Great Britain: Globally-renowned Golden Horseshoe ride set for return to moor

Westernmorningnews.co.uk - Full Article

By Western Morning News | Posted: May 14, 2015

The 50th – and possibly – last ever Golden Horseshoe endurance ride is taking place on Exmoor this weekend with most classes full as riders seize what may be their last chance to take part.

The ride will see around 200 riders and horses following routes varying in length from 100 to 15 miles over the moor’s rolling hills and valleys.

Two entrants are travelling from Hong Kong to take part with other riders due to arrive from Scotland and Ireland...

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Globally-renowned-Golden-Horseshoe-ride-set/story-26503382-detail/story.html#ixzz3aEhKXuTv

Great Britain: H&H Golden Horseshoe team blog: stunning views and aching legs

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Horse & Hound
13 May, 2015

With just days to go until the Horse & Hound team tackle the Golden Horseshoe, team members Polly Bryan and Rachael Hook update us on their training

Polly: minor acrobatics and protesting thighs

With the 25km Golden Horseshoe ride looming, and having not sat on a horse since going hunting on New Year’s Day, I got in some match practice by heading to Somerset to ride my potential mount for the event.

Sunny, a buzzy 16.3hh ex-pointer, isn’t the usual type of horse you would imagine taking part in an endurance event, but I’m sure he will prove an excellent partner. He has been very kindly lent to me by Jess Baker.

Fellow H&H team member Emily Secrett and I were lucky enough to have beautiful weather as we set off onto Exmoor.

For the first half of the ride, my attention was more focused on the car rally that was taking place in the area — all four of us were acutely aware of the ominous sound of rally cars in the distance.

Thankfully, after being chased up a hill by one such rally car, and Sunny displaying some minor acrobatics, we were into the peace and quiet of the moor.

As we climbed, assessing Sunny and Sox’s suitability for gate opening (Sox – very, Sunny – not so much), the views of the sea and surrounding countryside began to open up — it was really stunning...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/blog/hh-golden-horseshoe-team-blog-stunning-views-and-aching-legs-491872#urPMlY27g5jfy2GQ.99

UAE suspension: What we know so far

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

Neil Clarkson | May 12, 2015

The sun is shining and the temperature climbs to around 40 degrees Celsius across the United Arab Emirates at this time of the year.

It is safe to assume that the air conditioning in the Abu Dhabi headquarters of the Emirates Equestrian Federation is set to a much more comfortable level.

Despite that, we are led to believe the federation is still feeling the heat over its interim suspension by the FEI over concerns in the discipline of endurance...

Read more: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2015/05/12/uae-suspension-what-know/#ixzz3Zw576Brn

Great Britain: Final preparations under-way for equestrian extravaganza at Windsor

Windsorobserver.co.uk - Full Article

10 May 2015

FINAL preparations are being made for one of the most prestigious equestrian events in the country with more than 50,000 visitors expected to descend on Windsor.

The Royal Windsor Horse Show (RWHS) - the UK’s largest outdoor equestrian show, held in the private grounds of Windsor Castle - returns on Wednesday (13/5) promising a five-day equine extravaganza of showjumping, dressage, showing, carriage driving and endurance riding.

Top quality riding is promised with a selection of 3* international jumping and dressage and 1* international jumping classes and appearances by Olympians Ben Maher, Peter Charles, Nick Skelton and Carl Hester who will be hoping for some home advantage.
Simon Brooks-Ward, Royal Windsor Horse Show Director, said: “We are delighted to see some of the world’s best riders returning to Royal Windsor Horse Show this year. We strive to make the show as enjoyable as possible for competitors and it is great to see that it maintains its popularity among all four disciplines across the five action-packed days.”

Mr Maher said: “It’s great to be back at Royal Windsor and competing on home soil. It’s not often that I get to ride in front of a home crowd and it’s such a magical show set in an iconic venue – I can’t wait!”

Mr Hester will also be giving a dressage masterclass on the Friday evening of the show.

There will also be top class equestrian entertainment including The Musical Drive of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, The Musical Ride of the Household Cavalry, The DAKS Pony Club Mounted Games and The Shetland Pony Grand National.

For a third year, the Royal Windsor Endurance (CEI2*) is being held in Windsor Great Park with riders from nine nations covering 120km from 7am on the Friday of the show. The event is free to watch...

- See more at: http://www.windsorobserver.co.uk/news/roundup/articles/2015/05/10/109451-final-preparations-underway-for-equestrian-extravaganza-at-windsor/#sthash.pXhoxzNW.dpuf

Getting Away With it is Part of the Fun

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | May 8, 2015

It’s been interesting to read reaction on social media to the FEI’s suspension of the UAE, posted by disparate (and maybe desperate) parties around the world who make their living selling endurance horses to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

It is strongly rumoured that if the suspension drags on, the UAE will simply set up an independent regulatory body to organise its favoured style of racing-speed, high attrition endurance. By all accounts, their public disgrace has not hindered the UAE’s current buying spree in Europe.

My first, admittedly facetious, reaction was: why bother with the farrago of creating a new governing body? Just as easy to pick a piste and charge off, mob-handed, cobbling up a results sheet later just in case anyone wanted one, as is already a well-honed practice in those parts?

But then I realised that the UAE actually like a semblance of rules. Half the fun is in breaking the rules, and seeing just how much they can get away with. They just can’t help themselves – so much so that one rider has triggered a brand-new scandal even while grounded...

Read more here:
http://www.horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/getting-away-with-it-is-part-of-the-fun/

2018 WEG Bromont Update

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

May 7, 2015
by: COJEM2018

The organizing committee for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ (COJEM2018) has released an update on the current progress and most recent developments in their plans for the Bromont Games.
Who is COJEM?

Establishing a non-profit organization (NPO) is often a difficult task, especially in relation to financing. A small team of nine professionals having different skill sets has been working for over six months to find solutions and to raise the funds required to continue building a strong team which will make Bromont 2018 a success.

COJEM2018 (Comité Organisateur des Jeux Équestres Mondiaux) consists of the following members:
• Paul Côté, Executive Director
• Fanny Beaudry Campeau, Technical Assistant
• Yvon Carrier, Planning and Logistics Director
• Roger Deslauriers, Sports and Amenities Director
• Denise Doiron, Procurement Manager
• Mike Gallagher, National Federations Relations Manager, Liaison Officer for FEI
• Kristel Glockner, Liaison Office Director
• Hugues Laliberté, Finance and Administration Director
• Guillaume Béland, Marketing Manager, Member of DB Consortium
Planning and Logistics Management

Project Management Office – PMO
COJEM2018 has submitted a Request for Proposal quote on Merx for the setup of a project office for the planning and management of its activities.

Accommodations
Many actions have been undertaken to identify the needs and priorities during the Games. Mike Gallagher has also surveyed various national federations. COJEM2018 has had meetings with the Tourism Offices of Montreal, the Eastern Townships and some hotels in the area. Bromont is in a beautiful rural setting but is not surrounded by large hotels. In cooperation with the Tourism Offices, our plan is to insure that all Team members are housed within 30 minutes of the venue. It is expected that most spectators will book hotels in the City of Montreal and that a transportation system will be arranged. We will be working with a DMC (Destination Management Consultant) who has experience in organizing world events. This should be finalized by the end of June. Some procedures will be communicated at a later date. If National Federations have assigned a representative to organize their accommodation, please fill in this form.

Transportation
The Bromont Venue will not have any vehicles allowed on the site during the Games (with the exception of Team vehicles and essential services). All parking will be 5 to 15 minutes away from the site with regular shuttle buses operating at all times. COJEM has reached out to the AMT (Agence Métropolitaine de Transport) for their expertise in planning passenger transportation. Transportation will indeed be a key issue for the 2018 Games. We have also started discussions with School Boards that have large bus fleets to be used as shuttles during the Games since Back-to-School only starts the week after the end of the event.

Security
With the assistance of an independent security specialist, COJEM2018 will soon issue a Request for Proposal for the selection of a private security company. Meetings with the local police force have taken place; to be followed by meetings with provincial and federal police forces. The security plan will be tested and approved in 2017; adjustments will be made as needed.
Sports and Amenities

Some changes will need to be made to the current site in order to upgrade the existing facilities. The construction of an indoor arena to host the Reining and Vaulting competitions should start shortly since we have now received the green light from the City of Bromont. The WEG2018 site will be expanded from the current site to include facilities on both sides of the Gaspe Street. Many projects are expected to commence shortly including construction of 8 outdoor arenas on the site of the Equestrian Park near Lac Gale Road; construction of 4 arenas for para-dressage and driving on the site located on the other side of Gaspé street, construction of 3 permanent stables on the Equestrian Park site.

Concurrently, many other undertakings are being carried out: Endurance course design, construction plans for the veterinary clinic on the Equestrian Park site, improvement to the buildings of the current FEI stable, sanitation plans. Tim Hadaway (FEI Games & Championship Director) visited the site last fall and has offered some valuable site layout suggestions. Tim will return in May and several meetings are planned to discuss infrastructures, planning and protocol...

See more here:
http://www.horse-canada.com/horse-news/2018-weg-bromont-update/

UAE fails in bid to have FEI suspension stayed

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

Neil Clarkson | May 8, 2015

The interim suspension of the United Arab Emirates from the FEI over welfare concerns in endurance was putting all equestrian sport in the country in danger, the FEI Tribunal has been told.

The assertion was made during a hearing in which the Emirates Equestrian Federation sought to have its interim suspension set aside pending the outcome of its appeal.

The three-man panel, chaired by Henrik Arle, of Finland, dismissed the request...

Read more: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2015/05/08/uae-fails-bid-fei-suspension-stayed/#ixzz3ZYYJNSa7