Italia Endurance Festival, a breathtaking race track

Italiaendurancefestival.com

29/04/2014 - evento sportivo

It is definitely going to be one of the winning cards of the great international event dedicated to horses, 10 to 27th July. The race track, which was carefully examined by the organizing Committee of Italia Endurance Festival, the European Juniores and Young riders and the CEIO, has all the characteristics to be the ideal host of the endurance sporting discipline.

120 km stretching across a vast country side which follows gently the natural course of the river Adige from north to south, from San Martino Buon Albergo to Albarello, across San Giovanni Lupatoto, Zevio, Belfiore and Ronco all’Adige.

The race track is made up of three loops: the 38 km Yellow Loop, the 27 km Red one and the 19,5 km the Blue Loop to be repeated both during the European and CEIO2* races in the following order: yellow, yellow, red and blue. A yellow loop less in the 90 km CEI1*.

On the background, as we already mentioned, there is the beautiful fluvial landscape which preserved its uncontaminated integrity over the centuries, an exciting and varied environment immersed in the natural oasis of Pontoncello Park, with paths shadowed by towering black poplars and elegant weeping willows immersed in the magical silence of the landscape.

Horses and riders blend in perfect harmony with these ideal surroundings, in which the relationship between man and horse reaches its utmost expression.

The silence is interrupted only by the sounds of nature and by an extremely rich fauna living in the Park: from the birds’ chirping to the croaking of frogs, from the leaping of a hare to the elusive look of a fox.

Participants will be amazed at the beauty and uniqueness of the Italia Festival track.

Seeing is the best proof.

Mum and daughter make New Zealand riding team

Stuff.co.nz - Full Article

20/5/2014

New Zealand has named a five-strong endurance team, including a mother and daughter from Manawatu, for this year's World Equestrian Games in France.

Andrea and Georgia Smith were the first mother-daughter combination to represent New Zealand at the flagship equestrian event. Georgia, at 17, was also believed to be the youngest.

Joining them were Alison Higgins (Nelson), who made her second WEG team, Braden Cameron (Wellington) and Susie Latta (Otago).

New Zealand would also have three-day eventing and vaulting teams in Normandy, with the possibility of showjumping and para-equestrian representatives as well.

"These are riders who have all come up through the squad system and shown good form over recent seasons," the endurance team's chef d'equipe, Tony Parsons, said.

"There is a really good mix of experience and enthusiasm."

Parsons was picking Andrea Smith as the individual to watch.

"Her horse is a real star and she has the quality to match that talent," he said.

Information gathered at last year's endurance event was proving a valuable tool in preparation for the championships...

Read more here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/10063634/Mum-and-daughter-make-NZ-riding-team

New Zealand: Kiwi Endurance Team for WEG a Cracker

NZEquestrian.org.nz

20/05/2014 9:52:15 a.m.

There’s history in the naming of the New Zealand endurance team to compete at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in France.

With less than 100 days to go until the championship event, Equestrian Sports New Zealand has announced its endurance team, which includes mother and daughter Andrea and Georgia Smith. The Mangaweka duo are the first such combination to represent the sport at an equestrian championship together, and Georgia is believed to be the youngest ever. Joining them are Alison Higgins (Nelson), who makes her second WEG team, Braden Cameron (Wellington) and Susie Latta (Otago).

New Zealand will also have eventing and vaulting teams at WEG, with the possibility of showjumping and para-equestrian representatives too. ESNZ high performance director Sarah Harris and the endurance team’s chef d’Equipe Tony Parsons are very excited by the prospect of their five-strong team.

“These are riders who have all come up through the squad system and shown good form over recent seasons,” said Parsons. “There is a really good mix of experience and enthusiasm.”

The horsepower under all five riders was impressive, but Parsons is picking Andrea Smith, who rode the champs test event last year, as the individual to watch. “Her horse is a real star and she has the quality to match that talent.”

Information gathered at last year’s endurance test event is proving a valuable tool in preparation for the championships. “It is not going to be a straight foot race in Normandy, which is great for teams like us,” says Parsons. “It’s going to require plenty of mental toughness too.”

The best three scores count for the team tally.

It’s been a tricky run for the endurance riders. The national championships were cancelled at Easter due to dreadful weather, and a final selection run at Taupo was arranged for three weeks later. That meant some riders just missed out, unable to juggle other commitments and keep their horses in work.

But one of the biggest hurdles for the riders has not been making the team. Rather it will be in the required fund-raising to get their horses to France, and hopefully back. Each rider needs to raise around $60,000 – but some have already said they will probably have to sell their horses in Europe.

“These riders get minimal funding,” says Parsons. “We really do think, that for the long term development of the sport, we would like these horses to come home . . . but that won’t be possible for all of them.”

For Sarah Harris, the strength of the team is an indicator of how far the endurance programme has come in the last two years. “Two years ago we only had one combination qualified for the Endurance World Champs, so we are thrilled to have the ability to send a team like this to France,” she says.

She reiterates Parsons’ belief in Andrea Smith. “She and her horse are the most exciting prospect ever sent offshore from New Zealand endurance,” says Harris. “She could definitely go top 10 – it is a big ask, but I believe they could do it.”

To celebrate the 100 days to go until WEG, artist Christophe Dumont, with more than 20 others, created sand art featuring giant horseshoes in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. The endurance event will pass through this bay.

By Diana Dobson
HP Media Liaison

Great Britain: Family pride as brothers-in-law win Windsor endurance 2* title

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

By Horsetalk.co.nz on May 17, 2014 in Focus

Brothers-in-law Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain and Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum of The United Arab Emirates shared victory in the Royal Windsor Endurance 120km CEI** competition yesterday.

“We wanted to make both fathers happy – His Majesty King Hamad and my father-in-law His Highness Mohammed Bin Rashid – by crossing the line together,” said Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad, who was riding Onirik de Becheral...

Read more here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/05/17/family-pride-windsor-endurance/#ixzz31z0KDVep

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