Burnley rider Kate ready for GB outing

Lancashiretelegraph.co.uk - Full Article

16 July 2013

Kate Atkinson showed she has the endurance to succeed after she was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2013 FEI World Young Rider Endurance Championships in Tarbes, France at the weekend.

The 15-year-old from Burnley will tackle the tough 125km course in the foothills of the Pyrenees riding her own and her mother Rachael Atkinson’s horse, Oakthwaite Samara.

The five strong British team for the Championships was chosen after a hotly contested team selection trial held on the 16th June at the Endurance GB Wimpole Way ride in Cambridgeshire.

Kate was a member of the bronze medal winning British team at the 2012 European Young Rider Championships...

Read more here:
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/10550977.Burnley_rider_Kate_ready_for_GB_outing/

Hendra jabs hurdle to the horse export trade

Warwickdailynews.com.au - Full Article

Michelle Slater
16th Jul 2013

SOME trainers are refusing to vaccinate their horses against Hendra, because vaccinated horses will not be accepted into export markets.

Countries including the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Singapore have closed their borders to Hendra-vaccinated horses because blood tests show up as Hendra positive.

Warwick showjumper Dave Goodwin is about to take his top horse to Europe where he may go on to compete in the UAE.

"I wasn't going to vaccinate him because I'm going travelling with him and I didn't want to worry about travel delays," he said.

Mr Goodwin sells horses to China and Japan where a good horse will sell for between $50,000 and $100,000.

Toowoomba trainer, Jay Randall, exports Arabian endurance horses to the UAE at around $30,000 per horse...

Read more here:
http://www.warwickdailynews.com.au/news/hendra-jabs-hurdle-to-the-horse-export-trade/1945919/

2013 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships Update

Freestyle medals go to Uhlir and Tetreault, Roberts wins endurance gold, and USA Southeast takes endurance team gold at the 2013 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North

July 21, 2013 -- On Saturday afternoon, dressage riders competed for their Freestyle Individual medals in the Rolex Stadium at the 2013 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC). Ayden Uhlir (Region 6) and Sjapoer won their second Individual Gold medal of the week in the Young Rider division. Laurence Blais Tetreault and Lowelas also won another Gold medal in the Junior division. Endurance riders competed in their 75-mile race yesterday, and it was Cassandra Roberts (Team USA Southeast) who won the race for the Gold medal with Viktory Banner. The USA Southeast team took Gold in endurance. [More ...]

American Endurance Ride Conference: Letter of concern over FEI Endurance Sport

Mr. John Long, Chief Executive Officer
United States Equestrian Federation
4047 Iron Works Parkway
Lexington, KY 40511

June 25, 2013

Dear Mr. Long,

As President of the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), and at the direction of our Board of Directors, this letter serves as a request that the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) submit a letter to the Federation Equestrian International (FEI) in regards to increasing concerns regarding Endurance at the international level; and specifically as support for the letters publically issued by Equestrian Federations of Belgium (October 2, 2012), France (October 12, 2012) and Switzerland (March 26, 2013).

We share the alarm voiced by the European federations of Belgium, France, and Switzerland in regards to profoundly disturbing evidence of deficiencies in horse welfare issues; including an increase in equine fatalities, orthopedic injuries and serious drug violations. We note that these letters have been widely circulated throughout world press, and that the reputation of the sport and all those federations involved is likely to become irreparably tainted if decisive action is not taken at once to resolve these issues.

The AERC prides itself on our motto, “To Finish is To Win”, which illustrates our uncompromising bedrock principles that welfare of the horse must remain of paramount importance and never become subordinate to an attitude of “win at all costs”. We are further disturbed that AERC’s cornerstone principle of remaining a drug-free sport has in recent years deteriorated at the international level to the extent that FEI Endurance has the highest number of violations of anti-doping rules, specifically in regards to teams originating from the Middle East.
AERC remains very dismayed over an apparent unwillingness on the part of FEI to follow through with their own Code of Conduct for the Welfare of the Horse as described repeatedly throughout the FEI’s rules and schedules for every equestrian FEI discipline. May we draw your attention to the FEI Endurance Rules:

“800.1 Endurance Riding is a competition to test the competitor’s ability to safely manage the stamina and fitness of the horse over an endurance course in a competition against the track, the distance, the climate, the terrain and the clock. Therefore, the most important responsibility of the Technical Delegate, the Ground Jury, the Stewards, the Veterinary Commission, the Chef d’Equipe, the Team Veterinarian, the Grooms and ultimately the Athlete is to ensure the health and welfare of the horse by diligent application of their skill together with a caring, knowledgeable attitude by the Athlete. To be successful, the competitor must have knowledge of pace and efficient and safe use of the horse across country.”

We support these principles, in which the health and welfare of our equine athletes is held as primary importance. As such, it is of the highest priority that the rules previously set in place to support these values be consistently and strenuously upheld, regardless of the influence and financial sponsorship of one or more individuals involved as competitors, owners of vast racing stables, and/or as elected officials within the highest echelons of FEI. A failure to do so on the part of FEI threatens the integrity of the entire sport, but most especially endurance racing at its top international levels.

In addition to the above issues, AERC is alarmed about the increasing speed requirements in order to obtain a Certificate of Capability. It is understood that endurance events are a race, and therefore the winning horse and rider is by definition those who complete the course in the fastest elapsed time. However, we are dismayed that FEI endurance has evolved from its prototypical roots of challenging, technical courses requiring advanced horsemanship, strategy and judgment to a long distance flat race where horsemanship is subordinate to speed and speed alone.

While we understand the desire expressed by some individuals to make endurance a more spectator-friendly sport, such choices in course design and venues also encourage racing at unsafe speeds on the flat courses. It is therefore of little surprise that the incidence and types of injuries and fractures within FEI Endurance now approach those observed in traditional flat-track racing. Specifically in 2010, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, Equine Veterinary Education, documented musculoskeletal injury rates of one limb fracture per 236 FEI starts in the 2007-2008 European endurance season.

We note that articles in highly respected publications such as the New York Times detailing drug rule violations and catastrophic injuries within flat-track racing has resulted in increased scrutiny and negative perceptions by the public, animal welfare groups and governmental agencies. Additionally, the New York Times has even detailed official blatant partiality to certain Middle East nation teams at FEI's highest level (world) competitions. Should FEI fail to take decisive action to correct the current serious deficiencies within the federation and Endurance discipline, we cannot help but predict a similar fate for the entire sport of endurance.

It is therefore AERC’s request that USEF add their strenuous support to those federations which have previously expressed their concern over the current state of horse welfare issues in the Endurance discipline. We look forward to working with you on this very important issue.

Entries for FEI YR & J World Championship in France Announced

July 16 2013

The definite entries have been announced for the FEI Young Rider & Junior World Championship to be held in Tarbes, France, on July 27, 2013. 91 riders from 26 countries are scheduled to be on the starting line for the CEI4* 120 km race.

Entries can be seen here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/France/2013JYRWEC/DEFINITE_ENTRIES.pdf

For more updates on the race, see:
http://www.endurance.net/international/France/2013JYRWEC/

Endurance Riding Gets Up to Speed in Iran

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

July 15, 2013
By Pamela@horsereporter

July 15, 2013, Report from Iran thanks to Shirin Salartash - Iran has had organized Endurance Riding since 1997 and in 2012, after approving the National Endurance Regulations, every season there is one National ride; team and individual and in the winter, and there will be an Iranian Endurance Championship.

During the year the provinces and private clubs organize their rides in their own region. The distance for the novice riders and horses start from 20k, after that one 40k and then the combination of the horse and the rider are qualified for 60k, which is also in the National rides.

In 2012 we had 60 and 80 k and this year the in first National ride, with riders competing in two distances : 60 and 80k as well.

We are starting slowly as we need experienced riders and healthy horses; we are doing our best to get to international levels and standards...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/?p=7331

Ireland: Dartrey Forest, Rockcorry

Enduranceridingireland.com

Event:
Dartrey Forest, Rockcorry
Date:
Sun Jul 7 2013

Endurance riders in Ulster pursued their sport through the usual extremes of Irish summer weather recently, with a rather soggy Barbeque in Gosford Forest at the end of June, followed by a sizzling summers day ride in July, at Dartrey Forest, near Monaghan. While the wet weather dampened the barbeque fire, it did little to quench the enthusiasm of the participants, who donated raffle proceeds to Irish Horse Welfare and celebrated the results of the early season Fun League. Many thanks to Kate Russell, who organised the day, and her band of helpers.

Dartrey Forest, outside the picturesque village of Rockcorry, was once part of the great Dartrey Estate and the Famine Wall which borders the forest on the Rockcorry/Cootehill road is a reminder of former times. Once through the wall, riders cross the Iron Bridge, (famed at the time of its construction for having "cast iron lattice work of the same import and design as that of the Eiffel Tower in Paris”) to access a network of paths winding through the forest. So congenial are these tracks that several riders had planned for this route as their ultimate challenge of a 50mile (80km) ride. Despite the extra problems created by the sudden increase in temperature, all were successful. Once again thanks are due to Kathy Conly and Kirsten Conly Devlin for marking, organising and generally making this ride happen! Also to the ever patient vet, David Nealham (at least he was able to soak up the rays while waiting for the 50milers!) Crewing, as ever, played an important role in helping horses to cope with the heat, by providing hydration (for both horse and rider) and cooling sloshes (supposedly for the horse, but sometimes "accidentally" for the rider too!)

Congratulations to Erin Fowler on I'm Ami, who both achieved their Gold Shamrock Final Award and to Tasha Anderson, whose pony Annasach Bugatti completed his Gold Shamrock Final Award. It is worthy of mention that neither of these two horses is a "typical" endurance model, with one a being a thoroughbred and the other an Exmoor, which gives a good indication of the widespread appeal of the sport.

ILDRA's next competition will be in Donard, Co.Wicklow, where a full programme of events will take place on Sat 20th and Sun 21st July, followed by a pleasure ride from Millyard Riding Centre (with Go-as-you-please-weather permitting) on Sun 28th July. Pleasure riders can turn up on the day to all events, without pre-booking. For more details see www.enduranceridingireland.com or find us on Facebook.

Results Dartrey Forest 7th July

50 miles(80km)

Erin Fowler/I'm Ami
Tasha Anderson/Annasach Bugatti
Helen McFarland/She Stoops to Conquer

30 miles(48km)

Sharon Perry/Cumbria Alabass
Jenni Cunningham/Kilgarry Breeze

25 miles(40km)

Susan Hunter/Lucy
Robert Clarke/Harry
Robyn Catterall/Ellanora
Helen Perry/Thai Express
Niamh Doyle/Gypsie
Aoife Grace/Breeze

Region:
Ulster