USA: 2009 Adequan NAJYRC presented by Gotham North Readies for Kick-Off

Release: July 16 2009

Beginning Wednesday, July 22, with a kick-off celebration and opening ceremonies, the 2009 Adequan FEI North American Junior & Young Riders Championships (NAJYRC) presented by Gotham North will welcome junior and young riders from across the expanse of the continent to a much-anticipated and highly-regarded series of championships.

The NAJYRC is the premiere equestrian competition in North America for junior and young riders age 14-21. Young equestrians come from the United States, Canada and Mexico to vie for championship titles in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of show jumping, dressage, eventing, plus the Western-style discipline of reining. The competition is run under rules of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the international governing body for equestrian sport.

The 2009 series of championships will be one of the biggest in the history of the event with an increase in the number of entries, as well as the number of demonstration events having grown substantially. In addition to the higher number of competitors seeking a victory, there are two non-Olympic equestrian disciplines participating with riders taking to the endurance trail and the vaulting arena in non-championship events.

Many of North America's best equestrians got their start at the NAJYRC including Olympic medalists Greg Best, Karen O'Connor, Chris Kappler and McLain Ward.

The NAJYRC began in 1974 as an eventing challenge between the United States and Canada. A dressage championship was added in 1981, and show jumping was added in 1982. The first complete Young Riders championship was held in British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The Championships were expanded to officially include a championship division for juniors in 2006. The discipline of reining was added to the official schedule in 2008.

Opening ceremonies begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, and admission is free of charge (there is a nominal parking fee for the Kentucky Horse Park). For more information, visit www.youngriders.org.

Italy: Assisi Endurance Lifestyle 2009

Release: July 14 2009

The FEI Meydan City European Endurance Championship Open 2009 is the most important world endurance event of the year with all national official teams from five continents participating. Held during the event known as the Assisi Endurance Lifestyle 2009, the endurance championship will join other activities and topics such as economics, medicine, real estate, culture, fashion and entertainment across September 17-27 in the Italian city of Assisi.

The program also includes a prestigious international veterinary symposium, a round table conference on hippotherapy, a master art exhibition on horses and a weekend of activities dedicated to children and ponies. Assisi Endurance lifestyle 2009 is sponsored by RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana, the event’s main media partner.

The opening ceremony of the FEI Meydan City European Endurance Championship Open 2009 on Thursday, September 24, will be glamorous and unique. Taking place in Assisi’s municipal square instead of in the stadium, each nation will pass by in procession with its own flag in a medieval atmosphere and setting, supervised by the Ente del Calendimaggio di Assisi.

The Great Endurance Ball will take place on September 25 in a location which is still top secret. There will be a special event during the ball supervised by the famous fashion firm Luisa Spagnoli.

The highlight of the event will be on the September 26 when the best world riders will compete against one another, among them the official national teams of the countries of the Persian Gulf, which are the event’s favoured teams: The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

In addition to the endurance race, the children in attendance won’t be forgotten. After the success of the Pony Village 2007 and of the Italian Pony Endurance Championship 2008, the program includes an independent event called “Ponies & Kids.” The event is totally dedicated to children and horse riding, horse riding intended not only as game and sport, but also as formative and educational.

From the September 17-20, there will be competitions in endurance, vaulting, obstacles, gymkhana, dressage and various pony games. There will be three competition fields and children will have the opportunity to experience horse riding with competitive spirit.

For more information, visit www.assisilifestyle.it or contact Sergio Cerini at sergio.cerini@effeciassociati.net.

Thailand: Hua Hin – Cha-am Horse Festival 2009

Etravelblackboardasia.com Monday, 13 July 2009 As part of the official 100th Hua Hin Centenary celebrations, the inaugural Cha-am – Hua Hin Horse Festival “Endurance Classics” has been organised, with over 100 riders and horses participating in an endurance marathon along and against the breathtakingly spectacular beach and mountain backdrops for which the twin resort towns of Cha-am and Hua Hin are world famous. You are invited to join your fellow horse lovers for a riding extravaganza and social gathering, with a plethora of equine activities and games for your enjoyment along the stunning scenic beach route between Hua Hin Airport and the starters’ line and winning post at Dusit Thani, Hua Hin. Equestrian enthusiasts participating in the 40 and 80-kilometre endurance events over beach and mountainous terrain between Cha-am and Hua Hin fall into three categories, with local Thai and expatriate riders pitting their skills against regional riders from neighbouring South-east Asian countries and International entrants from the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). In addition, there is a 10-kilometre contest for locals, featuring horses from within the boundaries of Cha-am and Hua Hin and a special event for VIPs which is bound to attract some notable celebrities and socialites. Special celebration rates to mark this unique and momentous event are available from Dusit Thani Hua Hin, who will also host the not-to-be-missed VIP party. Don’t miss your chance to come join the fun, simply by admiring the horses or by saddling up and testing your endurance. Whichever is your cup of tea, make sure you are part of the beach spectacle of Hua Hin’s first century!

Malaysia: Tuanku Mizan Leads Charge In Fun Ride Endurance Race

SETIU, July 11 (Bernama) -- Yang di Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin led the charge among 51 riders in the Fun Ride 2009 endurance race which started off at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong here on Saturday.

Tuanku Mizan, who is riding B.H. Magna Thor, is representing the Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable (RTES) in the 80km race.

The overnight race is expected to finish at 5.10am tomorrow.

Tuanku Mizan's son Tengku Muhammad Ismail is taking part in the 40km race together with 33 other riders.

Tengku Muhammad, who is also representing RTES, is riding Harmere Cairo in the race, which is organised by RTES and the Terengganu government.

-- BERNAMA

Great Britain: A weekend of endurance at Perth

Perthshire Advertiser


Jul 10 2009 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PERTH Racecourse was the venue recently for the two-day Scottish Endurance Riding Championships, with the flagship event, the two-day 160km endurance, going to Irish rider Helen McFarland on J St Jake with a speed of just over 14kph.

Endurance rides are run as race rides, with a mass start, timed vet gates and first past the post and passing the stringent vetting the winner.

As well as the longer endurance ride classes, it was a weekend festival of endurance, with supporting classes including pleasure rides and timed competitive rides, where gradings are awarded on the basis of heart rate and speed.

Around 150 horses and their riders, of all shapes, sizes and breeds, enjoyed the weekend, with an opportunity to enjoy a historic and varied route as well as watch some of the top endurance horses in Scotland in action and pick up some tips.

Belfast-based lawyer Helen and Jake finished comfortably ahead of the field in the two-day 160km while, in contrast, there was a flat out race to the line in the 80km endurance ride.

All riders in the 80km class made an error on course, so the pressure was on to make up time and speed. Four combinations battled it out to the line with Dumfries rider Nikki Todhunter snatching victory on her 17-year-old part bred Arab mare Fayre Savanna.[More ...]

New Zealand: Mandy and Copper grab national title

Stratfordpress.co.nz

9th July 2009

MANDY Walton of Toko was delighted last month to pick up the title of Endurance New Zealand Junior Distance Rider of the Year.

The 17-year-old won the North Island Junior Endurance championships at Easter and now with her horse Copper she has picked up the national title.

Endurance riding involves riding up to nine hours a day following markers cross-country without overtaxing your horse. At the end of each event the horses are vetted, and if their heartbeat is over 64 beats per minute you're out.

"You've got to take your time and really know your horse," said Mandy.

Mandy has been riding since she was six but only started endurance riding last year.
Her grandfather Trevor Walton, who competes in endurance riding on a senior level, taught Mandy to ride. They were into horse trekking but Mandy said they found that a bit slow so took up endurance riding.

Mandy rides at a trot or canter. Her longest ride so far was 83km at Auckland and she carries a heart monitor to check the horse's heart rate.

She said Copper is a great horse for the shorter rides and she has ridden 24 competitive rides on the eight-year-old mare.

Next year she moves into the senior division where rides are up to 160km long.

To do those she has a new horse, a seven-year–old gelding called Charlie. Both horses are Arabs, the best horse for endurance riding as their heart rate is slower than most horses.

Mandy has her eye on competing in the South Island Champs in January and if all goes well, then the 100 km Nationals in April next year.

She practices by riding most days for two hours and if she does OK at the national champs she will have a chance at world events. Kiwi riders do well on the international endurance-riding scene.

South Africa: Bad luck for Mark Tylee and Jenny Champion at Fauresmith

NZEquestrian.org.nz

8/07/2009

The Endurance New Zealand team of Mark Tylee, Jenny Champion, Helen Graham, Maxine Leary, Debby Worsfold and Kylie Avery headed off to South Africa on Monday 29th June for the National Champs in Fauresmith.

After the first day of competition at the South African National Endurance Champs, Fauresmith, Mark Tylee and Jenny Champion are both out of the competition.

The story through today is that Mark's horse was difficult to manage, the horse did not settle into the competition, biting both himself and one of the attending veterinarians, subsequently the horse was vetted out on heart rate.

Jenny Champion's horse unfortunately went lame.

On a positive note the other four riders, Kylie Avery, Debby Worsfold, Maxine Leary and Helen Graham are still in the competition where they will be going into their second day of competition very soon.

Helen Bray reports on the ride:

For some, the beginning of the trip was a challenge.

The group that left from Wellington Mark,Jenny,Tina had no problems through Sydney and on to South Africa. For those leaving through Christchurh it was not so easy.

The Christchurch flight was cancelled 5min before departure. We were rebooked through Singapore, giving Debby Worsfold ,Kylie Avery ,Helen Graham ,Helen Bray,and Philip Graham, an extra 5 hours in CHCH a 11hr flight to Singapore 8hrs in Singapore waiting for their 11hr flight to South Africa.We made it in the end. We met up with the rest of the party Tuesday morning, Travelling 2hrs to where the Australian team were staying, for lunch and a game park tour. We then travelled 500km north west to our host families. The team is being hosted by members of the North Western area Endurance club.

The host families also are supplying our horses. The family I was with, farm 5000hect of flat, Kalahari sand country in a semi-arid area, getting 16inch rainfall. Their farm is stocked with 400 beef cows and 75 horses. Stock are run in 100 hectare paddocks, horses and cattle run together. All stock work is done on young endurance horses.The country is covered by little grass and low scrub.

The next afternoon, we took in a visit to a game park with a variety of wildlife. It had a large number of fenced 2hect pen's for lions,and leopards. Some great photos were taken.

We left for Fauresmitm the next day, travelling Southeast 600kms in convoy with the horse truck, caravan and support vehicles. We passed through the Kimberley diamond mining area and saw some amazing African vistas.

The ride base is at Fauresmith, a town of 1000 people. It is about 1500m above sea level, sandy, stoney country. The ride has been at the same venue for 35 years. It is the S.A. National Champs, 200kms over 3 days. There are 3 loops each day, with 2 out post vet checks. 411 entries so far. The ride has been won in the past with speeds of around 25km.

Today we have travelled 120km North to Bloemfontain for some sightseeing and retail therapy. It is warmer, clear sunny days, almost tee-shirt weather, but the nights are cold.

Training rides and horse preparation take up the next 2 days. A parade is held on Monday morning prior to pre ride vetting. The ride begins at 7am Tuesday, 7 July, local time.

The team is being hosted in local homes, 5mins from base. Their hospitality and that of our horse hosts is incredible.