Malaysia: Agong Launches First Endurance Club In Penang

Enduranceridingforum.com

June 25 2011

GEORGE TOWN, June 25 (Bernama) -- Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Saturday declared open the Al-Khamsa Endurance Club in Taman Perbandaran Pulau Pinang here.

The King arrived at the club about 9.10am before heading to a ribbon-cutting ceremony and touring the stable.

He was accompanied by Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the president of the club, A. Mutalib Ismail.

Tuanku Mizan spent about an hour touring the stable and watching a horse show before proceeding to join Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah for a Penang Hill trip.

Also on the train ride for a picturesque view of George Town and its surrounding area from the hill top were Abdul Rahman, his wife Toh Puan Majimor Shariff, and Lim and his wife, Betty Chew Gek Cheng.

Later, the Yang Dipertua Negeri hosted lunch for the royal couple at Seri Mutiara before the King and Queen departed to Terengganu at about 4.20pm.

The Al-Khamsa, the first endurance club in the state, was built recently on about 0.8-hectare of land and the stable can house up to 30 horses.

Mutalib said he had spent over RM600,000 to build the club which currently housed 18 Arabian horses from Australia, Russia and Poland.

"I thank His Majesty for launching the club and I hope it will be a stepping stone for Penang to produce its first endurance rider for the Malaysia Games," he told reporters after the launching ceremony.

He said previously, the state had no representative in the endurance racing competition at the Games while the other states had.

"Our main objective is to produce endurance riders and hopefully within the next two years, we will be able to train a few riders for the competition."

Mutalib said the club would be in full operation within the next two weeks and the public, especially children, were welcomed to join.

-- BERNAMA

Great Britain: Endurance rider crosses Asia in Olympics quest

Dailypost.co.uk - Full Article

* by Rachael Misstear, Wales on Sunday
* Jun 19 2011

SHE’S slept inches way from scorpions and snakes, fended off attacks from wild stallions and broken her ribs and collarbone – all as part of an epic 10,000-mile journey on horseback.

But for 62-year-old West Wales pony breeder Megan Lewis her four-year challenge to ride from the Beijing Olympics to the start of the 2012 Games in London is fulfilling a lifelong dream.

The mum of three and – aptly – a former head of geography, has already packed a lot into her journey through life.

Now she is combining her lust for adventure and her experience of endurance riding with a bid to raise funds for her husband, Iestyn Thomas’s, charity Schoolchildren for Children.

Currently resting at her farm in Pumpsaint, Carmarthenshire, she has just completed her crossing over the Ural river bridge in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, to officially enter Europe.

Riding her horse Zorbee, she was accompanied by her cousin Rowena Gulland on her horse Bolashak.

Megan started her epic trek in October 2008 from the end of the Great Wall of China where it reaches the sea at Shanhaiguan on the Chinese coast...

Read more here:
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-north-wales-news/carmarthen-news/2011/06/19/endurance-rider-crosses-asia-in-olympics-quest-55578-28901273/

Abu Dhabi: Al Yamahi's exciting world as endurance official

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Event's judges have to ensure the welfare of the horses during races and also ensure fair play

* By M Satya Narayan, Chief Sports Reporter
* Published: June 26, 2011

Abu Dhabi: Ever since His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, led the UAE to its first gold medal in the European Open endurance Championship in Portugal and Spain in 1999, the UAE has emerged as a dominant force in the world of equestrian sport.

While the UAE riders won every major international championship the country also emerged as a leader in staging endurance rides with the domestic UAE calendar studded with many international FEI rides. This Emirates Equestrian Federation has through this period ensured that the UAE also produces some top quality officials and one of the three emirati four-star FEI endurance judges is Mohammad Khalfan Al Yammahi.

Gulf News caught up with Al Yamahi during the recent World Arabian Racing Conference in The Hague where he was one of the delegates and the Emirati revealed his passion for horses which has seen him end his career as an aircraft engineer. The following are excerpts from the interview:...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/al-yamahi-s-exciting-world-as-endurance-official-1.827519

Great Britain: Nikki Malcolm takes endurance National Championship

Equestrianteamgbr.co.uk - Full Article

24 June 2011

Up and coming endurance rider, Nikki Malcolm, achieved her best result to date to take the National Championship with Khartoum With AK, also finishing 5th in the international FEI CEI 3* competition won by HE Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and Spendacrest Kamouflage. The Championships were held at Euston Park, near Thetford, courtesy of Janah Management, on 19th June and provided a wonderful opportunity for national riders to compete at this venue that is normally only used for international competition.

The valuable prize fund of £500 sponsored by Airowear, and a new saddle provided by the Worshipful Company of Saddlers, added to the prestige of the title for a delighted Nikki.

Bred for endurance by the late Cheryl Logan, Khartoum With AK is an anglo, by the arab stallion, Khairho, who himself won multiple 100 mile endurance races, and out of a 17hh TB mare whose breeding can be linked to the famous American racehorse, Seabiscuit.

Nikki has been riding Khartoum With AK for 3 seasons and he has not been the easiest to train. “He is not for the faint hearted and is full of attitude but I really enjoy him”, she says. The 13 year old has proved to be consistently successful winning 5 national competitions in a row. The pair won the 136km 2-day Cirencester Park Summer Solstice, the Ridgeway Barbury Castle 100km, and the Red Dragon 82km in their first season. Last season saw them finish 11th in the international FEI 120km at Euston Park with further success at the Cerne Giant and Hardys rides as well as repeating their wins at Cirencester and Barbury. Khartoum With AK has notched up a competitive distance of over 1,828km so far in his career...

Read more here:
http://www.equestrianteamgbr.co.uk/news.aspx?strArticle=endurance-national-champ

Great Britain: Beccy Broughton-Booker and Java Sunlight Retire from Endurance Competition

EnduranceGB.co.uk

23 June 2011

When Beccy Broughton-Booker and Java Sunlight finished Dukeries in such fine style at the end of May, both looking as good as I have ever seen them, I had no idea that this would be Java’s swansong and that retirement from endurance competition was imminent. It is always a pleasure to see a horse reach its peak and bow out on a good note and I commend Beccy for knowing that the time is right for a change of career and commencement of maternal duties. I am looking forward to meeting the first orange offspring of Java and Murmansk in 2012. This will be a hard act for baby to follow with both parents representing Great Britain at championship level, but what a starting point. I am sure that everyone will join me in wishing Java well and we look forward to seeing Beccy back at the top with another Elite horse.

Beccy adds:
“It is with a heavy heart that I have made the decision to withdraw Java and myself from the British Team Elite Squad which will be sending a team to this year’s European Championships in Florac. We wish the Team every success and best of luck in their quest. I would also like to thank all of the Team Management for their support, advice and hard work.”

Di Latham (Chairman of Selectors)

Malaysia: Sultan Terengganu Cup To Be Known As Sultan Mizan Cup Endurance Challenge

Bernama.com.my

June 19 2011

SETIU, June 19 (Bernama) -- The Terengganu Sultan's Cup Endurance Challenge inaugurated five years ago will be renamed as Sultan Mizan Cup Endurance Challenge.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said the name change was in recognition of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin's contribution and involvement in the sport.

"The Endurance Challenge has seen a tremendous increase in participation and response over the past five years and it is about time to elevate the status of the race," he said when launching the 2011 Sultan Mizan Cup Endurance Challenge which was held simultaneously with the prize presentation ceremony of the Malaysia-Thailand Open Endurance Challenge Trophy '11 here today.

He added that this year's race was expected to attract 90 riders from 15 countries, namely from Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Chile, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

Meanwhile, Wan Mohd Kamaluddin Wan Yusof from Terengganu emerged victorious in the Malaysia-Thailand Open Endurance Challenge which was held at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong, here yesterday.

Wan Yusof, riding "Idas Tobiha" completed the 80km race with a time of 4 hours 02 minutes and 50 minutes, to beat 56 other riders in the category, including Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

Ramso Ramli made it a 1-2 finish for Terengganu with a time of 4'03:02s while Thailand's Wipawan Pawitayalaup finished third with a time of 4'03:03s.

Tuanku Mizan later presented prizes to the winners.

-- BERNAMA

Endurance rider crosses Asia in Olympics quest

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/06/19/endurance-rider-crosses-asia-in-olympics-quest-91466-28901268/

* by Rachael Misstear, Wales On Sunday
* Jun 19 2011


Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/06/19/endurance-rider-crosses-asia-in-olympics-quest-91466-28901268/#ixzz1Pj5i2y9U

She's slept inches way from scorpions and snakes, fended off attacks from wild stallions and broken her ribs and collarbone – all as part of an epic 10,000-mile journey on horseback.

But for 62-year-old West Wales pony breeder Megan Lewis her four-year challenge to ride from the Beijing Olympics to the start of the 2012 Games in London is fulfilling a lifelong dream.

The mum of three and – aptly – a former head of geography, has already packed a lot into her journey through life.

Now she is combining her lust for adventure and her experience of endurance riding with a bid to raise funds for her husband, Iestyn Thomas’s, charity Schoolchildren for Children.

Currently resting at her farm in Pumpsaint, Carmarthenshire, she has just completed her crossing over the Ural river bridge in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, to officially enter Europe.

Riding her horse Zorbee, she was accompanied by her cousin Rowena Gulland on her horse Bolashak.

Megan started her epic trek in October 2008 from the end of the Great Wall of China where it reaches the sea at Shanhaiguan on the Chinese coast.

In spite of encountering many setbacks and challenges, she has now covered 5,000 miles across the deserts, mountains and steppes of Asia.

In China she suffered a three-month delay recovering from a fall from her horse but such setbacks were not going to hold Megan back from her dream.

“I’ve always wanted to do something like this and because I was brought up in the Far East, I’ve always had an interest in Asia.

“My husband has been fully supportive from the very beginning, as has the rest of my family. My children think I am completely mad, but are not surprised,” said Megan.

She said the worst moment of her journey came when she had the accident just nine days after starting out from the Chinese capital.

“I fell off my horse in northern Hebei, breaking my collarbone and six ribs and puncturing a lung. After a seven-hour drive back to Beijing, an operation to pin back my collarbone, and three months’ recuperation in the UK, I returned to resume the ride at the beginning of August.”

Megan is riding 20 to 30 miles a day on her trip across Asia and Europe and is in the saddle for between six and eight hours. Her journey, dubbed the Long Horse Ride, is designed to promote good relations between Britain and China.

Megan is carrying a message of goodwill from Beijing to London for delivery in the Olympic year.

On May 29, she completed the crossing of Kazakhstan and has returned home for a few weeks to organise the next leg across Russia and the Ukraine.

Despite the feat of endurance and frightening encounters with local wildlife, she says the journey is a great adventure and is very enjoyable.

“Coming through the Steppes, Rowena and I camped at night and when we gathered up our tents we found several scorpions underneath and I had been a little blase about leaving my boots outside. We’ve had a few encounters with deadly snakes but mainly they stay out of your way.

“My horse Zorbee wasn’t keen on camels and got a little bit nervous about them. While I was travelling alone I was approached by a wild stallion who wanted to investigate and that was a hairy experience but I’m used to horses so wasn’t too fazed.”

She added: “The most thrilling part for me was finding a gorge I had read about in a book called the Gobi Desert by missionaries Mildred Cable and Eva and Francesca French.

“They had described how they travelled by moonlight through the Tian Shan gorge.

“It took about nine hours but I followed their steps and it was like living a dream.”

Megan aims to reach the London Olympic equestrian venue at Greenwich Park in June next year.

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/06/19/endurance-rider-crosses-asia-in-olympics-quest-91466-28901268/#ixzz1Pj5brFF1