Bahrain set to host Giant race

Gulf-daily-news.com

THE Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) is gearing up to host the second round of the 2010 Giant Endurance Horseride Challenge on Saturday.

The event, one of three rounds this year, will be held at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir and covers a total distance of 120 kms.

In last year's Bahrain round of the series, the UAE's Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum raced to victory after a fierce battle with prominent riders from across the GCC.

Breef's president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa has already issued directives for the successful conduct of this prestigious event to be organised by the Kingdom for the second consecutive year.

Shaikh Khalid has also directed the organisers to announce valuable cash prizes to each rider who successfully completes one of the five stages. The top three riders at the end of the championship will also be honoured.

The Breef's chief thanked Unicorn Investment Bank for sponsoring this event, especially its chief executive Majid Al Refai and wished for this support to continue in future competitions.

He said Saturday's ride will be open to everyone, adding that all participating riders must weigh at least 75 kgs without riding equipment.

The third and final leg will be held in Dubai in the last week of this month and points accumulated over the three rounds will decide the overall champion.

In the first round of the series, which took place at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, last month, four Bahraini riders failed to impress.

The Bahrain team were spearheaded by Royal Endurance Team captain Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa and Ahmed Janahi. All four pulled out at different stages of the ride.

The overall winner in the first round was Majed Al Jahouri of the UAE. He was followed by Federico Zubiaurre of Uruguay in second place while Ahmed bin Harmash of the UAE was third.

UAE: Teenager Al Naqbi steals show

Gulf News

January 3, 2010

Abu Dhabi: Teenager Abdullah Rashid Mohammad Saeed Al Naqbi, representing Abu Dhabi's W'rsan Stables, won the CEI*** 240-kilometre Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup in a close three-horse finish on Saturday.

The ride was part of the Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan fourth International Festival which began on December 31. The participants were required to cover 80 km per day.

Seventeen-year-old Al Naqbi, a pupil at the Abu Dhabi School, completed the race with a time of 10 hours 16 minutes and 12 seconds, just two seconds ahead of Dubai Endurance Stables rider Saif Salem Mohammad Al Faresi.

He was once again astride the 11-year-old Anglo Arab gelding CAL Puelche.

In third place with a time of 10:16:33 seconds was Munthar Ahmad Al Baloushi from Al Reef Stables.

"It was a fantastic ride and from the penultimate day onwards I was confident that I would win," said Al Naqbi.

"It was not tiring and it was my best performance in my career. I have been riding horses since the age of 10 and I have won many prizes."

Uruguay's Eduardo Saravia Herrara, riding for the Al Ain Endurance Stables, topped the 120-kilometre event which also finished yesterday. Herrara completed the course in a time of 5:14.00 seconds, two minutes and eight second ahead of Rashid Saeed Al Kamda from the Al Kamada Stables.

Al Ain Endurance Stables rider Nawaz Zafar Nawaz Shah took third place in a time of 5:16.30 seconds.

The Junior & Young Riders CEI certified ride over 120-kilometres was won by Ahmad Saeed Mohammad Al Faresi astride the 12-year-old Anglo Arab chestnut Fenwick Cadenza. Al Faresi clocked 4:41.01 seconds for the distance.

Guest of honour American Ambassador Richard G. Olson, Jr distributed the prizes in the presence of Shaikh Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Shaikh Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The event was hosted by the EHC in association with Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF). It was also attended by Talib Dhaher Al Muhairi, president of EEF.

Results

Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup (240km):

1. Abdullah Rashid Mohammad Saeed Al Naqbi (CAL Puelche) 10:16.12 (W'rsan Stables)

2. Saif Salem Mohammad Al Faresi (Raaward Kasmin) 10:16.14(Dubai Endurance Stables)

3. Munthar Ahmad Al Baloushi (Jibbah Enog) 10:16.33 ( Al Reef Stables)

4. Sultan Ahmad Al Baloushi (Hurst Ibn Hamed ) 10:32.34 (Al Reef Stables)

5. Saleem Rashed Bin Ghadayer (Little Joe Fox) 10:32.42 (Fazza Endurance Stables team)

Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup for Private Horses (120km):

1. Eduardo Saravia Herrara (Ylmood) 5:14.00 (Al Ain Endurance Stables)

2. Rashed Saeed Al Kamda (RS Najid) 5:16.08 (Al Kamada Stables)

3. Nawaz Zafar Nawaz Shah (Bicho) 5:16.30 (Al Ain Endurance Stables)

4. Beata Dzikowska (Humo Rojo) 5:33.19 (Al Kamda Stables)

5. Khan Mohammed Kafeel Mohammed (Wattle Vale Sovreign) 5:54.52 (Al Rakna Endurance Stables)

Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup for Junior and Young riders (120km):

1. Ahmad Saeed Mohammed Al Faresi (Fenwick Cadenza) 4:41.01 (Seeh Al Salaam Stables)

2. Rashed Ahmad Al Bloushi (Trojano) 4:44.03 (Al Reef Stables),

3. Ali Sakman Al Sabri (Twaf) 5:05.20 (Emaar Endurance Stables)

4. Ali Hassan Mohammed Al Marzouqi (Tim Bertop Adoins) 05:5.58 (Fazaa Endurance Team Stables)

5. Aliya Ali AL Marzouqi (Castlebar Pilot) 5.8.18 (Fazaa Endurance Team Stables.

Abu Dhabi: Reef Stables Take Honours

Khaleejtimes.com

(Hisham Al Gizouli)

1 January 2010
ABU DHABI - Al Reef Stables swept the first three places in the opening day of the 240km Shaikh Sultan bin Zayed International Festival Endurance Race at Bu Dheeb Endurance Village here on Thursday.

UAE rider Munzir Ahmed Al Baloushi from Al Reef Stables took the first place honours and behind him came stable-mate Yousuf Al Bloushi as Sultan Ahmed Al Bloushi took the third place honours.

The competition has attracted 103 riders from both sexes lining up for the Dh 1.5m in prizemoney.

The winner covered the 80km first phase of the ride in three hours fifteen minutes and 19 seconds to cross the finish line two seconds ahead of runner up while Sultan was 20 seconds back in third.

The competitions will resume on Friday morning at the same venue with all the riders who completed the race eligible to take part and improve their respective positions.

Meanwhile, more than fifty riders have registered for the 120km Shaikh Sultan bin Zayed Endurance Ride for privately owned horses which is set to start under the early rays of the sun at Bu Dheeb.

The race was attended by Shaikh Dr. Hazza bin Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his brother Khaled bin Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

According to the organisers, the first priority of the organising committee will be the safety of the riders and the welfare of their horses.

The organising committee has also thanked Shaikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his strong support and follow up which has positively reflected on the performance of the riders and the success of the event.

Belgium: Endurance Impressions 2009

Endurance-belgium.com

30 December 2009

Belgian photographers Caroll Gatelier & Leonard Liesens have compiled some of their best endurance shots of 2009 from France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Uruguay, Argentina, and Great Britain, in a photographic essay.

Click here for the photos and slideshow.

Leonard is also the author of "Endurance" - a book by an endurance rider, for endurance rider, available in French, and coming soon in English, Spanish, Dutch and German.

Click here for more information.

Saudi Arabia: Latifa wins second spot in Women's Endurance

MENAFN.com

(MENAFN - Arab News) Latifa Al-Sheikh of Kingdom Equestrian Team, sponsored by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, won the second place in the Women's Endurance Championship held in Dubai on Friday.

Forty-three women jockeys from the UAE, GCC and Arab world participated in the 90km challenge. Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan bin Rashid Al-Maktoum awarded the prizes to the top three. Sheikha Asma Al-Gasmi won the event, followed by Latifa and Shamsa Al-Mutawa in that order.

Prince Alwaleed commented: "This victory is another achievement for the Saudi women in sports."

Latifa and her horse Kularu Jubal completed the course in 3:14:22, just four minutes off the winning time of Sheikha Asma.

"This achievement is with God's blessing and Prince Alwaleed's continuous support to the team and its members. I am delighted with this achievement and had traveled from Saudi Arabia confident of winning this race," she said. It was her second race in the UAE. She had also finished second in the previous race in Abu Dhabi that was won by the Spanish world champion rider Mariah Mercedes.

Latifa also thanked Sheikh Hamdan, deputy ruler of Dubai and the minister of finance and industry of the UAE, for his support for the special race for women jockeys.

She also thanked Najeeb Al-Barjes, Kingdom team manager and trainer, and other trainers, Matar and Abullah Khamees.

Latifa, who began riding at a very young age and participated in various other championships - including three in Bahrain and Qatar, said excellent weather conditions and the relatively small number of participants helped achieve high speeds in the race.

Kingdom team's series of achievements include Abdulrahman Al-Hawas winning the Al-Khalediah Prince Khaled's Cup Endurance Challenge 2009. In 2008, the team won the Alwafa International Championship Cup held in Damascus, Syria, and Saudi show jumper Khaled Al-Eid earned the highest points in the final Arab League qualifying for the World Cup Championship.

Australia: Helen Bain

Wellington Area Trail Riding Club

Wednesday, 30 December 2009

It is with great sadness and not a little shock that we learn today of the untimely death of Helen Bain. Helen drowned on December 29 while crossing the Ruamahanga River on horseback near Masterton. Despite the heroic efforts of companions to rescue her from the river, Helen could not be revived.

Tributes to her work as a journalist have been published online in Stuff, and for her role as Communications Manager for Forest and Bird.

In the worlds of CTR and Endurance, Helen was an active member of the Wairarapa Endurance and CTR Club, a past member of WATRC, and a stalwart in the organisation of Island and National Championships events. She has done much to promote both sports by contributing pieces to various horsey magazines, and was an active and respected participant in HorseTalk forums.

Our heartfelt sympathies go to her partner, Mark, her family and friends, work colleagues, and fellow club members and competitors. We all feel her loss dearly.

Abu Dhabi: UAE's Asma clinches titlein 90-km endurance ride

Gulfnews.com

by M. Satya Narayan, Senior Reporter
December 26, 2009

Saudi Arabia's Latifa bags second place followed by Shamma



Abu Dhabi : Shaikha Asma Bint Taleb Al Qasimi, riding Kalkadoon Kampala, won the 90km Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Ladies Endurance Ride held yesterday at the Dubai International Endurance City.

The national ride, the first this season for ladies, was held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, who attended yesterday's event.

Shaikh Asma completed the 90km distance in a timing of 3 hours, 8 minutes and 21 seconds at an average speed of 28.67km/h to win from 42 other lady riders who started the ride.

Four stages

Saudi Arabia's Latifa Ahmad Al Shaikh and Shamma Al Mutawa from the UAE took the second and third places respectively. Latifa completed the ride in 3:14:22 while Shamma was timed at 3:21:06 for the race run in four stages of 31km, 29km, 18km and 12 km.

Yesterday's Ladies Ride was open to riders from the UAE, GCC nations and Arab residents in the UAE.

The 100km Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Challenge 1, a national ride, will be held today at the same venue, also under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan.

The ride gets off to a mass start at 6am and will be run over four loops of 32km, 29km, 27km and 12km.