Uruguay: King of Malaysia arrives in Uruguay for equestrian competition

Mercopress.com

Monday, April 20th 2009

The King of Malaysia is expected Monday in Uruguay to participate in a equestrian endurance competition scheduled for next Friday. An advance party of King Mizan Zainal Abidin, 46, is already in Uruguay selecting horses and addressing security issues for the monarch and his immediate collaborators.

The 120 kilometres endurance competition in different terrains and which is particularly demanding for the horse and rider is part of the Pan-American calendar of the discipline.

Contrary to a normal equestrian raid which follows established routes, the endurance competition is basically a cross country resistance race in different circuits and distances, with five stops for vets to check health conditions of the horses.

“Besides the excitement of the competition the most important factor in the health and running conditions of the horses that is why the checks”, said Diego Carrasco one of the organizers of this week’s event.

The Pan-American competition is disputed every two years, and Uruguay won the gold medal in 2005 and in the junior competition two years later in Argentina. In 2007 Uruguay obtained silver in Campinas, Sao Paulo state, Brazil.

Carrasco said that a good relation was established between Malaysian and Uruguayan riders last December when the world endurance competition took place in Malaysia.

“Malaysians were impressed with the Uruguayan horses resistance and adaptability and have since been buying horses in Uruguay”, said Carrasco who added that in the Arab Emirates there are also “Uruguayan horses and Uruguayan staff looking after them”.

Some Arab sheiks have also purchased land in Uruguay to train their horses.

“A good resistance horse like any long distance runner needs a lot of training, every day, meticulously to ensure he’s ready for the competition”, said Carrasco.

King Mizan Zainal Abidin will be participating with a group of seven riders, out of a total of 85 that have registered for the competition. Riders will be coming from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, United States, Uruguay, Belgium, Arab Emirates, Spain, Britain and Holland and will be running in Senior and Young categories, one star, 80 kilometres and two stars, 120 kilometres.

“The advance delegation of the King has already checked the circuit and love Uruguay because they can move freely and they are impressed by the landscape”, underlined Carrasco.

Mizan Zainal Abidin was sworn in the post as Malaysia 13th king in December 2006. In 1998 he succeeded his father Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, as sultan of the state of Terengganu, one of the nine hereditary states that occupy the throne for five year periods. Malaysia is the only country in the world to have a rotating monarchy.

Mizan Zainal Abidin, was educated in Australia and Great Britain and is a well known sportsman including soccer, golf, diving, taekwondo and equestrian disciplines.

FEI to tidy up doping regulations

Thenational.ae

Sarah Tregoning

April 19. 2009

LAS VEGAS - A high-ranking International Equestrian Federation (FEI) official yesterday outlined steps that the governing body is taking to clarify its doping regulations in the wake of a number of prominent positive drugs tests, including one case in the UAE.

Sven Holmberg, the FEI's First Vice President & Jumping Committee Chairman, yesterday said a commission had been established in conjunction with the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) to thrash out rule clarifications.

The commission has been in existence for a number of years but achieved greater significance in a spate of the recent, high-profile doping cases.

It emerged this month that Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will face an FEI tribunal after one of his endurance horses tested positive for a banned substance.

In a statement issued on April 6, Sheikh Mohammed asserted that a horse he had ridden in international competition tested positive for guanabenz, used to treat hypertension, and a metabolite of stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.

"While completely unaware and utterly condemning the administration of these substances, His Highness has volunteered his acceptance that he is legally the person responsible," read the statement.

The test, administered by Sheikh Mohammed's staff, influenced his decision to pull out of a recent UAE endurance race and report the findings to the FEI. He has now received a suspension pending results from the tribunal.

This incident comes after four horses, one a bronze medallist, all tested positive for the banned pain reliever, capsaicin, on the same day at the Beijing Olympics last year.

Although Holmberg, speaking from the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas, venue of the Rolex FEI Showjumping World Championship, could not comment on individual, he said work was being done to clarify the distinction between substances administered for medicinal reasons and others given to horses as performance enhancers.

"There will be changes to the rules," said Holmberg, who is number two to FEI President, Princess Haya Bint Hussein, wife of Sheikh Mohammed. "We have a separate set of rules for doping and medication. It’s a problem of striking a balance between legal requirements on one side and veterinary science on the other.

"If a horse is sick then they need to be treated properly - violations for medical substances can mean the rider has come back to competition too early. That’s a much less serious offence than if you are giving the horse performance enhancers."

The vast majority of positive tests, said Holmberg, fit into the medical category.

"Out of 2,800 tests per year, we only have one per cent that are positive and that includes the relatively large number of positive tests that we have seen in the Middle East." he added. "And of the positive tests, 90 per cent are for medical violations."

The World Championship concludes on Sunday.

stregoning@thenational.ae

New Zealand: Record smashed at Endurance champs

full article at Stuff.co.nz


photo: RUNNER UP: Masterton-based Jenny Champion, riding Freckles, finished second at the National Endurance Championships held in Wairarapa at Easter.
The New Zealand record for a 160-kilometre (or "hundred miler") endurance horse race was broken at the Mitavite National Endurance Championships held in Wairarapa at Easter.

Mark Tylee of Owhango in the central North Island, riding his 12-year-old part-Arab mare Class Act, smashed the previous New Zealand record for a one-day 160km endurance ride by a considerable margin, completing the distance in eight hours, 24 minutes and 37 seconds - an average speed of more than 19 kilometres per hour.

Tylee's victory in the three-star event was Tylee's third national championship win, and the 20th 160km ride he has successfully completed, a remarkable tally for a rider who is only 25 years old.

Tylee was chased hard by Wairarapa rider Jenny Champion, riding her 13-year-old Arab mare Freckles, who had won the national title from Tylee the previous year.

Champion had caught up with Tylee on the final 20km loop of the six-loop ride, and the pair covered much of the final loop at a gallop, averaging nearly 25kph. However after Champion's mount slipped about 8km from home she felt the horse was not able to sustain the pace, allowing Tylee to regain his lead, and he finished six minutes ahead of Champion.

Young South Island rider Kylie Avery won the two-star 120km championship ride in just under six hours on her part-Arab stallion Silands Jasark, while the junior 120km title went to Michael Wakeling riding Delahaye Finali, cruising to victory 45 minutes ahead of his nearest rival.

The one-star 107km ride was won by Anita Lamb riding Bushlands Dees Pride, while the junior title went to Vanessa Tiffen, riding Gazzah.

A total of 94 horse and rider combinations from around New Zealand took part in the weekend championships, which was based at Whareama, east of Masterton, and took riders across rolling and flat Wairarapa farmland.

Competitors enjoyed three days of perfect sunshine over the Easter weekend, and their night loops of the ride (The 160km and 120km rides began at 1am and 3am respectively) were made easier by the light of the full moon.

Shane Dougan, President of Wairarapa Endurance and CTR Club, which hosted the championships, said the level of competitiveness of horses and riders was the highest in many years.

"It is fantastic to see so many top riders and horses performing at their peak. In the three-star ride we had at least a dozen competitors still in the leading bunch nearly to the end - we haven't seen such a competitive field in a championship event for many years."

The relatively flat track and good conditions underfoot also meant a high proportion of horses successfully completed the course, and contributed to the record-beating ride times, with nine riders in the 160km ride finishing in less than nine hours, Dougan said.

"It was a fast track but it was also a challenging one - and it certainly made for some exciting competition."

Wairarapa Endurance and CTR Club is grateful for the support of Wairarapa landowners who allowed the course to go through their properties, the local community, and the generosity of sponsors, especially major sponsors Mitavite, Trust House and Tuff Rock.

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Australia: Meg Wade in Coma after fall

Horsedealsmagazine.com

14 April 2009

Meg Wade was competing in the TUMBARUMBA ENDURANCE RIDE on the weekend, (photo coverage to follow tomorrow), Horse Deals has received information that apparently her horse shied at a puddle and she fell and lay unconscious, fortunately only 100 yards from a checkpoint. Ambos & a doctor attended very quickly and she was airlifted to hospital in Canberra, still unconscious. Lastest news is that she was in an induced coma last night and still in ICU this morning.

Meg is so widely known and respected both here and throughout the middle east and Europe, Our thoughts and prayers are with her, and hopefully they will be enough to see her back on her horse soon!

Malaysia: Tuanku Mizan Finishes Third In MGIER Endurance

Bernama.com

April 12, 2009

MELAKA, April 12 (Bernama) -- Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin finished third in the 80km ride on the closing day of the Melaka Grand Invitational Endurance Ride (MGIER) 2009 at the Hang Jebat Stadium, Krubong today.

Adorning number 77, the Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable (RTES) horseman, who rode "Jakim Murphy", ended the race in 5hr 5mins 55 secs.

Only 14 of 26 participants completed the race which was won by another RTES horseman, Mohd Nizan Muda, who mounted "Camelot Retreat Basha".

He crossed the finishing line in 4hr 55mins 35secs ahead of runners-up Master Scaff's Mohd Shahlan Hamzi Mohd Noor, who astride "Duke" (5hr 24secs).

Riders from Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, France, Germany, the United States and host Malaysia vied for the titles in the 40km, 80km and 120km endurance races.

In the 120km event, a State of Terengganu Endurance Team rider Wan Mohd Kamaluddin Wan Yusuff clocked 9hr 13mins 55secs to emerge winner by a whisker by astriding "Idais Tobiha".

Mounting "Two Step", Raja Adib Raja Mahmood of Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Club finished a close second by merely two seconds behind the winner.

Tuanku Mizan's children, Tengku Muhammad Ismail and Tengku Nadhirah Zahrah took part in the 40km event.

Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam gave away the prizes.

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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