China: Playing horse whisperer

China.org.cn - Full Article

China Daily, July 22, 2010

Equestrian endurance racing is a sport that tests the mental and physical limits of both rider and horse. Alexis Hooi gets a taste of this deep in the heart of Xinjiang.

Packs of horses break through the morning mist on the horizon, as local grooms nearby slap on saddles and tighten bridles on their prized geldings and mares. The rising sun lights up the deep-blue sky above and slowly dissipates the dew on the surrounding yurts, decorated with ethnic Mongolian tapestry. I am in Bayanbulak, one of the country's largest and most beautiful grasslands in the Beyinguoleng Mongolian autonomous prefecture of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. But my heart pounds louder than the horses running about me and enjoying the breathtaking scenery is the last thing on my mind.

Instead, I am focused on making it through the 2nd Bayanbulak Swan Lake Equestrian Endurance Race being held in Xinjiang's Hejing county.

When the local authorities organized the area's first equestrian endurance race last year, at least six horses out of the more than 100 that took part dropped dead from exhaustion.

Riders had to cover more than 150 km in less than a day on local Mongolian horses famous for their strength and stamina.

But this year, competition organizers promise a different approach: The race goes global and has to adhere to international competition standards as set out by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports or FEI, the worldwide governing body for the sport.

This means the welfare of the horses in the race will be given top priority...

Read more here:
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2010-07/22/content_20552971.htm

Easyboot Horse Wins The Haggin Cup at the 2010 Tevis

Easycare Press Release:
Tuesday July 27, 2010
Auburn, California


Garrett Ford rode The Fury to an impressive eighth place finish at the 2010 edition of the Tevis 100 mile race on July 24. He was accompanied by his wife, Lisa Ford, who rode Cyclone to the ninth place finsh. The Fury and Cyclone were two of 34 horses who were competing in the Tevis race as part of the Ride Tevis for Free contest sponsored by EasyCare.

The Fury also won the coveted Haggin Cup. The Haggin Cup award is intended to recognize exceptional sportsmanship and horsemanship as demonstrated by the superior condition of the contestant’s horse during and at the completion of the ride. In other endurance events, the award tends to be based almost solely on the “best condition” judging held after the Ride and focuses on the criteria of “fit to go on."

"I think of The Fury as the horse of a lifetime," said Ford. "He is eight years old and I knew when I rode him for the first time last year that there was something special about this horse. When we got into the Foresthill vet check at 75 miles, he still had so much to give. As we set out on the last leg of the race, I decided to unleash The Fury!"

John Crandell III, who took first place at the event, rode the last six miles from Lower Quarry to the Auburn Fairgrounds in 64 minutes. Garrett and Lisa Ford traveled the same distance in 47 minutes, jumping from 16th and 17th respectively to 8th and 9th place.

Haggin Cup judging observations of contestants and their mounts are made throughout the ride, beginning with the initial check-in and subsequent veterinary checks by members of the veterinary examining and Cup Committees. Findings are documented by the veterinarians and made available to Cup Committee members.

Fury's Haggin Cup win is of particular note because he is the first barefoot horse in the 54 years of the race to win the award. Garrett trains and competes The Fury in Easyboot Gloves and uses Easyboot Glue-Ons for only a few races: the 2010 edition of Tevis was one of them. 21 of the horses competing in the EasyCare Ride Tevis for Free contest went on to cross the finish line in Auburn - including the last place horses, Cira and Sonny ridden by Kathie Ford and Kathy Sherman. Six of those horses finished in the top 20 positions.

Also worthy of note is the 62% completion rate of the horses competing in the Ride Tevis for Free Contest: the overall race had 182 horses start and 93 horses complete - a completion rate of 51%.

It was a red letter day for Easyboots and for the natural hoof care movement at large.

John Crandell and Heraldic Win 2010 Tevis!

Colfax Journal - Original Article

Michael Kirby/Auburn Journal

John Crandell, riding Heraldic, crosses
the finish line to win the 55th Tevis Cup
endurance ride Saturday at the Auburn
Overlook Staging Area. Close behind is
Shannon Constanti, who rode Crandell’s
horse LR Bold Greyson to second place.

John Crandell was so prepared for the Tevis Cup endurance ride that even his backup horse spent time in the spotlight Saturday night at McCann Stadium.

Crandell’s dominant horse Heraldic trotted across the finish line as the pair won their second Tevis Cup Saturday. Just a few feet behind was Auburn’s Shannon Constanti, riding Crandell’s horse LR Bold Greyson.

The ferrier from Star Tanney, Va. brought two horses across the country for the 100-mile ride from Robie Park in Truckee to Auburn. He decided just days before the ride that both horses had the legs to make it across the rugged trail.

“I had a good feeling because (Bold Greyson’s) a young horse – it’s only his third 100 – I felt like he could reasonably keep up,” Crandell said. “In the end, probably Heraldic could have gone on forward, but we didn’t need to, so it was nice to ride together the whole way.”

The two frontrunners opened a huge gap early in the day Saturday. Rachel Shackelford kept pace for more than half the ride, but was pulled at Foresthill. No other rider had checked in at Poverty Bar – 12 miles from the finish – when Crandell and Constanti finished.

The searing heat in the canyons slowed many of the riders and the number of horses pulled from the ride soared as Saturday wore on. As of 11 p.m. Saturday, 68 competitors had been removed from the race after their horses were judged unfit to continue down the trail.

Crandell said the unusually high temperatures this year on the East coast, where he lives and trains may have helped his cause Saturday.

His horses’ remarkable achievement wasn’t much a surprise for Crandell. Since 2006, Heraldic has taken first place at all but one 100-mile ride he’s entered.

“(Tevis) is the biggest mark I could go for with the horse,” said Crandell, who won both the Tevis and Haggin Cups in 2006. “At this point we don’t take that horse out for anything but main events. There’s no point in running for a small-time race.”

Constanti has built an impressive endurance-riding resume. She rode her first 55-miler at age 5 under the tutelage of her father Jay, who finished Tevis in 1978 and ’79. Constanti rode Bold Greyson on the recommendation of Linda Glazier and Roger Yohe, whom Crandell was staying with in Georgetown. Constanti finished Tevis for the first time in 2009.

Among the hundreds of riders still on the trail at press time were Barbara White and Hal Hall. White is aiming for her record 30th Tevis Cup buckle. Auburn’s Hall is looking to finish for the 27th time.

China: Bayinbuluke Swan Lake International Endurance

July 7-9

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.

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

China: Bayinbuluke Swan Lake International Endurance Ride

New Zealand: Endurance WEG Team Grooms Selected

NZEquestrian.org.nz

July 8 2010

The Endurance HP Team are pleased to announce the following selections:

Jo Hull

Sian Reid

Shane Dougan

Nikki Barton

Phillip Higgins

Chris King

Braden Cameron

Richard Armstrong

Megan Cannon

Kerry Armstrong

Paul Cooper

Teresa Hoult - Physiotherapist (human)

Great Britain: Young Rider European Championships - Kreuth August 2010

Endurancegb.co.uk

15th July 2010

Beth Langley has been selected to ride as an Individual in the Young Rider European Championships to be held in Kreuth, Germany from 2nd-8th August 2010. Whilst Great Britain is committed to sending an Endurance Team to World and European Championships under the International Competition World Class Performance Plan adopted by EGB, it has not been possible to achieve this objective for 2010 and an exception has been made this year to send only one individual. The new Team Management are working towards sending a Team overseas in future.

WEG 2010: Unveiling of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Trophies to Showcase the Bluegrass

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: 7/15/2010

LEXINGTON, KY - 71 Days to Go—The beauty of the horse and the spirit of the Bluegrass will be showcased in the unveiling of the trophies and medals to be presented to the world champions of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Lexington-based luxury gift store and fine trophy provider, L.V. Harkness & Co., has worked intimately with Moser Crystal of the Czech Republic to create team and individual trophies and medals for each of the eight disciplines participating in the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

The 2010 Games will feature eight world championships of equestrian sport and are being held for the first time in the United States September 25-October 10 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky.

The team trophies were designed to showcase each discipline with the true spirit of the Bluegrass; the Kentucky Horse Park skyline and four-plank fencing provide the background for each of the eight trophies. The trophies took over 14 months to create from start to finish and are valued at approximately $50,000 each. These truly magnificent works of art are sure to be admired for years to come.

“The trophies and medals created by L.V. Harkness are not only beautiful, but also showcase Kentucky as the Horse Capital of the World,” said Jamie Link, CEO of the World Games 2010 Foundation. “The world champions crowned during the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will have a beautiful piece of the Bluegrass State to take home with them.”

“L.V. Harkness & Co. conceptualized the trophies and the Master Copper Wheel Engraver at Moser brought them to life,” said Whitney Fields, Director of Equine Product Development for L.V. Harkness. “We are happy to talk with a client, realize their vision and develop a product that showcases their passion.”

Margaret Jewett, owner of L.V. Harkness & Co. is no stranger to horses or trophies. In 1891, Jewett’s great-grandfather, Lamon Vanderburg Harkness, purchased Walnut Hall Stock Farm near Lexington, Kentucky; he transformed the farm into the foremost standardbred breeding and racing establishment in the world. Jewett is also the co-founder and on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Equine Humane Center, an organization dedicated to providing humane treatment and shelter for all of Kentucky's unwanted equines. A lifetime surrounded by horses, and experience running the finest gift store in the region, taught Jewett how to partner with talented artisans to produce quality trophies that showcase creative design.

“Lexington is my home,” said Jewett. “The best athletes in the world are coming to Lexington —L.V. Harkness & Co. is proud to provide them with the best trophies in the world.”

Photos are available upon request. Please contact Katelyn Rademacher at krademacher@preston-osborne.com.

About L.V. Harkness

Lamon Vanderburg Harkness had a passion for the finest things in life: silver, crystal, boats and horses (to name a few). In addition to many noble activities, L.V. was known to sail around the world on his yacht, Wakiva, searching for and acquiring fine objects to adorn his homes. Today, his great-granddaughter, Margaret (Meg) Jewett, shares his love of standardbreds, objets d’art, and his spirit of adventure. Like her progenitor, Meg enjoys traveling the globe, seeking the unusual “wants” and unique “must haves” that add so much spice to life. It is with great family pride that she shares these treasures through L.V. Harkness & Co.