UAE: Rashid claims second victory of season

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

In-form UAE national team rider extends winning streak aboard Tonki Dee Boo Kokoda

By M. Satya Narayan
Abu Dhabi Deputy Deitor
Published: 17:42 December 22, 2012

Dubai: In form UAE national team rider Shaikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum notched his second win of the season on nine-year-old gelding Tonki Dee Boo Kokoda with victory in the 120-kilometre Emaar Endurance Challenge at Dubai International Endurance City on Saturday.

Shaikh Rashid, who finished second behind His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at the FEI World Endurance Championships in August at Euston Park in the UK, has since extended his form to the UAE’s domestic circuit.

Shaikh Mohammad and Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs, attended Saturday’s ride.

Shaikh Rashid had previously won the 120km Al Wathba Challenge ride in Abu Dhabi in November, also with Tonki Dee Boo Kokoda, but yesterday’s win at Seih Assalam was achieved in stark contrast his victory at Al Wathba...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/rashid-claims-second-victory-of-season-1.1122382

Great Britain: Endurance Young Riders To Parade With Team GBR Equestrian Olympic Champions

Endurancegb.co.uk

The Bronze medal winning Endurance GB Young Rider team of 2012 will parade alongside Olympic medal winning riders as part of Team GBR at the London International Horse Show, Olympia, on 19th December. The Young Rider team, consisting of Beth Langley, Carri Ann Dark, Kate Atkinson and Louise Rich along with chef d’equipe, Helen Boston, took the bronze medal at the FEI Young Riders European Endurance Championships 2012, held in Mont le Soie, Belgium in September.

The British team were up against strong competition, with 58 riders from 19 countries, including 9 teams, taking part over the challenging 120km course at the championships. They put in a strong performance, completing the course at over 17km per hour, to take bronze. This is a significant result for the British Young Rider team and also represents the first medal won by a British Endurance team at any level since 2000.

Andrew Theodorou and Dace Sainsbury, who was the highest placed British Individual at the Young Rider European Championships taking 12th place, made up the 6-strong Young Rider squad and will also attend the evening at Olympia.

The success of the 2012 team has highlighted the wealth of talented riders taking part in the sport and puts the Young Rider Squad in a strong position as they prepare for the Young Rider World Championships to be held in Tarbes, in the South of France in July.

Squad members, Carri Ann Dark and Beth Langley move on to seniors in 2013 and with such talented riders coming up through the levels, there is an exciting future for the British Endurance Team at international level.

The riders are delighted to be involved in the parade of medal winners at Olympia. Carri Ann says, “This is a fabulous opportunity and one I will always remember. Endurance is a fantastic sport and it is great to show other disciplines that we can win medals too”.

NOTES
The Young Riders European Endurance Championships are held bi-annually and are governed by the FEI, the governing body of international equestrian sport. www.fei.org/disciplines/endurance
Further information on the members of the Endurance team can be found at www.equestrianteamgbr.co.uk
or www.endurancegb.co.uk/html/youngridersquad.html .

Australia: Anne Jones’ Passing

AERA.asn.au

Australian Endurance lost a valuable member last night when Anne Jones succumbed to her long battle with cancer.

Anne was indeed one of the true all rounders of Endurance. Anne was a competitive and successful rider amassing over 23,000 kms as well as being an administrator in our sport for almost 20 years.

As a rider, Anne achieved 10 Tom Quilty buckles, 11 Faraway and 12 Shahzada completions and represented Australia in the 2005 WEC. Anne also crewed at several international competitions for Australia.

As an Administrator, Anne was QERA Secretary for 18 years from 1992-1995 and then from 1999 until her recent resignation a few weeks ago. Simultaneously Anne was the AERA Secretary from 2002 until 2011 and was a Vice President for 2012.

Anne was awarded Honorary membership of the AERA in March 2012 in recognition of her dedication and commitment to the Sport for almost 30 years.

On behalf of the AERA and the Australian Endurance community, we offer our sincere condolences to Anne’s husband Brian, daughter Tracy and granddaughter Jade, and stepsons Darryl and Brad.

The service to bid farewell to Anne will be held at 3pm on Tuesday 18th December at Drysdale’s Funeral Home, 27 Butler Street, Cooroy Tewantin Road, Tewantin – coming from the Cooroy side it is on the left about 500metres past the golf course. Anne loved bright colours so if you have them, please wear them.

In lieu of flowers, Anne requested that donations are made to the Katie Rose Cottage Hospice, as this organisation is run by dedicated nurses and volunteers. Please visit their website: sunshinehospice.org.au/donations or fill out the attached form.

Tom McCormack
AERA President

Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Hamed wins 120km endurance ride

Gulftoday.ae

From Our Abu Dhabi Bureau December 16, 2012

ABU DHABI: Sheikh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum, won the Emirates Heritage Club Endurance Cup, a 120 km CEI two-star ride for Young and Junior Riders held on Saturday at the Bou Theib Endurance Village, Al Khatem Abu Dhabi.

The ride was run over five stages of 30 kms, 30 kms, 24 kms, 20 kms and 16 kms.

Riding nine-year old Colonial Boy from Seeh Al Salaam Stables, Sheikh Hamed finished the five stages in a time of four hours, 20 minutes and 10 seconds.

The second place went to Hamad Omair Obaid Al Falasi who was riding Ouassim du Barthas from Al Aasfa Endurance stables and recorded a time of four hours, 24 minutes and 21 seconds. Third place was bagged by Shamma Hassan Bin Ali who partnered Denter Nasr from Hadaybit Asalem Endurance Stables and clocked 4.26.35

Sheikh Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan gave away the trophies. Sheikh Suroor Bin Zayed Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Khalid Al Nahyan and Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Khalifa Bin Khalid Al Nahyan were also present.

The day also witnessed the Emirates Heritage Club Endurance Cup, a 100 kms CEN Ride for Privately Owned Horses which was held in four stages of 30 kms, 30 kms, 24 kms and 16 kms.

Rashed Saeed Al Kamda, riding eight-year-old Jazz Danska, emerged the winner clocking three hours, 41 minutes and 47 seconds, followed by Ahmed Mohammed Saleh Al Shehhi on Jakin.

Bahrain: Hamdan wins Bahrain World Military Endurance ride

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Dubai Crown Prince rides to victory in Bahrain

WAM Published: December 15, 2012

Manama: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, won the first ever CISM World Military Endurance Championship (WMEC) held at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir on Saturday.

Held under the patronage of Bahrain’s King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa, the 120km ride was contested by more than 100 riders from 19 countries, including top stars from the host country, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Italy, Brazil, Estonia, Ecuador, Morocco, Palestine and Uruguay.

The ride was attended by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Shaikh Hamdan received the gold medal from Colonel Alexandre Morisod, representative of the International Military Sports Council (IMSC), who congratulated him on the achievement.

Shaikh Mohammad and King Hamad, as well as Princes and Shaikhs, congratulated Shaikh Hamdan on his victory.

Shaikh Mohammad was also honoured and decorated with the sash of the International Military Sports Council, the highest badge of honour granted to world leaders who support military sports, especially endurance races, and who have had achievements in this field.

The ride commenced at 7am and also marked the celebrations of Bahrain’s National Day and King Hamad’s accession to the throne.

Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa led the Bahrain team, which also included Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shaikh Salman bin Saqer Al Khalifa, Abdulrahman Al Zayed, Abdulrahman Saad and Yaqoub Al Hammadi.

It was contested over five stages, with the first and second loops covering 30kms, the third 25 kms, the fourth 20kms and the fifth 15 kms.

The event was organised by the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), in co-operation with Military Sports Federation, and was supervised by the International Military Sports Council (CISM).

(with Staff Inputs)

Argentina: HorseRun 2012

After months of work building an idea, after years of playing sports with horses, we have formed a team to meet the needs of riders and owners on sports, nutrition and health for sport horses and riders.

Our premise is for all our ideas concerning HORSERUN, the "responsible ownership," to sensitize owners and riders on the physical abilities of each animal and thus adapt the training of both to achieve a healthier more athletic ability.

The aim is to meet the demands through information on topics of interest related to sports, health and nutrition of horses and riders

HorseRun 2012 will take place at Lagarda, Cazón Argentina on 13-15 December. . Distances will be 40, 60, 80- 120, and 160 km.

For more information, see
http://www.horserun.com.ar/

Great Britain: Young rider cleans up at endurance awards

Horseandcountry.tv - Full Article

Endurance GB celebrated what has been a great year for the sport, at an awards ceremony last week (6 December) at Daventry Court Hotel in Northampton.

Star of the evening
The highlight of the 2012 season was the bronze medal won by the British Young Rider Team at the European Young Rider Championships in Mont le Soie, Belgium. This is the first medal won by a British endurance team at any level since 2000.

All of the team were in attendance, however, the star of the evening was Abigail Chisholm, from Devon, who was announced as both the Supreme National Endurance GB Champion and the Young Rider National Champion.

Abigail rode her mother’s horse, Grey Medlar, to take the Supreme title, which is awarded to the pair with the most points in all types of rides over the endurance season.

Oldie, but goodie

The 21-year-old gelding also won the title of Best Purebred Arab, despite his mature years. And he is showing no signs of slowing down. Between 1998 and 2012 Medlar has covered an impressive 7,500km in 98 endurance rides, including the gruelling Golden Horseshoe on Exmoor and the equally tough Red Dragon in Wales...

Read more here:
http://www.horseandcountry.tv/news/2012/12/14/young-rider-cleans-endurance-awards