Australia: 252 Starters for the 48th Tom Quilty Gold Cup at Kilkivian!

Horsedeals.com.au - Full Article

Australia's national endurance horse riding championship, the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, will have 252 starters at midnight on Friday June 7 at Kilkivan in south-east Queensland.

While organisers had hoped 300 riders and their horses would nominate for the 48th Quilty - the nation's best test of true horsemanship - flooding earlier this year resulted in several key qualifying rides being cancelled or postponed.

This meant many prospective first-time Quilty riders hadn't successfully completed a prior 160km ride in time to qualify for this year's ride.

However, the event host, the Kilkivan Endurance Riders Club (KERC), is chuffed with the 250+ nominations from across Australia and overseas for the punishing 160km-long endurance pursuit.

"We reckon this is pretty darn good," said KERC president, Vern Berry, who saw the ride base at Kilkivan showground devastated by floodwaters in January.

Vern said the five legs of the rigorous Kilkivan track were in good condition, and lots of hard work by many volunteers had resurrected the showground's facilities, which are now ready to accommodate next week's influx of around 2000 people for the Quilty.

This means a five-fold increase to Kilkivan's population as riders, their strapping teams, support crews, family and friends, organisers and volunteers set up camp at the showground. Spectators at the event will further swell the township's numbers over the weekend of June 8-9.

Nine international competitors are flying in from the US, the UK, Japan and New Zealand, and an 18-strong contingent is crossing Bass Strait from Tasmania before heading north to Kilkivan. Two riders and their entourages are driving across from Western Australia, with another two coming up from South Australia, and many more are converging on Kilkivan from Victoria, New South Wales, and as far north as Herberton in far north Queensland.

This year 18 juniors (aged 12 to 17) and 234 seniors will enjoy the riding conditions of Queensland's mild winter and the historic aspect of the course's third leg, which covers part of the Cobb & Co Heritage Trail...

Read more here:
http://www.horsedeals.com.au/index.php?p=event&e=20519-252-Starters-for-the-48th-Tom-Quilty-Gold-Cup-at-Kilkivian

Australia: 76-year-old will compete in a 160km endurance horse ride

Themorningbulletin.com.au

Lisa Benoit 3rd Jun 2013

ALWYN Torenbeek has been riding horses since he can remember.

And at the age of 76, he still gets on his horse everyday.

Alwyn is off to the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, at Kilkivan in south-east Queensland this week to compete in a 160km endurance ride.

He started riding in the event's second year in 1967.

For more on Alwyn, check out this week's Morning Bulletin.

European Equestrian Federation Press Release on Endurance Discipline

Euroequestrian.eu

Warendorf, 29 May 2013

The Board of European Equestrian Federation (EEF) discussed the challenges in Endurance discipline identified by the Swiss NF at its meeting in Warsaw on Tuesday 27 May 2013 and reviewed the the discussions that had taken place between other NFs and the FEI. The Board determined to ask the FEI:

- to make public the actions it has already taken to protect our sport through their "Clean Sport" and other initiatives;

- to appoint an "independent commission" led by a highly respected chairman to review the challenges and future for Endurance and make appropriate recommendations for action.

The President of the EEF, Dr. Hanfried Haring, said:

"We back fully the work of the FEI, it's "Clean Sport" policy and it's determination to maintain high levels of welfare amongst the horses competing internationally. We are fully confident that the FEI will provide the leadership to ensure a prosperous long term future for the Endurance discipline of our sport."

The EEF currently embraces 43 member national federations as well as 6 associate members in its organisation.

Pamela Young: Controversy in Endurance

Chrisstafford.podbean.com - Radio podcast

The editor of Horse Sport International, Pamela Young, joins me to discuss the international controversy surrounding the welfare of horses in the sport of endurance and letters from National Federations to the FEI calling for specific action. These topics are being covered in the current issue of Horse Sport International - http://www.horsesportinternational.com. Follow us on Twitter @horsesportintl and @chrisestafford.

Hear the radio podcast here:
http://chrisstafford.podbean.com/2013/05/30/pamela-young-controversy-in-endurance/

Australia: Endurance rider passes 10,000km mark

Mudgeeguardian.com.au - Full Article

By Ben Harris May 31, 2013

Horseman John Howe joined an exclusive club on the weekend when he notched up 10,000 kilometres of endurance riding.

The milestone was achieved during the Mudgee Endurance Ride on Sunday.

Howe and his trusty horse Ashbend Perazzi, or Ears as the 12-year-old is known, were given an enthusiastic applause when the pair crossed the finish line.

Howe was only able to celebrate the milestone once the vet gave Ears the all clear after the 83km event.

“I got the thumbs up from the vets and it was absolutely fantastic,” Howe said.

It has been a journey 26 years in the making and one that would not have begun if it weren’t for cricket.

“I was watching the cricket one night and seeing the likes of Allan Border scoring a truckload of runs, and I knew I was never going to be carrying the drinks for Australia so I thought I could be successful at endurance riding,” he said...

Read more here:
http://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/1540680/endurance-rider-passes-10000km-mark/?cs=12

France: Julien Goachet on Quran El Ulm wins at Compiegne

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

May 26, 2013
By Pamela@horsereporter

May 24, 2013, Compiegne, France ~ The UAE’s Saeed Ahmed Jaber Al Harbi prevented a clean sweep by the French riders in the FEI 3 *160 Nations Cup Endurance in Compiegne, France, which was supported by the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

French rider Julien Goachet on Quran El Ulm finished first in this important 160-km ride with the Emirati rider Al Harbi on Reef Beethoven in second place and another French rider Laurent Mosti on Reve De Sauveterre in third in this highly testing event.

Goachet on Quran El Ulm completed the 160-km event in 7 hours 42 minutes and 36 seconds at an average speed of 20.57 kmph...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/?p=6952

Al Harbi prevents French sweep in Compiegne Endurance

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Emirati rider finishes second in 160km event

Staff Report
Published: 19:39 May 26, 2013

Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s Saeed Ahmad Jaber Al Harbi prevented a clean sweep by home riders in the 160-kilometre endurance in Compiegne, France, which was supported by the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.
French rider Julien Goachet on Quran El Ulm finished first, with Al Harbi on Reef Beethoven in second place and another French rider Laurent Mosti on Reve De Sauveterre in third.

Goachet finished in 7 hours 42 minutes and 36 seconds at an average speed of 20.57 kmph.

“My horse looked in great shape as the trainer had done a good job and I was confident right from the start,” said the winner...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/al-harbi-prevents-french-sweep-in-compiegne-endurance-1.1188853