The One-Year Countdown for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy Starts Today

August 23 2013

[CAEN, France] – The one-year countdown to the Opening Ceremony of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2014 in Normandy began today. In just 365 days, the streets of Caen will overflow with excitement as Normandy opens its doors to 1,000 international competitors, their families, trainers, more than 1,000 horses, 1,200 journalists, and more than 500,000 fans and spectators from 60 countries for 16 days of world championship sport from Aug. 23 until Sept. 7. Alltech, a leader in optimal animal health, nutrition and performance, is the proud title sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2014 in Normandy, and will make history in France with the largest equestrian event ever held on French soil.
 
“The Games in Normandy hold a special significance for Alltech, touching every aspect of our business, motivating employee engagement, supporting our philanthropic and educational endeavors and establishing solid ties in the Normandy region for years to come,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “We are proud and delighted to be a part of this one-world event for the second time, having become the event’s first title sponsor through the last edition of the Games in Kentucky in 2010.”
 
As the world population moves closer to a 9 billion apex by 2050, Alltech’s title sponsor status provides a unique opportunity to feature the importance of agriculture to a global audience and to communicate Alltech’s passion for improving efficiency, profitability and sustainability on the farm through natural nutrition and scientific innovation.
 
The greatness associated with crowning eight world championships during the Games embodies Alltech values of peak performance and excellence, achievable in humans and animals by natural nutrition.
 
Alltech believes in supporting people where they work and live. The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM in Kentucky produced close to $400 million USD in supplemental tax and tourism revenue for the state. For 2014, Alltech is actively supporting tourism to Normandy. Alltech already led a Kentucky delegation of business leaders to Normandy in 2012. In April of this year, Alltech welcomed 30 of its Alltech Official Games Partners to France from 27 countries. In 2014, for the Games, 40 Alltech Official Games Partners will return, yet with hundreds of their clients and families this time. Alltech will also organize one of its most important annual conferences in Normandy in 2014, gathering more than 500 international dairy and beef farmers in the region during the Games. 
 
Over the course of the next year, Alltech will increase staffing at its newest office in Caen, drawing approximately 100 employees from around the world to support its sponsorship efforts.  In France, Alltech is also expanding its sales force and has invested in a three-year digestive equine research project with the AgroSup Equine Masters Program in Dijon, France.
 
An additional benefit, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2014 in Normandy will engage and unify Alltech employees as brand ambassadors.
 
“The title sponsorship is now a part of the company’s DNA, and our brand ambassadors, all 3,000 of our employees, are actively spreading the excitement about the Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2014  in Normandy in 128 Alltech countries around the world,” said Catherine Keogh, chief marketing officer at Alltech.
 
“We salute Alltech’s enthusiasm to support Normandy in so many creative ways. Alltech truly lives their values of passion, performance and excellence, going above and beyond in everything they do, which includes promoting  Normandy and the spirit of equestrian sport around the world  to their partners, customers, and employees,” said Laurent Beauvais, president of the 2014 Organizing Committee and president of the region of Lower Normandy.

Press Contacts:

Marcelle C. Rousseau, Equine and Sponsorship PR
mrousseau@alltech.com; + 33 (0) 6 72 39 79 59
Susanna Elliott, Alltech PR
suelliott@alltech.com; +1 859- 473-2696

FNB Namibia Endurance Champs

Namibiasport.com - Full Article

Submitted by editor on Fri, 08/23/2013

The annual FNB Namibia Endurance African Championships will be held in Walvis Bay on Wednesday, August 28.

FNB Namibia has supported this event for the past five years and recently announced a sponsorship of N$50 000 for this year’s event.

Ingrid Goeieman, Manager Sponsorships and Donations at FNB Namibia:

“Apart from the fact that this is a sport event and FNB Namibia is the number one supporter of a variety of sporting codes in Namibia, we also appreciate the fact that this event is about endurance, stamina and a never-give-up- attitude,” she said.

“These are all qualities we admire in our staff as well as clients, ranging from SME owners to big corporate clients and we therefore wholeheartedly support such occasions,” she added.

Zelda von Schauroth of Namibia Endurance said:

“Namibia Endurance hosts their 18th flagship event with an expected record amount of entries. Apart from the four Namibian teams, heavy weight, senior standard weight, no weight and young rider teams, there are also teams from South Africa and Botswana. We expect between 180 and 200 horses to depart before sunrise in very misty conditions on a course lit with blinking lights.”

She went on to say that the course this year was very challenging and interesting with the second loop of the 120km being over the notorious Dune 7, a huge challenge for horse and rider...

Read more here:
http://www.namibiasport.com.na/node/32242

Riding high on State success

Drew Timbs
22nd Aug 2013

photo: Young gun James Coop in the saddle.

THE Gympie region's horse riding talent continues to thrive after local endurance veteran Ken Moir and up-and-coming rider James Coop recently won the Queensland Endurance Riding Championships.

Winning the middleweight category and junior category respectively, Moir and Coop have a special relationship they formed three years ago.

After showing interest in the sport when he was 12, Coop asked Moir to be his mentor and after some practice on a small pony, the youngster was ready to tackle some of the bigger events.

Only finishing fourth at last year's Queensland Championships, Coop has now stormed to the front of his competition and Moir says the promising 15 year old has a bright future ahead.

"He is showing incredible talent and I'm actually in awe of his impressive race last weekend," Moir said.

"It's one of the fastest 160km I have ever seen in more than 15 years of endurance riding and racing."

Averaging more than 18kmh, Coop led from start to finish which was another incredible feat.

"We headed out together and our game plan was to go out hard and maintain the lead," 61-year-old Moir said.

"On the fourth stage I told James to push on and he did exactly that which is amazing to see such a young rider going so well on his own."

In anticipation for the event, the Gympie duo trained on their horses up to five days a week travelling more than 30km to condition their horses Shian and Cameo Helmzman.

When asked where they get their inspiration, Moir said they can always look up to Alwyn Torenbeek.

"He's the oldest endurance riding going around at the age of 76," he said.

"It's an honour to know him and ride alongside him. He hardly ever misses an endurance ride and has a true passion for it."

The local duo hadn't planned what they are taking on next but whatever it is, they are likely to succeed.
[More ...]

One for the bucket list: Australia’s Quilty ride

Australia's famous Tom Quilty Ride is on the bucket list of endurance riders world-wide. Amanda Rayner looks back at the history of the ride, and forward to its net running as the 2014 Australian National Championships in Western Australia.

One for the bucket list: Australia’s Quilty ride [More ...]

Canada: Young riders on 145-km endurance expedition

Journalpioneer.com - Full Article

Published on August 19, 2013
Eric McCarthy

ALBERTON – Green Cart day in Alberton proved to be the biggest challenge Monday for some of the young riders on the first leg of their 145-kilometre horseback riders. Five Trailblazers with the Handibear Hills Horse Sanctuary Youth Club are using the ride to help fulfill the requirements of their Duke of Edinburgh Challenge Program.

They left St. Felix shortly before 10 a.m. Monday and arrived at the Prince County Exhibition Fair Grounds in Alberton just after 2 p.m., travelling mostly cross-country and on dirt roads where possible. The horses were being stabled at the fairgrounds Monday night and their riders were staying with them.

Today, Tuesday, the group will ride to Port Hill, travelling mostly along Highway 12.

Big transfer trucks are a concern admitted Ashley Crombie, 22, who was riding Image, 15.

“You have to talk to them,” she said of the need to keep their horse calm. “I just say, ‘easy girl...’”

Read more here:
http://www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2013-08-19/article-3356823/Young-riders-on-145-kilometer-endurance-expedition/1

Hong Kong Riders Complete WEG Test Ride

Nicky Freud photo

August 19 2013

The latest country to start competing in endurance gave a very good account of themselves at the WEG test ride. There were only two countries to get their two riders home - Holland was one and Hong Kong was the other. Jason Tse and Vivian Cheung, who are more than happy to embrace 'To Finish Is To Win,'  brought their horses home in 24th and 25th positions, having been delighted to have ridden with Meg Sleeper on the fourth loop.

Their horses, Siroco Toul Ar C'hoat and Chazan, are trained in the UK by Richard Allen and Nicky Freud.

Kingwood equestrian rides for U.S. in France

NJ.com - Full Article

By Lillian Shupe/Hunterdon County Democrat
on August 18, 2013 at 2:27 PM, updated August 18, 2013 at 2:28 PM

Dr. Margaret Sleeper of Kingwood Township was one of two riders that represented the United States at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games endurance test event on Friday, Aug. 16. The ride was held at Sartilly in Manche, France.

Sleeper rode Sandra Fretelliere's 10-year-old mare Tikis Twistyr. The pair had moved up from 50th in the first loop to 30th at the end of the third. The horse became lame in the fourth lap and was disqualified.

Sleeper, who was a last-minute substitution, was the highest placed American at the Longines FEI World Endurance Championship a year ago...

Read more here:
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2013/08/kingwood_equestrian_to_ride_in.html