Bahrain: Endurance team set for US event

Gulf-daily-news.com

September 23, 2010

SUPREME Council for Youth and Sports president and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa will arrive today in the US to lead a five-member Royal Endurance Team in the endurance horseride event of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, scheduled for Sunday in Lexington City, Kentucky.

Shaikh Nasser will be accompanied by Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first vice-president and Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who however, is not taking part in the ride due to a recent wrist injury.

Other members of the Bahrain Royla Endurance Team are Ghazi Al Dossary, Ahmed Abdulla, Jaffer Mirza and Abdulrahman Al Saad.

It will be the fourth appearance for the Bahrain team in the World Championships, having taken part in the 2005 and 2006 edition cups in Dubai and Aken, Germany, respectively, before winning an impressive third-place finish in the 2008 event in Malaysia.

Other members of the Bahrain team arrived yesterday after an 18-hour trip via London. On arrival, the Bahraini riders were given a special welcome by hundreds of volunteers at the endurance village.

Commenting on the occasion, Shaikh Nasser expressed delight in taking part in an endurance ride in the US for the first time, adding that his team was looking forward to clinching a place among the top countries.

Shaikh Nasser said the team is well-prepared for the ride after successfully completing races in France, UK and Germany during their training camp earlier this summer.

The Royal Endurance Team leader extended his appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad for the continued support to endurance riders in Bahrain in general and to members of the team in the World Equestrian Games in specific.

Al Khaldiya Team captain Shaikh Khalid stressed the importance of taking full advantage of competing with the world's best in this international gathering.

Shaikh Khalid, who celebrated his birthday yesterday, said he is working hard on preparing the team to achieve remarkable results in international championships.

He expressed sadness over his inability to join his team members in this world event but said that the rest of the Bahrain team along with team leader Shaikh Nasser are capable of putting in an impressive show.

Belgian Endurance WEG Team Horse Poespass Undergoes Colic Surgery

Eurodressage.com

September 20 2010

The 2010 World Equestrian Games have not even started yet and we are already sadly have to report that one WEG qualified horse got ill. Belgian endurance team horse Poespass suffered from a severe colic attack and had to be operated on. The horse was in quarantine in Cincinatti and was supposed to arrive in Lexington at the Horse Park today.

Poespass is owned and competed by Karin Boulanger. The combination was the 2008 Belgian Endurance Champion and winner of the 2008 CEIO Gubbio (160 km) in Italy. Poespass is a seasoned traveller.

A few hours after his arrival in quarantine the chestnut suffered from a bout of colic. The horse was transported to the Hagyard Equine Clinic near Lexington where he was operated on in the evening of 20 September 2010. Belgian team vet Jef Desmedt was present during the whole operation. Poespass made it through surgery but the next 24 hours are of course critical. Naturally the horse can no longer participate in the World Equestrian Games.

The Belgian endurance team, managed by chef d'equipe Pierre Arnould, is now left with three combinations and no longer has a scratch score.

We wish Poespass a speedy recovery.

Qatar Endurance Team to Compete in World Championships in United States

Doha, Qatar - The Al Shaqab Endurance Team will represent the State of Qatar at the prestigious World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, on Saturday, Sept. 26.

The five-member team will compete in the 160km race over varied terrain to vie for the title of World Champion Endurance team against 26 teams and a total of 162 nominated competitors from all over the world.

The World Equestrian Games are the official world championships competitions for the eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), which is the world governing body of equestrian sport. The championship disciplines consist of Show Jumping, Dressage, Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurace Racing, Vaulting and Reining.

The Al Shaqab Endurance Team is the reigning Silver Medal winning team from the World Endurance Championships that are held every two years and most recently in Malaysia in 2008. This marks the first time the team has competed in the United States and their fourth consecutive appearance in the World Championships.

The five Al Shaqab riders who will participate on the Qatar team are Faleh Nasser Bughenaim, Mohammed Tahous Al Naimi, Abdul Rahman Al-Sulaitin, Jassim Mohammed Al-Maadhadi and Mohammed Sultan Al Suwaidi. Bughenaim, a veteran rider from the 2008 Silver Medal team, who finished 12th individually in the World Championships, scored three wins over the summer in Uruguay and France. Al Naimi is a 13-year veteran of the Al Shaqab team who competed on the Silver Medal team and is the oldest competitor on the team at age 31. Al Sulaitin earlier this summer won a 160km CEI*** race in La Baguala, Uruguay. Al Maadhadi brings a win from the summer campaign from the CEI** 120km race in Negrepelisse, France. Al Suwaidi did not ride in 2009 due to college studies, but has returned to the team in 2010 with solid performances and top five finishes in the past three races in England, France and Uruguay.

The Al Shaqab team representing the State of Qatar is led by Chef d’Equipe Fahad Saad Al Qahtani, Director of Al Shaqab, manager and trainer Hadi Nasser Al Naimi, assistant trainer Jabr Nasser Al Naimi, and assistant trainer Abdul Aziz Saleh Al Jabir.

His Highness, The Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani founded Al Shaqab in 1992 to preserve and further develop the Arabian horse in Qatar. Al Shaqab is led by H E Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and encompasses an Endurance Team, Breeding & Show division, Riding Academy. In 2004, Al Shaqab proudly became a member of Qatar Foundation. Al Shaqab’s mission is to promote the highest standards in the breeding and showing of Arabian horses and serve as a community resource with innovative, educational and competitive opportunities in all of the equestrian arts.

Top photo: Following a summer campaign in France (pictured) and Uruguay, the Qatar Endurance Team will compete in the World Endurance Championship this Sunday in the United States.

NBC Networks Unite for Most Live U.S. TV Coverage of Equestrian Sports in History

Universal Sports, NBC Sports and UniversalSports.com to cover more than 80 hours of 2010 World Equestrian Games

September 22, 2010: Universal Sports and NBC Sports are teaming up to provide fans with the most extensive live television coverage of equestrian sports in U.S. history. NBC Sports will air 8 ½ hours of LIVE coverage on three consecutive weekends, beginning this Saturday at 12 Noon ET. Universal Sports will show more than 15 hours LIVE, including the majority of the show jumping competition. Universal Sports will also air taped broadcasts of the Reining Final, the Dressage Freestyle, the Driving competition and the Vaulting Final. The joint effort will include more than 30 hours of live and taped television coverage of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY. This total amount of U.S. television coverage is unprecedented for equestrian sports in this country.

This prestigious international event is being held at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington from September 25 to October 10. Lexington-area cable operator Insight Communications will offer the Universal Sports network to its subscribers on a trial basis beginning on September 24, allowing local horse enthusiasts to watch the action from start to finish.

The World Equestrian Games is held once every four years, with 2010 marking the first time the event will be held on U.S. soil. The Games feature the best riders and drivers in eight disciplines – dressage, show jumping, eventing, vaulting, reining, driving, endurance and para-equestrian dressage, which involves disabled riders. The 16-day competition is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to Lexington, a city known as the “Horse Capital of the World.”

All sessions of competition from the three Olympic equestrian disciplines -- dressage, eventing and jumping -- will be streamed LIVE on UniversalSports.com for a one-time subscription fee of $29.99. A daily purchase option of $12.99 also will be available. Full replays of subscription content will be provided for on-demand viewing. The live streaming begins with dressage (Sept. 27-29, Oct. 1), continues with eventing (Sept. 30, Oct. 1-3) and concludes with jumping (Oct. 4-6, 8-9). For details and a complete schedule of coverage on UniversalSports.com, go to universalsports.com/equestrian.

Additional live coverage of the international disciplines of reining, driving, vaulting, endurance, and recorded coverage of para-equestrian dressage, will air on the United States Equestrian Federation Network at www.USEFNetwork.com. Pay-Per-View coverage of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will also be offered at www.FEITV.org.

(Endurance is not on the NBC schedule.)

Meydan's sponsorship of international equestrian sports culminates as Gold Sponsor of the Endurance Championship at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

The Championship will see world-class endurance riders including a formidable team from the UAE

Dubai, UAE, 23 September 2010 - Meydan reaffirms its commitment to international equestrian sports as the Gold Sponsor of the Endurance Championship at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) held in Kentucky, the United States of America. The sponsorship aligns Meydan along the objectives of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), with support across other initiatives such as the FEI Nations Cup for show jumping, which Meydan has been the title sponsor of for the past 2 consecutive years.

Meydan’s exhibition booth is located near the Trade Stands and will showcase an informative and educational experience for the public, including give-aways and exhibition displays of the Meydan City project in Dubai and of its deep-rooted equine heritage.

The Endurance Championship will be held on 26 September 2010, Day 2 of the Games at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, the United States of America. The participating teams at this year’s Games will have 5 riders instead of the usual 6, and will consist of the best endurance riders worldwide.

One of the 8 equestrian disciplines including dressage, driving, eventing, jumping, para dressage, reining and vaulting, the Endurance Championship is held over a distance of 160 km across altitude differentials of 300 feet in Kentucky Horse Park and surrounding farmland, with 5 compulsory stops for veterinary checks. The course comprises of 6 loops varying in lengths between 18 to 40 km, with each loop starting and finishing at the Forego polo field. The race will start at 7:00 a.m. with the winners expected to cross the finish line at 7:30 p.m. A majority of the participating horses will be pure-bred Arabians, with the remaining predominantly Anglo-Arabs – half thoroughbred (mare) and half Arabian (stallion).

Mr. Saeed Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Meydan, said: “We are pleased to be a Gold Sponsor presenting the Endurance Championship at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Meydan has always firmly supported equestrian sports internationally, and with the prestige and recognition that the World Equestrian Games garners, being associated with the Championship has allowed us an excellent avenue to communicate with an international audience about Meydan. It further allows us to capitalise on the synergies that exist between our respective cultures given our mutual appreciation for equestrian sports, and also to those who share that same passion internationally and who might look to Meydan as a possible venue for consideration of future related business and lifestyle investments or partnerships.”

About Meydan - One dynamic location, many possibilities

Meydan City is the brainchild of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. It is the culmination of his vision to create not just the ultimate venue for horseracing, but also an integrated city that is sustainable, environmentally responsible and also one that positions Dubai at the centre of the competitive global business stage.

Meydan City will feature four distinct sub-districts – Meydan Racecourse; where the Meydan Grandstand takes centre stage and is home to the Dubai World Cup, Meydan Metropolis; a series of state-of-the-art business parks, Meydan Horizons; where business towers intermingle with luxury waterfront developments, and Meydan Godolphin Parks; with its distinctive Godolphin Tower created in the image of a thoroughbred and also where the shopping destination Signature Mall is located.

Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse can accommodate a capacity of 60,000, and features fine-dining restaurants, covered car parking for 8,600, the Meydan Museum and Gallery, an IMAX Theatre, the Meydan Boathouse, and the world's largest and longest trackside LED panel. The Dubai Racing Club, Emirates Racing Authority and Meydan Freezone Falcon Commercial Park offices are located here. Meydan Racecourse district will also feature a 9-hole golf course, showroom district and luxury residential villas to rival those in any cosmopolitan city.

Meydan Grandstand also houses the world’s first five-star trackside hotel, Jumeirah The Meydan. With 285 luxuriously appointed rooms and suites, a Rooftop Infinity pool, a variety of F&B establishments, business, conference, banqueting facilities and a spa and fitness centre, most of these facilities offering stunning views of the racecourse.

The seamlessly interconnected indoor and outdoor spaces at Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse provide excellent venues for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions. These include unique facilities such as the Sky Bubble, which accommodates up to 4,500 guests, 72 Grandstand Corporate Suites with full track views, the Parade Ring, Receiving Barns, an indoor food court, extensive infield space, and the Apron Views.

With its Freezone status geared to businesses who are looking to be at the gateway to Europe and Asia, Meydan City is one location that offers a myriad of investment opportunities and experiences, delivering a perfect platform for business, entertainment and lifestyle.

www.meydan.ae

New Zealand: Let the Games Begin

NZEquestrian.org

22/09/2010 11:31:30 a.m.

New Zealand's 2010 World Equestrian Games is about to begin in earnest, as the Kiwi endurance riders prepare to take on the best in the world. While the actual 160-kilometre race starts on Sunday, their games really start on Saturday, before the opening ceremony has even happened, when their horses will face their first vet check.

Endurance chef d'equipe Madonna Harris says it will be a testing time, although she has every confidence in her trio of riders.

“Of all the disciplines, this really is the toughest,” she says. “Throughout the race we present to the vets seven times.”

And at any time, if the horse's heartbeat doesn't come down fast enough or there is a niggle of any sort, a combination can be pulled from the race.

With just three in the New Zealand team, there is no room for error, with no chance of any team accomplishment if all don't finish the race. And the input of those supporting the riders is just as important as those on the horses.

“Our grooms have to be particularly adaptable and malleable to ensure we get through this,” says Harris. “After looking at the layout of the course and the vet gates, we've had to make a few changes to our strategies and learn some new techniques.”

The heat will be another big challenge for the endurance competitors, as will the mass start. Around 130 combinations are expected on the start line. Anxiety levels will be fever-pitch and that half hour before the race, and half hour into the race, can be make or break.

“Everyone is wired,” says Harris. “There are flags, banners and general mayhem going on – our riders just need to find an area and remain calm.” Combinations will do six loops of varying distances throughout the race – the shortest is 18 kilometres, and the longest 39.9 kilometres.

“This is a four star rated race and calls for courage and control.” That's the highest ranking, and only held at World Games of World Championships.

“As good as these riders are, they are completely inexperienced at this level, so it is a big ask for all.”

The Kiwi horses left New Zealand late August and have now acclimatised well. Harris says each is in peak condition and now ready to race. In recent days they've had plenty of attention, including the magic hands of New Zealand team equine physiotherapist Nikki Lourie.

Harris is picking a Spanish combination to take the individual and perhaps United Arab Emirates for the individual.

“But I am very confident about the quality of our own horses and our ability to ride at speed...we just need that bit of luck to go our way.”

The World Equestrian Games are being hosted in Lexington, Kentucky, and run through until October 10. New Zealand is represented in showjumping and eventing as well as endurance.

It is the first time the games have been held outside of Europe and will attract more than 800 riders from nearly 60 countries. It is expected to be worth around $US150 million to the economy.

For more news, photos and Blogs from the NZ Team make sure you check out the "FEI 2010 WEG", on the ESNZ website

The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games begin Saturday

Huliq.com - Full Article

Submitted by Patrick Rall on 2010-09-21
The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games logo

This Saturday brings opening ceremonies of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Serving as the Olympics of the equestrian world, this event has been held every four years since its start 20 years ago in Stockholm, Sweden. Having made stops in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Germany since then, the Games come to the US in 2010 for the first time.

NBC will offer a look at the non-racing side of the equine world

The World Equestrian Games cover a huge variety of different subcultures within the equine world with eight disciplines having their own competitions at the 2010 Games. Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting, Reining, and Para Dressage are featured at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, with Para Dressage making its WEG debut at the Kentucky Horse Park.

When the World Equestrian Games began in 1990 in Sweden, there were just six disciplines offered. Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, and Vaulting were the first six types of competition that first year and when Hague, Netherlands hosted the 1994 games, the lineup was the same...

Read more here:
http://www.huliq.com/10281/2010-alltech-fei-world-equestrian-games-begin-saturday