USA: Three US horses head for Abu Dhabi for endurance invitational

http://horsereporter.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/three-us-horses-head-for-abu-dhabi-for-endurance-invitational/

Miami- Three US horses will ship tonight to compete in the President’s Cup Endurance ride slated for February 12th at Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Valerie Kanavy will represent the US riding Spectacular Gold, Deborah Reich will ride DJB Juniper and Ceci Butler-Stasiuk will ride DJB Cytron Tron. Butler-Stasiuk had the option to ride Katie Shah’s Ace’s Commett but feels Cytron Tron is good to go. Butler-Stasiuk will leave from Florida and travel with the horses by February 5th, the other riders to follow. The ride field usually supports 50 National riders and 20 invited competitors from Europe and North America who will compete for monetary prizes as well as the grand prize of an automobile. Entry numbers and prizes will be announced by February 11th. The prestigious 160-km ride started in 2000 with 14 national and 22 International riders.

©Pamela Burton

Gujarat to host first equestrian endurance championship

AHMEDABAD: Will home-bred Kathiawadi and Marwari horses be able to compete with the famed Arabian horses? This Sunday will test the endurance of 30 horses in the first edition of Gujarat's equestrian endurance competition on a 10 km track in Santej near Ahmedabad. The horses, from Gujarat and Rajasthan, belonging to industrialists, farmers and horse enthusiasts, will be tested for their strength, ability to negotiate hurdles and health.

Anish Gajjar, founder of Equestrian Club of Gujarat and organizer of the event, told TOI that the sport is conducted in 20, 40, 60, 80 and 120 kilometre races at national and international levels. "As this is the first initiative for the state, we are going for a 20 km race in two loops for the open category, while there is a shorter 10 km race for the junior category of horse riders. We also have a category for women," said Gajjar. The event will take place at Santej.

Why Ahmedabad? "The event has always been a bastion of Arabian breeds at national and international levels. However, we have an interesting mix of breeds including Marwari, Kathiawadi, thoroughbreds and mixed breeds in the state with quite a few enthusiasts. It will be an interesting competition and an exhibition of their strength," said Gajjar.

According to organizers, in an endurance race, the winning horse is the first to cross the finish line while stopping periodically to pass a veterinary check that deems the animal fit to continue. Before the ride, horses are inspected by a veterinarian to ensure they are fit to participate in the race. The rider who reaches the destination first after passing all the periodic exams is declared the winner. The event is being organized according to the rules of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and with support from the Marwari Horse Society of India (MHSI). British equestrian trainer Philippa Waterfield will co-ordinate the event.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Gujarat-to-host-first-equestrian-endurance-championship/articleshow/7414598.cms

UAE: Top riders to showcase skills at Endurance City

Gulf News
Staff Report
February 3, 2011

Maktoum Bin Hamdan ride on Saturday

Dubai: International Endurance City is set to host two back-to-back races this weekend with the UAE's leading riders set to take part.

Tomorrow will see a CEI one-star Dubai International Endurance City-backed 80-km ride with two loops; a yellow category loop of 40-km once repeated. The pre-ride meet and inspection will be held from 9:30am-12 noon.

While a CEI two-star 120-km event, the Shaikh Maktoum Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge, sponsored by Seeh Al Salam Stables, takes place on Saturday. The race consists of five loops and the pre-ride meet will be held on Friday from 2:30-5pm.

Mohammad Essa Al Adhab, Deputy General Manager of the organisers Dubai Equestrian Club (DEC), said: "We would like to extend our appreciation to Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, for his continuous and generous contributions to our endurance events throughout the season. We are very honoured to host the Shaikh Maktoum Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Challenge.

"We are also very grateful to Seeh Al Salam Stables and are delighted that they have been rewarded with such a top-class line-up of riders."

French Endurance Coach Dropped!

Frenchhorseandcountry.com - Full Article

January 27, 2011 By fhc

The coach of the French Endurance team, Jean-Louis Leclerc, will be dropped from January 31st this year by the Federation. Why? Apparently he is too old and there will be a new directions from then on.

Veterinarian by training, Jean-Louis Leclerc was the head of the French team for endurance for 6 years and involved in the federation for 16 years. He earned respect and steered the teams to achieve results with 9 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze. Not bad, but not enough in the eyes of authorities.

The new federal plan for the Endurance no longer requires a full time coach and feels it is time for the application of new blood. Although only 62 and despite his undeniable results, Jean-Louis Leclerc will not be reappointed...

read more here:
http://www.frenchhorseandcountry.com/WP/2011/01/27/french-endurance-coach-dropped/

Endurance Added to 2011 Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships

February 01 2011
Joanie Morris

Lexington, KY – For more than 30 years, the Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North traditionally hosts championships for teams and individuals in the three Olympic Equestrian disciplines of dressage, eventing and jumping. In 2008 reining was included, and in 2011 the sport of endurance will be introduced for the first time.

Included as a non-championship event since 2008 – participation and support for the program continues to grow. The 2011 championship will run from July 27-31 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY and the endurance portion will use some of the same track that the World Endurance Championships ran over during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games last September.

The ride will take place on Friday July 29. The stabling, start, veterinary inspections and finish as well as portions of the course will be on the Kentucky Horse Park grounds. The remainder of the course for the 120km race will make use of private property near the horse park.

For more information please contact Joanie Morris at jmorris@usef.org.

FEI Year End Rankings 2010

January 31 2011

Two French riders topped the Meydan Open Riders World Ranking for FEI year end results. Virginie Atger, who was ranked fifth in the world last year, topped the list in 2010 by just 14 points over fellow Frenchwoman Sarah Chakil.

In 2010 Atger won a number of rides, including the CEI*** 160-km Sommant and 160-km Rambouillet in France. She also finished 10th in the World Endurance Championship in Lexington, Kentucky.

Chakil won the 160km CEI*** Landivisiau and Florac in France. Chakil and Sakalia finished 8th in the World Endurance Championship in Kentucky, boosting the pair to a year-end 4th place ranking in the FEI World’s Top Open Combination.

14-year-old SAS Alexis was the top ranked horse in the FEI Meydan Open Horse World Ranking. The horse had 5 starts in 2010, finishing first in a CEI** 120km in Bahrain, two 2nd places in CEI*** 160-km rides in England, and a third in the World Endurance Championship in Kentucky.

2nd ranked horse in the FEI Meydan Open Horse World Ranking was 10-year-old Ciel Oriental. The horse had 5 starts in 2010, with 3 wins in England at 120 km, 130 km, and 160 km, and a 2nd place finish in the World Equestrian Games.

The very popular Double World Champion, and reigning European Champion, 15-year-old Nobby, ranked 32nd on the list. He had two starts on the year, a 4th place in 2010, a 160-km in Dubai in April, and first place in the World Endurance Championship in Kentucky.

Meydan Open Riders World Ranking:
1 - Virginie Atger - France - 1149 points
2 - Sarah Chakil - France - 1135 points
3 - Maria Hagman-Eriksson - Sweden - 1106 points
3 - S.S Faleh Nasser Bughenaim - Qatar - 1106 points
5 - Hamdan Bin Mohd Al Maktoum - UAE - 1089 points

Meydan Open Combination World Ranking:
1 - Ann S. Hall and HCC Zara RR - USA - 404 points
2 - Alex Luque Moral and Koheilan Kincso - Spain - 372 points
3 - Joao Raposo and Titanic - Portugal - 357 points
4 - Sarah Chakil and Sakalia - France - 349 points
5 - Carlos Cunha and Quinza - Portugal - 339 points

Meydan Open Horse World Ranking:
1 - SAS ALEXIS - 504 points
2 - CIEL ORIENTAL - 475 points
3 - MAQUARIE PARK SEDITION - 443 points
4 - GROSO HLM - 411 points
5 - AMIR - 408 points

FEI Year End Ranking - U.S. Horse and Rider Are Tops

January 31 2011 - California, United States,

Ann S. Hall, with mare HCC Zara RR, World’s Top Open Combination World Ranking for FEI year end results

Ms. Hall, a veteran endurance rider from Auburn, California topped the FEI ranking of 4764 horse and rider teams world wide to garner the number one spot. Ms. Hall and her mare HCC Zara RR accumulated the highest amount of points as a team in FEI events for the year. Ms. Hall, who has 10,000 miles in competition has been riding FEI events since 2006 and has a 100% finishing lifetime record in FEI events.

“HCC Zara RR has only been under saddle for 2 years, we are very pleased with her progress. Zara is closely related to several other Hall horses that have done very well through KOSCIUSKO, AERC Hall of Fame Stallion and sire of Tevis Champions. We are looking forward to 2011.”

Winner of the individual rider to accumulate more points with various horses went to Virginie Atger of France. Ms. Atger had an impressive year with 15 finishes out of 15 races to top her fellow compatriot, Sarah Chakil, in closely contested race for the world champion title. Ms. Atger rode seven different horses to achieve the world title. Ms. Atger, silver medalist at Aachen, Germany in the World Equestrian Games (WEG), represented France in Kentucky at the WEG and finished in the 10th place spot riding Azim Du Floival.

SAS Alexis, FEI World Top Ranked Horse for the 2010 season, is a 15 year Arabian gelding. SAS Alexis, is owned by the Fazaa Endurance Team from the United Arab Emirates. SAS Alexis, born in Australia, bested a field of 4109 horses to claim the year- end title. His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan Bin Al Maktoum, Captain of the United Arab Emirate team, guided SAS Alexis to bronze individual medal and team gold at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. SAS Alexis, was a mere 17 seconds behind the 2nd place horse.

In 2010, Endurance inspired 270 International Events, a far cry form the modest 16 events held in 1995. This dramatic increase places Endurance as one of the fastest growing discipline in Equestrian sport.

The FEI, founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Today, it is the sole controlling authority for 8 equestrian disciplines throughout the world. Of the equestrian disciplines that FEI oversees is the sport of endurance riding.