WEG organizers lower ticket prices

Kentucky.com - Full Article

Wednesday, Jul. 14, 2010

By Linda B. Blackford - lblackford@herald-leader.com

Organizers of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are lowering ticket prices in an attempt to sell more of them.

Starting Thursday, a special promotion will offer a 30 percent savings on tickets to many of the early phases of the competitions. The special offer will run through Labor Day weekend and end on Sept. 6.

The Games will be held from Sept. 25-Oct. 10 at the Kentucky Horse Park.

So far, about 260,000 tickets have been sold, far below the once-anticipated 600,000. Organizers have said the economy is mostly to blame for more people not buying tickets priced over $100 for some events. Tickets to many event finals have been selling well, officials said.

The new prices include a discount on the one day of endurance riding, from $45 to $25 per ticket...

Read more here:
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/07/14/1348648/weg-organizers-lower-ticket-prices.html

Great Britain: Mohammed wins British Endurance

UAEInteract.com

14/07/2010

Euston Park (UK) - Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum yesterday won the endurance horserace, held in Euston Park in the United Kingdom.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, and H.H. Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. The race, run for 166 kilometres and competed by 25 riders from different Arab countries, Europe, United State and Australia, was held in preparation for the World Endurance Championship, to be held in the U.S. State of Kentucky between 22 and 28 September.
Emirates News Agency, WAM

China: Bayanbulak Swan Lake Equestrian Endurance Race Held in Xinjiang

Big5.cri.cn - Full Article

12 July 2010

The second Bayanbulak Swan Lake Equestrian Endurance Race was held Saturday at the Bayanbulak Grassland in Xinjiang's Bayingol Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture. Horse riders from different areas in and outside China have taken part in the race. Adopting the international rules for the first time, this race pays more attention to the welfare of the horses. Zhao Jianfu has the details.

Reporter:
More than 100 horsemen from all over China including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Beijing, Xinjiang and other provinces as well as from Singapore have competed in the Bayanbulak Swan Lake Equestrian Endurance Race.

Xu Jingling, a rider from Singapore, tells us his feelings about the race.

"I took part in a similar endurance race last year in Inner Mongolia, that was more for experience. This time I'm trying to do better, but mostly is for fun. I think it's a good idea to adopt the international standards, because one of the main principles of the international standards is the condition and welfare of the horse, so I think it's very important they take the approach."

Although it's the second endurance race held in the area, it is the first time the standards of the Federation Equestre Internationale, or FEI, has been adopted in Xinjiang, and the second such race with international rules in China following the event which took place last year in Inner Mongolia. The whole 80 kilometer race is separated into four stages, and the condition of the horses is tested between them. The horses take breaks between the stages so as to guarantee they won't get hurt. If the physical condition of a horse does not meet the standards, it will not continue the race.

Man Zhenwei, chief judge of the endurance race, talks about the importance of adopting the international rules of equestrian endurance racing in China...

Listen, and read more here:
http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/english.cri.cn/7146/2010/07/12/2561s582391.htm

The Namibian WEG Team - The Long Road from Africa

Horsesdaily.com - Full Article

Sunday, 11 July 2010 13:17
Pamela Burton, Burton Graphics & Photojournalism

Three Namibian girls gain qualifications to ride for the Namibian Endurance team on US horses at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. “It’s an awesome feeling,” said 19 year old, Anna Wucher. “We're happy to finally get to say we're going to the WEG and not if, when, and maybe! We are all very excited and hope we do well there, too!”
The three girls have been working and training at Darolyn Butler’s Cypress Trails Ranch in South Texas near Houston. Kordula Voigts, 24, was the first to arrive. “Dulie is an excellent rider, but had no previous endurance experience before she started riding with me in April of 2008,” said Butler. “She's a brilliant horsewoman and perhaps the most compassionate, yet effective trainer I've ever known. She's turned three different, almost man-eater horses completely around. Duli is also unbelievable help in organizing the training schedule, the packing up on the trips and generally very pleasant to be around. The other ladies have only been here four months, but they are equally as nice and I'm growing to love these ‘lil gals too.”

“I grew up on a stud farm for warmbloods used for jumping and dressage,” said Kordula, aka Duli...

Read more here:
http://www.horsesdaily.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2120:the-namibian-weg-team-the-long-road-from-africa&Itemid=1537

Canada: Thompson rider wins bronze at equine event

Tompsoncitizen.net - Full Article

July 7,2010

By Ian Graham
sports@thompsoncitizen.net

Jessica Mannes of Thompson was one of three riders to represent the province as a member of the endurance horse riding team at the 2010 Canadian Endurance Championship held in New Lowell, Ont. July 1, winning a bronze medal with her teammates.

Mannes, riding Justess, along with Prue Critchley of Hamiota riding Fort William +/- and Aime St. Vincent of Ste. Anne riding in the Limelight, were third in the 50 mile endurance event, representing the Distance Riders of Manitoba (DRM), the province's endurance riding organization.

"We are so proud of our team taking the bronze medal at the championship, and to do so after traveling so far to get to the event is remarkable " said Myna Cryderman, DRM president...

Read more here:
http://www.thompsoncitizen.net/article/20100707/THOMPSON0201/307079991/-1/THOMPSON/thompson-rider-wins-bronze-at-equine-event

Sample wins Tom Quilty

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2010/07/12/206091_horses.html




Fran Cleland

July 12, 2010

ONCE again Queensland endurance rider Brook Sample stamped his amazing ability by winning the famous Tom Quilty Endurance Ride for a fifth time.

He did this late last month, riding Brookleigh Excalibur, in eight hours and 35 minutes.

Brook's previous wins were in 1990, 1995, 2002 and last year.

Held in Manilla, NSW, the event attracted 292 riders, who began the ride from the Manilla showgrounds at midnight for the 160km famous journey.

The first and second legs covered 43km, mainly over easy-going gravel roads and open paddocks with creek and river crossings.

Horses then left that track and rode north and returned to the ride base before making the final 32km loop through hills to the finish line.

First across the line was David Anderson Jnr, riding Ashwind, in eight hours, 30 minutes and 25 seconds. Juniors and lightweight riders can't win the overall class but it was a remarkable effort.

Brook Sample was next in 8.35, to take out the national champion and the Tom Quilty.

Brodie Freeman took out the heavyweight title, in nine hours.

Sasha Laws King won the lightweight section on Tubbarubba Cheval in a time of 10 hours and 11 seconds.

Short-listed riders for the World Equestrian Games endurance championships are Brook Sample, Brookleigh Ricardo and Tarrangower Crecendo, Penny Toft with Don and Norbert Radny, riding West Coast Archaron.

South Africa: Endurance Team Members Chosen for Kentucky WEG

July 9 2010

http://www.endurancesouthafrica.co.za/index.html - The official web site of the 2010 Alltech FEI WEG Endurance S.A. Team

Dominique van Zyl - Bambinella, Lani van Gerve - Arkab Legato, and Eone' Willemse - Shamwari, have qualified and been selected to represent South Africa in Endurance at the WEG2010.

Though Dominique qualified on the South African horse Prins in 2009 at Schanskraal, she chose to qualify on a Brazilian mare, Bambinella, due to the strict quarantine restritions on South African horses. Both horse and rider achieved their WEG qualification in March of 2010 in Brazil.

Lani van Gerve has ridden internationally in Namibia, Botswana, the USA, and as a Young Rider in Bahrain in 2005. Arkab Legato, with 4500 competitive kilometres to his name, has completed 3 Fauresmith South African Championship rides, and 8 160-km rides, including a first place and Best Condition award at the Tri-Nations and South African National Championships, Beaufort West in 2009.

Eone' Willemse has completed 10 160-km rides on 9 different horses. She has competed internationally in Namibia, Botswana, New Zealand, and the USA. Shamwari, owned by Megan Davis, has completed 5 160-km rides and is ranked number 3 on the National Best Condition List.

For more information on the South African WEG team, see http://www.endurancesouthafrica.co.za/index.html