Two bid cities sign host agreements in FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 bid process

FEI.org

1 Apr 2014

The FEI has received signed host agreements from two of the Canadian and US cities bidding to host the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018. The bid teams from Bromont/Montreal (CAN) and Lexington, Kentucky (USA) have both confirmed their continued interest in hosting the Games in 2018.

Lexington, host city for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2010, returned the signed host agreement in advance of the deadline for receipt of the documentation, which expired at midnight CEST on 31 March 2014.

The Bromont/Montreal bid had previously submitted the required paperwork and did not need to resubmit, but Equine Canada’s new President, Al Patterson, has officially confirmed to the FEI that Bromont/Montreal will remain in the bid process.

Lexington, Bromont/Montreal, and Wellington, Florida (USA) had been declared as official candidate cities in December last year, and site visits of all three venues have recently been conducted by Tim Hadaway, FEI Director Games & Championships. However, Wellington withdrew from the bidding process just prior to the latest deadline in the bid process as Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) was unable to deliver the commercial requirements put in place by the FEI.

“It is unfortunate that Wellington is unable to deliver on the commercial requirements and has had to withdraw,” FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos said, “but we are confident that both Bromont/Montreal and Lexington have very strong bids.

“Both venues are very impressive and there is no question that either of them would offer an excellent location and quality infrastructure for a really wonderful FEI World Equestrian Games in 2018. We are looking forward to the next stage in the process when the two candidates present their detailed bids to the FEI Bureau in June.”

Following submissions by the FEI’s Evaluation Commission to the FEI Bureau, the candidates will present their final bids to the Bureau at its in-person meeting in June 2014. The host city for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 will be announced after that meeting.

Notes to Editors:

The FEI World Equestrian Games™ are held every four years, in the middle of the Olympic cycle. The seven FEI disciplines - Jumping, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining - are all included on the competition schedule.

The inaugural FEI World Equestrian Games™ were hosted in Stockholm (SWE) in 1990. Since then the Games have been staged in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez (ESP) in 2002, and Aachen (GER) in 2006. The first Games to be organised outside Europe were the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky (USA) 2010.

The seventh edition of the FEI’s flagship event will be held in France this year, with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy running from 23 August - 7 September 2014.

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