New Zealand: Latta intent on returning to world endurance champs

ODT.co.nz - Full Article

By Steve Hepburn on Wed, 5 Nov 2014

Susie Latta admits it was a long way to go to not even complete the event but she says she enjoyed every moment of it.
And the Nenthorn Valley horsewoman is determined to return in four years' time.

Latta and her horse, Tkiwa, were reunited on the Latta farm last week after the mare came out of quarantine following her return from the World Equestrian Games in France in late August.

The duo competed in the endurance race at the World Equestrian Games near Normandy but did not finish the 160km event.

But Latta was far from disgraced in not finishing - only 37 out of 170 competitors managed to reach the finish line, in what was a race of attrition...

Read more here:
http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/equestrian/322316/equestrian-latta-intent-returning-world-endurance-champs

Qatar: WAHO 14 Conference Speakers Announced

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

by Pamela Burton
October 21 2014

Under the patronage of H. H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani, special advisor to H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, a team of internationally renowned experts with specialist knowledge in a wide range of subjects including equine welfare and behavioral studies, and genetics and cultural heritage, will assemble in Qatar for the 2014 World Arabian Horse Organization (WAHO) conference which begins on Monday, 10 November.

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

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/2014/10/21/waho-14-conference-speakers-announced/

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