Great Britain: Royal Windsor Horse Show secures series of prestigious international events for this year's show

Localberkshire.co.uk - Full Article

24 Feb 2014

THE biggest outdoor equestrian extravaganza in the country will become even bigger as it hosts a series of prestigious international events.

For the first time, Royal Windsor Horse Show has been granted prestigious Concours Hippique International (CHI) status meaning this year the event will feature three, international three-star rated jumping and dressage competitions attracting some of the top horseriders from around the world.

The five-day event will take place from May 14-18 in the grounds of Windsor Castle and will feature hundreds of competitions in showjumping, dressage, driving and endurance with the three-star rated Concours de Dressage International (CDI) and Concours de Saut International (CSI) competitions taking place on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings of the show promising to be a highlight...

Read more here:
http://www.localberkshire.co.uk/news/windsor/articles/2014/02/24/97984-royal-windsor-horse-show-secures-series-of-prestigious-international-events-for-this-years-show/#sthash.whCP4sAy.dpuf

2014 Normandy: Interview with Mathieu Collet, an orchestrator of the Games

Normandy2014.com - Full Article

Tuesday 18 February 2014 - 15h02

After multiple experiences working at some of the world’s greatest sporting events, Mathieu Collet joined the Organising Committee of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy on 19 June 2013 as Site Manager for the Exhibition Centre, the Zenith and the Games Village. His role is to coordinate the requests of the Committee’s different departments in order to ensure that the event takes place in the best possible conditions on these 3 sites. With 35,000 visitors predicted in the Village every day, and tens of thousands of spectators expected for the Vaulting and Reining events, Mathieu is a very busy man!

Mathieu, which events did you work at before joining the Games adventure?

At the beginning, I worked in classic corporate event planning. Then I dipped my feet into the world of sport at the Rugby World Cup in 2007. I was in charge of layout and fittings on the Cardiff site, and I really loved the atmosphere and excitement that prevailed within the Committee. So I continued in the same thread by working in volunteer recruitment and management for the opening and closing ceremonies of Euro 2008 in Switzerland and Austria, artists’ transport for the Asian Cup in Qatar (equivalent of the Euro), and entertainment for the Arab Games in 2011 (equivalent of the Mediterranean Games). In 2012, I worked as site manager for the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, before working for the Taewando's Sports Operationsat the London Olympic Games in 2012...

Read more here:
http://www.normandy2014.com/news/articles/269/interview-with-mathieu-collet-an-orchestrator-of-the-games

Gallops of Oman — the real experience

Omanobserver.om - Full Article

By Lakshmi Kothaneth — There was ecstasy in the air as Gallops of Oman came to a conclusion in the Wilayat of Jaalan Bani Bu Ali’s seashore. The excitement was not just among the winning teams, but each member of the 20 teams as they completed the journey of endurance — crossing 180 km of Sharqiyah Sands. “I think it’s a great success that we have achieved, it has been an excellent experience and organising Gallops of Oman was not easy,” said Brig Abdulrazak Alshahwarzi, Commander of the Royal Cavalry, Vice Chairman and CEO of the Gallops of Oman. They had reached the final stage of 21 km and at the finish line as the riders accompanied their horses to the veterinary doctors; one could see the bond between the riders and the horses that had developed in the last six days.

At the end of each stage the team of veterinary doctors would inspect the horses for their heart rates and stress level, and the time taken to reach the finishing line. Being early or late meant losing points. The Arabian horses impressed their riders with their stamina, strength and spirit...

Read more here:
http://main.omanobserver.om/?p=59105

"One of the Greatest Scandals of Modern Horse Sport"

February 23 2014

In a comment column in Great Britain's Horse & Hound, editor Lucy Higginson blasted the equine doping violations and injuries involving the Middle Eastern nations and plaguing FEI endurance racing, calling it "…one of the greatest scandals of modern horse sport. It is a convoluted saga that has involved drugs, ghastly injury rates and inadequate reporting systems."

Great Britain's The Telegraph and Horse & Hound (primarily with freelance reporter Pippa Cuckson) have led the way in bringing to the world's attention the atrocious doping incidents and high fracture rates in endurance racing in the group 7 Middle Eastern countries, and FEI's responses to the worldwide uproars these have caused.

A new article by Pippa Cuckson, "Progress made - but key nations stay away" can be obtained by subscription to Horse and Hound here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/

Omani teams lead Gallops charge

Timesofoman.com - Full Article

BY SARAH MACDONALD | FEBRUARY 23, 2014

Muscat: The Gallops of Oman desert endurance horse ride along the coast concluded on Friday, approximately 100km south of Al Ashkarah, with two Omani teams leading the charge.

The five-day event challenged 110 riders from nine nationalities riding in teams of five to cross the Wahiba Sands at a pace that ensured their horses stayed in good health. Omani teams Al Safinat and Al Adiyat finished in the first and second place respectively, the best overall timings of the week, while the French team Khasab finished third.

"I'm so happy that our team was united like a fist and we won. I thank all the people who helped us. It was difficult but it was easy for us whenever we laughed and talked together. We put it in our minds that we had to win and that's what helped us win today," said Azhar Al Wardi from the Al Safinat team, as she celebrated with her fellow riders Mahmood Al Fori, Fatima Al Manji, Ahmed Al Hamadani and Hisham Al Farsi...

Read more here:
http://www.timesofoman.com/News/Article-30168.aspx

Record Line-up for Mongol Derby

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

The Mongol Derby — the world’s longest, toughest horserace —boasts its biggest line-up yet for 2014.

43 riders — 26 of them women — from 15 countries will be taking part, including former National Hunt jockey turned valet Chris Maude, England polo player Jamie Peel and Rob Skinner, military rider and 1 of H&H’s hunting’s most eligible bachelors (14 February 2013)...

Read more here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/record-line-mongol-derby/#SypzL91II672mKKb.99

It’s not all black and white when it comes to FEI yellow cards

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

The yellow-carding of a rugby or football player is, in my view, a sporting spectacle in itself.

It’s the sense of anticipation that draws me. One can sense 30,000 bottoms sliding forward on their stadium seats as the referee summons a player after some egregious sin.

It is clear what’s coming. The referee is strutting and looking especially officious by this stage.

The player receives a brief dressing down and the referee, in a grand flourish, reaches for his pocket and pulls out the yellow card, or possibly even a red card.

Dramatic stuff.

The FEI has a yellow-card system, too. However, their use does not generate anything like the same drama and spectacle.

In equestrian sport, the yellow card is essentially a small yellow form which is printed out and given to the offending rider by the president of the ground jury at an event. No drama. No theatrics. That, my friends, is the FEI way.

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