Endurance racing community descends on Verona, Italy

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Mansour Global Arabian Racing Festival supports two-day event in Italy this weekend

Staff Report
Published: July 11, 2014

Dubai: Nearly 60 riders and horses representing 16 countries will be in action in the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival-supported Italia Endurance Festival, which takes place in Verona, Italy, this weekend.

Saturday’s highlights include the European Championships for Juniors and Young Riders and the HH Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup.

Apart from the riders competing for individual honours, many countries will also be taking part in the team championship. Riders will represent Belgium, Slovakia, Denmark, Spain, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/endurance-racing-community-descends-on-verona-1.1358560

South Africa: Saddle up in the Swartberg

Iol.co.za - Full Article

July 10 2014 at 06:00pm
By Myrtle Ryan

Cape Town - South Africa’s famous horse endurance event, an eye-watering, bum-numbing ride of over 210km, takes place annually in Fauresmith in the southern Free State.

Not for me, thanks. I would probably fall off long before the nether regions became even remotely uncomfortable. Still, riders often travel considerable distances to participate in qualifying events for this bone-cruncher, which challenges both horse and rider.

One such qualifier is the De Zeekoe Meerkat Challenge, organised by Saddlebag Horse Events on behalf of the Winelands Endurance Club.

For those who might be champing at the bit to get the De Meerkat Challenge under their saddle blanket, SM Travel sussed out the terrain...

Read more here:
http://www.iol.co.za/travel/south-africa/western-cape/saddle-up-in-the-swartberg-1.1717733#.U8BHc41dWnk

India: Giddy up, how about some endurance riding?

Mydigitalfc.com - Full Article

By Yana Bey
Jul 10 2014

Endurance horse riding, though a developing and little-known discipline in India, has a national champ-ionship in our country. A charming adventure sport, it is yet to get its fair share of public, media and sponsor attention. Hopefully, that will change with the holding of an event — Kross Terrain Endurance Ride 2014 — on the outskirts of Jodhpur in the second week of October this year. Those who are riders, or interested in equestrian sport, should begin preparing to attend this event.

Though it is competitive, endurance riding is a world away from conventional horse racing — and truly rewarding for those with an attachment to animals. It is far removed from the first-past-the-post-at-any-cost aggression of traditional races. Over the course of the long ride (there are events of 120, 100, 80, 60 and 40 km), there are periodic veterinarian checks at ‘vet gates’ to ensure that the animal is in good enough condition to carry on. For instance, a pulse rate over 64, dehydration level over 3, a gait that is not smooth, gut sound that is not normal and any bruise, swelling or wound on the legs, girth, back, withers or anywhere else can see a horse eliminated from the competition...

Read more here:
http://www.mydigitalfc.com/leisure-writing/giddy-how-about-some-endurance-riding-035

France Haras sires up for lease not sale

Bloodstock.racingpost.com - Full Article

BY ALASTAIR BOND 11:29AM 7 JUL 2014

NETWORK, the sire of Champion Chase hero Sprinter Sacre, will be available for lease – not for sale – following a change of heart by the French government.

It was announced in June that Network and his fellow French National Stud stallions were to be offered at the Arqana December Breeding-Stock Sale as part of a complete dispersal of the France Haras stock, but after negotiations between breeders’ representatives and minister for agriculture Stephane Le Foll, the state has decided to remain owner of the stallions but offer them for lease...

Read more here:
http://bloodstock.racingpost.com/news/bloodstock/france-haras-sires-up-for-lease-not-sale/1685440/top/

Italy: No investigation into endurance horse death

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

The Italian Horse Protection Association (IHPA) is “upset” that there will be no further investigation into death of a Maktoum-owned endurance horse after a ride last August.

The Italian Equestrian Federation (FISE) — which IHPA first approached 9 months ago — has finally advised no federation rules were broken.

Sonny Richich of the IHPA asked both FISE and the state authorities to intervene after Django De Vere died in a clinic in Sardinia...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/no-investigation-into-endurance-death/#m9bJYO5v89xDV7L3.99

Disbanding the French National Stud

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

July 4, 2014
Pamela Burton

4 July 2014, France ~ The recent announcement of the sale to private parties of some of the last stallions from the historic French National Stud seemed like the final nail in the last horseshoe of a 300+ year-old model—that was working.

The continued sell-off of stallions from pedigrees that served the French Cavalry, won tournaments of endurance and stamina, were tested for speed and came out champions, and became the backbone of the breeding industry of France, has been cause for alarm in the French breeding industry.

In a last-minute effort to save the remaining horses, a proposal to the Minister of Agriculture has been made to continue the genetic legacy that has been nurtured for over three centuries. A group of top officials have penciled a recommendation that would not sell, but would lease stallions of the National Stud, leaving them under the ownership of the people of France. This proposal is on the table and is awaiting offers from qualified breeders, according to the French news agency...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/2014/07/04/disbanding-the-french-national-stud/

2014 WEG: Volunteers' Meeting: a day full of surprises!

Normandy2014.com - Full Article

Friday 04 July 2014 - 08h40

Over 1,000 volunteers gathered on Saturday, June 28th in d'Ornano Stadium for the "volunteer's meeting" of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games ™ 2014 in Normandy. And they were right, as the afternoon was pretty amazing!

To start the day, volunteers attended a presentation of their duties during the Games. The opportunity to recall the key role that each of them will have to play to make this seventh edition of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games a success.

Many other guests then made presentations based on four tables related to each of the values ​​of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games ™ 2014 in Normandy - respect, openness, achievement, transmission. For each presentation, one or several guest speakers, and the crowd couldn't believe what was happening when both Pierre Durand and Nelson Pessoa, two legendary Jumping riders, appeared to talk about a value they know more than well: achievement !...

Read more here:
http://www.normandy2014.com/news/briefs/537/volunteers-meeting-a-day-full-of-surprises