Great Britain: From Racing to Endurance

Endurancegb.co.uk - Full Story

Beths Choice (14yo) owned and ridden by Lynn Harvey from Dorset was named as RoR Elite Endurance Champion 2015. Trained by Milton Bradley Beths Choice ran a total of 15 races on the flat and over jumps winning one race in his career before retiring.

Lynn, who has worked in racing yards for most of her life and now works for Harry Fry, is ‘hooked’ on endurance, said; “Over the past 5 years Harry has surpassed anything I could have dreamt of and he shows just what former racehorses are capable of. He has completed four 80km and five 60 plus km rides, winning two of the 80km rides. We have often been out over varied terrain, ground conditions and in appalling weather but this makes it all so worthwhile...”

Read more here:
http://endurancegb.co.uk/main/news#2015112401

Great Britain: The Long Trot - John o' Groats to Land's End!

Endurancegb.co.uk

The Long Trot by Grant Nicolle

13 November 2015

After eight years, I have just completed a book on my 2007 trip from John O’Groats to Lands’s End with horse Marv. This is the story, told in mostly diary format, of that adventure, in the hope that others may undertake similar travels.

My main riding experience was gained when I served as a Captain in the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, a ceremonial mounted unit of the Army, then based in St John’s Wood London.

After my time in the Army I moved to Edinburgh and in 2005 began work as a project manager in the construction industry. It was a time of transition in my personal life and career and I frequently reminisced about the exciting challenges experienced whilst in the Army. I still hankered after adventure and conceived the idea of a long distance journey in the UK by horse, trying to recreate the mostly forgotten experience of long distance travel pre 20th century. With my affinity with horses, passion for exploring new places and skills in logistical planning, I thought I had relevant skills to undertake the challenge of traversing the length of Britain with a horse.

With the decision to complete the trip made, I was lucky to obtain a 3 month sabbatical from work, as I was prepared to forgo my employment to complete the journey. Marv (a 16hh Clydesdale cross) was bought from a farm in East Lothian in the January and soon thereafter commenced the fitness training and logistical planning required. We set off from John O’Groats on the last day of April, as this was when it is thought to be warm enough to be able to travel without rugs for Marv but also early enough in the year to escape the dreaded midge when traversing the Highlands.

Keeping away from the main roads we explored the fascinating byways, tracks and minor roads through rural Scotland and England with me often sleeping in the same field as Marv. The generosity and genuine welcome received in every village we visited was uplifting. My Scottish highlights included: having to construct a makeshift enclosure next to a remote bothy in Sutherland; traversing stunning and remote Strath Vaich; the high level crossing of the Corrieyairack Pass from Fort Augustus to Laggan and cantering along a grassy former Roman Road (Dere Street) just south of Jedburgh deep into the Cheviots towards the border with England.

When passing through the industrial north of England, we utilised the canal towpaths where possible and also the newly created Pennine bridlepath. Later on, it was with good fortune that we managed to stay just ahead of the terrible flooding which hit the south of England that year, only needing to divert from their planned route once near Evesham.

We averaged no more than 20 miles a day with at least every Sunday taken as a day off. I rode Marv daily for a limited time in trot and canter (if the ground was suitable), also frequently dismounting and walking with Marv for longer periods each day. The rationale behind this was, riding Marv in walk would have been no faster, and by walking, the daily pressure on Marv’s back was substantially reduced. Marv would therefore be more likely to remain healthy for the duration and a sound Marv was paramount to the success of the trip.

Although the trip was not originally planned to be undertaken for charity, we did manage to raise £10,000, split between the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) and Cancer Research UK. Many donations were from people we met on the road.

This adventure was a great opportunity to test and combine my military endurance experience, navigational and equestrian training whilst also seeing parts of the country that so often get missed. With no back up or replacement horse, we arrived exactly on the planned completion date at Land’s End, some 1100 miles and just over 11 weeks later. I had purposefully planned a slightly longer route rather than a more direct one to ensure I could share the trip with friends and family.

Long Trot is available on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Long-Trot-Grant-Nicolle-ebook/dp/B011OA5GWG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1448207147&sr=8-2&keywords=the+long+trot

FEI General Assembly Concludes with Approval of Endurance Rule Modifications

14 November 2015

The FEI General Assembly concluded in Puerto Rico on November 14, 2015.

During the annual meeting, member National Federations voted on a wide range of topics.

For Endurance, the General Assembly heard an update on the application of the Endurance Strategic Planning Group (ESPG) recommendations, the majority of which have been implemented. Endurance Committee Chair Brian Sheahan gave a report to delegates, detailing additional key recommendations that are being implemented.

These recommendations include:

• Key Performance Indicators consisting of the number of NFs organising Endurance events; number of CEIs; number of registered horses and athletes; number of starters; the relationship between metabolic issues and lameness; horse fatalities; number of horses leaving competition per year; number of doping cases; and promotion of officials.

• A lifetime ban for a horse that suffers a fifth consecutive disqualification for gait irregularity
at FEI and national events

• An increase to 80 penalty points (from 50) for an athlete whose horse suffers a catastrophic injury

• Ranking lists, including additional ranking points for athletes with no penalty points

• Online publication of progress reports

• Coaching development programme

• Generating sponsorship

• Endurance Organisers Guide (to be ready in March 2016)

• Endurance FEI Coaching System (to commence in February/March 2016)

The General Assembly approved the modifications of the FEI Endurance Rules. The 9th edition, effective 1 January 2016, will be available on the FEI website here.

21 yellow cards issued in first weekend of UAE endurance season

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Pippa Cuckson
12 November, 2015

Twenty-one yellow warning cards were handed out in a single weekend at the start of the UAE endurance season, as the crackdown on rule-breaking steps up.

Numerous violations were spotted on the livestream from the first major CEI/CEN at Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi on 22 October, in addition to many sanctioned on the day by the ground jury.

There was a completion rate of just 18% in the CEI 100Km (20 of 108 starters), no reduction in average speeds, instances of extra-long reins used as whips, and riders retiring just before vet-gates to avoid the penalty points and mandatory rest periods that follow disqualification for metabolics.

The UAE was suspended in March, reinstated only after signing a legal agreement. The FEI declined to comment how long the UAE has to improve standards before another suspension is considered...

Read more here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/uae-endurance-yellow-cards-516971

FEI announces adverse drug findings in two competition horses

The FEI has announced two new adverse findings in horses involving prohibited substances.

Samples taken at the CSIO2* in Tehran, Iran, late in September from the showjumping horse Sir de Diamant, ridden by Mohammad Davoud Shekofti, of Iran, were positive for the banned substance stanozolol and its metabolite, 16 beta hydroxy-stanozol. It is an anabolic steroid that promotes muscle mass.

The horse’s sample also tested positive for the controlled medication dexamethasone, a corticosteroid used to treat inflammatory and auto-immune conditions, and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug flunixin.

Samples taken at the Young Horse Endurance Championships in Valeggio sul Minico, Italy, on September 26 from the horse Barbaforte Bosana, ridden by Camilla Malta, of Italy, have tested positive for the banned substance ergonovine, a vasoconstrictor.

Both athletes have been provisionally suspended from November 16 – the date of notification. The horses have been provisionally suspended for two months.

Read more at Horsetalk.co.nz

Uruguayan Endurance Rider's Long Road Back to Health

MSN.com - Video

November 10 2015

Uruguayan endurance rider Oriana Ricca had to overcome life-threatening illness to keep her equestrian dreams on track.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/endurance-riders-long-road-back-to-health/vp-CCccT0

Kelsey Russell Among Longines FEI Rising Star Award Nominees

FEIAwards.org

November 3 2015

Kelsey Russell (USA) Endurance, is one of 6 nominees for the Longines FEI Rising Star Award. This award goes to a person aged 14 to 21 who demonstrates outstanding sporting talent and commitment.

Kelsey won the 2015 North American Junior Young Rider Championship and the Best Condition award. She is currently top of the Young Riders World Endurance Rankings. Kelsey works very hard and trains the horses she competes. In 2014 she was the only young rider chosen by the United States Equestrian Federation to ride on the team at the FEI World Equestrian Games 2014.

A jury of international experts, including FEI President Ingmar De Vos, will select the winners, which will be announced at the FEI Awards Gala on 13 November in Puerto Rico.

The winners will be flown to the glittering gala evening, where over 350 guests representing the 133 National Equestrian Federations, enthusiasts and stakeholders from around the world will celebrate their achievements.

The FEI Awards were launched in 2009 to put a spotlight on the men, women, young people and organisations that are making an outstanding contribution to the progress and excellence of equestrian sport – in or out of the arena.