Mongolia: Not your run-of-the-mill horse derby

Heraldsun.com - Full Article

Jun. 27, 2014 @ 05:17 PM
Wes Platt

Rose Sandler wants to gallop in the footsteps of a conqueror.

Centuries before Pony Express riders thundered across the untamed American West, Genghis Khan established a long-distance postal system using horse messengers in the Mongol steppe.

Since 2009, a group known as The Adventurists has hosted the Mongol Derby. It’s a race that covers 621 miles of rough, marmot-riddled terrain through unpredictable weather, all on the backs of 25 different horses that riders can only hope want to go the same direction as them.

“It’s going to be awesome, life-changing,” said Sandler, a former Rougemont resident who now lives in Culpeper, Virginia, but often visits Durham to enjoy the music scene at places like Motorco.

The race through the Mongolian wilderness was inspired by Genghis Khan’s use of horse stations – known as morin urtuus – to allow messengers to travel the breadth of his empire, from Kharkorin to the Caspian Sea...

Read more here:
http://www.heraldsun.com/news/x1625942904/Not-your-run-of-the-mill-horse-derby

2014 WEG: 30 days to go: The fitting-out of the venues continues

Normandy2014.com

Thursday 24 July 2014 - 19h42

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy are hosting 8 disciplines spanning no fewer than 5 competition venues! It’s a challenge, which requires substantial logistics and numerous facilities. Over these last 30 days, the Organising Committee is ready to begin its final push to ensure the very best reception for the 1,000 athletes and 500,000 spectators expected to attend the event from 23 August.

SARTILLY - BAY OF MONT ST MICHEL

Mont St MichelSituated in the Manche area, the town of Sartilly will be the starting point for the Endurance event on Thursday, 28 August.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Bay of Mont Saint Michel will provide a majestic backdrop for this 160 km competition set out in a series of loops.

More information about this venue will be available soon...

Read more here:
http://www.normandy2014.com/news/articles/602/30-days-to-go-the-fitting-out-of-the-venues-continues

Record participation in Italia Verona Endurance Festival

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Mansour Festival-supported event to feature first-ever ride for ladies
Staff ReportPublished: 15:46 July 25, 2014

Dubai: A record 200 riders representing 19 countries will be seen in action in the Italia Verona Endurance Festival being held under the umbrella of the HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival on Saturday and Sunday.
The two-day extravaganza features the first CEIO Two Star Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Cup, a world class ladies’ competition being held in Europe for the first time.

Sunday’s action is highlighted by the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup OPEN CEI Two Star ride, the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup (Young and Junior riders) Two Star event and the Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Endurance Cup One Star ride.

The UAE ladies’ team will be represented by Shathra Al Hajjaj, Alia Kazim Al Khafajy, Ayesha Al Romaithi, Afra Khalifa Al Suwaidi and Aya Abdul Redha.

Hosts Italy will field over 30 riders, who will be joined by top riders from more than 15 countries in the 120-kilometre ride...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/record-participation-in-italia-verona-endurance-festival-1.1363910

Great Britain: Annie and her 'absolute superstar' Dilmun to live the dream at WEG

Westernmorningnews.co.uk - Full Article

By Western Morning News | Posted: July 25, 2014

By Sarah Pitt. @WMNHorses

An endurance rider from Cornwall is off to the World Equestrian Games in Normandy next month after making Team GB.

Annie Joppe and her Arab gelding Dilmun will ride 100 miles – 160km – in the ride on August 27 from Sartilly, close to the fishing port of St Malo.

The day-long epic ride route includes stretch along the beach past Mont St Michel, for which Annie is preparing with training rides along the sands at Perranporth.

Annie, 56, from Goonhavern in North Cornwall, is the oldest member of the five-strong all female endurance team. She has spent the past nine years working her way up through the sport’s ranks, latterly competing in FEI three star 100-mile rides with Dilmun and her Anglo-Arab gelding Fantom...

Read more here: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Annie-absolute-superstar-Dilmun-live-dream-WEG/story-21938153-detail/story.html#ixzz38UNSm3gF

Pierre Genecand Submits Official Candidacy For FEI Presidency

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

July 10, 2014
By: Lisa Slade

The Swiss Equestrian Federation has named Pierre E. Genecand as a candidate for the FEI presidency and submitted the official candidacy to the Fédération Equestre Internationale today, July 10. Genecand announced his intention to run in April this year.

It’s presumed that Genecand will run against incumbent FEI president HRH Haya bint al-Hussein, who could make herself available for a third period of office after an FEI Extraordinary General Assembly changed statues to allow one person to serve three terms. The election will take place in December in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Genecand, a 64-year-old insurance broker, successful businessman and the former owner of Gesrep AG, lives in Geneva and Buenos Aires (Argentina), and he has been president of the Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad, the most important Swiss polo tournament, for almost 20 years...

Read more here:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/pierre-genecand-submits-official-candidacy-fei-presidency

HRH Princess Haya Honoured with Prize of the City of Aachen

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Horse Sport July 21, 2014 | 0 comments

HRH Princess Haya has been presented with the Prize of the City of Aachen in recognition of her long-standing commitment to equestrian sport. The FEI President received the award at a special ceremony in the main arena at the Aachen CHIO in Germany yesterday.

Presented by the Major of the City of Aachen Marcel Philipp, the award has been given annually since 1995 to personalities who have rendered outstanding services to the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival, the traditional event that hosts upwards of 360,000 spectators on-site to view top equestrian sport.

“This award means a great deal to me both personally and in my role as FEI President,” Princess Haya said at yesterday’s presentation ceremony. “In receiving it I must emphasise that I have achieved nothing alone. Every step forward in equestrian sport made since I became President is the result of teamwork. And the team is very big: it is not only the staff at FEI Headquarters, it is also the FEI Bureau, the discipline committees, the National Federations, the sponsors and event organisers...

Read more here:
http://www.horse-canada.com/horse-news/hrh-princess-haya-honoured-with-prize-of-the-city-of-aachen/

UAE Announces WEG 2014-Nominated Riders

Chef d'Equipe Saeed Humaid Al Tayer

Mansour Saeed Mohammed Al Faresi - Norwest
Saeed Ahmad Jaber Al Harbi - Africano
Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri - Farak; Moota Haddeea
HE Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum - Qhashmyr d'Hazel; Yamamah
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashin Al Maktoum - Ajayeb; Intisaar
Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum - Nopoli del Ma; Novisaad d'Aqui
Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri - Qrafik la Majorie; Quran El Ulm
Saeed Mohammed Khalifa Al Mehairi - Kedjari Des Serres
Saif Ahmed Al Mozroui - Oso Larrikin

Keep up with news on the August 28th World Endurance Championship in France here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/France/2014WEG/index.html