How an Unsung Sheikh has Forced an Epiphany in Endurance

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | January 11, 2016

Only keen students of Middle Eastern politics have probably heard of the intriguingly named Dr. Sheikh Sultan, but 2016 could be the year in which his body of admirers spreads far outside the Emirates.

First, though, some background for those whose geography etc. is a bit scratchy.

The UAE comprises seven sheikhdoms (or emirs), of which Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the most powerful, ruled by the Nahyan and Maktoum families respectively.

Dubai is perhaps the more famous, as a business hub and tourist magnet and because of the stratospheric profile of its Thoroughbred racing through the involvement of Sheikh Mohammed, ruler of Dubai. However, the overall UAE presidency is with the Al Nayhans, currently Sheikh Khalifa. So Sheikh Mohammed is not the quite the most senior person in the Emirates, being overall UAE vice president and UAE prime minister.

One of Sheikh Mohammed’s daughters is married to famed soccer patron Sheikh Mansour Al Nahyan, UAE deputy Prime Minister, though despite this romantic alliance there is rivalry between the two families.

Mohammed and Mansour also own the two busiest endurance venues – Dubai International Endurance City (DIEC), due to host the 2016 world championships unless the UAE gets suspended again, and Al Wathba.

One Sheikh is moving mountains to reform endurance. Sadly it’s neither of these two.

Our unsung hero is His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Al Nahyan, a former deputy UAE prime minister, Mansour’s much older half-sibling and three-quarters sibling of president Khalifa. Sultan was part-educated outside the UAE, including a spell at Millfields, a famous British school renowned for its sporting prowess and values.

Sheikh Sultan is keen on endurance too, and owns the UAE’s third busiest venue, Bou Thib.

For eons he has despaired about the evolution of the desert racing and yearned for “classical” endurance, or indeed anything that doesn’t view the horse as expendable. But he was a voice in the wilderness, quite literally...

Read more here:
http://www.horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/how-an-unsung-sheikh-has-forced-an-epiphany-in-endurance/

UAE: 'Disaster' in Bouthieb - Empty clinic, result of the new parameters enforced

Enduroonline.com.br - Full Article

Text and Clinic Photo: François Kerboul - FEI 4 *

Thursday, December 31 was a historic day in Bouthieb Endurance Village (Al Khatem, Abu Dhabi, UAE): During the CEN 1* 90 km Emirates Heritage Club for Ladies with 59 competitors, the clinic remained desperately empty, which, according to officials, had never happened since the beginning of endurance in the UAE. HH Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Representative of the President and Chairman of the Emirates Heritage Club (EHC) -, the organizing committee, the officials, the participants, etc. everyone felt authorized to say, with undisguised pleasure and black humor, that this was a true disaster ... for the employment of treating veterinarians, who were overwhelmed with joy having spent a very boring day.

It's clean, it's all ready, it's empty. In the background, a "desperate" veterinarian is waiting.

The second day of competition, January 1, was similar with 2 events (CEI 1* 80 km Emirates Heritage Club Cup in 3 phases and 89 competitors, plus a CEN 1* 100 km Emirates Heritage Cup for Pvt. Owners in 4 phases with 39 competitors) accumulating a total of 128 horses on the track. The day passed with a single mild metabolic case receiving only a treatment of 5 liters of fluid without any additives, a sort of comfort treatment. And nothing else.

The third day, January 2, there was a CEIJY 2* 120 km Emirates Heritage Cup in 5 phases with 55 starters on the track. Only 3 horses were presented, they had lost their riders who had fallen down on the first phase in the light sandstorm with reduced visibility and which were caught and taken to the clinic, then immediately released as nothing justified their presence. On the third day 3 there were 3 metabolic cases, 2 without any treatment and 1 receiving 10 liters of fluid without any additives, plus 3 lamenesses of which one only was treated with a small dose of anti-inflammatory. And that's all.

So, in three days of racing, four competitions, 242 horses, only 3 horses received a light medical treatment mainly out of caution.

This was a remarkable way to end 2015 and start 2016 in Bouthieb Endurance Village. The new competition parameters, implemented regularly for the first time (including 10 minutes of recovery time, even for the finish with a maximum heart rate of 56 bpm and hold time of 50 minutes each loop) produced more effect than we all hoped and there reigned an unprecedented atmosphere of surprise, satisfaction, analysis and research, intellectual ferment mixed with a previously unknown joy. For the first time HH Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan (photo), who usually did no more than pay one or two visits per season, remained permanently on the site during the three days and even chaired the Wednesday briefing of the first competition.

The new president of the national federation – a show jumping rider - came many times, to visit the clinic, going around the venue, to go on the tracks, unlike its predecessor who had never been seen there...

Read more here:
http://www.enduroonline.com.br/Disaster-in-Bouthieb-Empty-clinic-result-of-the-new-parameters-enforced.php

UAE: Jeremy Reynolds and Danire Finish 71st in Sheikh Mohammed Endurance Cup

January 9 2016

Jeremy Reynolds and Danire were the only pair of the 4 USA entries to complete this year's 160-km Sheikh Mohammed Endurance Cup in Dubai. They finished 71st in a time of 10:00.22

Heather Reynolds' mount Bound for Honor was eliminated at Gate 3 for Irregular Gait.

Meg Sleeper and Syrocco Rabia were eliminated at Gate 3 for Irregular Gait.

Melody Blittersdorf and CA Iceman were eliminated at Gate 3 for Metabolics.

Winning time for the desert race was 6:32.50 for the UAE's HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum aboard the 14-year-old mare Ajayeb.

81 horses out of 227 starters finished the race (35%).

For complete results see:
http://www.endurance.net/international/UAE/2016MaktoumCup/

Dubai Endurance Mobile App launched in Arabic and English

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Features of App will allow users to share information of ride with others and via social media

Published: January 9, 2016 Gulf News
Staff Report

Dubai: As part of the ninth renewal of the His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup, the Dubai Equestrian Club, the organizing body for the sport of endurance riding in Dubai, launch an Arabic language version of the mobile phone app, Dubai Endurance.

The Dubai Endurance App allows the user to follow all endurance events held at Dubai International Endurance City, including the HH Endurance Cup that was held on Saturday, January 9.

In addition to the app being available in both Arabic and English languages, a new feature will allow users to follow the locations of horses when they have returned from a loop of competition. The feature includes a diagram that includes representations of the start /finish gate, veterinarian inspection enclosure and cooling off area that will pinpoint the horses’ location for users...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/dubai-endurance-mobile-app-launched-in-arabic-and-english-1.1650782

UAE: Hamdan spearheads spectacular Emirati 1-2-3

Img credit: WAM
Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Crown Prince flies UAE flag high after winning Shaikh Mohammad Endurance Cup for second year


Published: January 9, 2016 Gulf News
Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Features Writer

Dubai: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, won the prestigious His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup for the second year in succession on Saturday and then said he would launch his quest to win February’s HH The President of the UAE Cup.

Riding Ajayeb, a 15-year-old French-bred mare trained by Esmail Mohammad, Shaikh Hamdan led home a spectacular 1-2-3 finish for Emirati riders in the 160-kilometre CEI 3 Star ride which was contested by 227 top riders, representing an impressive 41 countries.

Abdullah Ghanim Al Marri, winner in 2012 and 2013, was denied his attempt to become the first rider to win the competition three times, when he finished runner-up.

Saeed Mohammad Khalifa Al Mehairi, winner of the 160km 3 Star HH President Cup last season, took third place.

“I am honoured and proud to win the His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Cup for the second time,” Shaikh Hamdan told the Dubai Racing Channel. “It is one of the most prestigious rides on the endurance calendar and attracts some of the best riders in the world..."

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/hamdan-spearheads-spectacular-emirati-1-2-3-1.1650941#.VpEuD0RPfSg.twitter

New initiative to protect Dubai’s desert

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Meydan and Dubai Municipality programme will help preserve areas centred around endurance riding

Published: 18:47 January 7, 2016 Gulf News
Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Features Writer

Dubai: The Meydan Group will team up with Dubai Municipality in an ongoing programme to clean and preserve Dubai’s desert areas through a new environmental initiative named ‘My Arena, My Environment’ centred around the sport of endurance riding.

The focus is one of the many inter-related parts of the campaign that was developed and launched by Dubai Municipality in 2012.

To date, a large amount of debris, primarily plastic water bottles, have been removed from the vast desert in and around the Seih Assalam area and Al Qudra’s expansive cycling track route...

Read more here"
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/new-initiative-to-protect-dubai-s-desert-1.1650143

Four USA Riders to Contest HH Maktoum Cup in Dubai

January 8 2016

Among Saturday's entries in the 160-km HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup in Dubai are American riders Heather and Jeremy Reynolds, Melody Blittersdorf, and Meg Sleeper.

Heather Reynolds will be aboard Bound for Honor (winners of the 2015 AHA Distance Nationals 50-mile Championship). Jeremy Reynolds will ride Danire. Blittersdorf will be riding CA Iceman, and Sleeper will be aboard her homebred Sirocco Rabia.

For more on entries and the ride coverage, see
http://www.endurance.net/international/UAE/2016MaktoumCup/