FEI Open European Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders 2010, Kreuth, Germany

Horsesinthesouth.com - Full Article

TEAM FRANCE DOMINATES YET AGAIN – UAE TAKES OPEN INDIVIDUAL TITLE

The small village of Kreuth is any horse person’s dream – a complete village based entirely around equestrian sport. The venue is well established and has hosted Endurance, Eventing, Reining and Dressage International competitions, but this is the first time an FEI Championship has been hosted in Kreuth. The site, comprised of various arenas, cross country courses, a hotel and large airy barn for stabling, is nestled in the Bavarian countryside approximately two hours south of Munich (GER) on the south east edge of the Taubenbach Forest. It is a perfect venue for Endurance, with extensive vet-gate space, a flat grass trot-up area and ample parking for crew vehicles. The route is principally made up of gravel forest tracks.

Sixteen nations were entered for the FEI Open European Junior and Young Rider Championships with a total of 51 horse/rider combinations. Unfortunately three horses failed the pre-ride vetting, one horse each from Italy, Portugal and Hungary. The biggest impact of these vet-outs was for Hungary who had only brought three horses. The loss of their third horse would mean they would no longer be able to challenge for a team position and would now only field two individual riders. The usual European nations were out in force, although some with fewer riders than normal. Teams were entered from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, Italy and Portugal. As this was an Open Championships there were some entries from further afield, namely Argentina, the United Arab Emirates and the USA, although none of these nations sent a team.

Read more here:
http://horsesinthesouth.com/blog/index.php/2010/08/09/fei-open-european-endurance-championships-for-juniors-and-young-riders-2010-kreuth-ger/

Young endurance rider secures record European 4th for Britain

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Sophie Montagne, H&H newsdesk
9 August, 2010

Endurance rider Beth Langley secured Britain's highest placing ever at a young rider Europeans, coming fourth at the championships in Kreuth, Germany on 5 August.

Nineteen-year-old Beth, riding HS Ametista, covered the 120km (75 miles) at an average speed of 12.3mph, hassling a strong French team all the way.

"I was stabled opposite the French and, as my pony is only 14hh, I don't think they saw her as much of a threat," Beth said.

But, riding as an individual, she was free to follow her own tactics, antagonise the French and push for a placing.

"I stuck behind the French team for the first loop and let them do all the work which annoyed them," she said...

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http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/300831.html

Mongolia: Kiwi leads the field in the world's most demanding horse race

Stuff.co.nz - Full Article

A Kiwi double Olympian is leading what is described as the longest and toughest horse race in the world.

The second annual Mongol Derby will take the riders 1000 kilometres across the Mongolian wilderness.

Last year's derby took the participants between seven and 10 days to complete, raising money for Mongolian charities.

Madonna Harris, 53, who represented New Zealand in road cycling in the 1988 Olympic Games and in cross-country skiing in the 1988 Winter Olympics, was one of 16 riders who lined up for the start of the race on Saturday.

Yesterday, she was leading the field. "I have been working on accepting that it will be one of the hardest things I've done and knowing there are bound to be moments of difficulty," she said on the race website.

"I'm certainly not riding to win ... I'm expecting to be distracted along the way by the culture and people, and I want to be able to see the environment as I travel through...."

Read more here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/4003269/Kiwi-leads-the-field-in-the-worlds-most-demanding-horse-race

Kanavy Withdraws Horses from WEG Selection Trials

Saturday August 7 2010

Concern over the selection and demonstration process for the US team has prompted former multiple World Endurance Champion Valerie Kanavy to withdraw her 3 horses - King Ali Gold, Gold Raven, and Spectacular Gold, from the selection trials for the World Endurance Championship to be held September 26, 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Kanavy's main concern is that the trial, to be held in Illinois next week, is too close, for the distance and speed the horses will be asked to go, to the Championship race. "If you were training your own horse, you might do a 50 mile ride in a controlled situation, to peak your horse for the WEC," Kanavy said. "I've worked really hard, and I've demonstrated that my horses are capable. I won't run them in the heat, humidity and mud at speed 5 weeks before the WEC. That's the bottom line."

Secondly, the ten horses and riders selected from the trials will go on to Shaker Village, Kentucky, and will stay there for the 3 weeks before the WEC, sitting in Shaker Village, Kentucky, until the final 5 riders and horses will be chosen 4 days before the race. "The horses would be more relaxed in their home environment; this robs them of comfort and rest before the big race."

Kanavy had raised a lot of concerns about the process all along the way, but they were not addressed. "I expect a lot out of my horses. I've worked toward this [2010 World Endurance Championship on home turf] for 3 years. I've demonstrated over the years, with all the horses in my stables, including the young ones, their capability with my training and program.

"I've been flexible and open minded, and I know I don't know everything... I've evaluated, consulted, and tested my horses, and I know they are capable of giving their best performance, but my horses can't do a good job if all the energy gets sucked out of them before the race."

Kanavy is disappointed things worked out this way, but she's moved on. "I've already got my horses booked on a flight to Europe for 2 big races, including the Young Horse Championships in France. I'm looking forward to testing my young one against the best in Europe."

- Merri Melde

Brazilian Confederation of Equestrian Endurance teams defined for the World Equestrian Games

Enduroonline.com.br - Full Article

Held every four years, the World Equestrian Games this year in sixth version, is known as the "World Cup" of the horse. For the first time outside Europe, the competition that takes place between September 25 and October 10 in Lexington, in the U.S. state of Kentucky will gather approximately 1,000 athletes from 65 countries competing in eight different sports. Brazil has a presence in the race since its debut in 1990 in Sweden, but it is the first time will be represented by teams in seven categories: Dressage, Eventing (CCE), Endurance, Reining, Jumping, vaulting and riding Special (paraequetre).

For definition of the teams that will represent the country in the World Equestrian Games, the Brazilian Confederation of Equestrian selective been promoting since 2009, and the formation of teams began to be defined. Three modes already have their representatives: Enduro, Eventing and Reining.

Endurance:

Enduro in Brazil will have five representatives, four of them competing for a team and as individual. All animals are from purebred Arabian. Amazons are selected Karina Arroyo riding HSK Nadjin, Lilian Garrubo Juda with HEM and Victoria Lins riding Chanrion C, and the rider with Rafael Salvador Caliph Tamm. Are still seeking three other place in the team Enduro: Ana Carla Maciel riding WN Perla, Andre Vidiz with Magic Endurance and Fernando Gonçalves Mustaz with SC. "These athletes will have their animals subjected to clinical examination and complementary by veterinarians of the Technical Commission and the Director of Veterinary CBH, Thomas Wolff, in order to define the fifth set and selected the two sets reserves," said Olav Maciel, Director of Enduro CBH. Team boss is William Santos Ferreira and coach, Gerson Acedo Vieira.

The Belgian Squad for the WEG in Kentucky

Photos, from top to bottom: Dominique Evrard, Pietro di Geronimon, Karin Boulanger, Maritza Pereira

Endurance-belgium.com

After the good performance of the Belgian Juniors at Kreuth in Germany at the European Championship (Belgium took Team Silver and Bronze Individual), it is now time to focus on the riders and horses who will travel to USA.

Belgium is a small country with quite few endurance riders (500 competing at various levels from 30km to 160km). In terms of international riders, there are maybe 30 to 40, depending on the year and the horses they have to compete. Last year, we had only two FEI rides in Belgium, the major one at Mont Le Soie and the 'WorldCup for Veterans' in Mirwart which takes place End October. But it is easy in Belgium to cross the border and head to the neighboring countries, France, Germany, UK.

France is our preferred destination as we can find many high-level rides at less than 500 km from our place. And always a very good level of participation and well-organized rides.

The Belgian Chef d'Equipe could this year make his choice among six couples. The federation saved money to send four horses/riders/crew per discipline. Of course, like everywhere showjumping, dressage and military are the most favored discipline. Endurance receives nevertheless a good treatment in Belgium (we can say that's because the discipline brings often medals to the country).

Pierre Arnould proposed the following list to the federation. He was assisted by the endurance team veterinarian and also by the 'all discipline' team veterinarian. The list of four couples and one reserve was accepted by the federation.

They are :
- Pietro di Geronimo with Mengalli
- Karin Boulanger with Poespass
- Maritza Pereira with Lima du Barthas
- Dominique Evrard with Alicia d'Havenne
Reserve will be Michel Lequarre and LI Korum. Nevertheless the endurance commission entered a special request to the federation in order to get, like other disciplines, a fifth horse traveling to Kentucky. The decision has not yet been taken.

One can remember the fuss around the Belgian team last year at the time of the selection for the European Championship at Assisi, Italy. The Belgian rider, Kristel Vandenabeel entered an appeal at the court against the Belgian federation, because she was not making part of the selection. A first express decision of a regional court asked the Belgian federation to change his decision, but an appeal from the court of Liege revoked the initial decision of the court. Will we see the same scenario this year?

All European horses will fly from the Wallonian airport of Liege, well located in the middle of Europe and equipped with all necessary infrastructure for shipping horses abroad.

Stay tuned, we will try to shoot some photos when the horse will embark on their jumbo's...

Endurance medical armbands considered after fatal fall

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Charlotte White, H&H deputy news editor
7 August, 2010

Suggestions that endurance riders should wear eventing-style medical armbands are being considered by the FEI and Endurance GB (EGB) after the death of a Japanese rider following a fall at Euston Park.

Mitsuko Masui, 73, was competing in the CEI*** 160km ride at the Norfolk venue on 11 July when she was found on the ground by British rider Kirsty Wiscombe (report, 22 July).

The rider was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge by air ambulance, where she died the next day. Her death seems to have been due to a medical condition rather than a riding accident.

Ms Masui's death has prompted Euston Park president James MacEwan to urge EGB and the FEI to adopt medical cards for competitors.

"Endurance has just as high a risk assessment as eventing because of the vast distances in the saddle involved," he said...

Read more here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/300740.html