Bahrain: Riders gear up for endurance event

Gulf-daily-news.com

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

THREE cars will be given away to the top three riders in the Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Endurance Horseride Championship on Saturday.

The decision was announced yesterday by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation's (Breef) president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa prior to the inaugural event of the season.

The ride, set to take place at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir, will be over 100km and promises to feature some of Bahrain's top riders representing different stables.

Shaikh Khalid said additional cash prizes will be presented to each rider who completes one of the stages within the ride.

He confirmed that the awards scheme aims to bring the attention of riders in Bahrain to participate in the opening ride of the season, adding that more prizes will be provided in future competitions later this year.

Meanwhile, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports president, chief of the Bahrain Olympic Committee and captain of the Royal Endurance Team Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa hailed the efforts of the federation ahead of the new season.

He highlighted the valuable prizes being allocated in each ride and believes that the season will feature gruelling battle among Bahrain's riders.

The season's opener will be followed by the 120km National Day Championships on December 24 which is open to senior and junior riders.

The Breef Senior and Junior Championships will then take place on January 8, next year, and is over 120km.

The fourth competition on the Breef's calendar will be 120km His Majesty King Hamad Championship, the most awaiting event of the year, scheduled for February 5 and is open for seniors and juniors.

The federation will then organise the Shaikh Nasser Championship on February 19 and is over 100km.

Another Breef event for the seniors and juniors will take place on March 5 and is over 120km.

That will be followed by the 120km His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Cup for seniors and juniors, the first night endurance ride of the season, to be held April 1.

The season is set to conclude on April 22 with another night ride titled the Season Ending Championship, which is over 120km.

Spain: Arboix and Luque Invited to President's Cup

El Raid blog - Gabriel Gamiz

25 November 2010

Two Spanish riders Alex Luque and Jordi Arboix have been invited by the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club to participate in the President's Cup on February 12, 2011.

This is the note of the Royal Spanish Equestrian Federation:
Raid: An invitation to two Spanish riders for the Presidents Cup in Abu Dhabi

Today On November 23 has been received by the FEI the invitation of Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club riders Raid Spanish, World Cup recently, Alex Luque and Jordi Arboix to participate in President's Cup Race to be held in Abu Dhabi on 12 February.

Spain: 2011 Al Andalus

El Raid blog - Gabriel Gamiz

24 November 2010

(google translation)

This morning in the Sicab, has presented the VI Kaliber-Andalucia, in premises of the Palace of Congresses in the Sicab.

The table was chaired by José Manuel Soto accompanied by a representation of the Junta de Andalucia and Kaliber Spain, Jose Manuel has outlined the details of this next Kaliber, which goes from the village of El Rocio, where there will be a prologue to continue to Seville and road and continue up to Antequera, where there will be a day of rest, then follow the Monumental round and finish in the emblematic city of Granada.
This year there will only be said that the participation of pairs (a horse and rider), with six stages and a rest day.

After the presentation of Kaliber, offered us some beers, where all the previous record attendance Kaliber and issues related to the horse world.

***
The equestrian endurance test more demanding in the world will start next April 2 at the Dew (El Rocio) and end on April 9th at Granada

The 2011 Raid will travel 500 km in six stages through Andalusia protected enclaves, of surpassing beauty, where we can show the complicity between horse and rider

Sevilla, 24 November. A year hosts the Raid Kaliber Andalusia-Andalusia that this coming year 2011 celebrates the sixth edition. This test driven in 2006 by the Andalusian singer José Manuel Soto - passionate sportsman and horse world - has become a sports-tourism event of the first magnitude. Kaliber-Andalucía Raid resistance test is more demanding horses and horse racing longest and toughest in the world. This year divided into 6 stages and 500 kilometers tests speed, endurance and skill of both horse and rider.

Kaliber-Andalucía Raid congregate each year to national and international riders not only participate in a unique sporting event, but, in turn, discover the beauty of Andalusia and its people. It's more than a competition, as it not only offers a sporting challenge against the clock if it is discovered, trot, nature and culture of Andalusia. And in the Raid is not there first, but to go by dosing the horse and keeping it at an appropriate pace for each stage.

The racetrack is developed through many different routes, where horse and rider show their complicity face different types of soil with natural obstacles that complicate the path. The Raid runs through Andalusia protected enclaves of surpassing beauty. Each stage of the Raid-Andalucía Kaliber usually consists of 40 km, existing veterinary controls to check the pulse of the horse at the end of each. In this control the clock is ticking until the horse is not below 65 beats. At night, horses and riders, hard day's rest to recover to face with the dawn a new era.

Like every year the tour Raid-Andalucía Kaliber change your route and the sixth edition will start on April 2 and ends at the Dew 7 days in Granada. The Raid will this year with a prologue about 25 miles, starting and finishing at the Dew. As news, the Raid VI consist of 6 stages, each of 60 km - divided into two phases which is 30km from a veterinary and a break of 45 minutes. Furthermore, this edition will be most competitive and exciting, if possible, as it disappears more equipment and will result only in the category of biomes (a rider, a horse). The Raid VI-Andalucía Kaliber will kick pictorial touring places like the National Park of Doñana Natural Park Sierra de Grazalema, Zahara de la Sierra, etc. A magical race between Dew and Granada from Seville, Villamartin, Ronda, Antequera and Alhama de Granada.

2 to 9 April all equestrians have an appointment in Andalusia-Andalusia Kaliber Raid VI. This competition attracts both participants and spectators and allowing them to discover wild landscapes in all its glory, as spring begins to bloom Andalusian fields. The world's most beautiful race, noted for its hardness, its magic and beauty. The fact go and enjoy the scenery makes it worthwhile participation.

José Manuel Soto

José Manuel Soto (March 12, 1961, Seville) is a singer known for his melodic songs. The fourth of nine children, was born into an affluent middle class family with close links to rural environment. His first hit song, and possibly gave him more fame was "For Ella," the author's own composition. In 1989 with the song "Like a Light" got second in the OTI festival. In the first half of the 90 returned to get a new hit with the song "Let yourself be loved." With 16 albums in the street and more than 1,000 concerts, combines a singer with his other passion is horses.

He is currently the president and creator of Raid Kaliber-Andalusia. This great event comes from Jose Manuel Soto passion for horses and the land where he was born and raised, Ontario. With this unique event in the world wants Andalusia is a world leader in the equestrian discipline of resistance. Teach everyone the rich landscape, environmental and cultural to account Andalusia. In the same way you create a unique sporting event and world reference Spanish label.

More photos and information:
http://ggjineteraid.blogspot.com/

New Zealand: Champion Rider

Stuff.co.nz - Full Article

20/11/2010
The Marlborough Express

Endurance trail riding may not be a big mainstream sport, but it certainly is for Heidi Bulfin.

Ms Bulfin was the Marlborough Sportsperson of the Year nominee for the sport, which involves riding horses over a variety of courses and terrain and testing their all-round skills and endurance.

Endurance riding is like a cross-country race with everyone starting at once, and is all about horsemanship.

The winner is basically first across the line as long as the horse passes a vet inspection at the end.

In trail riding, riders go out in pairs or solo and each is given an optimum time to finish the course.

There is a fine balance between getting close to the time and keeping the horse's heart rate down.

If you arrive back at the finish too early you are penalised.

It is all about pacing yourself and keeping the horse moving.

It is physically demanding on horse and rider with local trail rides ranging from 15 to 40 kilometres or longer, over testing terrain.

"We get off and run the horses down hills," says Ms Bulfin...

Read more here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/community-papers/4362946/Champion-rider

FEI General Assembly: NSAID Use Definitively Prohibited

Thehorse.com - Full Article

by: Christa Lesté-Lasserre
November 16 2010, Article # 17260

The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in international equestrian competition is definitively prohibited, following a unanimous vote by the members of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the governing body for international equestrian sports, during their General Assembly meeting Nov. 1-5 in Chinese Taipei.

However, the FEI has agreed to pursue efforts to provide national federations with data indicating the exact amount of time low doses of common NSAIDs--including phenylbutazone (Bute) and flunixin meglumine (Banamine)--are detectable in a horse's blood or urine. This information would allow team veterinarians and riders to accurately time the administration of NSAIDs for therapeutic purposes between events, according to John McEwen, BVMS, MRCVS, team veterinarian for the British Equestrian Federation, FEI Veterinary Committee chair, and chair of the FEI List Group, which developed the now-approved proposal in September.

The decision follows an intensive two-day congress on NSAIDs use in equestrian events, hosted by the FEI in August in Lausanne, Switzerland. At the event, more than 200 international participants convened to discuss and debate the latest research, theories, laws, politics, and public opinion concerning NSAIDs use in horses.

The General Assembly's vote officially defuses the spark of the previously proposed "Progressive List" from November 2009, in which proponents--primarily FEI members from North America--urged the FEI to consider tolerating the presence of certain NSAIDs in horses during drug testing at international competitions...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=17260

Qatar: American Ellen Rapp is First American and Female to Win Endurance Race

12 November 2010

Doha: Ellen Rapp, of La Motte, Iowa won the opening endurance race of the season held at the Qatar Endurance Village. In winning, Rapp became the first woman to ever win a race in Qatar, and is reportedly the first American to win a race in the Middle East since Valerie Kanavy won the World Championship in 1998.

Rapp rode SA Ireesh Tenor, an 8-year-old USA-bred Shagya Arabian, trained by her husband Jeremy Olson, head endurance trainer for the Al Shahania Stud, founded and owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

"We have been training him for three years now," Olson said. "He came from Sun Arab Shagyas in Verona, Kentucky. Breeder is Daunna Sellers. He is also a half brother to SA Belshazzar, (who was Ellen's second horse on the USA Team for the 2010 Kentucky WEC and he was also 1st alternate after Smokey came up lame), and SA Edashick, who was third and BC last year here in Qatar at our biggest race 'The Emir's Cup', a 120 km held here in March. Their sire, the Shagya Stallion 'Bayram' stands in Kentucky, and throws wonderfully talented endurance horses. We have had 8 of them and they are all great, with wonderful tempermants, huge bone and great feet and conformation."

Second place was Hamed Towaim Ali Al Marri, riding Catania de Palleres, a Portuguese-bred Anglo Arabian, also trained by Olson and owned by Al Shahania Stud.

79 horses from Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia were entered in the 80-km race, which was held at night, due to the heat.

Olson reports: "Our speed the first 30-km loop was 24.8 km/h, and we arrived in 8th and 9th positions. Our speed the second 30-km loop was 25.6 km/h, and we arrived in 3rd and 4th positions. We left for the last loop in 2nd and 3rd position, 4 minutes behind the leader, but only 30 seconds ahead of 4th and 5th.

"It was a 5 horse race to the finish; the first 5 horses were within 2 minutes of each other with 7k to go! It was a very exciting race! Ellen won the race by 1 minute and 20 seconds ahead of my other horse Catania de Palleres, who was 4 minutes and 16 seconds ahead of the third place horse."

Rapp was thrilled with the win, which was full of a lot of 'Firsts'. "It was a great race on an amazing horse!" she said. "We have a lot of great horses at Al Shahania Stud, but I chose Ireesh because he and I share a special bond. Every time I get on this horse he never questions me on what we are doing, he is just eager to see what is next.

"The temperature of the day was perfect and we were not sure how Ireesh would handle the night race with the cars and headlights everywhere. He kept on crusing like he had been doing it his whole life. Truly inspiring this horse is!

"We accomplished a lot this race: Al Shahania Stud wins opening race in Qatar, I became the first female to win a race in Qatar, Ireesh was the first Shagya horse to win a race in Qatar, it was Ireesh's first race in Qatar and first win, and finally we entered two horses and they both completed and placed 1 and 2 healthy, happy, and sound....what a great night!

"I hope that we can keep up the good work at Al Shahania Stud with all of our other horses. The next race is on Christmas Day,"

- Merri Melde
www.endurance.net

Jordan: Princess Alia honours winners of International Wadi Rum Endurance Race

AP Photo

En.ammonnews.net

2010-11-14

Wadi Rum - HRH Princess Alia Bint Al Hussein, Chairperson of the Royal Jordanian Equestrian Federation (RJEF) honoured on Sunday winners of the International Wadi Rum Endurance Race.

The festival is held every year to mark the birthday anniversary of Late King Hussein bin Talal.

The 120 km and 80 km race was held in participation of riders from Kuwait, Iraq, Germany, Netherlands, Spain in addition to Jordan.

* Petra