Great Britain: Nicky sets fast Boconnoc pace on Silver Zourra

Thisiscornwall.co.uk - Full Article

July 13 2012

Over the past few weeks, the heavy rainfall has caused the cancellation of many sporting events, including endurance rides.

Fortunately for local riders, the Boconnoc Estate, near Lostwithiel in Cornwall, escaped the worst of the weather and its annual endurance ride was able to go ahead last Sunday on a largely sunny day.

The going, particularly in the woods, was muddy and slippery in places but that did not stop Nicky Sherry, of St Breward, on her grey Arab mare Silver Zourra, from winning the 80km (50 miles) ER and the Boconnoc Bowl, at an average speed of 18.22kph – not far off the course record.

Nicky finished so far in front of the other competitors that her arrival at the finish took officials by surprise. Fortunately the timekeepers were there to record her arrival time.

Finishing second was Shannon Smith on her Thoroughbred cross pony Bomber at a speed of 16.91kph. This is the third time that Bomber has come second in the Boconnoc ER, an exceptional record against much larger horses.

Third was Annie Joppe on Oision's Wizard, at a speed of 16.73kph and fourth was last year's winner Firebird, owned by Lesley Nott and ridden this year by daughter Emily, at 16.45kph...

Read more here:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Nicky-sets-fast-Boconnoc-pace-Silver-Zourra/story-16530421-detail/story.html

Bahrain: Royal Team put on brave show

Gulf-daily-news.com

July 16, 2012

BAHRAIN'S Royal Endurance Team members had heartbreaking finishes at the recently-organised Endurance Horse Ride in Poland.

All eight Bahraini riders put on a brave show, but were unable to complete this challenging 120-km event, which was divided into four stages - 37km, 37km, 24km, 24km.

The Bahrain team, led by Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, also comprised Yaqoub Yousef, Abdulrahman Al Saad, Salman Isa, Ahmed Abdulla, Abdulrahman Al Zayd, Jaffer Mirza and Raed Mahmood.

The ride was part of the Bahrainis' preparations for the World Championship that will take place in the UK next month.

Shaikh Nasser, meanwhile, said that the Royal Endurance Team was able to prove its presence at the ride during its debut participation in this event.

The Royal Endurance Team members waged a new experience as part of a series of its European tour, pointing out that the objective behind its presence at the Polish ride was not essentially intended to score results even though desirable but participation is worthwhile.

Shaikh Nasser praised the cavaliers for their efforts throughout all laps of the 120-kilometre ride and lauded their excellent performance since their horses are only ordinary horses found in the Kingdom of Bahrain's Royal Endurance Stables.

Shaikh Nasser asserted that the experience in Poland has been very positive and affirmed the Royal Endurance Team's cavaliers capacity to wage endurance races on all sorts of difficult terrains and locations, citing his team's previous positive results on various European terrains, and looked forward to accomplishing great feats during the upcoming event next month in Hungary.

Australia: Colt was worth the wait

Northernstar.com.au - Full Article

13 July 2012

JUST as champion mare, Refleex, won prestigious endurance races by pacing herself, she also waited a long time to give birth to her first foal.

On Wednesday, 18-year-old Refleex had a colt, Flex-X, several weeks prematurely and caught horse breeders, Joyce Corbett and Steve Clibborn of Jiggi, by surprise.

"I went up to check the cows yesterday (Wednesday) and I was doing a head-count on them, standing in the back of the ute," Mr Clibborn recalled.

"Then I thought, 'Hang on, I've got too many calves'.

"It was quite a big thing because if you leave a foal in a paddock with geldings, like these two, they'll kill it because they're very dominant."

Mr Clibborn and Ms Corbett previously tried to breed Refleex but failed and the retired champion is now considered old to be having her first foal.

However, Ms Corbett said it was symbolic of the champion's nature.

"She is old to be foaling but she has always been an endurance horse," Ms Corbett said.

Horse breeders usually pay for a stallion to impregnate their mares, but Refleex received "a free service" from Eastwinds Axiltation, a top breeding stallion from Maclean, because she is so highly regarded.

In 2004, Refleex became the only non-professional horse to have won the Tom Quilty Cup, a 160 km-long South Australian endurance race...

Read more here:
http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2012/07/13/colt-was-worth-the-wait/

USEF Names Squad and Alternates for U.S. Endurance Team

USEF.org
RELEASE: July 11, 2012

AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: USEF Communications Department

Lexington, KY - Following the approval of the USEF High Performance Working Group and the USEF Executive Committee, the squad and alternates for the U.S. Endurance Team for the 2012 World Endurance Championship is as follows.

Squad (In Alphabetical Order)

John Crandell III on John Crandell Jr's Heraldic
Becky Hart on her own No Repeat
Valerie Kanavy on her own Reach For The Gold
Nicki Meuten on her own Not Tonight
Heather Reynolds on her own and Jeremy Reynolds' Riverwatch
Jeremy Reynolds on his own and Heather Reynolds' A Kutt Above

Alternates in Ranked Order

1. Margaret Sleeper on her own Syrocco Reveille 
2. Melody Blittersdorf on her own Synthetic 
3. Kim Tilson Orr on Nicki Meuten's FYF Dutch
4. Jan Worthington on her own Golden Lightening
5. Ellen Olson on Jeremy Olson's SA Belshazzar
6. Cody Boysen on Roxi Welling's Viktory Banner
7. Jennifer Stevens on Meg Sleeper's Syrocco Cadence
8. Kelsey Kimbler on Kirsten Kimbler's Cody Canuck

The four athlete/horse combinations comprising the team and two combinations competing as individuals will travel to England to compete in the 2012 World Endurance Championship.

Chef d'Equipe Emmett Ross commented: "As Chef I am very pleased with our choices--much went into the decision and it was extremely difficult to rank a great group.  Helping in the selection were three selectors, Dr Dwight Hooton ( team Vet), and myself.  The three selectors were Carol Giles, Linda Howard and Susan Kasemeyer.
 
The travelling squad is made up of multiple time World Champion awards---5 times individual gold medal winners  between Becky Hart and Val Kanavy.  Multiple times Tevis Cup winners---John Crandell and Jeremy Reynolds.  Multiple time Tevis horse winners---Heraldic and Riverwatch.  And just a great group of strong competitors committed to focus on a team result.
 
The Organizing Committee has invited countries to have 6 starting horses---2 individuals and 4 team members.  I plan for the horses to travel from LA and New Jersey9 # each0 on or before August 13.  It is anticipated that there will 40 countries and 160 horses starting.
 
Our team veterinarian, Dr Dwight Hooton, is preparing to have the horses travel as free of stress as possible.  We will be stabled in the UK merely 15 minutes from the main venue in Thetford, Englnad and adjacent to two loops of the trail."

Great Britain: Lauren lifts young rider endurance national title

Thisiscornwall.co.uk - Full Article

July 6 2012

Up-and-coming young endurance rider, Lauren Mills from Dorset, has won the 2012 Young Rider Endurance National Championships.

In a tough competition, 18-year-old Lauren raced around the 80km course with an average speed of 22.18kmph on her grey Arab Oakleaze Farm Czarko to take victory. The championships were held at Kings Forest, near Bury St Edmunds, at the weekend.

Lauren has owned Oakleaze Farm Czarko for nearly two years and the pair have won all five of their 80km starts. Lauren said: "I am so pleased with him and absolutely loved riding round the course. Czarko is so spirited he just won't let any horses past him." Lauren, from Bransgore near Christchurch, first competed in endurance aged 12 on her New Forest pony. She then rode her mother's Arab in a few competitions before Czarko arrived.

The Young Rider National Championships was the first FEI (international) ride the pair have taken part in and they plan to compete in a 2 day 160km ride in August and then are aiming at the ultimate endurance goal next year – a one-day 160km ride. Lauren said: "I am hoping if all goes well to get on to the young rider squad next year and compete for a place on the British Young Rider team..."

Read more here:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Lauren-lifts-young-rider-endurance-national-title/story-16495108-detail/story.html

Celia Villarroel and "Calcetines" Champions of Spain Raid YR/J

Ecuestreonline.com

July 7 2012
[google translation]

Celia Villarroel and "Calcetines" have won the gold medal of the Championship of Spain of Raid Junior / Young Riders. The Asturian and cross Celestine Valley 120 kms have been completed. of the race with a time of 5:42:27, an average speed of 21.025 km. / hr. Silver has been for the Catalan Maria Capdevila of Chopitea and "Tra Clicka" (5:43:12), while the bronze has corresponded to the Andalusian Macarena Silva and "Crystalina" (5:44:06).

Team, gold has been to Catalonia, Extremadura silver, and bronze, to Andalusia. The Championship is organized by the Equestrian Society Lebrera on Saturday July 7 in Badajoz.Of the 46 pairs who have taken the exit, among participants in the Championship of Spain and the test CEIYJ2 *, have been classified 27.

2012 WEC: Ride and Venue Information

El Raid blog - Gabriel Gamiz

June 29, 2012
by Audee Uruguay

[google translation]

Beating the previous 2012 World Equestrian Endurance

Colleagues and members of the board of Audee, Sofia Fernandez Amaya Danvila and Pio Olascoaga share with us a comprehensive report, with interesting and useful data for our selection

We are told that the "venue" venue where the pits and the vet gate, is located in Euston Park, about 170-200 km approx. London, 30 minutes from Newmarket and Thetford 5 km (small town with all services).

The boxes, Equal to any international event, canvas roof and wooden walls, typical prefabricated boxes located in an enclosed park, very well defined and with good security.

As for the Vet Gate, The dimensions are similar to the UAE and the operation is similar, though less infrastructure and shelter canopies for teams. Trot lines of grass, is used for chip necklace times and making electronic pulse is displayed on screens at the end of the trot line, (the company which is Gmax).

The track is very technical, and locked, with many circles, curves and turns on turns. This well identified with arrows but requires a high concentration by the rider for not taking the wrong path. Importantly, the roads are mostly narrow, have a width that enables only two horses running in parallel, and in some only one.

The ground is mostly soft, divided it into grass, wet dirt roads that may form little or a lot of mud, roads with some loose stones, crosses and asphalt roads (with option to go through the grass), several creeks crossing with inlet and outlet mud and shallow, forest trails. By estimate would be a higher percentage of grass and dirt roads, very similar to the field of Uruguayan stays.

The weather is very changeable, there is a high chance of rain and cold, it's beyond summer. If it rains, the track becomes very slippery, and increases the mud. Riders are advised to bring a change of clothes to change in case. The support posts are very easy and accessible, often repeating the same and are very well marked.


On transport: An option (highly recommended) is to rent cars online in advance to be picked up at the airport of London Heathrow. The advantages are that there is a shuttle bus (shuttle service) that lead to store cars at the airport. In addition, the exit to the highway that will lead to Newmarket and Euston Park is quite simple. It gets there in 1hr 45 min. (Newmarket). It is recommended to the GPS service, whether renting or taking the landlady yourself with maps of Europe. For more information: Europcar.co.uk , alamo.co.uk , nationalcar.co.uk

Regarding transportation of horses, we have a truck for six horses which in turn has amenities for everyone on the team, as a living room off to the riders, bathroom and an awning that is installed outside. It will serve to transport the horses from the stables to the Vet Gate and race day will be available for the Uruguay team

Accommodation is a sensitive issue because of the limited supply of hotels and / or houses to rent and because the park around there are no large cities, but very small towns and villages. After several tours throughout the area reserved the last rooms of hotels Thetsford (the nearest town). Another option is to rent houses for 6 or 8 in a resort called "Center Park" which is 15 minutes drive from the park. Within the complex there are restaurants, Starbucks, various activities, pools, and is within a forest.

In terms of costs approx:

Hotels (B & B) - 100 pounds (double)

Homes Center Parc-60 pounds p / person.

For accommodation for grooms, can be considered a Bed & Breakfast in Thetford, (and reserved 3/4 in case: 2 doubles and 1 triple), where they have breakfast included, a living room, dining room and kitchen which is accessible at all times. The cost per person is 25 pounds per person.

Following the good news for the Uruguayan horses endurance, Mr. Pio Olascoaga Amaya got free accommodation in a stable of Sheik Hamdan, equipped with beds, green grass bales and free. As we can facilitate the ration procedures but they do not have in stock. The barn also provides us with an English blacksmith working in the barn and work with horses and horse racing enduro, which may also be available on race day. Other services to be used: training track and grass land, 2 km circuit. Training track by track road that runs Accommodation for 1 or 2 grooms.Cama, bales, grass paddocks Walker Other veterinary services and spa with free prior request for deposit Boxes

Note that this large study do not mean market cost, or for members or for Audee

We thank our colleagues contributed valuable data as well as also the services they have done it without cost to our selection