Australia: 2011 NSW State Championships at St Albans on 11th and 12th June

AERA.asn.au

The beginning of your quest for THE BIG THREE awarded by the NSW ERA

There will never be a better place to do a 160km ride than St Albans at the NSW State Ride……

There was a fantastic success rate at the Forgotten Valley Classic there two years ago. Experience the fabulous tracks and scenery that all us Shahzada tragics know so well and qualify for the Quilty (if you need to) in South Australia in September, another part of the Big Three. All you have to do is complete Shahzada in August after completing the State Ride in June and you and your horse are off to South Australia for the opportunity to achieve The Big Three.

This photo shows Katrina Bodewes and her horse Booramby Silver Elk who achieved the Big Three in 2010.

Lots of tears at the presentation this year, such a supreme effort and fantastic bond of horse and rider…….

come and give it a go!

India: Horse Sports would get affiliation by POA

:unjabnewsline.com

Punjab Newsline Network
Sunday, 24 April 2011
By Gagandeep Ahuja

Indigenous horses surpass the other horses

PATIALA : Horse sports will get the recognition by Punjab Olympics association as well IOA. Rajya Sabha M.P and Punjab Olympics association Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who was here at Village Fathepur of the First Endurance Meet of 30 km ride, to gave away the prizes to the winners.

Speaking on the occasion the president of Punjab Olympics association Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said that Horse Sports would get affiliation by POA and case would be forwarded to Indian Olympics association. After getting affiliation this sport would be played at national level as well as and other international games, he added.

Dhindsa, who is Rajya Sabha MP and Secretary General of Shiromani Akali Dal, also said that he will ask Punjab government to introduced Horse Sport in the schools sports curriculum.

Recalling the importance of Horses in Sikh history he said that Horses were promoted by Sixth Guru Guru Hargobuind Sahib Ji and Tenth Guru Gobind Singh Ji. He said that the tenth Guru also introduced horse sports by introducing Hola Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib...

Read more here:
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/horse-sports-would-get-affiliation-poa-dhindsa/30599

India: Endurance race rides desi horse power, betters national record

Timesofindia.com

Parvesh sharma, TNN | Apr 25, 2011

PATIALA: To gauge the real horse power of our locally-bred horses, Fatehpur village of Patiala district was the place to be this Sunday. The mounts proved their worth in the first ever 30km endurance race in Punjab and, if the organizers are to be believed, they ran much faster than the ones in national races.

Members of Horse Sports and Breeder Society of Punjab (HSBSP) and the event organizers claimed that the steed which ran the fastest clocked the speed of 18.38km per hour, the next covered 18km per hour and the third 17.50km per hour. The national standard for endurance events is 16km per hour.

Bhola, the horse of Sahib Parminder Singh from Jalandhar district, won the first position and a cash prize of Rs 21,000. The second prize went to Kiranjit Singh's horse – a cash prize of Rs 11,000. "I love my horse as I would my
child. When I came to know about the event, I immediately called up the organizers as I didn't want to miss this opportunity. The government should also organize such events more often," said Sahib Parminder.

Some experts were surprised to see the pulse rate of all three leading horses as normal, that too even after running the first round of 15km. "Normally, the pulse increases after running such a long distance," said an expert. "But, the normal pulse rate points towards the power of Punjabi horses," he added. "We knew that our horses are the best... we have war horses. But the first ever event has now brought it on record that our horses are stronger than all others across the country, as they ran faster than those in the national standard of endurance of 16km per hour," said Kamalvir Singh Dhindsa, a member of HSBSP.

Although the organizers had received many requests, only 27 horses were allowed to participate. Out of these, eight were disqualified after the first round of 15km.

"The endurance levels, globally, are usually of 40, 60, 80 and 120km. But we chose 30 (km) because it was our first event and also because of the heat factor. The success of this maiden event has really encouraged us and we plan to organize another one this October. We just want due respect for our horses," said Dhindsa.

The event started early, around 5.30am, and concluded at 8.30am. However, it was watched by hundreds of enthusiastic villagers, who had started converging at site from 4am.

Manileau CEI** 120 km Spanish Young Rider Championship

23 April 2011

52 horses and riders were entered in the April 23rd Spanish Young Rider Championships in Manileu (Barcelona), Spain.

Winner was Maria Ledesma riding Ushamir ben Priz, in 6:07.41, at 19.58 km/h. Second place went to Oier Etxenike riding Foque de Quijas, in 6:21.57, at 18.85 km/h. Third was Ane Baseta riding Alabama, in 6:22.38, at 18.82 km/h.

31 pairs completed the ride.

Australia: Mudgee endurance riders take major placings at Tooraweenah

Mudgeeguardian.com.au - Full Article

ALEX BOYD
22 Apr, 2011

Mudgee Endurance riders made all the major placings at the 80 kilometre endurance ride at Tooraweenah on April 10.

The event was well attended with 61 entries in the 80km ride and 45 entries in the 40km trainer.

Bernice King was awarded the encouragement award after she finished the 80 kilometres ride even though she had suffered a dismount earlier in the race.

Mette Sutton won the 80km ride after she finished in five hours, 15 minutes with her horse Vuldar the Magician as well as being awarded open fittest horse.

Gloria Mills was first highweight finishing in five hours and 39 minutes with her horse Glendos Sabodice also taking the fittest horse award for catchweight.

Paddy Smith was the first heavyweight and Justin Pilley was first junior as well as first across the line.

India: First ever 30km race to test Punjab horses

Timesofindia.com

April 22 2011

CHANDIGARH: In what is being seen as a revival of old times when horse riding was a passion in Punjab, horse lovers and breeders in the state have got together to organize, for the first time, a 30 km endurance race of indigenous and thoroughbred horses in Fatehpur village in Patiala district on Sunday.

Punjab bloodline horses are being encouraged and riders from across the country are expected. "Horse keeping comes naturally to the people of Punjab and has been for centuries, a way of life. The sport of horse riding is deemed to be a natural attraction and deserves to be given a new meaning in the modern day context," said Kamalbir Singh Dhindsa, a prominent horse breeder and equestrian promoter. Promoters of the event, who have got together under the banner of Horse Sports and Breeder Society of Punjab and are not supported by any ernment organization, have pooled in about Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh each to organize the endurance race. Col Sarpartap Singh, equestrian judge at international events and a prominent horse breeder in Punjab said, "Endurance rides are races over a trail of distance. We have chosen a varied and challenging terrain."

Sumrinder Singh Sira, a horse breeder and also faculty in department of business management, Punjabi University said, "This endurance meet will help breeders to improve their stock and encourage them. That is why we have not kept any entry fee, boarding and lodging is free for participants." About 60 riders from across the region will exhibit the strength of their horses besides riding skills. The distance of 30 kms will be extended to 40 kms, 60 kms and 80 kms in second endurance meet that Horse Sport and Breeders Society is mulling of organizing in October.

Bahrain: Royal victory!

Gulf-daily-news.com

Sunday, April 17, 2011

ROYAL Endurance Team captain Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Salem Sabt emerged champions in the season-ending 120-km Endurance Horseride Championship for the Crown Prince Cup, reports RAMI HULAYYEL. Shaikh Nasser proved too strong to win the 29-rider senior ride while Salem Sabt finished on top in the junior event, which saw 20 riders in the fray.

The final endurance event of the season, which took place at the Bahrain International Village in Sakhir, ended on an exciting note with Shaikh Nasser winning it by a narrow margin.

Shaikh Nasser, the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports president and chief of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, completed the challenging 120-km ride on Mystic Traveler.

Shaikh Nasser clocked five hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds with an average speed of 21.040 kmph.

The Royal Endurance team dominated the show, winning the next two places. Noureddin Kaddouri, riding Kalharabi Katar, timed 5:53:14 to clinch second place with an average speed of 21.035kmph.

Third place was also won by the Royal Endurance team through Jaffar Mirza on Danon Jabeen. Mirza, who took the lead in the early stages, could finish third in 5:42:16.

Fahad Ismail (5:49:04) of Al Khalidiya Stables claimed fourth position, followed by Raed Mahmood (5:01:59) in fifth place, Isa Al Doseri (5:14:57) of Al Shawamekh Stables sixth and Al Reem Stable's Mohamed Al Shaikh (5:28:40) seventh.

Bag Singh (5:54:14) of Al Montasir Stable was eighth, ahead of Nakhat Singh (6:01:22), also of Montasir Stable, while Manar Rashid (6:05:58) of Ahmed Al Fateh Stable rounded off the top 10. Manar was the first lady rider to complete the event.

Junior

In the junior ride, Al Asayel Stable rider Sabt steered Ge Lady to victory in five hours, 33 minutes and 12 second after a close battle with another Al Asayel Stable rider Mohammed Al Khatry. Fahad Helal (5:44:30) was third on Al Jared.

Ali Baqer (5:49:20) of Hawar Stable was fourth, followed by Ali Al Abdulla (5:33:03), Saud Al Hadhrami (5:33:31), Mohammed Al Khatri (6:06:52), Faisal Al Manea (6:12:09) and Mohamed Al Subai (6:14:43), all of Al Asayel Stable.

An additional 85-km qualifying ride was held on the occasion, with seven riders in the fray. It was won by Abdulla Al Qoad, riding Kintamani Kebir, who clocked three hours, 49 minutes and 36 seconds.

He was followed by Hamad Al Marri (4:52:06) of Royal Endurance Team in second place with Al Shawamek Stable rider Abdulla Al Dosseri (5:29:14) third.

His Majesty the King's Personal Representative Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa honoured the top three riders in each event.

Shaikh Khalid thanked Durrat Al Bahrain, especially its board chairman Abdulhakeem Al Khayyat, for sponsoring this prestigious event.

Photos by Osama Mohammed can be seen here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ridecamp/HRHTheCrownPrinceCupEnduranceRIdeChampionshipFEICEI120Km41511?pli=1#