Endurance racing in UAE brought to halt as FEI seeks assurances about horse protection

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article

Emirates Equestrian Federation told it has until February 11 to explain how it will solve its “serious issues"

By Pippa Cuckson
3:41PM GMT 04 Feb 2016

Endurance racing in the UAE has again been brought to a halt as the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) tries to wrest further undertakings about horse protection from the Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF).

Four upcoming race-rides were notified to EEF members as “postponed” on Tuesday night, with no reason initially offered.

However FEI endurance director Manuel Bandeira de Mello flew into Abu Dhabi for an emergency meeting on Wednesday. He later told Telegraph Sport the EEF has until February 11 to explain how it will solve its “serious issues.” Until then, rides are called off, including three at Sheikh Mohammed’s venue, Dubai International Endurance City (DIEC).

Last March, the UAE was suspended for four months, after a catalogue of doping scandals and horse fatalities. Endurance horses race over 80km-160km in a single day – though in the desert sport, many of them under jobbing jockeys who have never seen their mounts before, and over punishing, fast sand tracks.

Many scandals have been exposed by the Telegraph, including the running of ringers by sons of Sheikh Mohammed, and extensive falsifying of results by the EEF...

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horseracing/12140747/Endurance-racing-in-UAE-brought-to-halt-as-FEI-seeks-assurances-about-horse-protection.html

Letter from Endurance Great Britain regarding UAE

Endurancegb.co.uk

04 February 2016

The Board has been closely following with interest the progress of the FEI in improving horse welfare in the UAE, in accordance with the agreement put in place with the EEF (Emirates Equestrian Federation). Whilst there have been reports of numerous improvements, especially at the Bou Thib venue, we are deeply concerned and shocked by the video that has emerged from a CEN event at Al Wathba on the 30th of January.

We have today written to the BEF [British Equestrian Foundation] to share our concerns and have asked that they are passed to the FEI. We have requested that further action be taken and that this is made public as soon as possible. The FEI have a duty to address a culture of riding horses beyond their means in the sport of endurance.

The Board fully support the FEI to intervene and implement new measures that protect horses and the sport worldwide.

FEI gives UAE a deadline to remedy “serious” endurance issues

Horsetalk.co.nz

The FEI has given the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until February 11 to come up with an agreement that will remedy what the world governing body calls serious issues in endurance in the region.

The FEI issued a statement early today from its endurance director, Manuel Bandeira de Mello, who is understood to be in the UAE.

It said the Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF) had postponed four endurance events in coming days “so that agreement can be reached on proposed measures to urgently address a number of serious issues in endurance in the region”.

The EEF’s calendar shows it has also postponed a fifth ride, a 100km ride restricted to private stables and individuals, set to be run in Dubai.

The four postponed events are the Rashidiyya Ladies Cup, which was to be run today; the Jumairah Endurance Cup for private owners, set for tomorrow; the Emirates Championship, scheduled for February 6; and the AlBarsha CEI 1* endurance ride on February 8.

[Read more ...]

Next five endurance rides on UAE calendar postponed

Horsetalk.co.nz

The next five endurance rides on the Emirates Equestrian Federation’s calendar have been postponed.

The development comes amid ongoing controversy in the sport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Two rides set down for February 4 have have been postponed in Dubai – one a 100km ride restriced to private stables and individuals; the other a CEI 1-star event over 80km.

A CEN 100km ride for women set down for February 5, also in Dubai, has similarly been postponed.

A CEN 120km ride at Al Wathba on February 6 and a CEI 1-star over 80km in Dubai on February 8 round out the list.

The reasons for the postponements have not been posted on the Emirates federation’s website – or at least not in the English version.

The news comes amid reports that the FEI’s endurance director, Manuel Bandeira de Mello, has arrived in Abu Dhabi as the world governing body pushes for endurance reforms in the UAE.

His arrival follows a meeting last week at FEI headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, with members of the Emirates Equestrian Federation to discuss the endurance issue.

The FEI is hoping that the UAE will adopt rules similar to those adopted at Sheikh Sultan Al Nahyan’s endurance facility at Bouthieb in Abu Dhabi.

The local rules are designed to keep speeds, which are GPS-monitored, down to 20kmh. The majority of prize-money goes to the best-conditioned horses, judged on the accumulation of scores from each vet gate.

[More ...]

UAE endurance rides ‘postponed’ with no explanation

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Pippa Cuckson
3 February, 2016

Five endurance rides in the UAE due to be staged in the next few days were announced as “postponed” last night (Tuesday 2 February), as worldwide outrage over the horse welfare crisis continues to escalate.

And while H&H was waiting for official confirmation from the FEI this morning (Wednesday 3 February), in another surprise move all remaining rides in Dubai for the rest of the season have disappeared from the calendar of the Dubai Equestrian Club.

The Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF) emailed the postponements to its members overnight on Wednesday, without giving a reason.

However, earlier that day FEI endurance director Manuel Bandeira de Mello flew into Abu Dhabi for an emergency meeting. The week before, the EEF was summoned to FEI headquarters in Lausanne.

The FEI has yet to provide reason, though speculation is growing on social media that the season’s most prestigious ride, the 160km Presidents Cup, the following weekend, must also now be at the risk and that a further suspension is imminent...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/uae-endurance-rides-postponed-with-no-explanation-525745#ZEqhOmeEHBdFs7bm.99

FEI endurance boss understood to be in the UAE

Horsetalk.co.nz

The FEI’s endurance director, Manuel Bandeira de Mello, is understood to be in Abu Dhabi as the world governing body pushes for endurance reforms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

His arrival follows a meeting last week at FEI headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, with members of the Emirates Equestrian Federation to discuss the endurance issue.

The FEI is hoping that the UAE will adopt rules similar to those adopted at Sheikh Sultan Al Nahyan’s endurance facility at Bouthieb.

The local rules are designed to keep speeds, which are GPS-monitored, down to 20kmh. The majority of prize-money goes to the best-conditioned horses, judged on the accumulation of scores from each vet gate.

The results have been stunning, with only a handful of horses requiring moderate veterinary assistance among more than 1000 which have competed under the rules so far.

Bandeira de Mello, in a statement last month, acknowledged the six fatalities that had occurred in UAE endurance up to that point.

“It is abundantly clear,” he said, “that speed is a major factor in these incidents and that it is necessary to introduce measures to slow down the horses in order to reduce the number of catastrophic injuries.

“The FEI is in urgent discussions with the Emirates Equestrian Federation and individual event organisers to introduce similar protocols to those used so successfully at the recent event in Bouthieb to reduce the speed.

[More ...]

UAE endurance: Come on FEI, you’ve got to be kidding me

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

Neil Clarkson | 2 February 2016

Normally, when my colleague calls me over to her computer to watch a video, it’s going to show a fluffy kitten doing something insanely cute, a horse unlatching his stable door, or a dog proving that he’s smarter than his master.

But yesterday I was instead subjected to 7 minutes and 53 seconds of endurance from the United Arab Emirates. More specifically, the Sheikh Zayed Bin Mansoor Al Nahyan Junior & Young Riders Endurance Cup, raced over 120 kilometres on Saturday at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

I wrote about this particular race the day after the event, having read the results.

The results, I felt, spoke for themselves in terms of the issues with UAE endurance. There were 55 starters, only 18 of whom successfully completed the four-loop race. Of the 37 eliminations, 19 were recorded as going out because of an irregular gait (including one before the race even started); another because of an irregular gait and metabolic issues; three were listed as failing to complete; five were retired by the rider; one was disqualified for departing 10 minutes early; one was listed as being out of time; and six were disqualified for beating their horse. A horse named Ainhoa Catharissime, a grey Arab mare, went out on loop three after suffering a catastrophic injury.

Now, having watched the video, which shows the closing stages of the race, I find myself almost lost for words. There is no point in me providing a forensic analysis of the video – you can watch it for yourself – but it is not pretty. In fact, it’s appalling...

Read more: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2016/02/02/uae-endurance-fei-kidding-me/#ixzz3z1kAvPXY