FEI suspends UAE National Federation

FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 12 March 2015

The FEI Bureau has suspended the National Federation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for an indeterminate period following an investigation by the FEI into major horse welfare issues and non-compliance with FEI Rules and Regulations in the discipline of Endurance.

The Bureau, chaired by FEI President Ingmar De Vos, was unanimous in its decision to suspend the UAE National Federation.

Under the terms of the suspension, which has been imposed immediately, the UAE National Federation may not attend or be represented at any session or meeting of any body of the FEI, may not organise any international events, and its members cannot participate in any international events. However, the Bureau has ruled that UAE athletes from disciplines other than Endurance may compete under the FEI flag in international competitions organised outside the UAE.

The Bureau has clearly outlined to the UAE Federation that any potential reinstatement to FEI membership is dependent on the UAE Federation signing an agreement with the FEI under which the UAE Federation pledges to take such action as the FEI Bureau deems necessary to assure the FEI and all stakeholders that the UAE Federation is protecting the welfare of the horse and complying fully with the FEI Rules and Regulations.

"The decision to suspend a National Federation is not something that is taken lightly and we only should do this if no other remedy can be found,” the FEI President said. “Sadly this was the only option left, but we have to take our responsibility and must never be afraid of tackling major issues head-on. Where horse welfare is concerned the FEI has to show leadership and solve problems in a structural way without making any concessions.

"We were confident that strict enforcement of the new rules implemented on 1 August 2014 following adoption of the recommendations from the Endurance Strategic Planning Group would be effective in reducing the numbers of catastrophic injuries and fatalities in the UAE, but regretfully this has not been the case. There have also been other major non-compliance issues, so in the end we had no other choice than taking this drastic measure to deal with an unacceptable situation.”

As an interim emergency measure to protect horse welfare and preserve the integrity of FEI rules and regulations at FEI events while the FEI Bureau was considering the Executive Board’s recommendations for further action, the Secretary General Sabrina Zeender removed the two remaining Endurance events in the UAE from the FEI calendar two weeks ago, a move that garnered widespread support from National Federations and welfare groups.

The UAE National Federation has been notified of the suspension by the FEI Secretary General today, 12 March 2015. The UAE Federation has 30 days to appeal the suspension to the FEI Tribunal.

Separately, the FEI has requested the Equestrian Community Integrity Unit to conduct a full investigation into allegations of fake events and the duplication of results at FEI Endurance events in the UAE.

Endurance Wars: The Phantom Menace

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

Neil Clarkson | March 11, 2015

There has been a disturbance in the Force – an anomaly so extraordinary that the endurance community is still trying to comprehend exactly what it could mean for the sport.

Social media has been abuzz since British equestrian journalist Pippa Cuckson unearthed what would seem to be an impossible coincidence in the results of two races in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)...

http://horsetalk.co.nz/2015/03/11/endurance-wars-phantom-menace/

Endurance Wars: The Phantom Menace

Neil Clarkson. March 11 2015. Horsetalk.co.nz

There has been a disturbance in the Force – an anomaly so extraordinary that the endurance community is still trying to comprehend exactly what it could mean for the sport.

Social media has been abuzz since British equestrian journalist Pippa Cuckson unearthed what would seem to be an impossible coincidence in the results of two races in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Cuckson, in her March 6 piece published by the Daily Telegraph, raised questions about the results officially posted on the FEI website in respect of the two races, both of which provided qualifiers for the rich President’s Cup, run over 160km.

One was a 120km race on January 21 in Dubai; the second an 80km event on December 23 in Abu Dhabi. Cuckson noted that finishing rates for the fixtures were much higher than the local average.

But, most controversially, she identified some quite remarkable similarities between finishing times and loop times with previous races.

In fact, the results logged on the FEI website for the leading 47 horses in the December 23 race are identical to those of the 10th to 56th-placed horses from a race at Bou Thib on November 21-22.

[Read more ...]

UAE: Equestrian corruption crisis: Lord Stevens to lead investigation into 12 separate 'phantom' races

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article

Endurance racing facing huge scandal as Telegraph finds evidence UAE-hosted events never actually took place

By Pippa Cuckson, Equestrian Correspondent

11 Mar 2015

The global body governing equestrian sport has ordered an independent investigation after Telegraph Sport uncovered 12 separate allegedly 'bogus' UAE-hosted endurance races.

The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) asked Quest, the integrity services agency run by former Met police chief Lord Stevens, to examine evidence compiled by the Telegraph that none of the 12 races were ever run, even though detailed results data from them appears on the FEI's official website.

Telegraph Sport exposed last week that 'bogus' or 'phantom' races were the latest scandal to hit the crisis-torn sport of endurance racing, detailing how two races purportedly staged on December 23 and January 21 appeared to exist only as sets of results, and were never actually staged...

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/equestrianism/11463573/Equestrian-corruption-crisis-Lord-Stevens-to-lead-investigation-into-12-separate-phantom-races.html

Equine Canada Supports Endurance Reform

Equinecanada.ca

March 10, 2015
by: Equine Canada

As the national governing body for equestrian sport and recreation, horse welfare is paramount to Equine Canada (EC). Therefore, EC strongly supports the recent actions taken by the FEI to reform the sport of endurance in Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Region Group VII.

EC also fully supports the FEI in its decision to cancel the remaining international endurance events scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in March 2015.

EC feels that these emergency measures implemented by the FEI are necessary to protect horse welfare, and uphold the integrity of the rules governing FEI competitions.

"Dreaming of Tevis" Essay Contest for Young Riders

Teviscup.org

Have you been dreaming of riding Tevis? Then enter the Dreaming of Tevis Essay Contest and you could find yourself riding the 2015 Tevis Cup! One lucky young rider will receive a full Tevis experience including airfaire*, entry and use of an experienced Tevis horse with full crew for the 2015 Tevis Cup.

Write an essay in 650 words or less answering the 3 questions:
1. Why I love the sport of endurance
2. What drives me to excel in it
3. Why I want to ride the Tevis Cup.

Contest is open to foreign and US young riders 18-22 years of age.

Entry form and essay are due before April 29 2015.

For entry form and official rules for guideline restrictions, see
http://www.teviscup.org/tevis-2015/dream-of-tevis-contest

Scotland's Tevis Equivalent: The Cairngorm 100

Cairngorm100.co.uk

The Cairngorm 100 is a 100 miles in 24 hours horse riding endurance challenge with some basic similarities to the Tevis Cup which will be held on July 11-12, 2015.

Horse/rider combinations will start in the early hours of Saturday morning and follow a challenging route through the foothills of the Cairngorm mountain range. The course will consist of clearly marked well-established tracks and paths with some strenuous climbing in some spectacular terrain. The route takes riders into open, and at times hostile, country. Crewing and assistance will be in place as well as vets, farriers and mountain rescue. The welfare of the horse will be paramount.

The successful finishers of this unique challenge will each be presented with a Belt Buckle. These have been specially made and engraved, and are not available to purchase, so anyone seen wearing one will have successfully ridden the Cairngorm 100 ride!

In addition to the 100 mile ride we will also be having a 50 mile ride, which has the same finish venue at Glen Clova hotel. There are also elevator options at 50 miles and 75 miles.

More information and entry forms can be seen at:
http://www.cairngorm100.co.uk/