Bulgaria: FEI Balkan Endurance Championships 2011 – Koprivshtitsa

Horsesinthesouth.com

31 August 2011

DOUBLE GOLD FOR BRILLIANT BULGARIANS by Louise Parkes

Lausanne (SUI), 30 August 2011 – The host nation scooped team and individual gold at the FEI Balkan Endurance Championships 2011 staged at Koprivshtitsa in Bulgaria last weekend. The Bulgarian side was the only finishers in the three-nation team contest, while Miroslav Borshosh produced an impressive and well-judged performance with his Arab gelding, Munir B, to emphatically claim the individual title.

Koprivshtitsa, which lies on the Topolnitsa River and in the Sredna Gora mountains, is well-known for its architecture. and for the folk-music festivals that ensure it is a very popular destination for tourists. It is also home to a National Festival of Bulgarian Folklore which takes place every five years, attracting musicians, artists and craftsmen from across the country. So visitors to these FEI Championships experienced an authentic take on Bulgarian culture and heritage.

The horses and riders were truly tested with an 86 kilometre course that started at 1,000 feet above sea level and rose a further 400 feet. “The competitors did a great job,” said FEI Technical Delegate Bo Kjellgren (SWE) afterwards, “and the Bulgarian Federation was very much behind the event, giving it huge support.”

VERY TOUGH
Poland’s Dr Piotr Szpotanski, a highly-experienced FEI Veterinary Delegate, described the competition trail as “very tough”, but was surprised how well the horses coped with it. “I found it frightening when I was driving the mountain trail in my car, but the horses seemed to find it much easier!” he said. Rumours of wild mustangs running loose through the countryside, and even the occasional wolf prowling in the wilderness, didn’t deter the competitors from the task at hand.

And the Bulgarians proved the masters on their home turf. In the team event, three of the Bulgarian side recorded almost identical finishing times – Janina Ivanova (Zezana) stopping the clock on 05:56:26, Maria Jordanova (IBN Galal Sava) crossing the line in 05:56.28 and Ivan Stoichev (Zahir) breaking the beam in 05:56:29, while Kiril Stepanov (Gaucha de Pallares) was just over three minutes further behind. It was a clear-cut and unchallenged triumph.

Only two of the Greek team completed, but both of them would be well-rewarded when Efstathia Koutsafti took individual silver ahead of team-mate Evangelia Vlotidu in bronze.

The Turkish team of Ekan Demir (Mirliva), Un Ali Ekber (Padisah), Ozden Oten (Duman) and Mustafa Ozer (Ruzgar) all failed to finish.

EXCELLENT JUDGEMENT AND REMARKABLE SKILL
Borshosh’s success in taking the individual title came down to excellent judgement and remarkable skill. The 38 year old, who hails from the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia, has been competing as an Endurance rider for less than five years and, with his 11 year old Arab horse, Munir B, had only completed one 80 kilometre ride prior to these Championships. Yet he timed his progress around the three-loop course so that he had plenty of fuel left in the tank on the final circuit to finish with an average speed of 16.210 kilometres an hour, and an overall average speed of 15.864 km/h.

It was Koutsafti and her 11 considerably more-experienced 11 year old Chamelot, who were favourites as the race began. This grey mare previously competed under the Italian flag and has two 120 km runs under her belt, but this was the first big test with her latest rider and their average speed of 14.917 km/h left them well behind the gold-medal winning partnership. Koutsafti’s average speed of 11.840 km/h on the final loop was only slightly quicker than compatriot Vlotidu’s result with another former Italian horse Giorgia Delle Corse whose overall average speed of 14.729 was good enough to clinch the bronze. Their last-loop efforts however only served to accentuate the superiority of the champion, whose horse was full of running to the very end.

RACING FINISH
And the next four places, from fourth to seventh, were battled out in a racing finish between Bulgarian team gold medallists Ivanova (4th), Jordanova (6th), Stoichev (7th) and Croatia’s Petra Sebelic riding Wolf, who slotted into fifth place. Riders from six nations – Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Romania, Turkey and Serbia – competed at the event.

FEI Technical Delegate, Bo Kjelleren, was delighted with the way these Championships were conducted. “It was a fantastic ride, and the organisation was very professional,” he said. “The event ran smoothly and there was a great battle for the medals – it was an excellent challenge for the riders, who looked after their horses very well,” he added.

Results:
Team Championship: GOLD – Bulgaria 17:49:23 – Zezana (Janina Ivanova), IBN Galal Sava (Maria Jordanova), Zahir (Ivan Stoichev), Gaucha de Pallares (Kiril Stepanov).

Individual Championship: GOLD – Munir B (Miroslav Borshosh) BUL 16.210 kmh; SILVER – Chamelot (Efstathia Koutsafti Efstathia) GRE 11.840 kmh; BRONZE – Giorgia Delle Corse (Evangelia Vlotidu) GRE 11.900 kmh.

Australia: Shahzada 400km endurance ride at St Albains,NSW

Conderosaendurance.com.au

1 September 2011

CONGRATULATIONS must go to Len Law and Conderosa Zoltan who completed the Shahzada 400km endurance ride at St Albains,NSW. The Shahzada consists of 80km every day for 5 days.

Conderosa Zoltan is our 3rd horse to contest the Shahzada in the last 2 years, Conderosa Argunort who finished 5th overall and Conderosa Shammis who finished 15th overall previously. Bringing 100% completion for the Conderosa Stud in the Toughest test of all !!!!!!!!!!.

Len who comes from Queensland borrowed Conderosa Zoltan from me as he didn’t have a horse able to contest the Shahzada at the time and was keen to just get through. WELL not only did he get through but Zoltan finished 3rd Heavyweight and 16th overall.

This is a fantastic result for Zoltan who through no fault of his own keeps finding himself on the reserve bench as we have so many competitive forward moving horses in work at present.

Compiegne - should we come back (again)?

From Leonard Liesens

This is a new post in a new column. Don't expect a self-congratulation newsletter or similar. There are enough on the Net. Grogallo raised the issue in some old posts. Here they are. here.

This week-end in Compiègne was not brilliant for the Belgians. Except for the Van Cauter brothers, but they were riding horses brought from Spain by the Belgian team vet Peter Wijnendaele. We have to come to the conclusion that either we don't have the horses or we don’t have the means to compete seriously in Compiègne.

This 2011 vintage —can we use this word for horses?— was impressive in quantity and quality of the horses brought to the-always-magnificent-venue of Compiègne. The Gulf states have showed some of their best recruits —mostly French-bred horses— trained in the professional French stables. Of course, as they use to do so, they were in the lead of the race from the beginning. Beside the best UAE, Bahrain and Qatar's horses, there were some of the best French horses ridden by the professional riders who were not working as crew for the Arabs teams.

full report at http://endurance-belgium.com/billet/110826compiegne.htm

The British Equestrian ID Service, for Riders, Horses, Clubs and Property

Your-story.org

August 26, 2011 | Author: AlertIDGroup | Posted in Equestrian
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The British Equestrian ID Service provides personal identification for horse riders, their horses and their property. It allows the rider to store vital information on an online profile which can be accessed by the BEIDS 24/7 Emergency Support Team in an emergency. Still wondering how this can help you? Read on for the benefits of BEIDS to riders, their horses and their riding school.

To riders:

* BEIDS provides riders with the peace of mind that if they are involved in an accident they will receive the most effective treatment based on their medical conditions, requirements or the medication they are currently taking, information that is included in their online profile.
* Riders can be reassured that if they are involved in an accident their next of kin will be contacted and informed of what has happened to them, who’s looking after them and where they have been taken, e.g. hospital.
* BEIDS Hat & Property Badges can also be used as an effective way of identifying a rider’s property and increasing the chances of it being returned to them.

To horses:

* By attaching a Horse ID Toggle to your horse you know that if it bolts or escapes, whoever finds it will easily be able to find out who it belongs to, who needs to be contacted and where it should be returned to.
* Their vet’s contact details can be added to the online profile in case the horse is injured.
* Information about the horse’s dietary needs, medical information and temperament can also be added, basically any information that could be useful to the person who has found, or is looking after, the horse.

To riding clubs and schools:

* If members email their profile to their riding school, club or equestrian college they belong to it means that group leaders and teachers will be able to keep an organised record of their students’ medical details and next of kin contact information. This information could prove vital should there be any kind of emergency situation.
* As the information can be updated by the rider at any time, club leaders or instructors will be safe in the knowledge that they always have the most up to date information.
* This system could also prove beneficial at events, when you either have visiting riders or your own riders are on a trip. In these situations event leaders are unlikely to know all of the riders personally and therefore wouldn’t know of any medical conditions or who to contact in an emergency. Using BEIDS would work in a similar way to the British Eventing medical armband card but would be able to provide more detailed information.

About BEIDS

The British Equestrian ID Service (BEIDS – http://www.beids.co.uk) exists through a unique partnership with the British Horse Society, British Eventing, British Dressage and Endurance GB.

For further information on the service please visit the BEIDS website where you can find more information, find out how to sign up and how to get in touch.

You can also become a fan on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/BEIDS247), follow us on Twitter @BEIDS247 or visit the Alert ID Group blog (http://alertidgroup.wordpress.com).

France: Florac riders selected

Frenchhorseandcountry.com

25/08/2011 By fhc

The Endurance European Championship will take place at Florac on September 10. The selectors have announced the following pairs:

Virginie Atger / Antall of Jalima,
Sunny Demedy / Nerval of Beder, owned by Johnson and Marc Delphine Labrunie
Pierre Fleury / Kergof owned by Stéphane Fleury
Julien Goachet / Frity Coat of Lubiana, owned by Jean-Pierre Le Hegarat
Romain Laporte / Osmos Caussanel, owned by Claude and Virginia Popper Creche
Gregory Tilquin / Leila Montamel, owned by Edith Schwartz

Reserve:
Bénédicte Santisteva / Djour of Bozouls, owned by Marcel Mezy

Click here to visit the Florac 160km Endurance site:
http://www.160florac.com/index.php?lang=EN

Great Britain: Story of a powerful bond between man and horse

Brechinadvertiser.co.uk

Friday 26 August 2011 07:28

The inspirational true story of a Brechin man’s miraculous journey from paralysis to recovery thanks to the powerful spiritual bond between man and horse is the subject of the new book - Drinking the Wind: At the limits of endurance by John Tytler Thomson.

John lies in hospital unable to move. Struck down by a sudden stroke, paralysed, brain damaged and on the edge of death he must make a choice: whether to give up, or to fight.

As he hesitates between life and death, a ghostly figure passes before his eyes; an undulating, magnificent horse, beautiful, terrifying and mysterious. At that moment John realises he has to turn back and fight to live.

Having glanced beyond the veil and seen this spirit guide, without knowing why or how, John understood that if he was ever to recover from the effects of his stroke he would have to seek out the horse in his vision.

So as a critical element in his rehabilitation, John decided to learn how to ride.

During months of painful and demanding physical and psychological training, and despite the concerns of his family and friends, John developed a truly remarkable relationship with horses; within just eighteen months he was riding solo in the Trans Scotland Endurance Ride; no mean feat for a fully able-bodied rider.

With the help of his pure-bred Arabian, Prince Omar, John conquered the most dangerous terrain and harshest natural elements of the British Isles on his profound two-hundred mile journey from the East coast to the West coast of Scotland.

So moved was John by the sense of achievement, but also by the close bond he now shared with his beloved horse, that he decided to devote himself to his new passion by entering into competitive endurance racing.

Within two weeks John and Prince Omar were climbing up the rankings, progressing quickly through the novice, then advanced classifications and winning a host of competitive titles along the way.

Drinking the Wind: At the limits of endurance is a remarkable testimonial to the powerful connection between human and animal, man and horse.

John Tytler Thomson reveals his awe-inspiring struggle to recover from a debilitating stroke, revealing the radical benefits that horse-riding brought him as a potent form of rehabilitation.

Thomson explains with terrific passion the uniquely powerful bond that can exist between horse and rider, and in doing so, illustrates the great beauty and strength of both the human spirit and the equine spirit guide.

Drinking the Wind: At the limits of endurance, delivers a compelling account of both physical and spiritual endurance and will bring tremendous encouragement to any victim of stroke, or a similar physical illness, when the road to recovery can at first appear too gruelling to contemplate.

Thomson’s emotionally charged narrative is life-affirming, tapping into our deepest fears and anxieties and revealing the positive effects of alternative therapies.

The sweeping beauty of the Scottish landscape comes alive in Thomson’s writing, as he evokes a mythical backdrop befitting of such an epic quest.

He relates the cultural gems of the North, the curiosities of an ancient land with a wonderfully rich culture, whilst conveying the subtly changing relationship between himself and Prince Omar, each at the mercy of the other but together learning to trust and protect one another with each difficult step of their journey.

Since his stroke, John Tytler Thomson has become a man who lives every day as if it were his last and the story of his incredible, saddle-bound triumph over adversity his both rousing and humbling.

At it’s heart is a story of friendship, love and support, engendered in that special alliance between one man and his horse.

Drinking the Wind: At the limits of endurance by John Tytler Thomson (published by Metal Rabbit Editions 2011, RRP £9.99) is available online at Amazon UK www.amazon.co.uk and can be ordered from all good book retailers.

France: Spain's Monica Comas wins bronze in the World Cup 8 years Raid at Compiegne

Ecuestreonline.com

21 August 2011

[google translation]

Riding "Princesse de Campagne", the Spanish Monica Comas took the bronze medal at the FEI World Championship for horses eight years, played on 19 August at the World Festival of Compiegne Endurance. Riders and horses from twenty countries took part in the French tournament.

The test was a CIS3 * 160 km was imposed on Salman Isa Al Radhi, with an average speed of 19.441 km / hr riding "Persepolia Larzac." Bahrain Rider excelled in just over three-four minutes, respectively, the French Sandrine Lance ("Movisko du Lauragais") and Monica Comas, whose third place confirms the quality of his Arabian mare from France, which last year was silver in the same place at the World seven years. Among the eleven classified 20 participants, was not the Spanish also Mary Nicholas, eliminated "Jascal" after the fifth and penultimate stage.

In the Championship for seven years (CEI2 *, 120 kms.) Was the UAE Sultan Shames Shames Al Marri who signed his first win with an average of 21.201 km / hr. sobre “Qatar La Majorie”. on "Qatar's Marjorie." Separated by just three seconds, the Frenchman Philipp Thomas ("Persky quoties") and Nasser Al Faleh catarí Bughaneim ("Querotz of Benech") were second and third respectively, just over four minutes behind the winner. The eleventh position, 16 minutes, corresponded to Marta Pujadas and "bin Kemal Troika", the only Spanish binomial classified as "Gazal Pakli" Alex Luque's horse did not exceed the metabolic controls in the fourth and final phase. Of the 41 participants, 23 were able to qualify.

Two days later he played the Patrons Trophy (Trophée des Sponsors) CEI2 * 120 km. completed by 57 pairs of 140 participants, including Spanish Javier Cervera (9 °, 19.611 kms / hr. with "Lara Lark"). Were not so fortunate fellow Alex Luque, Mary Nicholas, Silvia Yebra, and Elisabeth Ruth Comas Font (the four Amazons formed the team FEI). The victory was again Arab Emirates thanks to Salman Ali Al Sabri and "Ojai dents de Lion" (21.305 km / hr.).