Does a 2016 WEC Serve Anyones Best Interest?

Awarewelfare.net - Full Article

by John Crandell
April 9 2016

Many of the worlds equestrian enthusiasts are heartened by the FEI’s recent withdrawal of its 2016 World Endurance Championship (WEC) from Dubai. Before we emotionally declare a victory and hurry to re-organize a WEC in another location, some objective consideration of the current state of international endurance racing is in order. There is a lot to be gained or lost for the discipline hinged on just how we proceed.

This is a moment of great opportunity. It’s a chance to do much more than simply put the discipline back on the same tracks from which it has been derailed. We have a delicate moment here to create a fundamental shift in the guidance of international endurance racing. If we act with wise conviction now, we can ensure that the dysfunctions of the recent past cannot return, and secure an enduring future for the discipline...

Read more here:
https://awarewelfare.net/2016/04/09/does-a-2016-wec-serve-anyones-best-interest/

AERC Responds to FEI Decision to Remove the World Endurance Championships from UAE

AUBURN, California – April 9, 2016

As the governing body for endurance sport in the United States, the American Endurance Ride Conference has long been a proponent for fair play and a custodian of horse welfare in endurance sports worldwide. In the past year, the AERC has been a vocal supporter of the FEI’s sanctions against the UAE, proactively leading the condemnation of widespread violations in the UAE.

AERC’s Board of Directors and the AERC International Committee have been united with their 5,000 members across the U.S. and Canada in expressing their outrage at the cheating and abuse at many rides in FEI’s Region VII, while praising those ride managers and riders who uphold the strict standards that are the norm for the sport around the globe.

Today AERC President Michael Campbell issued a statement, speaking on behalf of the organization in response to the FEI’s decision to remove the World Endurance Championships, originally scheduled for December 2016, from the UAE and to reopen the bidding process for the event.

“AERC is pleased to note that the FEI has taken strong steps to insure the welfare and safety of endurance horses by rescheduling the World Endurance Championship 2016 from Dubai to another venue. AERC understands that this is a painful lesson for Dubai, but we believe it serves the best interests of endurance riding worldwide. AERC further applauds the United States Equestrian Federation in accurately relaying the sentiments of American riders to the FEI. AERC joins other countries throughout the world in expressing gratitude to FEI for taking this courageous and considered action. FEI President Ingmar De Vos received a petition that was circulated worldwide and included over 6500 signatories from riders, trainers and owners from dozens of countries recommending this action. FEI listened to the outraged cries from around the world and responded appropriately.”

The AERC will continue to monitor the situation and keep members apprised of developments.

About the AERC

In addition to promoting the sport of endurance riding, the AERC encourages the use, protection, and development of equestrian trails, especially those with historic significance. Many special events of four to six consecutive days take place over historic trails, such as the Pony Express Trail, the Outlaw Trail, the Chief Joseph Trail, and the Lewis and Clark Trail. The founding ride of endurance riding, the Western States Trail Ride or Tevis Cup, covers 100 miles of the famous Western States and Immigrant Trails over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. These rides promote awareness of the importance of trail preservation for future generations and foster an appreciation of our American heritage.

The American Endurance Ride Conference, established in 1972, is headquartered in Auburn, California, “The Endurance Capital of the World.” For more information please visit us at www.aerc.org.

Contact:
Candace FitzGerald
Dobbin Group LLC
603-738-2788

World endurance championships: The UAE vets out

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

Neil Clarkson | 8 April 2016

The Emirates Equestrian Federation will undoubtedly be distressed that its plans to host the World Endurance Championships in Dubai this December have been scuppered by the FEI Bureau.

The bureau, meeting in Switzerland this week, decided that the United Arabs Emirates (UAE) still had welfare concerns in endurance that needed to be resolved before it could host the event.

Or, to frame it in the bureau’s own words: “The FEI Bureau is of the opinion that the UAE national federation is not currently in a position to guarantee that horse welfare would be fully protected at an FEI World Endurance Championship in the UAE this year.”

Stripping a world championships from a nation in such circumstances is a pretty big deal, and I don’t doubt that the Emirates Equestrian Federation will be smarting from the news for some time.

The event had been under a cloud over welfare concerns in the sport in the UAE for a while, and in recent weeks several strong endurance nations signalled that they were unlikely to go if was held in the country...

Read more: http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2016/04/08/world-endurance-championships-uae-vets-out/#ixzz45FLjgbN6

2016 World Endurance Championships Removed From UAE

April 7 2016

At the FEI in-person Bureau meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland on April 7, 2016, the FEI made a key decision regarding endurance and the UAE.

From the report:

The FEI Bureau acknowledged the efforts that have been made by the United Arab Emirates National Federation (UAE NF) in Endurance since the reinstatement of the National Federation in July 2015. However, despite the hard work and progress to date, the FEI Bureau is of the opinion that the UAE NF is not currently in a position to guarantee that horse welfare would be fully protected at an FEI World Endurance Championship in the UAE this year.

As a result, the Bureau decided to remove the FEI World Endurance Championships 2016 from the UAE. The Championships, which were scheduled to take place from 10-17 December 2016 at the Dubai International Equestrian Centre (DEC), were originally allocated to the EEF by the Bureau in December 2014.

The bid process will now be reopened to find a replacement venue outside the UAE for the Championships. The deadline for receipt of bids is 18 May and the allocation to a new host will be made during the Bureau teleconference on 14 June. It is expected that the Championships will now take place in September or October, so the qualifying period will be moved back by two months and results starting from October 2014, instead of December 2015, will now count for qualification.
At the same time, there was also unanimous agreement among the Bureau Members that rule breaches are absolutely unacceptable and that the FEI must work even more closely with the UAE NF to guarantee the National Federation’s full implementation of FEI Rules and Regulations as well as on the July 2015 agreement which will guarantee the welfare of the horse in National and International events. Additionally, and until further notice, the FEI will not sanction any events organised by the DEC.

The full FEI report can be seen here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/UAE/2013FEIControversy/FEI_Bureau_7 April_2016_report.pdf

New Fair Play of the FEI

Equestrian.center - Full Article

28 March 2016
Equestrian.Center

CEI 3* 140 WAS CANCELLED IN DUBAI ON 19 MARCH 2016
Exclusive Story About What Happens Behind This Cancellation

Dubai International Endurance City hosts big event that brings the curtains down on Dubai’s endurance season – Dubai Crown Prince Endurance Cup.

As you may know, during last month there were some tensions between FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) and EEF (Emirates Equestrian Federation).

After the juniors and young riders 120 km ride that was held in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi on 30 January, where “gross offenses” have occurred, FEI suspended remaining CEI rides in UAE until EEF to set an agreement on the proposed measures, with the caveat that no further events would be held in the region until agreement on these measures had been reached.

So, FEI decided to punish UAE riders by doing this. On 13 February FEI and EEF were set this agreement that contains twelve approved measures, which will be applied for the rest of the UAE Endurance season.

Among those 12 measures there are two significant changes:
3. Heart rate presentation times reduced to between 56 and 60 bpm for all loops in one-star competitions, and in the final loop for two- and three-star CEIs and CENs.
4. Recovery time reduced to between 10 and 15 minutes for all loops in one-star and in the final loop for two-and three-star CEIs and CENs.

Again, these restrictions were set to slow down UAE riders.
But overseas riders and horses, that arrived to UAE just a week before the date of start, are never raced with such fast speeds.

Long flight from Europe, America and other continents to UAE, sharp change of climate and very hot temperature are the great stress for overseas horses. Their goal are not to race with a speed of 30-35 km/h, their goal are just to successfully finish in competing against the new terrain, hot temperature and unusual climate without having an enough time for acclimatization.

So, these new restrictions should not be applied to invited overseas riders and horses, competing in UAE. Overseas riders are just guests. They are not even trying to chase for local riders because they know it is just impossible to finish with a speed that they never show in Europe and other continents...

Read more here:
http://equestrian.center/fei/new-fair-play-of-the-fei/

Bahrain: Crown Prince Endurance Championship winners crowned

BNA.bh - Full Article

02/04/2016

Manama, April 2 (BNA): HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister deputised HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of Bahrain Olympic Committee and Honorary President of Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation to crown the winners of HRH the Crown Prince Endurance Championship for 120 Km and local and qualifying races for 40 Km and 80 Km.

HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa honoured the first three winners of the race Khalid Yousif Al Khalaf, Rashid Al Rowai’ee and Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Hassan.

Khalid came in the first place riding Makawi from Victorious Stables and finished in 04:35:25 time with 26 Km/H speed, while the second and third places went to Rashid and Mohammed who finished second and third respectively in 04:37:40 and 04:42:08 both with the speed of 25 Km/H...

Read more here:
http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/719888

UAE Endurance: How Much Longer Can the FEI String Out the Agony?

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | April 1, 2016

An occupational hazard of journalism is that when you ask a tricky question of a governing body, the answer often bears no resemblance to the points raised. Quite a few of us compare notes, and frequently receive identical replies even when we have all asked quite different questions. Needless to say, this applies especially to endurance in the Middle East.

There is still considerable speculation about what really went on at Dubai International Endurance City (DIEC) on March 19th. If even half of what I have heard from normally reliable sources is true, surely this time the UAE has behaved badly enough to be suspended indefinitely (though that would be a tough call on Bouthieb, and might be complicating any such decision) and for DIEC to be stripped of the world endurance championship in December.

The petition calling for the world championships to be moved, by the way, has now reached 5,632 signatures; pretty good for a niche interest area.

Worryingly though, the FEI does seem to be giving the UAE federation (EEF) an increasingly amount of latitude, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of its endurance director, Manuel Bandeira de Mello...

Read more here:
http://www.horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/uae-endurance-how-much-longer-can-the-fei-string-out-the-agony/