New Zealand: North Island Championships

NZEquestrian.org.nz

Lisa Davenport and Lace and Fineness won the STIHL CEI3* 160 km Championship in the North Island Championships, held on 21-22 January, 2011. Their ride time was 9:36.50, 17 minutes ahead of second place finisher Rosemary Revell and AA Mystic Charm. Best Condition award went to Lace and Fineness. Of the 16 starters, 7 finished.

Georgia Smith, riding Aurora Australia, won first place and Best Condition the Ethical Agents Pty CEIJY3* 160 km Championship as the lone entrant. Her total ride time was 10:00.01.

The Dixon Smith Equestrian CEI2* 120 km Championship was won by Braden Cameron on Karamea Krusader, in 6:49.53, 6 seconds ahead of Alexandra Rogers on Supre Topaz. Third place Sandy McCuan and Mizraim Silver Gym received Best Condition honors.

First place and Best Condition in the Sarah Linton Equine Therapies and Saddle Fitting CEIJY2* 120 km went to Emma Mason and Tararua Mistalight.

For more results, see
http://www.nzequestrian.org.nz/Article.aspx?Mode=1&ID=727&ESID=5817

Spain: The national Raid loses one of the great, Quico Yebra

Left Quico Yebra giving an award to José Luis
Ruiz Hidalgo. ggjineteraid.blogspot.com

Thehipicatimes.com

The Raid Team Leader in Spain, Quico Yebra, has died after losing battle with cancer that lasted two years.

The equestrian world national and international has lost an exceptional professional. Yebra Quico has left us after two years battling cancer. The Spanish Team Leader Raid achieved in this discipline that Spain stand out internationally. It has been so far who has reaped more success as Team Leader Raid in Spain.

The FEI, dated February 18, this emotional letter published on its website, in memory of Quico Yebra:

"With special offer dismay and sadness of the death of Quico Yebra, under whose direction the Spanish Raid has achieved major successes in its history.

Quico has died in the morning because of a cancer against which he fought for two years.

The disease was not an obstacle to lead the Spanish team on their recent successes in the World Championship 2010 (individual gold) and in Europe, 2011 (individual Gold and Silver Team).

Previously, since 2005 to become our Team Leader, other World Championships and European categories of senior and junior have witnessed their good work and results, which have devoted themselves to raid Spanish as one of the best in the world.

From here our sincere support to his family and the whole family of Raid, you lose today a unique figure.

Rest in Peace "

India: Even paralysis couldn't stop Raj Patel's jockey dreams

DNAIndia.com - Full Article

Published: Monday, Feb 20, 2012, 15:41 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: Ahmedabad | Agency: DNA

When Raj Patel, 11, a student of the fifth standard finished first in the juniors category of the endurance race held in Ambdo village near Gandhinagar, his family, friends and onlookers erupted in joyous celebration, cheering the young boy for his achievement.

But only few knew that this little champ had also triumphed in the greatest endurance test that life had in store for him.

For, Raj, who has taken part in several such races across the state and dreams of being a jockey, had taken a fall from a horse which left him completely paralysed. Raj fell from a horse the very first time he insisted on riding one!

"We had just bought a mare and he insisted on riding it. At that time he was just three and a half-year-old. Because he was being so stubborn about it, we let him sit on it while we stood at a distance. To our horror he fell off the mare," said Hiren Patel, father of Raj, who runs a farm and a dhaba...

Read more here:
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_even-paralysis-couldn-t-stop-his-jockey-dreams_1652575

UAE: Al Abbar victorious in Rashid Endurance Ride

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Teenager braves sandstorm aboard gelding Jordan Vale Red Cloud to come home 29 seconds clear of the field

By M. Satya Narayan, Chief Sports ReporterPublished: 00:00 February 19, 2012

Abu Dhabi: The depth of the UAE's pool of riding talent was once again evident as another youngster topped the podium in the Shaikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum CEI Two-star 120km Endurance Ride yesterday.

College student Mohammad Ahmad Hassan Al Abbar, 18, rode 15-year-old Jordan Vale Red Cloud to a fantastic win in harsh conditions at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba.
A field of 143 riders took part — another sign of the growing popularity of endurance riding in the UAE, the nerve centre of the sport. Several riders from other countries were also in the field.

The sandstorm which the country has been experiencing created havoc as the open desert venue made it extremely difficult for both rider and horse...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/other-sports/al-abbar-victorious-in-rashid-endurance-ride-1.982832

New Zealand: Worsfold Takes Top Honours at South Island Champs

NZEquestrian.org.nz

14/02/2012 8:47:32 a.m.
Northwinds Bradley McGregor’s name was once again added to the South Island Champs CEI 3* 160km trophy after being steered to another victory by Debby Worsfold on February 4th at Hawarden, North Canterbury in the CopRice sponsored event.

“Brad” as he is known in the paddock is owned by Chris King and won the award in 2009 as well as placing second in the same class the following year, also with Debby onboard.

This year they finished in a time of 11.09.58, almost one hour ahead of second placed Sarah Hamer riding Glendaar Fire Maid, in the mare’s first completion at this level.

Brad won the Gallagher Best Conditioned Horse Award.

Also being contested on the Saturday was the Silands Stud CEI 1* 100km, CopRice CEI JY 1* 100km and CopRice 100km CEN Junior classes, alongside the Trans Tasman Challenge with teams from New Zealand and Australia competing for the coveted shield.

There was a fair amount of excitement when non-NZ team member Hamish Malcolm, riding Northwinds Apollo, crossed the line first in a gallop finish, in the 1* 100km class, with Australian team rider Steve Grey, riding Linda Puller’s Joie de Vivre of Kishon, just one second separating the two, with ride times of 5.36.52 and 5.36.53 respectively. The two horses then tied (in what is thought to be the first time) for the Gallagher Best Conditioned Horse.

The Young Riders in this class also had a gallop finish(just several minutes after the seniors) – two NZ riders and one Australian, the kiwis doing well to finish first and second with Vanessa Bragan and LaraPinta Sky taking the honours from Charlotte Wadsworth and Avaasha and Charlotte’s pony then going on to be named Gallagher Best Conditioned Horse.

The Trans Tasman result went down to the wire with Australia coming out victorious by one minute 47 seconds, a well deserved win on borrowed NZ horses.

Jorja James and Fahana did well to claim the 100km Junior class, also winning the Maree Britten Best Conditioned award, their time 8.10.47.

Competitive Trail Riding (CTR) was also ridden this day – the 68km Open class and the 36km Intermediate class.

Making a good start to her weekend, Jenny Worsfold won the Open class, on Banu’s Wind-Dancer, from Rebecca Kenny and Blue Violet, just seven points separating them over the three loop course.

Canterbury committee member Vicki Christofferson and Blue Mountain Buddy won the Intermediate class with Liz Bishop and Rock Jam second placed, and best timed overall in CTR (sponsored by Gallagher).

Sunday saw competitors competing in the WF Lucerne Haylage CEI 2* 120km, CEI JY 2* 120km and Lincoln Grain and Produce CEI 1* 80km rides.

Robyn Hill and Silands Rhaffety finished victorious in their first 2* completion, also taking out the Gallagher Best Conditioned Award later on. Their total ride time was 8.27.07.

Ingrid Ambrosiussen and Diam’id rounded out a good weekend for Kevin James and Sarah Hamer (who own the horse) by winning the Young Rider 2* class, in a time of 10.35.31, then also being awarded Gallagher Best Conditioned Horse.

The CEI 1* 80km class also ended in a gallop finish – between three horses this time, with the first across the line unfortunately vetting out. Ian Gray, riding Naibara Silver Moon, was happy to claim the title and Gallagher Best Conditioned, with Abdalmajeed Al-Harthy and Forrest NZL finished two seconds behind for the runner up award.

The Canterbury club did a great job of running this weekend and we look forward to using this venue and tracks again for the Velvet Pure Nationals at Easter.

Click here for full results

WEG ended 2010 with financial loss despite aid from Lyons, Princess Haya

Kentucky.com - Full Article

By Janet Patton — jpatton1@herald-leader.com
Posted: 8:22pm on Feb 11, 2012

The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, once lauded as likely to be the first championships of its kind to make money, apparently fell shy of that mark despite last-minute help from sponsor Pearse Lyons and FEI's president, Princess Haya.

According to its 2010 tax return, the non-profit World Games 2010 Foundation closed the year $1,386,625 in the red after receiving almost $70 million in revenue, including more than $36 million in 2010 alone.

Because the Games were put on by a private foundation, tax returns are the only financial information required to be made public. Individual contributions do not have to be disclosed.

But according to foundation chairman John Long, the 2010 revenue included a previously undisclosed extra cash injection of $3 million from Lyons, founder of Alltech, the Nicholasville-based animal health and nutrition company.

Lyons' company paid $10 million for title sponsorship of the Games at the Kentucky Horse Park, the first equestrian championships held outside Europe.

Alltech spokeswoman Susanna Elliott said last week that Lyons would not comment on the Games' finances or the transaction...

http://www.kentucky.com/2012/02/11/2065068/weg-ended-2010-with-financial.html

Abu Dhabi: Hazza takes President's Cup

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

By M. Satya Narayan, Chief Sports Reporter
Published: 00:00 February 12, 2012

He started on a slow pace but steered the horse brilliantly to take the crown

Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Hazza Bin Sultan Al Nahyan revealed great horsemanship when he won the prestigious HH The President's Cup CEI Three-star 160-km endurance ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village here yesterday.

While winning the Dh1.5 million ride, Shaikh Hazza also denied Sultan Ahmad Al Beloushi his third consecutive success in the President's Cup.

Riding 12-year-old Glenmorgan, Shaikh Hazza started on a slow but steady pace and from being positioned 46 after the first stage out of the 126 riders who started, he went on to score a brilliant win against some of the UAE's top riders.

Shaikh Hazza and Glenmorgan completed the six-loop 160-km ride in six hours 21 minutes and 35 seconds finishing ahead of Al Beloushi on Cronus, the winning pair of last year's ride with National Day Cup winner Fatima Jasem Al Merri on Ohio in third place and recent winner of the His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup 160-km ride - Abdullah Ganem Al Merri in fourth place.

Shaikh Hazza, whose previous best in the President's Cup was a 9th place finish in 2002, moved from 46th position to 12 after the second stage of 31 kilometres and after the third set of 31 kilometres he got into the top ten...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/hazza-takes-president-s-cup-1.979231