Malaysia: Azizatul aims to regain top spot

NST.com.my - Full Article

December 2 2013

SHE was the top ranked youth endurance rider in the world in September.
But as of this month, Azizatul Asma Abdullah (pic), who had to miss two competitions as she had to prepare for her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, must make way for Uruguay's Maria Pareira in the FEI Young Riders World Endurance Ranking.
"All is not lost though as I still have chance to regain top spot, and who knows, I may even end up with the Rider of the Year title as well," said the 17-year-old student with Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Datuk Razali Ismail in Kuala Terengganu.
But she must travel to Costa Azul, Uruguay and win the 120km race, scheduled for Dec 14-16, or at least finish ahead Maria in the last race of the endurance calendar year...

Read more here:
http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/equestrian-azizatul-aims-to-regain-top-spot-1.418510

UAE Horse Eclipse euthanized after Tarbes

Endurance-belgium.com

December 1 2013

L'Eperon is the biggest and most respected French magazine. In the december edition, finally, an article relates the events leading to the euthanasia of Eclipse. What is very interesting in this article are the new facts brought forward by the French journalist. Thanks to the interview of the main witness of the horse abuse, Morgane Payen. Morgane is not just another spectator at this event; she is a well respected endurance rider who has won Florac. She said: "After the finish, the horse was lead by his armada of grooms outside the grooming area. I followed them as I had my doubts. In the rest area, they put the leg of the horse in a bucket of ice, but I saw a person with a syringe in his hand putting his wrist in the bucket. A friend of mine filmed the scene, but then I have been put under pressure to stop. Somebody even offered me to buy my phone for 150,000 euros." The journalist gives details about the person offering money, details obtained from another source: a frech broker using to work for the Al Wathba stables at Abu Dhabi and the Emaar's at Dubai. Morgane Payen had after that drafted a letter to the person responsible for the MCP control (Jacques Nardin): "I wanted that this letter serves to stop these abuses and land on the desk of the FEI director of endurance, Ian Williams". But the FEI and Williams didn't deign to react. There were no doping controls done on the horse, nor post-mortem afterwards. The reason officially given : not enough stewards at the venue (come on Messieurs, there were enough stewards and enough time to take blood samples of Eclipse; he was standing in the treatment box for hours long after the end of the competition). Also Dr Fred Barrelet, a Swiss veterinarian co-owning a clinic at Newmarket explains : "The bucket of ice was there to desensitize the leg and the syringe probably contained an analgesic". He continues : "The FEI has recently added a product on the list; it is a product based on ammonium chloride produced by an Argentinean lab".

How can we believe that things will change. The whole mentality is wrong!

Follow this link to display the article : L'Eperon.

UAE: Afra rides to endurance glory

Khaleejtimes.com - Full Article

Hisham Al Gizouli / 1 December 2013

UAE rider guides Buren Dah Orlando to victory in Shaikha Fatima Endurance Cup

UAE lady rider Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi, astride her ten-year-old Anglo Arab gelding Buren Dah Orlando, landed the 90km HH Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup — for Arab Countries only as the UAE ladies swept the top ten positions at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba here on Saturday. Compatriot Lobna Ali Ahmed on board Cameo Zatobeck and behind them finished Nasreen Khasro aboard Vasco.

The race was attended by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor, Shaikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Advisor of the National Security and Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The race was held under the directives of Shaikh Mansour as part of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival with 71 lady riders from the UAE, Gulf and Arab countries in the fray for the Dh500,000 prizemoney. The winner has also walked away with the festival’s Rolex watch.

The winner covered the distance in three hours, eight minutes and 38 seconds at an average speed of 28.62 km/hour to cross the finish line six minutes clear of the runner-up...

Read more here:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/sport/inside_sport.asp?xfile=/data/nationsports/2013/December/nationsports_December2.xml§ion=nationsports

Bahrain: Riders set for new endurance season

Gulf-daily-news.com - Full Article

November 29, 2013

MORE than 80 riders are set to compete in the opening event of the new Bahrain endurance horseracing season, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow.

This was announced yesterday by the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef).

Tomorrow's race will feature two categories - the first will be the main competition which will be run over a distance of 120 kilometres. The second is a qualifying event set for 80km.

The event will be held under the patronage of Breef honorary president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa. It will be taking place at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir, and it is scheduled for a 6am start...

Read more here:
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=365860

UAE: Lady riders to battle it out at Al Wathba today

Khaleejtimes.com - Full Article

Hisham Al Gizouli / 29 November 2013

Top Arab lady riders from UAE and elsewhere have been declared to make the lineup for the Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup — for Arab Countries Only to be staged for the third successive year at the Emirates International Endurance Village at Al Wathba here on Saturday.

The CEN-90km event will be contested over four stages as the young Arab lady riders skirt the sand hills in the heart of the desert under the early rays of the sun to battle it out to the wire in the Dh500,000 prize-money. The winner will also claim the Shaikh Mansour festival’s Rolex watch besides expensive painting made by a German lady in her gallery in Munich.

According to Adnan Sultan, director of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, the race is held under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, as part of the Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival...

Read more here:
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/sport/inside_sport.asp?xfile=/data/nationsports/2013/November/nationsports_November257.xml§ion=nationsports

FEI: More bureaucracy will not clean up endurance

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

By Horsetalk.co.nz on Nov 29, 2013

Endurance reform requires the eloquence of wisdom, not the burden of more bureaucracy, suggests leading American endurance rider John Crandell, who has represented the United States internationally.

The reports from the Endurance Strategic Planning Group (ESPG) presented at the International Equestrian Federation’s General Assembly depict an earnest and hardworking effort by some to salvage endurance’s status and reputation within FEI nations.

This report also demonstrates the “systemic” problems, as described by chairman Andrew Finding, that have plagued the FEI permeate the ESPG as well.

It is clear the ESPG recognizes the scope of issues is vast and must reach into many areas of the organization at once to incite real and lasting change...

Read more here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2013/11/29/bureaucracy-will-clean-endurance/#.UpkXSmRDtLU

Australia: Woman faces $550 fine for breaking tick rules

Coffscoastadvocate.com.au - Full Article

29th Nov 2013 8:05 AM

A QUEENSLAND woman is facing a $550 fine for illegally introducing three horses from Queensland into NSW after NSW Department of Primary Industries cattle tick inspectors conducted a compliance audit at an endurance riding event on the NSW Northern Tablelands last Friday.

DPI biosecurity compliance director Andrew Sanger, said the Sunshine Coast woman, who was interviewed at the Red Range event near Glen Innes, had failed to stop at the border and get her horses treated for cattle ticks - an offence under the NSW Stock Diseases Act.

"The woman and the horses were sent back to Queensland and will receive a $550 fine for the offence," Mr Sanger said.

"Bringing horses, cattle or other livestock into NSW from Queensland without clearance risks spreading cattle ticks into NSW...

Read more here:
http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/breaking-tick-rule-brings-a-550fine/2099131/