Italy: UAE horse dies in 120km endurance race

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

21 October 2013

A prominent Italian horse welfare charity is continuing to demand an official investigation into the death of UAE horse after an international endurance ride in Sardinia — despite being ignored by Italian authorities.

Django De Vere was rushed to a veterinary hospital, where he died after finishing 3rd in the 120km “Endurance Lifestyle” ride on the island of Sardinia on 31 August.

Sonny Richichi of the mainland-based Italian Horse Protection Association (IHP) demanded the provincial public prosecutor seize the body for post mortem, and that the Italian equestrian federation (FISE) investigate. Richichi says both bodies ignored his repeated requests.

On 8 October he asked the FEI to intervene. 2 days later he received a short reply, stating: “We have now forwarded your note to FISE and asked them to follow up. The FEI is monitoring closely.”

Richichi was concerned about Django’s extreme heart rates — recorded as returning to normal in 37 and 52 secs respectively at the first two vet-gates but taking 30 minutes, significantly longer than any other horse, at the last.

“Is it possible that a horse that has just covered 30 kilometers at 29kph can return to a normal heart rate in just 37 seconds?” asked Richichi...

Read more here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/uae-horse-dies-in-120km-race/

Princess Haya says equestrianism is working hard to stamp out doping and welfare issues endurance

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article

FEI president Princess Haya writes to members of governing body to stress controversies surrounding sport of equestrianism are being addressed

By Pippa Cuckson
11:32AM BST 21 Oct 2013

FEI president Princess Haya has moved to assure national federations that the world governing body of equestrianism is working hard to sort out the problems in endurance.

Haya was commenting following Telegraph Sport’s interview with Belgian national coach, Pierre Arnould who feared endurance would be banned by a higher authority if doping and welfare concerns in the Middle East are not addressed.

Arnould is a member of the FEI endurance committee and had earlier been chastised by FEI secretary general Ingmar de Vos for speaking to the media without having first consulted FEI colleagues. De Vos accused Arnould of bring the sport into “disrepute”, even though Arnould’s remarks were summarising issues widely reported worldwide for the past six months.

Princess Haya wrote a personal note to the FEI’s 130 member national federations, setting out what the FEI had aimed to achieve while stressing it cannot react as quickly as the media.

Princess Haya is married to Sheikh Mohammed, whose family owned stables in Dubai have been linked to over 20 cases of doping infraction since 2005...

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/equestrianism/10393474/Princess-Haya-says-equestrianism-is-working-hard-to-stamp-out-doping-and-welfare-issues-endurance.html

DubaiGate - October 19

http://endurance-belgium.com/

---Update 20 Oct---

Translated from CEERMP.ORG, blog written by François Kerboul, France
October 19, 2013

FEI Secretary General rebelled against the words of Pierre Arnould .

In a statement released yesterday, the day of the publication of the interview of Pierre Arnould in the Telegraph (see below) , the Secretary General of the FEI , Ingmar de Vos, reacts strongly against Pierre Arnould behavior

We are delighted to see the rapid response (less than 24 h) indicating that the FEI can react quickly when it wants.

We are not surprised that the secretary general protests formally and not versus the content , because it can not in his position do much better. He could still have been, being a bit courageous and forgetting the politically correctness, higlighting the tension taking place inside the endurance committee. He could have taken the opportunity to present some concrete actions in place of the well-known and obsolete speeches. But nope, he just speaks about the betrayal of somebody who apparently signed a non disclosure convention (ndlr: this doesn’t seem to really be the case).
Should we be surprised or disappointed by this reaction ?

The interview of Pierre Arnould has already reached its goal, position Arnould as the one who dares to loudly speak and stands against! The Belgian Federation supports his action and probably in the near future, others will follow.

Will the FEI do like others did when quickly condemn Manning, Snowden, Assange to circumvent the problem without tackling it REALLY? It is for sure that this protesting communiqué can not be a satisfactorily answer. That the world of equestrians expects more.

To be continued ... Read also endurance-belgium.com

Canada: Arabian Horse Association holds Endurance Race

Agrinewsinteractive.com - Full Article

By Lois Ann Baker - AgriNews Staff Writer

BERWICK The Seaway Valley Arabian Horse Association held their 2nd Annual Stormont Endurance Race along trails in the Berwick Forest on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. The world class competition attracted over 65 participant, some from as far away as California and Ireland.

Riders could participate in either 80 km, 120 km or 160 km runs for Junior and Senior riders. The riders could use the race to work on qualifications for the next World Equestrian Games to be held in France next August. It was also an opportunity for young riders under the age of 21 to qualify for the Ontario/Canadian Team at the North American Junior and Young Riders Championships held annually at the Kentucky Horse Park, and the World JYR Endurance Championships held every two years...

Read more here:
http://www.agrinewsinteractive.com/fullstory.htm?ArticleID=13343&ShowSection=News

DubaiGate - October 18

Endurance-belgium.com

Leonard Liesens

October 18 2013

FEI, thru the voice of its Secretary General Ingmar de Vos has immediately reacted on what has been said by Pierre Arnould to The Telegraph. The communiqué is displayed on their website.

By doing that, FEI shows once again its incapacity of tackling the problem and acting quickly and effectively, without protecting this or that group.

So it is Pierre Arnould who is guilty of reporting the system and of speaking publicly because he thinks it is his duty as member of this FEI endurance committee to work on the welfare of his discipline.

In its high level speech about “Clean Sport”, FEI claims all the time they are working for the horse welfare and don’t want seeing any horse entering an event helped by forbidden medication.

But… What did FEI up to now to tackle the problem with concrete actions? Despite having been warned by several federation –and not the least ones- Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, France since many months now.

Why each horse fatality taking place on an event or the day after –and duly known by the endurance community- is not the subject of an investigation? Why –if those investigations have taken place- are the results not transmitted to the FEI Tribunal like it is the case with doping cases? Why are riders who have repeatedly killed horses not pursued? 
Who is aware of the reason of the horse death at Florac, horse ridden by a rider from Qatar? Which products have been discovered in the port-mortem? Where are the reports and the punishment?

What about this horse collapsing and dying in Sardinia-Italy recently? The same rider was also riding Eclipse at Tarbes and leading him to euthanasia.

From our sources, we can claim that the Belgian Federation is giving full support to Pierre Arnould and will shortly decides which actions to be taken.

It is also now clear that Pierre Arnould is not alone fighting. Several European figures are also nauseous and want this to stop and our sport recovers its nobility.

FEI didn’t like the Toulouse Group which was led by the late Pierre Cazes. Will this group revive thanks to another Pierre? In any case we are behind him and all men and women of good will are welcome. Send an email to endurance.belgium@gmail.com.

Are we the only website devoted to endurance which dare to publish on the subject ? Are the others with their head in the sand so they don’t want seeing what happens?

Now that the general press has embraced the topic, how can we figure that the process will stop? The forums are dumb, mum's the word because you never know…

Trouble in the FEI playground: Arnould on report

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

By Neil Clarkson on Oct 19, 2013

....Belgian endurance official Pierre Arnould has leaned forward from the precision ranks of the FEI and, if I may continue the school theme a little longer, received a caning from FEI secretary general Ingmar de Vos for his trouble.

It seems he is on report, with de Vos refusing to rule out more consequences for Arnould....

Read full article here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2013/10/19/trouble-fei-playground-arnould-on-report/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trouble-fei-playground-arnould-on-report#.UmKcgyQd4qy

FEI are working to address doping and horse deaths in endurance racing, says Ingmar De Vos

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article

International Equestrian Federation secretary general Ingmar De Vos denounces remarks by Belgian national coach that endurance riding could become a banned sport due to crisis about doping and horse welfare issues

Hard work: Ingmar De Vos has rubbished claims that endurance racing could be banned

By Pippa Cuckson
18 Oct 2013

International Equestrian Federation (FEI) secretary general Ingmar De Vos has denounced remarks by Belgian national coach Pierre Arnould, made in an interview with Telegraph Sport on Tuesday, that endurance riding could become a banned sport if the FEI cannot end the escalating crisis about doping and horse welfare issues in the Middle East.

Mr De Vos said that Arnould, a member of the FEI endurance committee, had made "unsubstantiated allegations" without first consulting his FEI colleagues. "As an individual Pierre Arnould can speak his mind, but he cannot speak on behalf of an FEI committee without consulting its chair and his fellow members," said De Vos.

"This is not just a legal issue. His actions show a total lack of respect. Mr Arnould is in clear breach of this signed agreement and his behaviour is totally unacceptable.

"I am currently looking into whether any further action needs to be undertaken..."

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/10388754/FEI-are-working-to-address-doping-and-horse-deaths-in-endurance-racing-says-Ingmar-De-Vos.html