Dubai Desert Triathlon makes history

Emmirates247.com - Full Article

April 20 2014

Nearly 400 athletes were part of history in the making as they competed in the first ever Dubai Desert Triathlon at Dubai International Endurance City.

The world first event brought together the triathlon disciplines of cycling and running with the traditional Emirati heritage sport of endurance horse riding.

The event, a partnership between Dubai Sports Council and Meydan, was a huge success, with the hundreds of participants and hundreds more support crews and spectators thoroughly enjoying the experience...

Read more here:
http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/dubai-desert-triathlon-makes-history-2014-04-20-1.546189

The Moroccan Barb Horse in the spotlight

Normandy2014.com

14 April 2014 - 09h20

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy will also boast the exceptional presence of the Kingdom of Morocco, as the Games will honour the Barb horse and set the stage for top Moroccan riders*. Games spectators will therefore get to learn about the Moroccan Barb horse breed during the sports competition, but also though the Opening Ceremony, and the Games' exhibitions in the Games Village.

The Barb Horse : a symbol for Kingdom of Morrocco's equestrian tradition

A land passionate about equestrian traditions, the Kingdom of Morocco toils to preserve and showcase its valuable equine heritage. In Morocco, the horse represents beauty, nobility and a powerful socio-economic role that all Moroccans are proud of. The territory’s emblematic Barb horses are the embodiment of universality. Through history, they have made man rich and have had a significant influence on equestrian culture.

The Barb horse thus boasts a particular appeal in Morocco, and this esteem is displayed by the national equine industry’s strategy of developing and promoting the breed.

Furthermore, Morocco is the founding member of the Worldwide Organisation for the Barb Horse (OMCB) and currently presides over the organisation as part of a four-year term.

* The “Horses in the Spotlight” project, which honours emblematic horse breeds from all over the globe, is one of the illustrations of Around the World in 80 Horses, the common theme of the non-sporting programme for the Alltech FEI World Equestran GamesTM 2014 in Normandy. These 80 stories about Man and Horses penned by Jean-Louis Gouraud, a writer and equine historian, will take spectators on a journey of discovery and will feature in various ways during the 15 days of compeition.

For more information see:
http://www.normandy2014.com/news/briefs/338/the-moroccan-barb-horse-in-the-spotlight

New Zealand: Storm forces delay at NZ Endurance Champs

Horsetalk.c.nz - Full Article

By Horsetalk.co.nz on Apr 18, 2014 in Just Briefly

The windy and wet remnants of Cyclone Ita have rained grief on the Fiber Fresh New Zealand National Endurance Championships, forcing the postponement of today’s competition in Canterbury.

Persistent rain and sodden underfoot conditions resulted in today’s two 160km races, two 80km races, and two 123km events being postponed, with organisers hoping they can be run tomorrow...

Read more here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/04/18/storm-forces-delay-nz-endurance-champs/#ixzz2zL6zqCkf

New Zealand: Long ride in pursuit of selection

ODT.co.nz - Full Article

17 April 2014

Central Otago horsewoman Susie Latta will ride, ride and ride some more this weekend.

Latta (44), a farmer from Macraes Flat, is one of the leading contenders at the national endurance championships in Mayfield, Mid Canterbury.

She and her mare, Tkiwa, won the South Island title and are firmly in contention for the World Equestrian Games, in France in August...

Read more here:
http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/equestrian/299252/equestrian-long-ride-pursuit-selection

Sheikh Mohammed's plan to fund endurance task force ended by International Equestrian Federation

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article

Dubai ruler's controlling role in clean up of endurance racing is ended following a shock about-turn by the International Equestrian Federation

By Pippa Cuckson
10:32PM BST 15 Apr 2014

Sheikh Mohammed will no longer fund the clean-up of endurance racing and two of his senior employees have been dropped from the newly-announced task force in a sensational about-turn by the International Equestrian Federation.

News that an apparent controlling role had been offered to Sheikh Mohammed – first revealed by Telegraph Sport last Friday – caused shock waves around the equestrian world as his Dubai stables are at the centre of the horse welfare crisis engulfing the sport.

On Tuesday, the Dutch and Swiss equestrian federations strongly criticised what they called “collaboration” between the Sheikh and the governing body.

Their joint statement said: “Even if His Highness Sheikh Mohammed is the current world endurance champion, his six-month suspension for using prohibited substances [in 2009] cannot be denied, not mentioning more than 24 positive cases concerning horses from his stables in past years...”

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/equestrianism/10769063/Sheikh-Mohammeds-plan-to-fund-endurance-task-force-ended-by-International-Equestrian-Federation.html

FEI confirms that Sheikh Mohammed is funding the task force responsible for cleaning up endurance racing

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article

Sheikh Mohammed's funding of clear-up operation not perceived as a conflict of interest despite his Dubai stables being at centre of a doping and injury crisis

By Pippa Cuckson
5:32PM BST 11 Apr 2014

Sheikh Mohammed, whose Dubai stables are at the centre of the doping and injuries crisis engulfing endurance racing, is funding the task force responsible for cleaning up the sport, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has confirmed. Two of the six task force members – lawyer Andrew Holmes and Mohammed Essa Al Adhab – are close to the Sheikh.

This follows media pressure on the FEI to clarify its statement earlier this week that Sheikh Mohammed – whose family’s stables have provided more than 24 doping cases – had offered “full support” for the drastic new measures, after meeting FEI personnel on March 30.

Other observers have inferred the FEI had no jurisdiction over Dubai equestrian sport without the Sheikh’s permission. He is the world endurance champion and husband of FEI president Princess Haya...

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/equestrianism/10760944/FEI-confirms-that-Sheikh-Mohammed-is-funding-the-task-force-responsible-for-cleaning-up-endurance-racing.html

Darley Awards Make Historic Debut at Dolby Studio in Hollywood

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

April 4, 2014, Los Angeles, USA
M. Satya Narayan

HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival helped lift the status of Purebred Arabian racing to a new high when the Dolby Studio in Los Angeles (the old Kodak Studio) staged a glittering night of the Darley Awards with the Powell brothers sharing six of the 22 awards on offer.

While the 2013 HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival Darley Awards for Arabian Racing in USA saw Mark Powell and his younger brother Scott pick up three awards each, the popular HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Darley Awards catered to a much broader section of women and female horses in Purebred Arabian racing at Friday’s ceremony...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/2014/04/05/darley-awards-make-historic-debut-at-dolby-studio-in-hollywood/