Bahraini riders set to stage comeback

Gulf-daily-news.com

July 21 2012

THREE of Bahrain's most prominent riders will be in action today at the 120km Endurance Horse Ride at Compiegne, in France.

After their heartbreaking finishes at the recently-organised Endurance Horse Ride in Poland where riders were forced to make consecutive withdrawals, the Bahraini team hope to make a solid comeback today.

Royal Endurance Team captain Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad will lead the Bahraini trio in today's ride. The remaining two are Raed Mahmood and Abdulrahman Al Saad.

It will be the second event for Al Saad, while Mahmood has been with the team since the start of their European tour in June.

The Bahrainis are currently preparing for the FIA World Endurance Championships 2012 that will take place at Euston Park near Thetford in the UK on August 25.

Shaikh Nasser said the team is keen to take advantage of today's ride ahead of the world championships, which will be over 160km.

In the world championships, featuring a total of six stages, riders from 44 countries from all around the globe are due to take part.

The Supreme Council for Youth and Sports chairman and president of the Bahrain Olympic Committee said the Royal Endurance Team will be the main sponsors of the Compiegne Ride.

Meanwhile, in line with Shaikh Nasser's directives, a Bahraini team of juries will be assisting the organisers at the race.

They include technical director of the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation Haider Al Zubi, who arrived along with Dr. Abbas Al Haiki, Mohammed Dadulla and Dr Mohammed Al Hammad of Saudi Arabia.

The decision to have several members of the Bahrain ground jury at this ride was to take advantage of conducting one of the ideal races in Europe held under suitable weather conditions.

On their part, the jury members expressed thanks and appreciation to Shaikh Nasser for this gesture. They also noted the continued support of Breef president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa throughout the season.

Five Confirmed Bidders for FEI World Equestrian Games 2018

USEFNetwork.com


RELEASE: June 11, 2012
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: FEI

The FEI is delighted to announce that five countries are confirmed as bidders to stage the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2018. The five bid cities that have now taken on Official Candidate status are Rabat (MAR); Bromont (CAN); Budapest (HUN); Vienna (AUT) and Wellington (USA).

Under the new bidding process put in place last year by the FEI for the FEI World Equestrian Games™, eight signed Expression of Interest documents were received from the National Federations of Australia, Austria, Canada, Hungary, Morocco, Sweden, Russia and the USA in November 2011.

The Australian, Russian and Swedish applications were withdrawn prior to the start of the official Candidate Phase earlier this year, but the five remaining applicants have moved ahead with their bids.

The five Candidate cities all met the 30 April deadline for receipt of the official Applicant Questionnaire. The five Bid Applications and Questionnaires have now been validated by FEI Headquarters. Details of the five bid cities were formally presented to the FEI Bureau at its meeting in Lausanne (SUI) last week.

An FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 presentation will be made to the five Candidates at FEI Headquarters in Lausanne on 11 July to explain the FEI’s expectations and procedures concerning the Games. Legal Documentation will also be given to Candidates during that meeting. Completed Legal Documentation, including a signed Host Agreement, must be submitted to the FEI by 15 December 2012.

“It is fantastic to have five really strong bids for hosting the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2018 and there could be no better endorsement of the FEI’s flagship event”, FEI Secretary General Ingmar de Vos said. “The new bidding process that we put in place last year for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ has generated a huge amount of interest and we now look forward to welcoming the 2018 bidders to FEI Headquarters next month.”

As the final stage in the bidding process, the Candidates will formally present their bids to the FEI Bureau at its Spring 2013 meeting, after which the official announcement of the host organisers of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 will be made.

The FEI Championships Bid Guide can be accessed here.


The FEI World Equestrian Games™ are held every four years, in the middle of the Olympic cycle. The seven FEI disciplines – Jumping, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining – are all included on the competition schedule.

The inaugural FEI World Equestrian Games™ were hosted in Stockholm (SWE) in 1990. Since then the Games have been staged in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez (ESP) in 2002, and Aachen (GER) in 2006. The first Games to be staged outside Europe were the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky (USA) 2010. The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 will be held in Caen (FRA).

Endurance Great Britain Team Shortlist announced for 2012 WEC

Endurancegb.co.uk

2nd July 2012

Following a very successful team selection trial at the Kings Forest ride in Suffolk on the 29th June, Endurance GB has today announced a shortlist of horses and riders for the Longines FEI CEI 4* World Endurance Championships 2012.

The shortlisted riders in alphabetical order are:

· Alice Beet from Surrey riding Adara Sauveterre
· Beccy Broughton-Booker from Nottinghamshire riding Tawmarsh Muharram
· Emma Finnie from Abu Dhabi riding Sha Ali
· Tricia Hirst from Mid Wales riding Madjin des Pins
· Rachel Ingvaldson from Somerset riding Nazeeka
· Nikki Malcolm from Somerset riding Khartoum With A K or L R Bold Greyson
· Annette Masterson from Staffordshire riding El Sabio
· Catriona Moon from Somerset riding Leila
· Lesley-Ann Parker from Cambridgeshire riding Velvet Echo
· Christine Yeoman from Somerset riding LM Crazy Girl or L R Bold Greyson
· David Yeoman from Somerset riding Haszar

The shortlisted combinations have been asked to attend a final performance trial at Wolverhampton racecourse on the 21st July when the final team of six plus reserves will be selected.

Chairman of selectors, Di Latham said, on behalf of the selectors and management team, “we are happy to confirm that the Championship Trial held at Kings Forest this weekend was a great success, with horses stepping up to the challenge. We are delighted with the progress that has been made this year and we are on target for the ultimate goal”.
“We are fortunate to have so many combinations from which to select for the Endurance World Championships. We are committed to sending our best possible Team to the Championships to ensure that we are able to compete on equal terms with the best in the World and to secure a result to make Great Britain proud of our athletes. We are all excited about having the Championships on home soil, giving endurance enthusiasts the opportunity to support their Team from the front line”.

The Longines FEI CEI 4* World Endurance Championships takes place on Saturday 25th August, at Euston Park near Newmarket, Suffolk. The 160km race across the undulating Suffolk countryside will see around 150 riders line up with up to 40 countries represented. Among contenders vying for the top spot at the 14th world title event will be defending world champion Maria Alvarez Ponton of Spain and the United Arab Emirates, winners of the team gold medal at the 2010 world championships.

There will be a live twitter feed throughout the day of the Championships @enduranceGB, for further information about the sport of endurance riding visit www.endurancegb.co.uk. For more information about The British Equestrian Team go to www.equestrianteamgbr.co.uk. The final team announcement will be made as soon as possible after the 21st July.

HoldsworthPR
Public Relations and Marketing

Four year horse-ride from Beijing to London Olympics ends in heartbreak

Newsshopper.co.uk - Full Article

16 July 2012
By Sarah Trotter

A RECORD-BREAKING woman who has been riding a horse from one Olympic Games to another for four years has seen her Greenwich welcome party shattered.

Megan Lewis has faced deserts, mountains, broken ribs and knackered horses in her 8,000 mile charity trek spanning 13 countries from Beijing to London.

But as she approaches her final destination she is saddled with a huge problem.

After dreaming of a welcome party at Shooters Hill's equestrian resource centre, she has been refused entry by Greenwich Council on health and safety grounds as the site is still being built.

She will however be welcomed by Bexley and Bromley councils on her way to Greenwich as she visits Orpington's Chelsfield Equestrian Centre and Bexley's Mount Mascal Stables ahead of the Olympic torch relay celebrations.

The 63-year-old said: "It is almost a bit of an anti-climax...

Read more here:
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/top_stories/9819628.Four_year_Olympic_horse_ride_ends_in_heartbreak/

Mongolia: B.C. woman enters world’s toughest horse race

Vancouversun.com - Full Article

By Aleesha Harris, Vancouver Sun
July 16, 2012

An ‘average ranch girl from Canada’ to participate in gruelling 10-day Mongol Derby

Riding 1,000 kilometres through the mountainous terrain of Mongolia in what is considered the longest, toughest horse race in the world may sound like torture to many people, but to Vancouver Island resident Katherine Friedley, it sounds like the adventure of a lifetime.

The 46-year-old horsewoman will represent Canada as one of 35 international competitors in a 10-day race through the Mongolian steppe known as the Mongol Derby, beginning Aug. 10. The race follows Genghis Khan’s pony express postal system route.

“Everyone I’ve talked to about this has been so excited for me. It sometimes blows me away that here I am, just your ordinary Canadian woman, off to Mongolia,” Friedley said.

Friedley now lives near Saanich, but she grew up on her family’s cattle ranch in Alberta, near the eastern slopes of the Rockies. In other words, Friedley – who has chosen the nickname Outlaw Kate for the derby – is no stranger to long days in the saddle.

She credits her father, who continues to run the family’s cattle operation at age 88, with her wealth of horse knowledge and her deep respect for the powerful animals.

But she’s still nervous about what’s in store.

“When I first signed up for the race, I did it on gut instinct alone. I know I can compete and I have the utmost faith in my capabilities not only as a rider, but as a navigator, and as a closet survivalist.

“However, once I began checking out my fellow competitors I began to realize that I am in it with the big boys. There are people who are professional equestrians, experienced endurance riders … I am just an average ranch girl from Canada...”

Read more:
http://www.vancouversun.com/woman+enters+world+toughest+horse+race/6938260/story.html#ixzz20tC8sWK1

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.