Great Britain: Brighter future for Golden Horseshoe: H&H team survive the challenge

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Horse & Hound
23 May, 2015

A Horse & Hound team has completed the Golden Horseshoe and came third behind stiff competition.

Showing, vet and point-to-point editor Aimi Clark, designer Emily Secrett, news writer/digital sub editor Rachael Hook and dressage/print sub editor Polly Bryan took on the 23km pleasure ride at the 50th anniversary event last weekend (17-19 May).

Their team section was won by the Golden Oldies, experienced endurance riders Liz Finney, Sally Hall, Marie Maclean-Foreman and Jane James, who finished with a score of 127.58.

“We all absolutely loved the experience, the ride was beautiful and everyone was so welcoming,” said H&H team member Rachael Hook.

“Our team has little endurance experience and it was far more challenging than we anticipated, but it was a brilliant introduction to the sport...”

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/golden-horseshoe-brighter-future-494861#pTbtHarHPwa7r12C.99

50th Tom Quilty and Jenna Towner: "I'm the luckiest person alive"

May 22 2015
by Merri Melde-Endurance.net

It's been called "the world's biggest horse endurance ride," and that may well be true, with 380 horses and riders on the start list for Australia's 50th anniversary of the Tom Quilty Gold Cup on June 6-7 in Hawkesbury, New South Wales.

It's the Australian equivalent of America's Tevis Cup: 100 miles in one day, the premiere ride that almost all endurance riders aspire to at some point in their endurance lives. The idea of the Quilty was started by Queenslander RM Williams in 1966, then editor of Hoof and Horns magazine, after hearing and printing stories about the Tevis Cup in California. RM asked his friend Tom Quilty, "a great horseman and cattleman" for help; Quilty donated $1000, which was used to make a gold cup, which became the perpetual trophy for the ride.

Of the nine riders from the USA scheduled to start in this year's Tom Quilty, it just might be Californian Jenna Towner who is the most excited. She signed up for the Quilty before she was even qualified to ride it.

"I'm 42 and just started riding Endurance two years ago," Jenna says. "I rode Hunter/Jumpers my whole life, but after incurring several injuries in Baghdad, I just couldn't afford to get thrown off a horse. Still, I longed for the woods - and since I could no longer go hiking with my dog (my favorite thing ever), this sport called to me with enormous vigor.  I feel sincerely grateful every day that I found this sport . . . even if it took me 40 years."

With her own horse PR Toronto rehabbing from an injury, Jenna's good friend Kristen Vaught loaned her horse Sammies Ace to Jenna for the Twenty Mule Team 100 in February, for Jenna's first 100-mile ride. With the pair finishing the 100-mile ride, Jenna was qualified to start in the Quilty.

Jenna will ride the 11-year-old Anglo Arabian mare Monkhani Lodge Noble's Locket, owned by Emma Holland of Roswick Endurance in Victoria. Roswick Endurance and Performance horses breed, train, and compete Arabians in endurance, racing, dressage, show, and pleasure. The mare recently completed the Derghorn 160-km ride in November of 2014.

Traveling to Australia for this momentous event, Jenna is combining her travel bug with her love of endurance. She is most looking forward to the starting line. "At midnight, mounted upon a strange horse in a strange land, staring down a crowd of over 400 excited horses . . . that moment before it all begins is when my mind is most quiet and I realize 'Damn, I'm the luckiest person alive'.  

"For me, it's always about the starting line. Finishing is a grand and amazing bonus - but sometimes we lose sight of the struggle it took to just show up."

The Quilty will stream live - bookmark this link: http://www.tomquilty15.com/

For more stories, photos, adventures and results, see
http://www.endurance.net/international/Australia/2015TomQuilty/

Dutch endurance coach departs in midst of fake permit allegations

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Pippa Cuckson
21 May, 2015

The Dutch equestrian federation has sacked its successful endurance coach Emile Docquier in the midst of allegations of fraud over a permit issued to UAE-based Pakistani endurance trainer Anzaq Mehmood.

The federation says it has parted company with Docquier due to “difference of opinion.” However, their decision came just days after it emerged that the permit, allegedly issued by the Pakistan federation, accompanied entries for a national ride at Schilde, Belgium sent in by Docquier’s office.

Dutch endurance enjoyed a boost last year after collaborating with Mehmood, who trains for the Al Qasimi family in Dubai. Mehmood – who has spent time in the UK, at King’s Forest – prepared Laiza de Jalima, with whom Marijke Visser won individual silver at WEG...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/pakistani-endurance-trainer-investigated-for-allegations-of-fraud-hh-vip-2-494350#4V0w0lPmXzg3i2Jf.99

Golden times at last ever Golden Horseshoe

Westernmorningnews.co.uk - Full Article

By Western Morning News | Posted: May 20, 2015

By Liz Parks

A few seconds into our first ever attempt at the Golden Horseshoe pleasure ride it became clear that my cob, Percy, was having the time of his life.

My normally steady and sensible chap could see some other riders cantering over the hill and he decided that he really, really wanted to follow them.

There followed a few minutes where I saw a different side of him – in his own mind, despite the reality of being a middle aged, chunky chap, he was an elite athlete who wanted to go, go go.

But with the brakes feeling more than a bit dodgy and a long, steep, stony descent rapidly approaching I decided I wasn’t taking any chances so, within five minutes of starting, I had hopped off and we walked down the track feeling more than a little foolish.

Half way down, we were passed by two more riders, Judith and Caroline, who kindly said ‘yes’ when I asked if I could tag along with them.

So, having remounted, we started the 23km route again. And, what a route it is! Miles and miles of moorland tracks taking you up jaw-droppingly steep climbs with the reward of panoramic views of the moor at the top...

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Golden-times-Golden-Horseshoe/story-26540980-detail/story.html#ixzz3ami0eCDx

Great Britain: 50th Golden Horseshoe endurance ride on Exmoor

Westernmorningnews.co.uk - Article and Pictures

By WMNJBayley | Posted: May 18, 2015

Riders from as far afield as Hong Kong tackled moorland terrain, steep hills and rivers to as part of one of the Golden Horseshoe endurance ride.

Following months of training, horse riders have put their stamina to the ultimate test by taking part in the infamous Golden Horseshoe endurance ride.

Over 200 competitors spent the weekend navigating Exmoor’s rich landscape of rolling hills valleys and water crossings, with routes varying in length from 15 to 100 miles.

Entrants from across the South West and as far afield as Scotland, Ireland and Hong Kong travelled to Exford for the 50th and possibly the last Golden Horseshoe ride, unless new organisers are found to take over from the retiring committee...

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/pictures/PICTURES-50th-Golden-Horseshoe-endurance-ride/pictures-26523773-detail/pictures.html#ixzz3aatBMROY

Great Britain: Nasser bin Hamad wins Windsor Endurance Race

BNA.bh - Full Article

15/05/2015

London, May 15 (BNA): Following the leadership of His Majesty the King’s Representative for Charity and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Chairman, Bahrain Olympic Committee President and Bahrain Royal Endurance Team Captain HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain Royal Endurance Team won the first three places in the endurance race of the 73rd Royal Windsor Horse Show, held in the United Kingdom today.

HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa won first place for the second year in a row. Team members Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa and Raed Mahmood won the second and third places respectively.

More than fifty riders took part in the race, representing England, Honk Kong, Holland, Oman, Poland, South Africa, Argentina, Spain and France...

Read more here:
http://bna.bh/portal/en/news/668747

Great Britain: Arabian stud celebrates 50 years with open day

Westerndailypress.co.uk - Full Article

By Western Daily Press | Posted: May 16, 2015
by Jeff Wells

A breeder of Arabian horses is celebrating 50 years in the business this weekend, opening his stud's gates so the public can see some of the famous bloodlines.

Michael Harris' family have been at Combe Farm, near Honiton, Devon for 70 years and in that time the horses have been named world champions and Newmarket record holders...

Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Arabian-stud-celebrates-50-years-open-day/story-26509666-detail/story.html#ixzz3aJYSnYDe