UAE President’s Cup endurance race launches next Thursday in Bu Theeb

Gulfnews.com

Event includes six races and a variety of heritage activities

WAM
Published: 16:47 January 19, 2014

Abu Dhabi: Under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President’s Representative and Chairman of the Club, the UAE President’s Cup Endurance Race, organised by the Emirates Heritage Club, will begin next Thursday over three days in Bu Theeb International Endurance Village.
The competition, which will held in cooperation and coordination with the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, includes six races in addition to a variety of heritage events.
The organising committee aims to encourage young people from schools and universities to learn the arts and skills of the sport of endurance racing.
The commission said the event will be accompanied by a heritage festival under the auspices of the Heritage Village, which will include performances by folk groups and a variety of pavilions.

Bahrain: Al Dossary claims endurance win

Gulf-daily-news.com - Full Article

January 19, 2014

AL RU'OOD Stables rider Ghazy Al Dossary won the Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Endurance Horseride Championship yesterday.

The event was organised by the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) and was successfully held in the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

Al Dossary clinched first place after finishing the race in four hours 49 minutes and four seconds. He competed with an average speed of 24km/h.

Al Zaeem Stables riders Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and Ali Al Ka'aby placed second and third, respectively...

Read more here:
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=369005

Bahrain: Riders set for endurance championship

Gulf-daily-news.com - Full Article

January 18, 2014

THE Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Endurance Championship flags off this morning at 7am at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

The Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) announced that the veterinary examinations for the 120-kilometre and 84km (qualifying) races were successfully completed yesterday.

The examinations were conducted by international experts and was attended by the UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum...

Read more here:
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=368958

Namibia: June Endurance clinic & FEI race with Virginie Atger

Endurance clinic & FEI race in Namibia with Virginie Atger (3rd in the World classification in 2013; French Champion in 2011, European champion in teams in 2011)

15 to 24 June 2014
10 days / 9 nights (including 2 overnight flights) with:
3/4 days endurance training/clinic with safari on horseback
Endurance race FEI 1* & 2* or NERA (Namibian Endurance Ride Association) on 21/06/2014

A unique experience combining a horseback safari observing African wildlife with a training course or an introduction to endurance riding on superb thoroughbred Arab horses.

Details: http://www.cavalngo.com/media/documents/cavalngo_endurance_clinic_fei_race_namibia_15-24_june_2014_virginie_atger.pdf
And: http://www.cavalngo.com/products/86/horseback-safari-endurance-namibia

Benefits from the training/clinic:
• The International FEI race (1* and 2*) on 22/06/2013
• The Endurance clinic coached by Virginie Atger, trainer in various countries: France, Emirates, Brazil…
• The combination of a horseback safari an endurance race
• The high quality horses, trained for endurance riding
• High quality, light weight and comfortable saddles
• The reserve’s wide range of animals: giraffes, antilopes, lions, rhinos, oryx, zebras, crocodiles, birds, baboons, lynx…
• The charming and comfortable lodge

Caval&go – Unique Horseback rides
Tel. +33 (0)9 80 32 90 42 / Email. contact@cavalandgo.com
www.cavalngo.com

 Caval&go was created by Phoebé, Virginie and Aurélie, who each share a passion for horses and travelling. 

 These three curious and adventurous young women regularly set off for trail rides in France and further afield. With an interest in developing tourism that benefits the local population, they have formed a bond with local guides, farmers and horse owners on each of their trips, who share with them their culture, their love for their religion and, of course, their love of horses.

 With this experience of travelling and meeting locals, they created their travel agency specialising in equestrian tourism, organising trail rides and personalised horse riding holidays, in 2009. With a specialised knowledge of each destination and a close relationship with each travel partner, they create original holidays allowing each person to discover the world on horseback. Having ridden since they were children, they have each developed different areas of equestrian expertise over the years and will be able to advise you according to your level of ability, your desires and your budget, in order to find the most suitable trip for you.

For more information, see the flyer

and contact
www.cavalngo.com/

FEI Plan To Clean Up Endurance Won’t Include A Change In Person Responsible

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

January 14 2014
By: Pippa Cuckson

Andrew Finding, chairman of the Endurance Strategic Planning Group, has said there’s no intention to change the status of rider as the principal “person responsible” in doping and other disciplinary matters, as confusion has emerged ahead of the endurance conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Feb. 9.

Concern that trainers could be slated in preference to the rider is a strong theme of responses, circulated last week, to the ESPG’s drastic proposals to clean up endurance in the Middle East. Most consultees would oppose any such move, which was favored by ESPG member Saeed Al Tayer, a senior employee of Sheikh Mohammed, during his presentation at the Fédération Equestre Internationale Generaly Assembly in Montreux, Switzerland, in November.

Many feel that making the trainer the PR would disadvantage the amateur sport in the rest of the world while reflecting circumstances that are unique to the Middle East. There, horses are trained out of large professional barns and mostly allocated to riders “on the day” who could hypothetically then be excused from doping violations...

Read more here:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/fei-plan-clean-endurance-won%E2%80%99t-include-change-person-responsible

Pressure mounts on FEI over endurance racing abuses in Middle East

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article

Leading equestrian nations increase pressure on the International Equestrian Federation to act over the abuse of horses in endurance racing in the Middle East

By Pippa Cuckson
14 Jan 2014

Leading equestrian nations have increased pressure on the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to act over the abuse of horses in endurance racing in the Middle East.

One senior figure has even called for endurance racing in the Middle East to be disowned by the FEI, while the national governing body of the sport in America is considering banning FEI competitions being hosted alongside national events – a common practice worldwide – if the crisis is not addressed this season.

Last summer, Princess Haya, president of the FEI, convened the Endurance Strategic Planning Group in response to mounting global outrage about doping and the number of horses suffering fatal or serious injuries. Endurance stables in the Middle East, particularly those owned by the world’s most powerful racehorse owner Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, were at the centre of horse-doping and injury scandals...

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/equestrianism/10572626/Pressure-mounts-on-FEI-over-endurance-racing-abuses-in-Middle-East.html#disqus_thread

Horse racing-Godolphin door permanently shut for tainted trainer

Sports.yahoo.com - Full Article

Reuters
January 13, 2014

DUBAI, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Godolphin's former trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni, banned last year following a doping scandal, will not handle the horses again, Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum has said.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) banned Zarooni for eight years after finding him guilty of administering anabolic steroids at his stables in Newmarket last year.

"I was shocked, really," Godolphin owner Sheikh Mohammed...

Read more here:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/horse-racing-godolphin-door-permanently-shut-tainted-trainer-095949433--rah.html