Bahrain: Countdown begins

Gulf-daily-news.com - Full Article

December 09, 2012

MORE teams continued to arrive in Bahrain as the countdown began for the first-ever CISM Military World Endurance Championship, set to take place at Bahrain International Endurance Village on Saturday.

The Qatari delegation was among the first arriving in Bahrain yesterday, with other teams' representatives expected to reach the kingdom over the next two days.

Delegations started arriving last Friday with Ecuador and Brazil being among the first.

There are 19 countries from all over the world taking part, including the UK, Italy, Spain, Estonia, Azerbaijan and Uruguay.

Also in the fray are teams from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, Palestine Jordan, Yemen, Morocco and hosts Bahrain.

The organising committee, headed by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, have stepped up the pace with six days remaining for flag-off.

The committee overseeing the opening ceremony is preparing to hold the final rehearsals, being supervised by Royal Endurance Team manager Dr Khalid Ahmed Hassan.

Several performances will be staged during the opening ceremony, including shows by the Military Music Band and the Mounted Military team while a special video presentation on the originality of Arabian horses in Bahrain is also planned on the occasion.

The stables at the Endurance Village were open yesterday and some of the teams had their first training experience in Bahrain, while participants registration and accreditation were also conducted at the same venue.

On his part, Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Media and Information Centre director Tawfeeq Al Salhi had a meeting with Nabeel Bo Hazza from Bahrain Radio and TV Corporation and finalised certain issues related to the live broadcasting of the race...

Read more here:
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=343371

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