New Zealand: Kiwi endurance team for World Equestrian Games named

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

June 17, 2010

New Zealand has named its first team of riders to take part in the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky later this year.

The endurance team for New Zealand will comprise Alison Higgins (Nelson) on Twynham El Omar, Sue Reid (Pokeno) and Makahiwi Achilles, Jenny Champion (Masterton) and Freckles, Debbie Worsfold (Rangiora) on Northwinds Bradley McGregor, and Jenny Chandler (Te Awamutu) on Lace and Fineness.

Endurance is one of four disciplines New Zealand is likely to send to the 16-day event in the United States in September.

The five strong team will compete in the 160-kilometre endurance competition, the equestrian equivalent to the marathon where it can take up to 13 hours to complete. While it is a team that has relatively little international experience, those behind them are vastly experienced and very successful on the world stage...

Read more here:
http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2010/06/096.shtml

Australia: Village hosts international endurance event

Gleninneseaminer.com.au - Full Article

15 June 2010

The Federation Equestrian International Endurance ride that was held at the Red Range Sports Grounds last month attracted 60 horses from Australia and New Zealand to compete in two international events.

The rides were a 120km two star event and a 90km one star event.

Five local riders Jenny Annetts, Tami Parnell, Jasmine Shields, Judy Burton and Rebecca Miller all qualified to compete in the event.

The weekend started off full of drama as Parnell fell from her horse after her bridle broke at approximately 4:30am. A local search crew led by Col Crosby and Tracy Hutchinson eventually found the horse unharmed twelve hours later.

Parnell escaped relatively unscathed with cuts and bruises.

The main event was the 120km two star ride. This event was won by Brook Sample riding his 14-year-old gelding Brookleigh Excalibur. Sample completed the ride in seven hours and 22 minutes with an average speed of 16.3 kilometres an hour...

Read more here:
http://www.gleninnesexaminer.com.au/news/local/sport/equestrian/village-hosts-international-endurance-event/1858247.aspx

Two legs good, four legs better: horse beats man … again

Heraldscotland.com

Grant Collinson

13 Jun 2010

While football was in the spotlight in South Africa yesterday, in some quieter corners of Britain some very peculiar sports were the order of the day.

Yesterday saw the start of three strange and most extreme endurance races: the Man v Horse contest (which features people on foot racing against horses across Wales), a 1000-mile bike ride from John O’Groats to Lands End and a 24-hour double marathon along the West Highland Way.

The Tennents Caledonian Challenge 2010 – a 54-mile, one-day trek across some of Scotland’s most beautiful and difficult terrain – got under way in Gairlochy near Fort William yesterday.

Now in its 14th year, the endurance challenge is organised by the Scottish Communities Foundation (SCF), a organisation which distributes funds to worthwhile causes across Scotland.

The course runs from Gairlochy to Strathfillan across the undulating hills of the Great Glen and West Highland Way footpaths.

Alistair Reid, 39, is taking the challenge this year. Speaking before the start, he said: “My daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia two years ago so since then we’ve been raising quite a lot of money for charity.”

The SCF hopes to raise £1 million from the 900 competitors taking part.

However, that challenge, gruelling though it is, pales in comparison to the annual Man v Horse Marathon in Llanwrtyd Wells in Central Wales.

The brainchild of a local hotelier, hatched over a drink 31 years ago, the race sets out to prove who would win over a long distance, a man or a horse.

Over a course of varying terrain, designed to keep the competition fair, yesterday 253 runners raced 44 horses over 22 miles. This year victory went to equine challenger Sly Dai, with Llinos Jones, 24, a primary school teacher, riding, in a time of 2.07.04.

Marathon runner Huw Lobb became the first man to win the event in 2004.

For those preferring two wheels, yesterday also saw around 500 cyclists start the 1000-mile journey from John O’Groats to Land’s End in the Deloitte Ride Across Britain.

The new event will see the riders travel across Britain over nine days, covering an average 114 miles a day through stunning scenery including Loch Ness and Lake Windermere.

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Great Britain: Endurance riders canter to team win

Isle of Wight - County Press online

Friday, June 11, 2010
photo: Some of the winning team and their helpers, from left, Mandy Steen, Carla Maskell, Caroline Cooper, Anna Lek, Emma Broadhurst, Trudi Gatrell and Jessica Gatrell.

A TEAM of six Island riders produced a stunning performance at the Berkshire Downs Endurance Riding Event last weekend.
The team, from Vectis Equestrian Club, were representing the club for the first time in this discipline but despite their lack of experience at this event, still romped to victory.
The 30km route was mainly along the famous Ridgeway and comprised rolling hills with good through hard going.
With no gates to slow them down, the squad — Caroline Cooper (Peronne Pazazz), Emma Broadhurst (Lilly), Mandy Steen (Dynamite Daisy), Fliss Crouch (Tarran), Trudi Gatrell (Decadence) and Carla Maskell (Be Fine) — completed the route in good time, with final heart rates and average speeds deciding the result.
After everyone completed the route, they found they had all achieved the highest grade and had won the Riding Club team event.
This win qualifies the team for the national finals at Southwell Racecourse, Nottinghamshire in September.
The team was assisted on the day by Pauline Wade, Tina Murrant, David and Jessica Gatrell, Dave Dana and Anna Lek, who crewed the team at specified crew points and at the start and finish.
Meanwhile, members of Vectis Equestrian Club travelled to Sparsholt College to compete at the Riding Clubs Area Dressage to Music competition.
Wendy Warren with Truly Scrumptious rode an excellent test and qualified for The Riding Clubs National Championships in Aintree in October.
Kelly Blow and Sally McIntosh, with their horses Mirabella and Sibena were equal first in the pairs’ event while Marty Davison, riding her impressive Friesian horse, Geart, came fourth in their music class.
The IW Riding Club had two of its members placed at the competition.
Pam Gardener, riding Island Lad, came second in the novice restricted section, while Fiona King and Wilma F. Vejgard won the elementary 44 test and came third in the elementary section.

[More ...http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/sport/endurance-riders-canter-to-team-win-33198.aspx]

Australia: Horse Sports - Singleton Endurance riders

singletonargus.com
11 Jun, 2010 11:04 AM

photo: CHAMPIONSHIPS: Margret Boland with Alandell Karlinta and Darryl King with Shanadarr Khaleel.

The 160km ride will see King and Boland head off at midnight on Friday, June 24 and are required to complete the five legs within 24 hours.

Attracting international riders, the event is treated by King and Boland as a relaxing way to destress from life.

Facing cold temperatures and rough terrain, training is vital to the level of success endurance riders reach.

“It is just you and your horse in the elements,” Boland said.

Competing in the middle weight division, Boland and King have been preparing their animals with training and special care.

“They are athletes in the horse world and require all the vitamins, care and physical work of any athlete,” Boland explained.

King is entering the championship with only his 160km qualifying ride behind him.

Boland however has met the criteria to be a part of the New South Wales squad at the event.

Animals are vet checked at all five legs and there is a one hour break at legs one, two and three with a shorter one at legs four and five.

If an animal does not pass the final check they are disqualified from the event.

[More ...http://www.singletonargus.com.au/news/local/sport/general/horse-sports-singleton-endurance-riders/1856110.aspx]

Lexington Herald-Leader, Kentucky.com Team up with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

June 9, 2010

The Lexington Herald-Leader/Kentucky.com has been named the Official Print Media Sponsor of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The Games will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park September 25 to October 10, 2010.

As part of the sponsorship, the Herald-Leader will produce daily start lists and results sheets available on the grounds for Games spectators. The Herald-Leader also will provide the Foundation with promotional space to advance the Games.

“Our partnership with the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com fulfills a large need for us,” said Terry Johnson, vice president of marketing and sales. “The daily start lists will provide an invaluable resource for our fans to enjoy the event and their marketing assistance will help us effectively communicate with their readership.”

The partnership with the Games also includes expanded advertising and circulation opportunities.

Tim Kelly, president and publisher of the Herald-Leader, added, “We are pleased to play a major role in the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The impact of the Games will be long-lasting on Lexington and Central Kentucky. We’re glad to make this contribution to the Games and to the communities we serve.”

The Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com will provide Kentuckians and visiting fans with comprehensive, multi-media coverage of the pageantry, the sports and the personalities of the Games, and the events and activities surrounding it, on a daily basis.


About the Lexington Herald-Leader

The Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com are committed to being Central and Eastern Kentucky’s primary sources of news, advertising, information and commentary. The combination of the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com reaches seven out of 10 adults in the 40-county Newspaper Designated Market. Winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, the Herald-Leader is owned by The McClatchy Company of Sacramento, Calif.


About the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are the world championships of eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). The Games are held every four years and this will be the first occurrence in the United States. The Games will be broadcast on NBC Sports, which has marked the largest commitment to network coverage of equestrian sport in U.S. television history. The 2010 Games are expected to have a statewide economic impact of $150 million, and current sponsors include Alltech, Rolex, John Deere, Ariat International, Inc., Meydan and Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. For more information on the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, please visit www.alltechfeigames.com.


MEDIA CONTACT:
Amy Walker
Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
859-255-2010 ext. 235
awalker@feigames2010.org