Great Britain: End of the season for Team Omar

Brechinadvertiser.co.uk - Full Article

Monday 29 October 2012 06:41

With competitive endurance riding now entering the close season, Brechin rider John Thomson and his pure bred Arabian gelding Prince Omar completed the final ride of the year in the hills of Easter Ross.

With a revised layout from last year, the first part of the course was fast before the riders headed into the 40 per cent strenuous climbs. From there it was a gentle gradient into the Kildermorie Estate and Vet Gate One at 31kms. Omar was quickly vetted then set off on the second loop of 32kms, which was covered in just on two hours. At the 63kms Vet Gate there was nothing between the lead riders but Team Omar had quickly bought back time to break their record for the distance.

It has been a remarkably successful year with a course record broken on the first ride of the season, a new course record set on the second ride but in a season remembered for wet weather and cancellations, Omar fell foul of the plague of hoof abscesses that had swept the country and was knocked out of action for four weeks. Many thanks to local vet Lindsay Cameron for working so quickly to produce those ever so important blood tests throughout the season and to ensure that Omar stayed at the peak of conditioning.

On the return to competition, a 44kms nonstop at Clashindarroch Forest saw horse and rider pick up a third fastest time. A few weeks later near Nairn, Omar turned in a remarkable speed during the 53kms. Despite the loss of a shoe seven kms from the end of the second loop and frantic activity by the duty farrier and crew to prepare for the final vetting, Team Omar maintained the fastest time over the distance.

Horse and rider then returned to lay the ghost of last year’s Red Rock Relay Team where an injury had witnessed their elimination. However despite the deteriorating conditions Team Omar went on again to take the fastest time...

Read more here:
http://www.brechinadvertiser.co.uk/sport/end-of-the-season-for-team-omar-1-2597918

Malaysia: Thai Rider Wins Sultan Mizan Cup Endurance Race For Second Consecutive Year

Bernama.com

October 21, 2012 19:03 PM

SETIU, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Wipawan Pawitayalarp of Thailand swept her male counterparts aside to win the Sultan Mizan Cup endurance race for the second consecutive year at the Terengganu International Equestrian Park (TIEP) in Lembah Bidong here Sunday.

The 38-year-old Thai rider who was a cut above the rest, pocketed USD10,000 (RM30,500) and a watch worth RM25,000 for her effort.

Wipawan, riding Mulawa Angelus, swept aside 51 other local and foreign riders to win the 120km race with a time of 7 hours 18 minutes and 8 seconds while the State of Terengganu Endurance Team (STET) rider Mohammad Fuad Hashim clocked 7'28:38s to finish second ahead of Mohd Bukhari Rozali (7'50:45s).

"The heavy rain yesterday added the level of difficulty in the race because the track was heavy, providing a major challenge for the horses," said Wipawan here today.

The Sultan of Terengganu, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin who also competed in the 120km race on his "RTES Annaversary" horse, later gave away the prizes.

--BERNAMA

Great Britain: Veteran Grey Medlar clocks up 7,500 kms

Thisiscornwall.co.uk - Full Article

Friday October 19 2012

There can be no greater contrast with the hilly endurance rides here in the South West than last weekend's Royalties Ride in the Fen country of Lincolnshire.

Described by one competitor as "the best going I have ever ridden", the route along flat bridleways and riverbanks, private tracks and quiet lanes is so flat that crews can see their riders coming from several miles away.

This exactly suited the Chisholm family's wonderful old endurance horse, Grey Medlar, now 21-years-old. Ridden by Abbie Chisholm, who lives on Dartmoor, he won the 170 km ER, ridden over three days. First of the competitors out of every vetgate, he averaged a speed of 15.6 kph over the three days.

Medlar has now successfully completed 7,500 kms at competitive endurance rides and has lost none of his enthusiasm for the sport. A wonderful record...

Read more here:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Veteran-Grey-Medlar-clocks-7-500-kms/story-17125607-detail/story.html

Australia: Wollondilly shire horse riders tackle the Shazahda

Macarthur-chronicle-wollondilly - full article

17 OCT 12
BY AMANDA PARTRIDGE

AUSTRALIA'S toughest endurance riding marathon is not one for the faint of heart - but for Wollondilly shire's Tiarna Young and Martin Gregson it's a challenge worth taking on.

In August Tiarna, 15, of Oakdale, and Mr Gregson, of The Oaks, took on the Shazahda - an annual test of horsemanship covering 400km around St Albans.

Tiarna, mentored by Mr Gregson, with just four months of endurance training under her belt, took out the first place prize in juniors, and was the youngest competitor in the marathon this year...

Read more here:
http://macarthur-chronicle-wollondilly.whereilive.com.au/news/story/wollondilly-shire-horse-riders-tackle-the-shazahda/

The Mongol Derby: Galloping to Glory

Khaleejtimes.com - Full Article

Moni Mathews / 14 October 2012

Dubai-based Austrian veterinary surgeon, endurance rider, charity worker and adventure specialist Michaela Gradinger finished third in her very first attempt at the Mongol Derby, the world’s toughest endurance race on horse-back.
In many ways, the event, which was into its fourth chapter this year, is a multi-faceted adventure and not just an endurance race.

The lady (Michaela) who is restless when there is no challenge in life, took it upon herself to go through the tough screening process as laid down by the organisers of the 1,000km ride across the Mongolian steppes on semi wild and partially trained horses from the region outside Ulan Bator, the Mongolian capital.

Over 800 such horses are taken in by the organisers every year.

About Michaela’s performance and participation, organisers Adventurists, had words of praise about her outlook and personality that makes participating in the Mongol Derby a memorable experience for anyone passing the initial screening and acclimatisation process days before the 10-event begins.

“Michaela was a joy to have on the event and should be very, very proud of herself,” Katy of the organisers said when permission was sought to publish information from their website.

“It’s a life time experience and one for those who want an extra kick out of life. It’s all out there for one to see, feel and learn in total wilderness in a land so alien yet friendly with the people so embracing when it comes to hospitality,” Michaela, who once undertook a ride through all the emirates on a horse to raise awareness for breast cancer, told Khaleej Times.

“The additional feature of the Mongol Derby is not just the detailed screening process, but also the fact that having participated in it, one is part of a process in raising funds for the charity work aimed at improving the living conditions of the people in the Mongolian regions where the Derby takes place. It also makes it eligible for riders to go on a charity project of their choice,” Michaela had said in an interview with another publication during her pre-event months in Dubai.

Prior to the event, familiarisation with the GPS is part of the conditioning period and once the hand picked candidates set foot to the ‘kick-off’ camp in Mongolia, the organisers keep reminding the riders continuously about the life saving electronic device.

Survival equipment of any kind are welcome, such as a sleeping bag, torch and spare clothes, not to forget “the tooth brush and paste,” as Michaela said light heartedly...

Read more here:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=/data/sportstalk/2012/October/sportstalk_October22.xml§ion=sportstalk

Great Britain: Marlouf de Norvavre makes a 'huge comeback' to win

Thisiscornwall.co.uk - Full Article

12 October 2012

David Yeoman won the Red Dragon 164km two-day endurance race at Builth Wells, in Powys, Wales, last weekend.

David, of North Brewham, Somerset, rode his 12-year-old French part-bred Arab Marlouf de Norvavre at an average speed of more than 15kph in a ride that saw only five of the original 16 starters finish.

"I'm over the moon," said David, who achieved silver in this year's Golden Horseshoe on Exmoor.

"It's been a difficult time because Marlouf de Norvavre was diagnosed with an injury to his annular ligament which is similar to carpel tunnel syndrome. Our vet Neil Brimson, at Garston Vets in Frome, diagnosed him and he was sent for specialist surgery.

"It meant a whole year off but now he's come back and won silver at the Golden Horseshoe and the Red Dragon – it's a huge comeback..."

Read more here:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Marlouf-Norvavre-makes-huge-comeback-win/story-17074854-detail/story.html

2012 PanAmerican Endurance Championship will be at Pinamar, Argentina

The 2012 PanAmerican Endurance Championship will be held 19-20 October at Pinamar by the sea in Argentina. It is being organized by the Federación Ecuestre Argentina and Club Ecuestre Hipocampo de Pinamar.

The course is relatively flat and will traverse woods, beaches, dunes, and residential areas. 70% is firm level terrain, 10% is sand (seashore), and 20% is firm sand soils along woods.

For further information, see
http://www.pinamarendurance.com.ar/