2015 Pan American Endurance Championship CEI 4* Cancelled

Horse-canada.com

June 24, 2015
by: Equine Canada

The 2015 Pan American Endurance Championship CEI 4*, which was planned for August 18, 2015 in Millbrook, ON, has been cancelled due to insufficient entries.

“All members of the organizing committee are disappointed that the Pan Am Endurance Championship had to be cancelled, as I’m sure are many others who had been planning and preparing for this special event,” said Bob Coleman, chair of the Pan American Endurance Championship Organizing Committee. “However, we understand the expense and other challenges South and Central American countries are faced with in terms of obtaining the necessary qualifications, travelling, leasing horses, etc.”

Coleman continued, “We wish to thank all those who helped in the planning stages for the event. And, on the bright side, the North American Endurance Team Challenge, to be held on August 21, promises to be an exciting event with some of the best equine and human athletes in North America competing.”

For more information on the FEI-sanctioned North American Endurance Team Challenge, click here.

Australia: Maher conquers Quilty Cup but won’t stop there

Gympietimes.com.au - Full Article

24th Jun 2015 5:00 AM

Patrick Woods

What made you first start endurance riding?

My mother Jeanna Maher began endurance riding when I was eight and when I turned 12, I started competing on my mother's horse Ariel.

When I finished school at Gympie State High School, I started training horses at different stables in Kenilworth and Gympie for around six years before working in our family business Rushoz Endurance.

How many Quiltys have you entered?

I have been in six Quilty Cups. I finished ninth in the lightweight division in 2006; I didn't compete in 2008 and 2009; then in 2010, I decided to put weights in my saddle and came 10th at the Quilty as a middleweight.

I was first in the lightweight division at Kilkivan in 2013 and three of the horses in my team I had worked with at the stables - including training two of them - scored some of the fastest times overall.

At this year's Tom Quilty Cup in Hawkesbury I won the lightweight division for the second year running and was third overall on Atticus...

Read more here:
http://www.gympietimes.com.au/news/maher-conquers-quilty-but-wont-stop-there/2683760/

Sheikh challenges standing of FEI’s strict liability principle in anti-doping cases

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

Horsetalk.co.nz | 24 June 2015

The world’s highest court for sport-related cases has reduced the suspension imposed by the FEI Tribunal on Sheikh Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan over a positive test for a banned substance in an endurance horse he rode in Abu Dhabi early in 2012.

During the hearing, the sheikh’s legal team took issue with key elements of the FEI’s strict liability principle that holds the rider as the Person Responsible for any drug or medication infraction in a horse unless they can prove no fault or negligence. That has proved to be a very high bar to clear in cases that have gone before the FEI Tribunal.

The sheikh was appealing the FEI Tribunal decision from April 7 last year over what had been his winning ride on Glenmorgan in a CEI3* race at Al Wathba on February 11, 2012, after which the horse tested positive for propoxyphene and its metabolite norpropoxyphene...

Read more: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2015/06/24/sheikh-fei-strict-liability-principle-anti-doping/#ixzz3dzIWHZMO

South African Endurance rider submitted to polygraph test in bid to clear name

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

Horsetalk.co.nz | 24 June 2015

South African endurance rider Gillese De Villiers has received a six month suspension and a fine of 500 Swiss francs over her mount’s positive test for phenylbutazone and a related substance at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Normandy last year.

De Villiers’ submissions to the FEI Tribunal even included the results of a polygraph (lie detector) test.

De Villiers’ mount, Tra Flama, who vetted out at the second vet gate on the WEG endurance course, tested positive for phenylbutazone and its metabolite, oxyphenbutazone...

Read more: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2015/06/24/endurance-rider-polygraph-bid-clear-name/#ixzz3dzG8p0MF

FEI Tribunal and CAS Decisions

FEI.org

23 Jun 2015

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in the case involving Nasser Khalifa N.J Al Thani (QAT) and the horse Brookleigh Caspar (FEI ID AUS40748) at the 120km one-star Endurance competition at Mesaieed in Doha (QAT) on 11 April 2014, following a positive finding for Prohibited Substances.

Samples taken from the horse on 11 April 2014 returned positive for the Banned Substance Heptaminol and Controlled Medications Phenylbutazone, Meloxicam and Dexamethasone. Heptaminol is a stimulant that dilates blood vessels. Phenylbutazone and Meloxicam are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for pain relief, and Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory effect.

Controlled Medications are substances that are regularly used to treat horses, but which are not allowed in competition in order to maintain a level playing field. Banned Substances should never be found in the horse.
The FEI Tribunal has imposed a 27-month suspension on Al Thani, effective immediately from 18 June 2015, in accordance with Article 169 of the FEI’s General Regulations and Article 10 of the FEI Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

Al Thani has been fined CHF 5,000 and will contribute CHF 2,000 towards the costs of the judicial procedure. He has 30 days from the date of notification to appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The FEI Tribunal’s Final Decision on this case can be viewed here.

The FEI Tribunal has also issued its Final Decision in the case involving Gillese De Villiers (RSA) and the horse Tra Flama at the Endurance competition of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014, following a positive finding for a Controlled Medication Substance.

Samples taken on 28 August 2014 from the horse returned positive for the Controlled Medication substance Phenylbutazone and its metabolite Oxyphenbutazone. Phenylbutazone is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory used for the treatment of pain. Tra Flama was vetted out at the second Vet Gate on the Endurance course.
The FEI Tribunal has imposed a six-month suspension on De Villiers, effective immediately from 21 June 2015, in accordance with Article 169 of the FEI’s General Regulations and Article 10 of the FEI Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations.

De Villiers has also been fined CHF 500, will cover the B Sample analysis costs and contribute towards the costs of the judicial procedure. She has 30 days from the date of notification to appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The FEI Tribunal’s Final Decision on this case can be viewed here.

Separately, the CAS has upheld the FEI’s principle of strict liability in the application of the EADCMRs in an appeal lodged by HH Sheikh Hazza Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (UAE) against the FEI Tribunal ruling of 7 April 2014, but has reduced the period of suspension for the athlete from 27 to 18 months.

The horse Glenmorgan, which HH Sheikh Hazza rode to win the CEI3* in Al Wathba (UAE) on 11 February 2012, tested positive for Propoxyphene and its metabolite Norpropoxyphene. Propoxyphene, which is an opiate analgesic, is classified as a Banned Substance under the FEI’s EADCMRs. As the rider and therefore the Person Responsible, HH Sheikh Hazza was immediately suspended from 12 March 2012, the date on which he was notified by the FEI of the positive case. A two-month provisional suspension was imposed on the horse from the same date.

HH Sheikh Hazza conducted extensive investigations to establish the source of the Propoxyphene between mid June 2012 and late February 2014. In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal imposed a 27-month suspension, taking into account a previous rule violation by Sheikh Hazza in early 2005. Sheikh Hazza lodged an appeal with the CAS against the findings on 6 May 2014.

The CAS rejected the athlete's argument that making the rider the Person Responsible (PR) for the horse is an unnecessary and/or disproportionate interference with fundamental rights, and so unlawful and therefore outside the powers of the FEI. The CAS accepted the FEI’s argument that the PR and strict liability provisions simply mean that if the horse has a prohibited substance in its system, the athlete's results with the horse are automatically disqualified and the athlete will be banned unless he/she can show that the substance got into the horse's system through No Fault or Negligence of the athlete.

The CAS took into account that systems had been set up by Sheikh Hazza to avoid inadvertent doping, and therefore decided that the athlete's fault was “not significant”. As a result, the appeal was partially upheld, with a partial amendment to the FEI Tribunal’s Final Decision. Sheikh Hazza remains disqualified from the event, but his suspension was reduced.

The full text of the CAS decision is available here.


Banned Substances & Controlled Medications

Banned Substances are substances that are completely prohibited for use in FEI horses at any time. Controlled Medications are substances that are regularly used to treat horses, but which are not allowed in competition in order to maintain a level playing field. As part of FEI Clean Sport, the live Prohibited Substances Database provides an easily accessible online platform on which Banned Substances and Controlled Medications are clearly distinguished.


The FEI’s General Regulations are here and the FEI Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations are here.

Australia: Lion-hearted enduro effort

Batemansbaypost.com - Full Article

By SAM STRONG June 19, 2015,

HEIDI Wade of East Lynne has turned in a marathon-effort to finish 17th at the 50th anniversary of the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, a demanding 160-kilometre endurance horse riding race.

Wade, riding six-year-old pure Arabian Pevensey Prosecco in the heavyweight divison, was joined by fellow South Coast riders Roy Counsell aboard Espirit Sherwood in the middleweight division and Irene Adams on Shane D Survivor in the lightweight divison.

Unfortunately Counsell, who was aiming to finish his fifth Quilty, bowed out half-way through while Adams’ horse was declared lame after the fourth leg, with only 12 kilometres to go.

It was Wade’s first attempt at the world’s largest endurance ride – 340 riders set out at midnight amid torchlight - and there was plenty of hard work leading up to the competition.

Wade’s horse was just above minimum age and it had to have completed three 80-kilometre endurance rides previously.

“He is quite young to compete in this kind of endurance race but has proven to be an amazing horse,” Wade said.

“I am extremely proud of him and just to complete this ride is to win...

Read more here:
http://www.batemansbaypost.com.au/story/3156060/lion-hearted-enduro-effort/?src=rss

FEI Appoints New Veterinary Director

FEI.org

18 Jun 2015

The FEI has appointed Göran Akerström (SWE) as FEI Veterinary Director. He takes up the post at FEI Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI) on 1 September 2015.

Akerström comes from the Swedish Trotting Association, where he was Chief Veterinary Officer for five years. He has also been Head of the Equine Welfare department for the past two years. He was a member of the Swedish Trotting Association management team, advisor to the regulatory committee and collaborated closely with the Swedish Equestrian Federation and the Swedish Jockey Club.

He was previously veterinary inspector for the Swedish Board of Agriculture and the Swedish Animal Welfare Agency, specialising in equine sports, welfare, disease control and horse transportation.

Akerström holds a master’s degree in veterinary science from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, where he later lectured, and was a member of the management team of the Department of Environment and Animal Health for five years.

He has also specialised in equine neonatal medicine as a private practitioner, competed in Jumping and Eventing, worked as a course designer and show manager, and was platoon leader and instructor for the Regiment of Halsingland during a 10-year career with the Swedish Army.

“Equestrian sport has been a major part of my life for 30 years,” Akerström said. “As with many people in the horse world, my passion for horses goes back to my childhood, and since then I have worked with horses directly, with organisations specialising in welfare and the growth of horse sport. I am now looking forward to helping the FEI move forward with its progressive work in horse movement, equine welfare and anti-doping.”

“Göran Akerström has unparalleled leadership, horse sport and horse welfare expertise,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Zeender said. “We will be delighted to welcome him into the FEI and to the FEI Family when he joins us at Headquarters in September.”