Meet your USA Team for the 2016 World Endurance Championship in Slovakia

2016 WEC on Endurance.net

Tom Hagis and Indian Reinman, from Fries, Virginia, Ellen Olson and Bey Gibby, from La Motte, Iowa, and Dr Meg Sleeper and Shyrocco Rimbaud, from Frenchtown, New Jersey, will be traveling to Samorin, Slovakia for the 2016 World Endurance Championship on September 15-16.

All three riders are raising money in various ways to help cover expenses, and they each have a GoFundMe page set up for those who want to contribute.

Tom says:
My 10 year old Arabian gelding Indian Reinman and I have been chosen the represent the USA at the World Endurance Championship in Samorin, Slovakia next month. To help offset the tremendous cost of sending Reinman, Gina and a crew to the venue I am asking my friends to help. If we can spread the cost burden amoung the several hundred friends that we all have, this will be a reality. I am honored and humbled by this experience. The ride was originally scheduled for Dec. in the UAE but has been moved to Sept. in Slovakia. That doesn't leave us much time but with all your help I will proudly represent you and the USA. Welcome to Team Hagis and Team USA. I thank you all!!

See more on Tom at:
http://www.endurance.net/international/Slovakia/2016WorldEnduranceChampionship/Tom01.html

Ellen says:
Gibbys going to Slovokia for the Endurance World Championships!! Due to the change in location and short timeframe we are looking for support with the cost of shipping him over! Gibby is 16 and this is his second World Championship and last hurrah" per say overseas! Gibby has had a fantastic year and worked soo hard to participate in the WEC! So we are looking for help in supporting Gibbs! We ship out in ONE MONTH!!! gooooo Gibbs!!!

See more on Ellen at:
http://www.endurance.net/international/Slovakia/2016WorldEnduranceChampionship/Ellen01.html

Meg Sleeper says:
We are organizing for the trip to Slovakia for the world championship and there are so many loose ends to tie up!! I am rarely on FB, but posts get forwarded so I think I have read them all. I apologize for not responding to each one, but it is impossible for me to express how much the generous donations and the well wishes mean to me!! It makes me realize how fortunate I have been…not only am I able to compete in a sport that is my passion, but I work in a profession I love and have so many remarkable friends!! Thank each and everyone one of you! In particular, I need to thank Robyn, who set up the gofundme site (https://www.gofundme.com/MegSleeperEnduranc) and has been absolutely leaving no stone unturned in her attempt to help raise funds for this event! She even reached out to Bill Gates!! Thanks to Triple Crown and Southern States Feed- not only for making fabulous products that have helped us get here, but also for helping with travel support. Thanks to OmegaAlpha for nutritional supplements that support top level equine athletes (and dogs and humans too!).
I will try to send updates periodically as we prepare, and as frequently as possible once we start the journey. I usually send out an email blog, but I will post it on FB and the gofundme site as well. The horses will leave from JFK on September thth following a 6 hour quarantine and land in Frankfurt on the 5th. They will then van to Samorin, Slovakia and arrive at the venue on the 6th. Opening ceremonies are on September 15th at 8pm, first inspection is on the 16th and the ride starts on September 17th at 6 am. For anyone interested, here is the link for the event website: 
http://www.wech2016.com. The venue looks gorgeous and there should be live streaming during the event.

See more on Meg at:
http://www.endurance.net/international/Slovakia/2016WorldEnduranceChampionship/Meg01.html

Stay tuned for more information and stories from the 2016 WEC here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/Slovakia/2016WorldEnduranceChampionship/

French riders sweep HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival-supported Belgian endurance ride

Enduroonline.com.br - Full Article

Source: HH SH Mansoor Global Arabian Flat Racing Festival / Satya Narayan
Photo: Morhaf Al Assaf

Brussels, Belgium - It was a French 1-2-3 led by Vincent Gaudriot on 9-year-old Tahar Du Barthas in the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival-supported Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM) 160-km ride on Thursday, August 18, at the Sonian forest region near the city of Brussels.

Gaudriot who was fourth in penultimate stage of the five-stage 160-km ride, finished first with a time of 9 hours 8 minutes and 26 seconds recording an average time of 17.50kmph.

It was a reversal of the fourth stage placing as Julien Goachet on Ulyssa De Coat Fritty who was third at the penultimate finished second while second-placed Virginie Atger on Quersane Des Pins, second going into the final loop, was pushed to third place.

The 160-km ride was the first of the three-day Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (BEEM), the result of a three-year pact between the Royal Belgian Federation of Equestrian Sports (FRBSE-KBRSF) and the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival...

Read more here:
http://www.enduroonline.com.br/2016_sh_mansoor_festival_French-riders-sweep-HH-Sheikh-Mansoor-Festival-supported-Belgian-endurance-ride.php

Underlying defect likely to have caused Mongol Derby horse death

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Sarah Radford 10:56 - 15 August, 2016

Post mortem results have revealed an underlying defect was probably behind the death of a pony in this year’s Mongol Derby.

The mount of British dressage rider Tatiana Mountbatten died suddenly on day seven of the 1,000km horse race (August 10]), between urtuus (horse stations) 23 and 24.

Investigating vet Dr Jeremy Hubert found a massive diaphragmatic rupture, which he attributed to either a congenital defect or the legacy of an old kick injury.

“He found it unlikely that the rupture could have been the result of strenuous exercise. There is no evidence to suggest that anything Tatiana did while under saddle caused the rupture,” said Katy Willings in a statement from organisers The Adventurists HQ...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/mongol-derby-horse-death-588126#JKXbBdpPFVU3XBFf.99

Entry Forms Available for Canadian Endurance Championship

Entry forms are available for the Canadian Endurance Championship which will be held on August 25-28 at Spruce Woods Provincial Park in Manitoba.

The events are Saturday 20/40/80/120 km and Sunday 20/40/80/120/160 km.
All the 80/120/160 km events both days are FEI also.

The electronic forms are available here:
https://forms.zohopublic.com/mauraleahy/form/SpruceWoodsAugust25282016/formperma/md9g12MCDkak3051HE3J3766H

Late fees apply after August 20.

For information on the Canadian Endurance Championship please go to www.distanceridersofmanitoba.ca

South Africa: Sandymount Express 1000 FAQ

1. How long is the race?
The Race is 1000 kilometers, or 625 miles.

2. When/Where is the race?
Kickoff is October 1st, 2016! The race is held annually in Sandymount Park, a wildlife reserve in South Africa.

3. How many days do you have to complete?
The race is split into 120 kilometers a day (75 miles) each day, for a total of 8 days.

4. How many horses do you ride?
Each rider gets a string of 5-8 horse. Each day is split into 3 legs of 40 kilometers (25 miles). Each rider will rotate through horses, effectively meaning each horse will do a total of 200 kilometers (125 miles) over the course of the event.

5. Are there vet checks?
Yes! At the end of each leg, if the horse does not meet criteria, the leg will not count and the rider must repeat the distance in order to finish.

6. Does that mean the race is more than 1000 kilometers?
Yes, quite possibly!

7. So…how do you WIN?
Rider’s time will begin at the same time each morning, and stop when they pass their third and final vet check of the day. The rider with the lowest elapsed time over 8 days wins.

8. How can I FOLLOW?
By LIKING the SMEX1000 Facebook Page, or by following American rider Devan Horn, who will be competing this year!

https://www.facebook.com/smex1000/

United Arab Emirates and Great Britain Triumph In Fourth Euston Park Endurance Ride

Eustonparkendurance.co.uk - Full Article

13 August 2016

The last of the four Longines presented Euston Park Endurance Rides, supported by Emirates Airlines, was the largest to date, with 81 riders starting this morning’s ride (Saturday August 13). The four classes saw three wins for the UAE and one for Great Britain in what was the final of four rides and the HH Sh. Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup Festival.

Great Britain’s Kate Atkinson (19) from Clitheroe, Lancashire riding Tannasg Psyches Realm put in an amazing performance in her first ride in the popular Young Rider’s CEI2* 120km, which had a starting line-up of 15 riders. The Brit put in a steady performance with consistently fast times meaning she was ahead on each loop and finished first in almost exactly six hours, with an average speed of 19.95kph and a qualification for next year’s Junior World Championships in Italy, as well as scooping top prize in the Best Condition Award.

“I’ve never done that in my life!” said Kate of her average speed. “I’m still in shock. I really didn’t expect to win. I just aimed to complete and qualify for the Worlds. It’s my Mum’s horse and she let me have a ride on it! I knew when I went out on the last loop I was in first place but even then the qualification was more important than the place. But then I thought ‘this is too good to not try’. It’s just…. Wow!”

The FEI ride drew entries from 17 nations including Australia, France, Pakistan and Sweden and once again comprised four classes: the CEI1* 80km, CEI2* 120km (Young Rider and senior classes) and the CEI3* 160km. As riders set off in staggered start times from 06:45 the weather looked promising with warm sunshine, a strong breeze and plenty of cloud cover. It didn’t disappoint. Conditions remained consistent all day and the organisers’ decision to drop the yellow loop was proven totally vindicated as the rest of the course rode extremely well...

Read more here:
http://eustonparkendurance.co.uk/united-arab-emirates-and-great-britain-triumph-in-fourth-euston-park-endurance-ride/

New Mexico rider ties for first in Mongol Derby

Santafenewmexican.com - Full Article

Aug 12, 2016.
By Staci Matlock
The New Mexican

New Mexico endurance rider Marcia Hefker-Miles tied with two other competitors for first place in the 621-mile Mongol Derby horse race at 9:31 a.m. Thursday. That was Mongolian time, when many in New Mexico were just finishing Wednesday’s dinner.
The derby, which follows the ancient postal route established by Genghis Khan across the rugged Mongolian steppes, is billed by organizers at The Adventurists as the longest, toughest endurance horse race in the world.

Hefker-Miles, 45, grew up on a ranch in Carrizozo and works now as a nurse practitioner in Raton. She linked hands with Will “Dingo” Comiskey, an Australian rancher, and Canadian lawyer Heidi Telstad as they crossed the finish line together.

The three completed the race in seven days. Two dozen riders were still behind them. It was the first time a three-way, first-place tie occurred in the race, said Liz Ampairee, spokeswoman for the Mongol Derby. “It’s a lovely thing I think that they chose to all win together rather than make a charge for the line,” Ampairee said...

Read more here:
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/life/features/new-mexico-rider-ties-for-first-in-mongol-derby/article_b5b1af49-be35-5e15-9287-8ccdf994894e.html