Pringo

Like in any sport, it is a heartbreaking situation to be disqualified, for the rider, his fans and family, after having endured a race of many kilometers or any distance in between start and finish. Tears are shed; utter exhaustion, frustration and disappointment take their toll. Some riders and their families get very upset at the judges decisions. It is not easy to be a judge at these events where the stakes are very high.

A few participants did not manage to finish the race for different reasons. Some of the horses went lame -the conditions at night are very difficult for both rider and horse- and others could not reach the levels of physical conditions required for these FEI events.

The Mayan Adventure Ride 2009 proved that Guatemala can stage an event that is up to the highest international standards, classifying international riders for their participation in world wide events of Endurance. This event places Guatemala at the vanguard of the whole region with the capacity to develop this equestrian discipline with the participation of excellent riders, FEI approved judges, veterinarians and officials.
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Beijing to London: The Long Horse Ride

The Long Horseride
THE SINO-BRITISH INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP RIDE.

Supported by EnduranceGB
www.endurancegb.co.uk

Partnered by the Chinese Equestrian Association
www.horse.org.cn

photo: With members of the Chinese Equestrian Association
at Cha Dao village, Badaling Great Wall the end of the first stage, and start of the second stage..
The Long Horse Ride is a journey on horseback from Beijing to London. It is scheduled to start out shortly after the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and to arrive in London in time for the 2012 London Olympics.

The ride will bring a message of goodwill from Beijing in the Beijing Olympic year to London in the London Olympic year. It also aims to raise money for disadvantaged children through its chosen charity Schoolchildren For Children.

photo: Megan and Rowena
with Bei Bei & Jing Jing
at the China Children Charity Monument
Badaling Great Wall
October 2008
Starting from the China Children Charity Monument on the Great Wall at Badaling, it will cross the steppes, deserts and mountains of China and Central Asia, following the Great Wall and the ancient Silk Routes. In the path of the Mongols and Huns, it will skirt the northern shores of the Caspian and Black Seas, before the final leg through the fields and forests of Europe.

The second stage of the ride started on April 18th 2009
with the Opening Ceremony of the 2nd Guangting Endurance Competition. Starting from near Badaling, they will continue to follow along the Ming Great Wall of China to the other end at Jiayuguan. They expect to arrive by the beginning of August 2009

from Megan Lewis, TheLongHorseRide.blogspot:

We are now staying at a hotel and riding centre somewhere south of Beijing, and here are the horses (really ponies) we have been generously been provided with by the Shandan stud in Gansu - they travelled for 2 days on this truck to get here - this is how most horses travel in the East! The lorries don't have ramps - they are just backed up to a bank to load and unload as you see here.

This excting event coincided with a big endurance event at which about 80 horses from all over China participated. The race was run along a very sandy twisting dry river bed. Having spent the whole day being waylaid for media interviews, this was followed in the evening by a press conference for the Long Horse Ride (Sino- British Friendship Ride!) with a roomful of reporters and TV crews. Wutzala was also able to display the official certification we have now recieved from the Chinese Association for Friendship with Foreign Cities. Then a dinner and prizegiving at which I was roped in to present the prize for the champion horse!

And I almost forgot to mention our plush new trailer provided by the Chengzhan trailer company - it has two fold down beds in the stalls, a sink and cooker, an outside point to attach a shower, and an awning for us to drink our Pimms in the evenings - and I thought we would be roughing it!

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FEI: Princess vows to solve horse doping issues

GMAnews.tv
04/12/2009

VEVEY, Switzerland — When Princess Haya of Jordan took over as president of equestrian's world governing body, she was tasked with fighting the sport's increasingly public doping problems.

Now that her own husband is at the center of the most recent doping case, her task has become a lot more difficult.

The princess is finding herself under increased scrutiny after Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, announced this week that a horse he owns and rides twice failed doping tests after endurance races that were sanctioned by his wife's organization — the International Equestrian Federation.

Addressing the situation to The Associated Press, Princess Haya said she fears that a "few individuals" who oppose "the increase in democracy and the fight against corruption in the FEI" will use the doping revelation to undermine her position.

"I have no doubt ... that they will use this case in any way they can to injure and damage the reputations of myself and my family," the princess said in an e-mail reply to the AP.

She did not specify which individuals she was referring to, but said she hoped the disciplinary case pending against Sheik Mohammed may end up strengthening the FEI's drive toward drug-free competitions.

"(The FEI's) own image is only in jeopardy if it does not act in a clear, transparent and timely fashion," she said.

The princess will take no part in deciding her husband's penalty, with a senior colleague assuming her presidential powers when the case is considered. She also informed the ethics panel at the International Olympic Committee, having been an IOC member since 2007.

It is a bitter twist for the former show jumping Olympian who was picked, in large part, to combat doping.

At an election three years ago, most of the 134 national members felt it needed change after three gold medalists at the 2004 Athens Games were stripped of their titles in doping cases.

"They were very specific in saying they didn't want a princess, they wanted a working president," Princess Haya told the AP in a recent interview.

She said equestrian had become "mediocre" within the Olympic movement, where it made its debut in 1912.

"They hadn't reinvented themselves as other sports had," she said. "I understand what the IOC wants from us — content, transparency, good governance, a clear stand on doping."

The Beijing Games magnified the problems, despite exciting medal contests. The IOC criticized judging standards in dressage, and six horses failed drug tests, resulting in their riders being suspended. One case, involving Norway's bronze medal in team jumping, is under appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"That has left an enormously bad taste among the general public but it's certainly not reflective of our family," Princess Haya said. "We have paid a very, very high price for actually trying to do the right thing."

At the FEI's assembly in Buenos Aires last November, she invited all members to contribute to a review of medication use and doping standards led by Arne Ljungqvist, the chairman of the IOC's medical commission. The Swedish doping expert will publish his report in the summer.

She also persuaded the FEI's dressage committee to resign. She said her leadership became "much stronger and more forceful than I would have liked."

In the interview, she said her resolve can be traced to her father — the late King Hussein of Jordan — who struck a deal with her during her 17-year show jumping career.

"My father made me promise him that it (her jumping) would amount to something," she said. "He said 'You can't just drop all the obligations you have to the country and follow a dream.'"

Princess Haya said she studied how equestrian was organized, and remembered her father's teaching that even in sport, peace is first achieved by politics.

Like King Hussein, Sheik Mohammed has put sport at the heart of Dubai's business model.

The 59-year-old sheik rode his own horse, Tahhan, in 120-kilometer (74.5-mile) endurance races at Bahrain in January and Dubai in February when it failed doping tests performed by his own staff. Both times the hypertension drug guanabenz was present. After the Bahrain race, a metabolite of the anabolic steroid stanozolol was found.

In a statement issued on his behalf Monday, Sheik Mohammed — also one of the world's foremost breeders and owners of thoroughbred race horses — accepted that he was legally responsible for the doping. He ordered an investigation of his stables and the findings shared with the FEI.

Princess Haya acknowledged that endurance race doping is a problem in the Middle East.

"The FEI has been struggling to deal with the number of doping cases," she said in her e-mail, adding that her husband could help change attitudes. "The effect will be felt more surely and more quickly than the FEI has been able to achieve to date."

King Hussein died in 1999, just 18 months before his daughter rode for Jordan at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and carried the country's flag at the opening ceremony.

Princess Haya says she felt "robbed" of his wisdom, though still determined to "amount to something."

"I can keep a promise to the person who was my whole world," she said. "That is why I am so earnest about it. I so want to do a good job." -AP
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Bahrain: Crown Prince Endurance championship flagged off

Gulf Daily News
April 11, 2009


CROWN Prince and Supreme Council for Youth and Sports president Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa yesterday evening flagged off the second Crown Prince Endurance Horseride Championship. The event took place throughout the night at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir, and will conclude early this morning.

More than 40 riders, headlined by Royal Endurance Team captain and Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, began the endurance season's first night race, which has been sponsored by Durrat Al Bahrain.

Also among the participants are Breef first vice-president and Al Khaldiya Stable captain Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and top riders Layla Al Reda, Rachel Lula, Jaffer Mirza, Noor Alddin, Shereen Fayez, Nezar Hassan, Mohammed Al Thawadi, Raed Mahmood, Abdul Samad, Ahmed Al Qaud, Fahad Ismail and Mohammed Nasser.

Stages

The 120-km championship features races for senior and junior riders, held over five stages.

The first two stages are over 30km each, followed by 25km and 20km legs. The final stage will be over 15km.

Two qualifying races also took place yesterday prior to the main event start after the mandatory veterinary examinations took place conducted by Breef officials.

The warm-up events were over 85km and 60km, with the first featuring three stages of 30km, 30km, and 25km distances; and the second comprising two 30km legs.

Also prior to the race flagging off, Shaikh Nasser and the Crown Prince held brief discussions, during which the Breef chief thanked the Crown Prince for patronising the event and backing Bahraini riders in different competitions. The Breef chief also expressed appreciation to Durrat Al Bahrain for their generous support.


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Woman departs on four-year horse adventure

Horsetalk.co.nz
April 10

A British woman has set off on a four-year equestrian adventure retracing an ancient trading route.

London-born Becky Sampson, 25, is taking her 10-year-old piebald pony, Bertie, on a journey following the centuries-old Silk Road trading route, ending her journey in Japan.

The trip will span two continents, 15 countries and cover more than 15,000km. She set off from east London on April 1.

Her horseback ride will take in Western and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, China and Japan. Challenges ahead include the Tien Shan Mountains and the Taklamakan Desert (which translates as "he who goes in does not come out").

Temperature extremes will range as high as 50 degrees Celsisus to as low as -20.

Both Sampson and Bertie have been in training for the journey. Sampson has completed first aid and survival courses, as well as obtaining a teaching qualification that will enable her to earn money as a teacher while travelling.

Sampson says she has known from the age of 10 that she wanted to travel by horse.

"An article I read about a man who was halfway through a ride around the world further fuelled my dream, and I knew at that moment that that was what I wanted to do," she says.

Her first taste of adventure came when she was 17, after begging her father for years to allow her to travel.

"My persuasive powers paid off; I swapped school books for suncream and travelled solo throughout Europe."

On her return, she studied agriculture, which gave her the opportunity to own her first horse.

"Seastorm and I didn't bother with horse boxes. When it came to the holidays, we would ride home. The sense of freedom was exhilarating.

"It also served as an introduction to the problems faced by long riders - finding suitable places to ride; the wear on horse shoes; finding places to stay for the night. That was my first introduction to long-distance riding, and gave me a thorough grounding in travelling by horse."

A couple of years later, while riding on the border with China and Tibet, she met a girl who was on her way to Kashgar - a major trading port on the Silk Road.

"I'd never heard of it before, and as she described it to me, I began to imagine myself riding along the Silk Road, following the routes of traders that would have travelled to the markets of Kashgar centuries ago.

"It wasn't until I returned to England that my dreams started coming together. One of my ambitions had been to have a horse in London and ride from home to 'somewhere'."

During her research she dicovered that the most Eastern point of the Silk Road was actually at Nara, in Japan.

The trip was extended to join up two major cities, London in the West and Tokyo in the East.

Sampson says she has the "basics" in several languages which should help her on her travels.

"I still have the article of the man who rode round the world; in fact, I have since spoken to him for advice. I hope that by the end of this adventure, I can be an inspiration to others who want to journey by horse."

Sampson intends to cross Europe during the northern summer and spend winter working in Turkey as a teacher, before pressing on.

In 2010, she intends crossing into Iran and through the Central Asian states, wintering in Kyrgyzstan.

The following year she will enter China and head for Xian, then Shanghai. If everything goes to plan, she will journey by boat in 2012 to Osaka and then head on to Tokyo, then Nara.

She aims to raise £15,000 for a charity, SOS Children, during the ride.

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