Australia: Discover a hidden gem at St Albans in the MacDonald Valley on Sydney’s doorstep

Heraldsun.com.au - Full Article

DAVID FITZSIMONS BEST WEEKEND EDITOR AT LARGE
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH NOVEMBER 03, 2014

Abandoned. Overgrown. A pile of rubble with only a warning sign about its dangers for company.

The foundation stone had been laid in 1839 but the building was used for only a few years as its intended purpose — a Catholic church.

Two monks later moved in — but they were gone within five years. And then a bushfire destroyed its shingle roof.

It soon became the forgotten building in the Forgotten Valley.

The area’s correct name is the Macdonald Valley and it’s barely 90 minutes — but a world away — from suburban Sydney.

It traces its settlement history back to the First Fleet but when quicker road-rail access from Sydney to Newcastle was built, the valley became a backwater — hence its Forgotten Valley moniker.

The forgotten building, St Joseph’s Church, stood as a silent sentinel on a hill overlooking the valley for more than 160 years but now, like several other buildings in the valley, it has been restored and rebuilt to offer accommodation to the increasing number of people seeking a weekend getaway from the city.

Today the valley is also a delightful place for a day trip from Sydney — lush paddocks nestle up to the wide expanses of the Macdonald River between historic bridges; old buildings — many still in ruins — dot the landscape and there’s even roadside art, including a farm with fake animals around a waterhole...

Read more here:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/travel/australia/discover-a-hidden-gem-at-st-albans-in-the-macdonald-valley-on-sydneys-doorstep/story-fnjjv02g-1227108117370?nk=1175b042a973303e1193985915d7c6bb

France: 2014 Montcuq

The 38th edition of the 2-day CEI 3* Montcuq ride concluded on November 2, with France's Stephanie Arnal riding Qalife D'Aurabelle winning in a combined time of 10:41.27. Second place with a combined time of 10:46.07 was France's Edmee Merlin riding Zarafa De L'Hom. Third place went to another French rider, Lauriane Recoules aboard Guarfao De Bozouls, in 10:46.49.

Montcuq is one of the most famous endurance rides in the world, being as famous in Europe as USA's Tevis Cup and Australia's Tom Quilty. The trail has changed little over the years, and the history of the race is intimately linked to endurance riding in Europe. Pierre Passemard began organizing endurance riding in France in 1976, founding with Denis Letartre and others the French Equestrian Association Races Endurance, which organized the first endurance ride in France, the 100-km Rodez ride in 1977. The same year, the Florac and the 2-day Montcuq rides were established.

59 started this year's 2-day Montcuq ride; 40 completed the first day, and 26 completed both days. Complete results here:
http://www.2jdemontcuq.com/2-jours-de-montcuq-classement-general.html

Qatar to host global Arabian horse gathering next month

Thepeninsulaqatar.com

October 30 2014

Doha: A variety of guest speakers have been assembled for the 2014 World Arabian Horse Organisation (WAHO) conference in Qatar next month.

A team of internationally renowned experts with specialist knowledge in a wide range of subjects including equine welfare and behavioural studies, genetics and cultural heritage, will speak at the conference, which starts on November 10.

The Qatar Foundation and the Qatar National Research Fund are supporting two presentations to be delivered by Prof. Tadeusz Majda (Poland) and Dr Doug Antczak (USA), who will be joined by speakers from France and the United Kingdom.

Antczak, from Cornell University, will give an overview of the new research project on the genetics of the Arabian horse, while Majda will present the translation of the Count Rzewuski Manuscript into English and Arabic.

Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Chairman Sheikh Mohamed bin Faleh Al Thani said the club was delighted to be hosting some of the world’s leading authorities in their respective fields.

“To complement the conference we will be inviting delegates to visit some of Qatar’s major stud farms and training centres providing a rare opportunity to see such a high concentration of quality Arabian breeding stock, race and show horses anywhere in the world.”

The ten-day event will incorporate racing at Al Rayyan Racecourse, Doha, where the race programme on November 12 will feature the WAHO Conference Qatar Cup, an 1800m contest for Purebred Arabian maidens, and the inaugural running of the Jay Stream Cup, a memorial race named in tribute to the first WAHO President widely acknowledged as the most influential figure in the development of worldwide agreement on the registration and record keeping of the purebred Arabian horse. Other speakers include: Cynthia Culbertson (USA) – Bedouin Traditions and their relevance today, Dr Martine Hausberger (France) -How our perception of horse behaviour affects their welfare, Elizabeth J. Launders (UK) – The rider or trainer’s influence, negative and positive, on horse performance, Dr Jean-Louis Leclerc (France) – Improving the welfare of the endurance horses in training and competition, Dr Clemence Lesimple (France) – Improving horses’ health and welfare through adapted management practices, Roland Owers, World Horse Welfare (UK) – Horse Welfare: A Global View.

WAHO celebrates its 44th anniversary this year. It has held a conference every second year since 1970. It has 65 member and applying member nations, with an additional 19 countries whose Arabians are registered by neighbouring countries.

The 2013 conference in Brazil was cancelled, but 2011 host, the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, stepped in to host WAHO again in 2014.

Full details of the event can be found on a dedicated website at www.wahoqatar2014.com. The Peninsula

Great Britain: What a great start to 2015

Endurancegb.co.uk

27 October 2014
Three lucky riders have been invited to ride in an FEI 3* being held in Dubai Endurance city on the 10th January 2015.

The event is the HH SH. MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM ENDURANCE CUP and the lucky three riders are:

Carri Ann Dark
Annette Masterson
Robert Newall

We wish them luck and hope they have a great time!

WEG Heads to Canada in 2018

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA
Oct 26, 2014

The World Equestrian Games will take place in Bromont, Canada, only the second time it’s been held in North America.

That’s right. The World Equestrian Games (WEG) were the Jeux Equestres Mondiaux (JEM) this year. And next time, they’ll be the JEM again, in French-speaking Canada.

Ah, but just because it’s going to be JEM again doesn’t mean it’s going to be JEM Normandy again. The language might be the same (though the French would beg to differ), but the venues are worlds apart...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34768/weg-heads-to-canada-in-2018?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=sports-medicine&utm_campaign=10-26-2014

Russia: Weaved canvas of history

Vestnikkavkaza.net - Full Article

24 October 2014 - 1:23pm
By Turkmenistaninfo.ru

The All-Russian Decorative Art Museum has invited Moscow residents and guests to see a unique Turkmen carpet, the only show-piece at the exhibition. The carpet named “Endurance Riding” was made at the Ashkhabad Carpet Factory in 1937 and dedicated to events of the endurance riding of Turkmen equestrians from Ashkhabad to Moscow in 1935. Organizers of the exposition had every reason to create the exhibition of just one show-piece, the story of the carpet and the events related to it have no analogies in history.

A group of Akhal-Teke and Yomut horse riders left Ashkhabad and headed to Moscow in the summer of 1935. Thirty riders travelled 4,300km in 84 days. They travelled 350km through Karakumy, the Ustyurt Plateau, the crossing of the Kazakh steppes, the Russian forest zones.

The rally had military goals: cavalry was still part of the armed forces then, the endurance and strength of Turkmen horses needed testing. All the participants of the rally succeeded. The Akhal-Teke horses proved their endurance and reliability. Newspapers then had proof of the joyful meeting of equestrians in the capital of the country. Moscow residents were waiting for them at the Abelmanovskaya Zastava, forming a line along the street. People threw flowers to the riders.
The participants of the rally became national heroes. No wonder they were chosen as the story for the carpet made by talented Turkmen weavers using designs of the artist A. Savostin.

77 years later, staff of the All-Russian Decorative Art Museum decided to show the unique Turkmen carpet to the public. The carpet had never been demonstrated to Russians before. It was only seen at the 1939 New York World Fair...

Read more here:
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/culture/61374.html

Great Britain: What a year! 14 successes in 14 rides

Endurancegb.co.uk - Full Story

(Published:20 October 2014)

Nicki Thorne has had the most magical year - 'dreams really do come true ! Everyone who rides horses at any level knows how tough it can be and sometimes it's hard enough to get around the smaller distances so I am unbelievably proud of my wonderful horses who are competing over the bigger distances and have given me such an incredible result.

It goes without saying that you cannot do the FEI rides without a amazing team and I have incredible people with me at the rides - my husband Andy Thorne who is always at my side supporting me every step of the way and Michelle Macleod my crew extraordinaire, but also my people at home who enable me to travel with the horses - Daniel Stehlik and Fiona Clark. These people give me the confidence to go out there and concentrate on the horses without distractions...

Read more here:
http://endurancegb.co.uk/main/news#2014102002