Great Britain: Challenging endurance ride through beautiful woodland

Westernmorningnews.co.uk - Full Article

By Western Morning News | Posted: May 16, 2014
By Jane Holden

Under the rules of Endurance GB, to be able to enter the top level rides or international rides, horses and riders must be at Advanced Level. To qualify for this both horse and rider must have successfully completed an 80km (50 mile) ride in one day at an average speed of over 10kph.

At this year’s Blue Chip St Meubred’s ride, Nicky Martin from Kingsbridge, riding Rocheros Qasbah, a seven-year-old gelding, successfully achieved this. For the first two circuits she was riding with Carina Kane on Evermore Artistic but for the last ten miles Nicky and Qasbah were out on their own.

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Challenging-endurance-ride-beautiful-woodland/story-21104887-detail/story.html#ixzz31t1tiYP9

Bahrain attends Royal Windsor Horse Show

BNA.bh

14 May 2014

London, May14 (BNA)The 71st edition of the Royal Windsor Horse Show opened today in London. Bahrain is taking part in the prestigious equestrian extravaganza, being held in the private grounds of Windsor Castle in London.

Scheduled to conclude on May 18, the four-day event is playing host to International Jumping, Driving, Dressage and Endurance Competitions. The endurance competition made its debut at Royal Windsor Horse Show when it was first introduced last year by Bahrain Royal team, led by Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.
Bahraini riders are taking part in the endurance and showjumping competitions, along with contenders from the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman, Britain and other European countries. Supreme Council for Youth and Sport (SCYS) Chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) President Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa stressed the importance of Bahrain's participation in the festival which was first launched 71 years ago.

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland attended last year's event. "The participation in Royal Windsor Horse Show reflects deep-rooted historic relations as Bahrain and Britain celebrate the bicentennial of their bilateral ties", he said, paying tribute to HM King Hamad for supporting Bahraini knights. Led by Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, the Bahrain Royal team includes Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa, Khalid Al-Khateri, Basel Al-Dosery and Ahmed Mansour, who are scheduled to make their debut tomorrow.

Australia: Endurance Riding to Turn Pink

Theadvocate.com - Full Article

By HOLLY MONERY May 15, 2014

ENDURANCE riders are the marathon runners of the equestrian world.

They battle all weather conditions for hours on end and say that competing in the 80 kilometre or 160 kilometre events is addictive.

However, unlike a marathon, endurance riders are not in these challenges alone.

Wild About Hooves owners Jen Clingly and Jeremy Ford agreed the comradeship built with your horse is what makes the sport popular.

"Definitely for us that partnership that you develop with your horse is so important in endurance because you develop that skill to be able to listen to them, so if they're struggling or on track or if the weather conditions are impacting on their physical abilities," Ms Clingly said.

"If you're in tune with them you'll recognise when they need a rest, when they need food or when they need a drink...

Read more here:
http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/2283482/endurance-riding-to-turn-pink/?cs=130

2014 WEG: The Games’ programme of festivities is finally unveiled!

Normandy2014 - Full Article

Wednesday 14 May 2014

The 183 hours of competition will not be the only entertainment provided during the fortnight of the Games. In addition, the Games Village, which will be at the heart of the event, will offer a varied programme of top-quality festivities and entertainment !

More than 150 hours of entertainment planned!

Open from 11am to 10pm, the Games Village will be accessible free of charge to everyone who has a ticket for one of the day’s sporting competitions, and entry will be just 5 Euros for anyone else. In total, the Village will offer more than 150 hours of entertainment, spread over an area of 110,000m2 and with no fewer than 500 horses and 450 people in action on site. Horses will of course take centre stage, but the Norman region will also be honoured! The thousands of visitors expected will be invited to discover the shared history and culture of the horse and France’s number 1 horsey region...

Read more here:
http://www.normandy2014.com/news/articles/421/the-games-programme-of-festivities-is-finally-unveiled

Spain: Raid de Bàscara

10 May 2014

On Saturday May 10 three international tests in Bàscara Raid (Gerona), were attended by 62 pairs from Spain , United Arab Emirates, France, Belgium and Italy.

The CEI** and CEI*** races were dominated by pairs of Juma's Team, with victories by Maria Alvarez on RAMSES-DE-LA-ROTJA in the 160 kilometer race, and Gil Berenguer with NINA-BIN-MENFIS in the 120 kilometer race.

The participants in the CEI*** rolled together for the first three phases. In the fourth phase differences occurred and in the final phase, María Álvarez ,and RAMSES-DE-LA-ROTJA and Nuria Serrabassa with NOVISAAD-D'AQUI , went first and took the top two spots with no problems.

The first phase of the CEI** ran more than 21 km / h average speed, with a lead group of ten pairs, of which only four reached the final goal, all of Juma 's Team. The winner was Gil Berenguer riding NINA-BIN-MENFIS ahead of Mireia Clua riding SOULETOULE-DE-SOMMANT, Sandra Dachs riding TSUNAMI-BIN, and Angel Soy riding SUPER- SANG.

The most contested race of the day was definitely the CEI* where Goyo Núñez de Arenas riding ANWAR-RAINA set the pace in the lead from the first phase, accompanied by Mohd Balarti riding TRA-IRKUT, and Dani Marfa riding MIDNIGHT MIRAGE. In the second phase were left only Marfa and Núñez de Arenas, and in the final phase Gregorio Núñez de Arenas and ANWAR-RAINA, and alone in the lead, dominated the race and finished the winners.

Italy: National Championship Suspended During Ride Due to Sabotage

10 May 2014

Even as the 160-km Italian Championships at Golvant were underway on May 9th, the race was suspended because of poorly marked trails and missing signage. More than 30 riders were lost out on trails between the first and second phases. Aside from a few who were able to find and follow the trails, most of the others, lost in the forest, threw in the towel and returned back to the vet gate. The event was noted by one Italian reporter as the most 'miserable' event in the history of Italian endurance.

An urgent meeting was held between race judges and the Italian coach, where it was decided the Italian Championships would be cancelled, and any riders wishing to try to qualify and rank for the August WEG could continue to ride a distance of 160-km. A loop was selected, which would have to be ridden 3 more times with the required vet stops. Eight riders chose to continue riding the rest of the 160 kilometers, while the other riders left, with the promise of rescheduling the Italian Championship on May 31 in Castiglione del Lago. Entry fees were refunded to the riders.

The next day a CEI** and CEIJYR** and CEI* were held (repeating 2 loops to get the mileage) and all went smoothly, with a motorcycle and two cars on the course to make sure markings were not removed.

The culprits of the sabotaged trail markings are not known, but it was noted that a mountain biking race with hundreds of participants not far from the endurance race had no problems with their trails. it is thought that better relations between ride management and locals - not just political leaders of the territory - could forestall such further incidents.

France: Raid Al Shaqab Yvelines Cup

The 29th edition of the Rambouillet ride, known as the Raid Al Shaqab Yvelines Cup, took place on May 2 and 3 in Rambouillet, France.

152 riders took to the trails for the races, which included a CEI***, two CIS*, CEI**, CEIYR**, and CIS*.

20 of 44 riders completed the CEI*** 160-km, with France's Emilie Lambert riding Ekstrem Black Font coming in first in 9:04.21. In second place by one second, was France's Sandrine Lance riding Samba Island, and third was France's Tiphaine Leon riding Natifao Bozouls, in 9:05.02.

Except for ground which had suffered heavy rains the day before the CEI***, and an unexpected traffic jam in the village of Sonchamp during an assistance point, the races were conducted in the best possible conditions - climatic and organizational.

Riders and audience enjoyed both dinners and a final concert by the rock band The Luciolles, offered by Enduro Horse Association, who teamed up with Al Shaqab and Rambouillet to put on the ride.

Full results can be seen here:
http://www.atrm-systems.fr/index0eng.htm