Great Britain: Team Announced for YR European Championships

Endurancegb.co.uk

30 August 2012
After the excitement of the WEC at the weekend, it is now the turn of the Young Rider's who are travelling to Belgium next week for the YR European Championships.
The team will be made up of:

Kate Atkinson - Vanash
Carri Ann Dark - Vavavoom
Beth Langley - HS Ametista
Louise Rich - Oakleaze Farm Cziko
Dace Sainsbury - Ballotta
Andrew Theodorou - Jamal

We sail from Dover on Wednesday morning and travel to Mont le Soie for the competition which takes place on Saturday 8th September.

The Management Team and riders would like to say a huge thank you to the following organisations for their support of the team:

Equissage
Just Chaps
Simple Systems
Performance Equestrian
Gatehouse riding hats
Naf products
Ingateston Saddlery, Essex
Toggi

As usual the team can be followed on Twitter and I'm sure you will join in wishing them all the very best of luck!
Helen Boston

Renegade® Boots Win 50-mile Endurance Ride and Best Condition in Denmark

Renegadehorseboot.com - Full Article

AUGUST 31, 2012 BY NEWS EDITOR

Thank you Anna for submitting your story. Congratulations to you and your boy on your success using Renegades! Anna is a Renegade® Hoof Boot dealer in Denmark.

Saturday 7th July 2012 was the day for one of the biggest Danish endurance rides in 2012. On this day, there were both international FEI classes and the Danish championship (75 miles). There were national classes too. Me and my 8 years old paint horse gelding – Flashy Chex Junior – rode the longest national class – 50 miles. It´s our 4th endurance season and it was second time for us competing on 50 miles distance. My goal was to ride in our own pace and finish the ride with a healthy and happy horseand qualify for the international classes . It´s a challenge to compete with my 14,1 hands tall cowhorse-bred paint horse against all the endurance bred Arabian horses…My horse is not so fast and doesn´t like if it´s too hot. But he is a great trail horse, sure footed, willing and he really loves to use his energy during the endurance rides. I decided to boot my horse with Renegade® boots both on the front and hind hooves. We used boots for shorter endurance rides before. Now, I wanted to really test Renegade® boots on him. My gelding uses size 2 both on front and hind hooves. I love the color sport orange for his front hooves, because they just “shine” and everybody notices them. On the hind hooves he had a pair of yellow boots.

During the ride everything went smoothly. We rode at our own pace, I tried to take care of my gelding’s legs to the extent possible when there were muddy holes (and there were plenty of them). After the second vet inspection my horse was still in good shape, lying as number 5 in the race, with all 4 boots on, while many of the horses had lost shoes. On the last 10 miles, my gelding was just happy and still had a lot of energy...

Read more here:
http://www.renegadehorseboot.com/renegade-boots-win-50-mile-endurance-ride-and-best-condition-in-denmark/

Australia: The little horse that could

Manly-daily.com.au - Full Story

4 SEP 12 @ 05:00PM BY ANDREW PRIESTLEY

IT'S official. An Oxford Falls horse is now the smallest equine to complete in one of the world's toughest endurance rides.

Winter Hill Alice, at 13 1/2 hands, and rider Cherry Cummins, who is 1.62m tall, were among a select few to finish the 400km Shahzada in Yengo National Park on the Central Coast last week.

About 60 riders took part from across the country. Fewer than 30 finished.

There were doubters, Cummins said, but Alice literally silenced her critics.

"There were a few laughs at the start of the race. They were definitely not laughing by the end," she said...

read more here:
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/the-little-horse-that-could/

Pakistan represented at the endurance horse race

Thenews.com.pk

Murtaza Ali Shah
Monday, September 03, 2012
From Print Edition

LONDON: For the first time in the history of the World Endurance Championship, a Pakistani endurance rider impressed the sports enthusiasts with his command over horses at the Euston Park of the Duke of Grafton.

Anzac Mehmood, 33, originally from Jhelum, represented Pakistan on his own at a match which was attended by 38 countries with 147 horse and rider combinations that took part in 160km race.

The horses are checked by qualified veterinarians and judges before, during and after the ride.

Riders normally have to maintain an average speed of 22 kph and it can take up to 12 hours or more to complete a race.

The race started at 7am and continued for 12 hours. Aznac rode Castlebar Lighting for Pakistan.

The horse for Pakistan was riding well, averaging 20.6kph.

Competing for 160km, it had completed five out of the six loops when at the vet check an issue with the heart rhythm of the horse was found. Consequently it failed to qualify for the final loop.

Anzac told ‘The News’ he was heartbroken that the horse failed to complete the race after initially showing so much promise. But he said his other horse Adara won the race for TeamGB at an average speed of 19.34kph.

“This is first ever in the history of world championship that Pakistan has been represented and I am honoured that I raised Pakistan’s flag. I have won three championships and my horses have finished with either silver or bronze medals.”

He complained that he had no support from Pakistan Equestrian Federation. “I just need their recommendation, I have my own horses but they don’t care. It doesn’t matter where horses come from. What’s important is that Pakistan should be represented but the military officials running the organisation are living in a bubble.”

He said Pakistan can do well in this sport as it has the grounds where horses can be trained. “I am planning to buy a farm in the UK where I will have my own horses for competition for World Championship and European Championships and I am happy to offer any help to raise Pakistan’s profile in this game.”

Oman: Royal Cavalry team get hero’s welcome

Omanobserver.om - Full Article

Sun, 02 September 2012

MUSCAT — Royal Cavalry of the Royal Court Affairs yesterday organised an official reception for their equestrian (endurance) team who achieved third place to bag the bronze medal at the World Endurance Championship held in Britain with the participation of 154 horse riders from 40 countries from around the world.

The victorious team returned home from London yesterday when they were received at Muscat International Airport by Nasr bin Hamoud al Kindi, Secretary General of the Royal Court Affairs, Shaikh Saad bin Mohammed al Saadi, Minister of Sports Affairs, Khalfan bin Saleh al Naabi, Adviser at the Ministry of Sports Affairs, Head of Committee in charge of managing Oman Equestrian Federation and a number of officials of the Royal Court Affairs.

Nasr bin Hamoud al Kindi said in a press statement that this achievement is the result of the generous support of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said to equestrian, as Omani Royal Cavalry has accomplished great successes and achievements during the season crowned with the bronze medal in London, adding that the horse riders, over the past periods when they were competing for the finals, showed great insistence in the 160km distance and they also showed determination and will in accomplishing a great achievement for the Sultanate as there was a competition with a number of countries with wide experience in the field of equestrian, especially in endurance.

The team then left to Al A'diyat town in the Wilayat of Seeb, where a reception was prepared for the team to celebrate the historical achievement of the Royal Cavalry horse riders in the World Endurance Championship.

The team comprised Mahmoud bin Marhoon al Fori riding Red Line, Hisham bin Saleh al Farsi, riding Falco, Abdullah bin Said al Siyabi, riding Punjab and Ahmed bin Salim al Hamdani, riding Ur. Sami bin Said al Balushi, riding Maj and Adel bin Said al Balushi, riding Mondalier participated on the individual competitions. The team were trained by Sinan bin Sulaiman al Abri. — ONA

Donal Fahy - Mongol Derby 2012 Winner

Theadventurists.com

by Mr Tom on: 18 Aug 2012

After seven days and the closest run battle for first place in the history of the Derby we have a winner. Donal Fahy of Ireland takes first place in the World's longest and toughest horse race.

It was a nail biting finish as the lead changed hands many times over the final 2 legs. After a rough night in a shed, Donal and his riding partner for the whole race Richie Killoran (also of Ireland) came into horse station 23 early morning mistakenly thinking they were in the lead only to discover they were in 4th and 5th place. The following two legs saw them both put in an impecable performance and made up 30 minutes to join the race leader Barry Armitage. Barry had been riding with Joe Dawson both from South Africa and had held a comanding lead for the majority of the race; Joe was at this point riding a couple of hours behind Barry for a vet penalty.

Michaela Gradinger (Austria) and Christoffer Adriansson (Sweden) fell behind as Barry, Richie and Donal fought for first place.

As they thundered across the line, Barry and Donal were litterally neck a neck with Richie just 44 seconds behind. As the dust settled on their 1000km ride the horses went straight into the vet check and unfortunately Barry picked up a 2 hour vet penalty. Loosing him the joint first position and shifting Richie into second. Third place was taken just under an hour later by Michaela Gradinger who was followed just a few seconds later by Christoffer Adriansson.

On winning Donal said "I'm feeling great that it's over. It's been a hell of a 7 days. Long days and really tough days, but on the whole it has been incredible. Not only is this the toughest horse race in the world. it's the toughest thing I've ever done. The whole mental side, to keep pushing on and pushing on, but in the same breath it got to be one of the better things I've ever done. Now I can't wait to have a shower and a few beers."

Full placing are being posted below as the riders continue to cross the line...

Read more here:
http://www.theadventurists.com/the-jibber/donal-fahy-mongol-derby-2012-winner

Oman: Royal Cavalry to Organize Reception for Endurance Team

Omannews.gov.om

Muscat, Aug 29 (ONA)--- The Royal Cavalry at the Royal Court Affairs (RCA) will organize next Saturday an official reception for the Endurance Team, who achieved the third place and obtained the Bronze medal at the World Endurance Championship (WEC) held in Britain with participation of (154) horse riders representing (40) countries across the world.

The team will come from the British capital, London after a trip to the French capital, Paris. The team will be received at Muscat International Airport by Nasr bin Hamoud al-Kindi, RCA Secretary General, Sheikh Sa'ad bin Mohammed al-Mardhouf al-Sa'adi, Sport Affairs Minister, Eng. Khalfan bin Saleh al-Na'ebi, Adviser at the Sport Affairs Ministry and Head of the Committee tasked with management of Oman Equestrian Federation and a number of RCA officials.

Then, the team will head to Madinat Al Adiyat in the Wilayat of A'Seeb where a reception to be organized due to the historic achievement made by horse riders of the Royal Cavalry at the World Endurance Championship.

The team was represented by Mahmoud bin Marhoon al-Fouri, Hisham bin Saleh al-Farsi, Abdullah bin Said al-Seyabi and Ahmed bin Salim al-Hamadani.

At the individual level, participants at the championship were Sami bin Said al-Balushi and Adel bin Said al-Balushi. Sinan bin Sulaiman al-Abri supervised the team's training.