Spain: Santa Susanna Day 2

December 9 2012

Spain's Juan Ruiz de Villa and Rev Beethoven are the winners of the 60th 2-day Santa Susanna Raid held near Barcelona, Spain, with a total ride time of 11:05.17 for the 120 kilometers. Spain's Alex Criville was second on Inguru in 11:22.16, and Spain's Maria Dulcet riding Lucero Miki was third in 11:25.53.

Twenty riders out of 55 starters completed both days.

The Santa Susanna ride is reportedly the oldest endurance ride in Europe, and one of the very few multi-day rides. It's a challenging ride with trails in the area of the Montseny mountains.

Spain: Santa Susanna Day 1

December 8 2012

Juan Ruiz de Villa riding Rev Beethoven won day 1 of the 60th annual Santa Susanna 2-day 200 km raid near Barcelona, Spain. They completed the 100 km by 18 minutes over Alex Criville and Inguru. Maria Dulcet and Lucero Miki finished in third place.

Day 2 takes place today.

Abu Dhabi: Schoolboy Al Jahouri serves up a masterclass

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Teenager upstages strong field in maiden outing to win 100km Al Wathba Cup endurance ride

Staff ReportPublished: 17:29 December 7, 2012

Abu Dhabi: Teenager Khalifa Al Khalfan Al Jahouri made a stunning debut to win the CEN 100km Al Wathba Cup endurance ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village (EIEV) in Al Wathba on Friday, upstaging a strong field of 53 riders.

The ride, which was held to support the small stables and private owners in the UAE, was attended by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Al Jahouri finished the first of five stages in third place but improved two places in the second stage before going on to win in a time of three hours, 50 minutes and 19 seconds with an average speed of 26.051km/h. He rode 12-year-old chestnut gelding Leo, who is owned by Saeed Suhail Ali Al Yabhouni.

Second place went to Abdullah Almur Saeed Bin Helwa who, with Lanamere Harrison, recorded a time of 4:06.33, while third place was bagged by Ahmad Mohammad Al Jaber on Lanamere Rondo in 4:09.13...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/other-sports/schoolboy-al-jahouri-serves-up-a-masterclass-1.1115630

Abu Dhabi: Al Kaabi wins National Day Cup endurance event

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Rider upstages European Open champion Al Jahouri for a memorable maiden victory at Al Wathba

Staff ReportPublished: 18:54 December 8, 2012

Abu Dhabi: Ali Reyad Saleh Al Kaabi rode a superb ride final loop in the 120-kilometre National Day Cup endurance ride to score a memorable maiden victory at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba.

Starting in fifth place on the final stage of the 16km loop, Al Kaabi and his mount Tacka increased their speed to 34kmph from the 27kmph they had registered over the first four stages. That effort was enough to fetch the Seih Assalam Stables’ trainer his first ever win and also helped him finish ahead of European Open champion Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri riding Lourizon Frost.

Al Kaabi was 30th after the first 33kmph, 26th after the second stage of 27kms, 15th after the third stage of 24kms and 5th after the fourth stage of 20kms.

Al Kaabi completed the 120km CEI Two-star ride in 4 hours 19 minutes and 11 seconds while Al Jahouri finished in 4:20.20...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/al-kaabi-wins-national-day-cup-endurance-event-1.1116035

FEI: What the hell, was wrong with the current regulations?

Endurance-belgium.com - Full Article

12/8/12

Oh yeah, of course, it wasn't good for the wealthy riders. You know, the ones who have no time for getting to know their horse, train them, feed them, brush them, pet them, take care. It's easier if you want buy a car to go to the dealer -am I stupid, to send somebody, a henchman- and give orders for the tuning, then when the time comes to drive the car -of course you understand the parable- to mess up -because the engine is too powerful or too delicate- a few miles later.

So this so beloved regulation has been changed, under the impulse of the UAE federation. If you were a bit informed or clear-headed, you had noticed some interventions on forums. Then hop-hop, abracadabra, that's it...

On the other hand, for the welfare of the horse, nada-niet-nothing! To counter the one killing horses, no sensational decision. Of course, a commission has been nominated -we all know the best way of doing nothing is to nominate a commission. Completely opaque. Who's making part? What is the road map? Let's bet that they will soon be employed in the UAE!

The other, major, change concerns the qualification procedure. Was the system not good? It was and has always been OK for us, Europeans! Since years we were using it and never had problems.

So as from now, another additional 80..90 must be completed to get access to the CEI* level. For the professionals, this means an additional cost-risk-time. For amateurs, especially the one bringing their horses slowly to the international level, no big deal. One more 50miles, that's OK, even better for the organizers.

What Pierre Arnould has difficult to swallow -apparently some of his colleagues at the FEI commission are in the same case- is the way the decision has been presented. He said: "I'm fed up to repeat this again and again. During our meeting it was decided to add a low level ride, a 60km to the procedure. Everybody was OK with that and it was presented this way to Ian Williams. But he changed it, adding a 80..90km at free speed. why? what was his agenda? I dont have the slightest idea." He claims that others will take a stance. Wait and see...

Australia: High heat and great times at endurance ride

Southcoastregister.com.au - Full Story

By Alan Marshall (ride secretary). Dec. 7, 2012, 10:04 a.m.

THE last ride of the NSW Endurance Riders Assocation year was held at Sassafras on November 24 and 25 and was an 80 kilometre endurance ride.

The weather forecasters got it right for a change, predicting 32 degree celcius heat and no rain.

A 5am start saw 33 riders head out at first light into the wilds of Morton National Park.

The first riders returned to the ride base in two hours and 12 minutes. After these 33 riders vetted, only 28 headed out for the second leg in the rising heat.

First across the line was Shelly Ison riding Aloha Fabian, and Peter Norman riding Tallaganda Downs Natifa, in a ride time of five hours and six minutes...

Read more here:
http://www.southcoastregister.com.au/story/1171431/high-heat-and-great-times-at-endurance-ride/?cs=204

Great Britain: McGhee and Foxghyll win awards aplenty in endurance riding

Thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk - Full Article

10:00am Friday 7th December 2012 in Sport By Scott Kirk, Reporter

AMBLESIDE endurance rider Kath McGhee is celebrating national awards as she and her horse Foxghyll’s Filly were out to prove a point this year.

The Cumbria Endurance GB rider and her 20-year-old horse won three national trophies, including the Veteran Championship, and they finished second in the Senior National Championship.

The Cotswold Trophy now belongs to McGhee, which is awarded to the pony (14.2hh or under) and senior rider combination gaining the most points in all types of competition rides.

She also claimed the Regent Trophy, which goes to the rider with an unregistered horse or pony gaining the most points in all types of competition rides, and Kirkby Thore’s Ann Aldridge celebrated her 80th Birthday this year and with her pony Mycathlly Golden Sunshine she picked up the Pitchford Trophy for the best performance by a native pony, beating her nearest rivals by 470 points...

Read more here:
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/sport/10088083.McGhee_and_Foxghyll_win_awards_aplenty_in_endurance_riding/