France: Fine finish for Shaikh Nasser

Gulf-daily-news.com

September 11 2011

SHAIKH Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa finished a strong 12th yesterday in leading Bahrain's Royal Endurance Team in the 160-kilometre FEI Open European Championship, held in Florac, France. Riding Nikel Kermorvan, Shaikh Nasser completed the gruelling six-stage ride in nine hours 32 minutes and 57 seconds.

He was well positioned for a spot in the top three at the end of the race's fourth leg, but then dropped back to 13th heading into the final stage before managing to move up another spot for his final classification.

Shaikh Nasser, who is the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president, was the top Bahraini entrant to finish the race.

Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president and Al Khalidiyah Stables leader Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa was also enjoying a fine performance until he was forced to withdraw after stage five due to an injury to his horse R P Sebastopol.

Shaikh Khalid was in the competition for close to nine hours, and he was doing well to maintain a place in the top eight. He was within striking distance of a podium finish before needing to pull out.

Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri from the UAE emerged as the champion. Riding Kalifa, he put on an unbeatable ride, leading from the start to the finish and then completing the event with a total time of 8:38:10.

Spaniard Maria Alvarez Ponton on Nobby followed Al Jahouri's every move. Alvarez was in second place throughout, and she finished as the runner-up in 8:45:05.

Jassim Mohammed Al Maadhadi of Qatar, riding Mazayha, came third overall in 8:45:52. His fine showing made it two GCC riders on the podium in Florac.

Sabrina Arnold of Germany, riding Beau Ox, claimed fourth place overall in 8:45:53, Qatar's Faleh Nasser Bughenaim on Leonardo was fifth in 8:50:26 and Pierre Fleury of France, on Kergof, rounded out the top six in 8:53:14.

Amongst Bahrain's other riders in the race, Ahmed Abdulla Al Hazza, on Basic Instinct, came 15th after finishing the race in 9:54:43. He was the second-best of the Royal Team after only Shaikh Nasser.

Ahmed Jaffar Abdulrahim, on Ryhorn Marachaco, claimed 22nd, registering a total ride time of 10:28:04.

Like Shaikh Khalid, Bahrain's Abdulrahman Al Saad on Marduk had to withdraw from the race after five stages.

He was already in action for nearly 11 hours before being forced to pull out.

Yesterday's ride, which flagged off at 5.30am Bahrain time, featured 84 of the world's best riders hailing from a record 18 nations. The event was sponsored by Bahrain's Royal Endurance Team.

The race ran through the mountainous region of the CŽzannes National Park in Central Southern France.

Al Jahouri wins gold in European Open Endurance Championship

By M. Satya Narayan, Chief Sports Reporter
Published: 23:27 September 10, 2011

Al Jahouri completed the 160-km championship ride in 8 hrs, 38 mins, 10 secs
photo: Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri winning the European Open 160-km endurance championship in Florac, France on Saturday.
Abu Dhabi: Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri, one of Abu Dhabi’s top endurance riders won the 160-km European Open Endurance Championship held in Florac, France on Saturday.

Al Jahouri, a veteran rider and trainer of endurance horses at the Al Wathba Endurance Stables owned by Shaikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, finished ahead of two-time world champion Maria Alvarez Ponton of Spain.

Al Jahouri completed the 160-km ride in 8 hrs 38 mins 10 secs on his horse Khalifa while Maria once again partnered Nobby to finish about seven minutes behind the UAE ace.

A total of 77 riders from 17 countries took part in the ride.

Qatar’s Jasim Mohammad and Faleh Nasser finished 3rd and 5th respectively as Al Jahouri led from start to finish.

Thaleb Daher Al Muhairi, Secretary General of the Emirates Equestrian Federation said, “This is another great victory and comes after the UAE won the gold medal at the World Endurance Championship in Kentucky last year.”
The results (Top five) of the 160-km European Open Endurance Championship:

* 1. Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri (UAE) on Kalifa in 8 hrs 38 mins 10 secs;
* 2. Maria Alvarez Ponton (Spain) on Nobby in 8:45.05;
* 3. Jasim Mohammad Al Maadhadi (Qatar) on Mazayha in 8:45.52;
* 4. Sabrina Arnold (Germany) on Beau Ox in 8:45.53;
* 5. Faleh Nasser Bughenaim (Qatar) on Leonardo in 8:50.26.

[full article at Gulfnews]

Bahrain: Royal Team duo gear up for ride

Gulf-daily-news.com

Friday, September 09, 2011

ROYAL Endurance Team leader Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Al Khaldiya Stables captain Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa will arrive today in France for the FEI 2011 European Open Endurance Horseride Championship, to be held tomorrow in Florac.

The pair will lead the Bahrain national endurance horseride team in the prestigious event, which features a challenging 16km ride.

Commencing at 5.30am (Bahrain time), the ride is organised by Lozre Endurance Equestre and will see some of the world's best riders competing for glory.

Leading contenders at the event are Spanish champion Maria Alvarez Ponton, who is set to defend her title on Nobby.

Among other riders taking part are some of the regional teams, including teams from the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The UAE, who have been dominating recent endurance rides, will be represented in tomorrow's event by only two riders. Qatar is scheduled to field six riders while Saudi Arabia will have two jockeys.

Out of 230 participation, only 171 representing 18 nations could be honoured by Lozre Endurance Equestre.

The Bahrain Royal Endurance Team, who are among major sponsors of the ride, will undergo veterinary examination today.

Participants from across the globe will escort their horses to the village for the veterinary tests that will take place at the National Park of the CŽzannes.

Approved

The weigh-in of all riders is also scheduled for today when the six-member Royal Endurance Team will also be approved by Shaikh Nasser.

The Florac 160km Championship will run through the mountainous region of the CŽzannes National Park in Central Southern France.

Both Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Khalid said they are excited to compete with the world's finest riders.

Shaikh Nasser, the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and chief of the Bahrain _Olympic Committee, said the Royal Endurance Team is keen to accomplish another outstanding achievement during their long camp in Europe.

On his part, Shaikh Khalid confirmed that the team's morale is high leading up to the championship, stressing on his teammates' intentions to claim a place on the podium and lift the Bahrain flag high.

The organising committee had a number of meetings, during which latest preparations were reviewed prior to the start of the championship.

Following the ride tomorrow, the prize-giving ceremony will take place on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Media and Information Centre of Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalfia issued a booklet that highlights the achievements of Bahrain endurance riders in recent years.

The booklet, entitled 'New Horizons', is sponsored by Mena Telecom and aims to promote Bahrain during endurance rides organised in Europe.

Great Britain: The Pony Club Endurance Championships 2011

Horsedeals.co.uk

08/09/2011

Pony Club Endurance, generously sponsored by Dengie Horse Feeds, is going from strength to strength and will soon be enjoying its third Championship on September 18th at The College EC, Bedfordshire.

Pony Club Members, from all over the country, have been taking part in qualification rides throughout the year to gain their ticket to The Pony Club Dengie Endurance Championships. Entry numbers are set to be in excess of 50, with competitors split across Junior (eight to 12 years) and Senior (over 13 years) levels, both individually and in teams. As with the other Pony Club disciplines classes will be set at levels for Novice (32km at 10km per hour), Intermediate (40km at 11km per hour) and Open (40km at 12km per hour).

“Pony Club Endurance continues to grow steadily in popularity as a discipline” comments Sally Lawton, Secretary of Pony Club Endurance. “It has been really pleasing to receive entries for the Championships from new Pony Club Branches to the sport, and we hope they really enjoy their Championship experience”.

Introduced in 2009 Endurance has proved a great addition to The Pony Club’s disciplines, as no specific type of horse or pony is needed to take part, and the emphasis on sound knowledge of how to correctly get fit and feed your horse sits well with The Pony Club’s training ethos. Pony Club Endurance is supported by long standing Pony Club sponsor Dengie Horse Feeds, who took on Endurance in addition to their Pony Club Winter League sponsorship at the beginning of 2010.

Ian Hassard, Managing Director, Dengie Horse Feeds says, “We are very proud to be supporting The Pony Club Endurance Championships. Endurance is a growing sport with a strong emphasis on diet and fitness which sits perfectly with Dengie’s nutritional values. I wish all those competing at the Championships the best of luck.”

The Pony Club Dengie Endurance Championship will be running alongside the Endurance Great Britain (EGB) Cromwell Group’s annual ‘The College Ride’. Spectators are welcome at the event, with no charge for entry, and food is available to purchase.

Great Britain: British Team Makes Their Final Preparations!

Endurancegb.co.uk

9th September 2011

Our British Team riders, crews and management have been making the final preparations for the ride tomorrow morning which starts at 4.30am local time (3.30am over here!).

As well as final crewing arrangements, horse care and logistics necessary for ride day, there has been time for them to relax as well..... as Chair of International it is always very important to ensure that you fully support your team and Mr John Yeoman has chosen a rather novel way to express himself this time..... by painting his fingernails in the team colours!!!!! Photographic evidence is here!

Bahrain: Royal Team for European Open

Gulf-daily-news.com

September 8 2011

SHAIKH Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa will be among the leading Bahraini riders in the FEI 2011 European Open Endurance Horseride Championship in Florac, France.

This highly anticipated 160km event, sponsored by the Bahrain Royal Endurance Team, is set to take place on Saturday at Florac Endurance Village with some of the continent's top riders in the fray.

The Bahrain team, who arrived at the endurance village earlier this week, continued their preparations for the upcoming event, organised by Lozre Endurance Equestre.

The Florac 160km Championship follows trails through the mountainous region of the CŽzannes National Park in Central Southern France.

Shaikh Nasser, the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and chief of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, said the team hopes to maintain their recent impressive run in the European competitions this year.

Successful

He said the team had a successful participation in previous endurance rides in Europe earlier in the summer. Among those achievements was a second-place finish in Germany and later in France.

Shaikh Nasser also highlighted the outstanding achievement of team member Salman Isa, who clinched the eight-year-old category title during last month's FEI World Championship at Compiegne, in France.

The programme of the European Championship begins today with a several meeting by the organising committee, to be followed by the veterinary examination tomorrow in the National Park of the CŽzannes.

The race will then take place the following day from 4.30am, while the prize-giving ceremony is scheduled for Sunday.

Spanish champion Maria Alvarez Ponton will defend her title on Nobby and join the riders at the start of the race.

The programme for the European Championship is being supported in total by the Lozere Tourism Department where the ride will be held.

Out of 230 demands of participation, only 171 representing 18 nations could be honoured by Lozre Endurance Equestre. This is an absolute record of contestants on a competition of this type, but this shows as well a strong will of the European nations for a return back to the origins of the discipline.

For this challenge imposed by the FEI in order to assign definitely this championship to Florac, Lozre Endurance Equestre had designed specially for this championship a trail in one big loop.

The trial respects the traditional values endurance: stamina, horsemanship, sports ethic, respect for the horse's physical well being and morale.

Florac organised the first Continental Endurance Championship in 1984 and the 2011 teams are assembling with 142 listed riders and reserve participants from 20 countries.

UAE: Growing popularity of equestrianism to be evident at ADIHEX 2011

Middle-east-online.com

2011-09-07

ADIHEX to give visitors chance to see forward-looking and futuristic developments in equestrian field.

ABU DHABI - Equestrianism is not only one of the oldest and noblest of pursuits, but also one of the fastest-growing. From Argentina, where pato, played on horseback and combining elements of polo and basketball, is the national sport, to the rediscovery and breeding of the ancient Caspian horse, and the burgeoning attraction of vaulting in the north-west United States, equestrian events of all types are increasing in popularity around the world. In the UK, for example, the sport enjoys such popularity that an estimated 43 percent of households (11 million) have a household member with some form of interest in equestrianism (including racing)*, and the equestrian sector is the largest sporting employer in the UK**.

In the UAE, horses play a special role. The Emirates Equestrian Federation was established in 1992 – under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council – and in 1996, in Kansas, USA, UAE riders participated for the first time in a World Championship endurance event. Just two years later, the UAE hosted the World Championship endurance event which attracted a record 162 competitors. Polo –‘the sport of kings’ – is rapidly becoming more popular with both participants and spectators in the country.

Moreover, the Arabian horse have historically dominated the discipline of endurance riding. Yet in tandem with celebrating these traditions, ADIHEX will give visitors the chance to see forward-looking and futuristic developments in the equestrian field – a celebration of the past, present and future of riding, driving or vaulting with horses, and the use of horses for practical working purposes, transportation, recreational activities, artistic or cultural exercises, and competitive sport.

The increasing popularity of equestrianism is evidenced by the greater number of exhibitors at the ninth edition of ADIHEX (Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition), taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 14th to 17th September. Among those exhibiting is Al Khail Equestrian Equipment, suppliers of “everything from horse equipment to stable equipments and feed supplements,” in the words of Derick Samson, Veternarian at the company.

Samson says that the growing popularity of equestrian activities in the UAE has led not only to the import of equipment such as the SATO Tread Mill and Horse Walker Machine, which can be used to analyze poor performance in horses and prescribe remedial action, but also to products that have been developed especially for the country: “Our products on the supplements side are tailor-made for the UAE, since we bring doctors to conduct research on the country’s environment and weather before we actually develop the product. Our products include HBA supplements, complete vitamin minerals and many others, and we are in most cases the exclusive distributor.”

Samson says that the increasing prominence of equestrianism is driving new trends in the industry: “Clients are increasingly looking for equipments that help in pampering their horse. For example, we now offer horse spa machines, that are becoming very popular, and they help to relax the tendons of the horse.”

The long, proud history of equestrianism will be represented fully at the stand of Sorrell Studios, where the company’s proprietor and artist, Kenna bint Mohamed Al-Sayed Al-Hashami, will be present. Ms Al-Sayed, whose artwork has been included in the past five American Saddlebred Museum’s Annual Art Auctions, as well as being juried into the Ex Arte Equinus 4 International Equine Art Competition, will show and sell her work at the Sorrel Studios LLC stand at ADIHEX, located at H8 – 4.

Ms Al-Sayed is a member of the International Equine Artists group and a devoted horse rider who has been riding for over twenty years. Her experience around horses has helped to give her extensive knowledge of equine movement, reactions, and the intricacies of tack associated with various disciplines of riding. By staying in touch with the equestrian world, her art reflects different breeds of horses, riding styles, tack and training methods accurately.

Ms Al-Sayed believes that art is one area where equestrianism is under-represented and under-recognized: “I would like to think that equestrian art will start gaining respect within the art world. As of now, art that is realistic in depicting animals (in this case, horses) is not thought of as ‘high art’ and is usually harder to get accepted into prestigious art competitions. There are a number of groups and competitions that are just for equine artists and many of the artists competing in them are world class – it would be nice to see our subject matter receiving more attention. I would also love to see realism as a genre undergo a renaissance within the art world and with the public. All artworks are valid and deserve attention as they are a means of expression; it just seems there has been a trend for only modern abstract works to be constantly revered, yet there are many artists working with neo classical and photorealism techniques that could use more publicity, in my opinion.”

* British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) National Equestrian Survey (2005-6)

** British Horse Industry Confederation (BHIC) (October 2009)