USEF Names Short List for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Endurance Team

USEFNetwork.com

RELEASE: June 19, 2014
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: USEF Communications Department

Lexington, Ky.- The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named ten horse-and-athlete combinations to the Short List for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Endurance Team. Additionally, three combinations have been named as alternates.

The following horse-and-athlete combinations have been named to the Short List (in ranked order):

Heather Reynolds (Dunnellon, Fla.) and her own Chanses
Chanses is a 2005 Arabian gelding.

Ellen Olson (La Motte, Iowa) and Farzad Faryadi's Hot Desert Knight
Hot Desert Knight is a 2000 Arabian gelding.

Dr. Margaret Sleeper (Frenchtown, N.J.) and her own Syrocco Reveille
Syrocco Reveille is a 2000 Arabian mare.

Jeremy Reynolds (Dunnellon, Fla.) and his own RR Gold Dust Rising
RR Gold Dust Rising is a 2006 Arabian gelding.

Kelsey Russell (Williston, Fla.) and Valerie Kanavy's My Wild Irish Gold
My Wild Irish Gold is a 2003 Anglo Arab mare.

Jeremy Olson (La Motte, Iowa) and Amy Wallace-Whelan's Wallace Hill Shade
Wallace Hill Shade is a 2002 Half-Arabian gelding.

Valerie Kanavy (Fort Valley, Va.) with her own Just Gold
Just Gold is a 2005 Arabian gelding.

Lisanne Dorion (Williston, Fla.) with her own SH Sur Trad
SH Sur Trad is a 2004 Arabian gelding.

Dr. Nicki Meuten (Zebulon, N.C.) and her own FYF Dutch
FYF Dutch is a 2004 Arabian gelding.

Melody Blittersdorf (Jeffersonville, Vt.) with her own Synthetic
Synthetic is a 2000 Arabian gelding.

The following horse-and-athlete combinations have been named as alternates to the Short List (in ranked order):

Dr. Margaret Sleeper (Frenchtown, N.J.) and her own Syrocco Cadence
Syrocco Cadence is a 2003 Arabian mare.

Martha Rattner (Paris, Ky.) and James Hay's Indepen
Indepen is a 2002 Arabian stallion.

Willemina DeBoer (Hico, Texas) with her own Frisia Shaheen
Frisia Shaheen is a 2006 Arabian gelding.

Second Yellow Card Suspends Sheikh Mohammed Bin Mubarak Al Khalifa

Chronical of the Horse
By: Taylor Joyce

The Fédération Equestre Internationale has suspended Bahrainian endurance rider Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa beginning June 12 after he received his second yellow warning card in four months, this time during his ride at the Compiegne CEI** (France), May 23-25. He was charged with “abuse of horse.”

Compiegne marked Mubarak's first ride back at an FEI competition since the Sakhir CEI** (Bahrain) on Feb. 8, where he received a yellow warning card and a fine of $560 after a video brought to light maltreatment of his horse by people on foot as they neared the finish line in the lead. They chased Tarabic Carl and even possibly hit him to encourage him to keep going. Mubarak was charged with “abuse of horse” and “non-compliance with applicable endurance rules” at Sakhir after the video went viral, causing an Internet uproar. At that point, the Bahrainian National Federation suspended both the rider and the groom involved in the incident until the end of the endurance season.

Because Mubarak’s two offenses took place within a 12-month period, he’s banned from FEI competition for two months. His suspension will end on Aug. 11.

Five riders in total received yellow cards at Compiegne. Three of those were horse-related abuses. In addition to Sheikh Mohammed, Faleh Nasser S.S. Bughenaim of Quatar and Sheikh Hasher bin Mhod Thani Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates received yellow cards for "maltreatment of a horse."

Compiegne was also the event where an extremely thin horse was allowed to start the 160-kilometer CEI. Bahrainian rider Raed Mahmood rode Shakla's Sudden Impact. The horse did vet out at the second gate for lameness. Another horse, L Emerita di Gallura, died after being vetted out for metabolic reasons at gate 2 in the CEI.

Full article, Chronicle of the Horse

New measures against horse doping a step closer in UAE

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

By Horsetalk.co.nz on Jun 19, 2014 in Focus

The United Arab Emirates is a step closer to enshrining new measures against horse doping in law, after an advisory council approved draft legislation that outlines fines and bans for breaches.

The draft law passed by the government advisory council outlines fines ranging from Dhs20,000 ($US5400) to Dhs500,000 (US$136,100).

The proposed law covers all equestrian sports, including racing, endurance, and polo.

Bans on individuals range up to three years, with life bans possible for repeat offenders...

Read more here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/06/19/tougher-measures-horse-doping-uae-step-closer/#ixzz355n1Fn63

Australia: State championship endurance ride in Wagin

Waginargus.com.au - Full Article

SIXTEEN horses and riders left the track of the Collie racecourse and headed into the forest with just their reliable headlights to guide them along the way on midnight on May 30.

This was the start of this year's state championship ride of 160kms.

Several riders were pinning their hopes on a completion to qualify for a start in the Tom Quilty National Championship Endurance ride to be held in early October from the Wagin sports ground.

Riders rode the event over five legs to return each time to the racecourse for the horses to be deemed fit by the veterinary panel to continue the ride...

Read more here:
http://www.waginargus.com.au/story/2358329/state-championship-endurance-ride-in-wagin/?cs=2169

Australia: Enduros an enduring Eurobodalla passion

Batemanpost.com.au - Full Article

June 19 2014

Contestants are clocking up forest miles in preparation for the Currowan Endurance Ride at Nelligen on July 5 and 6

Organiser Jenny Shepheard said the ride offered something for all levels, with 80km, 40km and 20km events, and that new entries were welcome.

Mrs Shepheard said a new ride based on “a flat grassy paddock” was a big improvement on past events.

“We have held two rides in the past and have had access problems so we have a fantastic new ride base,” she said.

“A farmer has kindly given us permission to use a few hundred metres off the Kings Highway on the outskirts of Nelligen, at the start of the River Road...

Read more here:
http://www.batemansbaypost.com.au/story/2363433/enduros-an-enduring-eurobodalla-passion/?cs=12

Australia: Toowoomba rider makes most of French connection

QT.com.au - Full Article

Ben Drewe | 18th Jun 2014 4:55 PM

TOOWOOMBA veterinarian Sasha Laws-King could use her professional knowledge for a different purpose in late August when she rides a French horse in the World Equestrian Games in France.

Laws-King has been selected as a representative for Australia in eventing at the World Equestrian Games, which will be held in Normandy, France from August 23 to September 7.

The former national youth representative will ride at open at the world championships for the first time after qualifying for the 160km endurance event on French horse Qacima Du Sauveterre.

"It's very exciting. It's always good to have a goal to work towards and certainly once I finished with my young riders world championships back in 2007, the aim was certainly to try for the seniors," she said...

Read more here:
http://www.qt.com.au/news/toowoomba-equestrian-eventing-sasha-laws-king/2293434/

Horse racing-UAE govt advisory council passes draft law to combat horse doping

Reuters

By Maha El Dahan and Martin Dokoupil

ABU DHABI/DUBAI, June 17 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government advisory council passed a draft law against horse doping on Tuesday, aiming to clear a reputation tarnished by doping scandals in flat and endurance races.

The bill, which covers all equestrian disciplines from racing to polo, outlines financial penalties from 20,000 to 500,000 dirhams ($5,400-$136,100) for various doping offences.

A supervisory authority can also ban individuals from the sport for three years. In case of repeated offences a lifetime ban is an option.

"This is the first legislation on the level of law. Before there were just some regulations governing it," Rashid al-Shuraiki, the head of a Federal National Council (FNC) committee in charge of drafting the bill, told Reuters.

"We tried ... to have everything in it and not leave any loopholes, to give confidence to all participants in races in the UAE and to the UAE when it participates in races abroad," he said on the sidelines of a six-hour discussion about the draft.

Angered by doping in his Godolphin stables last year, UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum initiated last May a decree that made the import, sale, purchase or use of anabolic steroids in horse sports a criminal offence under the UAE penal laws.

Godolphin's reputation suffered a serious blow when the British Horseracing Authority banned former trainer Mahmood al-Zarooni for administering anabolic steroids to horses at his Moulton Paddock stables in Newmarket.

U.K. border authorities last year also seized a shipment of unlicensed veterinary goods from a Dubai government jet.

The incidents caused serious embarrassment to Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed, Britain's leading racehorse owner and the world champion in endurance, who closed Zarooni's stables with around 200 horses and ordered internal investigation.

FORBIDS TRADING

Zarooni won the 2012 Dubai World Cup - the world's richest horse race - for Godolphin with Monterosso, as well as English Classics the St Leger and 1,000 Guineas.

In September, Sheikh Mohammed's wife Princess Haya, who may run for re-election as a president of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), appointed former London police chief Lord Stevens to oversee an internal inquiry into the sheikh's global equine interests.

Lord Stevens's report cleared Sheikh Mohammed of any wrongdoing and concluded that Zarooni had acted alone.

In a document to the 40-member FNC explaining reasons behind drafting the law, the committee noted "a lack of consistency in test results from laboratories" which led to credibility doubts, adding international certification would be required.

The government is expected to send the draft to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan for signing into law.

The draft law also forbids trading in banned substances and the purchase of such a substance is only allowed with special permission from the government. Controlled substances used for treating horses for ailments do not require such a permission but they are banned during the competition season.

The use of a number of mechanical and electrical devices used to massage horse muscles will also be banned, the FNC voted despite objections by a government minister that their use cannot be tested.

Endurance racing in the UAE, where both horses and riders often battle gruelling heat and desert dust in races as long as 160 km (99 miles) in one day, has been also mired in doping and horse welfare controversy.

The draft spelled out several doping cases where UAE riders were suspended as a result over the last two years. The FEI revised the discipline's rules earlier this month, saying its task force is looking at ways that new technology can be used to ensure horse welfare and provide a level playing field globally. (Writing by Martin Dokoupil; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)