Why Yellow Cards Need a Stronger Hue

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | November 2, 2016

In my last blog, I discussed whether it’s time to introduce a more detailed rider demerit system for rule-breaches in eventing. Or indeed, any sport. This followed the latest bout of social media angst over another alleged blood-in-mouth incident, and the invidiousness of the FEI yellow warning card, which, in eventing, is used to punish everything from failing to present yourself to a doctor after a fall – that’s the rider’s own risk, not the horse’s – to dangerous riding though not, it seems, for blood on the horse.

A demerit system has the useful potential to grade rule-breaches of any sort according to their seriousness, and the flexibility to be tailored towards relevant issues in each of the FEI sports. This is something the yellow card cannot do on its own.

In this recent appalling case before the FEI Tribunal, the ground jury at an endurance ride in Portugal resorted to yellow-carding the same person twice within minutes, for ranting at and then assaulting the president of the ground jury. These warning cards were clearly awarded within 12 months of each other, so this automatically suspended the rider for two months. Genius in its simplicity – though isn’t it time there was a more structured way of dealing with behaviour that is so offensive handcuffs might be required?

This case came to light when the yellow-cardee, one of Portugal’s leading international riders António Vaz Freire, tried to appeal to Tribunal against that two-month suspension. Tribunal did not admit his appeal, ruling that field-of-play decisions are sacrosanct. On top of that, the FEI argued Freire had not protested receipt of the cards within the requisite 30-minute time-frame...

Read more here:
http://www.horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/why-yellow-cards-need-a-stronger-hue/

Conquering the Mongol Derby

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Written by: Amy Harris

Canadian Heidi Telstad won the 8th annual Mongol Derby in a three-way tie.

Last November, Heidi Telstad, a 43-year-old lawyer from Vancouver, British Columbia, posted the first entry in her Chase Endurance blog on Horse-Canada.com. She planned to chronicle her experience preparing for and competing in the 2016 Mongol Derby – the world’s longest and toughest horse race. Along the way, she hoped to raise funds for the BC Epilepsy Society, through Canada Helps, in honour of her nephew, four-year-old Chase.

Not only was Heidi successful in raising money and awareness for the charity, but she rocketed to equestrian fame when she actually won the race, in a three-way tie. It is the first time in the competition’s eight-year history that riders chose to cross the finish line together – a true testament to the camaraderie between Heidi and her co-winners, 28-year-old Will Comiskey from Australia and 45-year-old Marcia Hefker-Miles from New Mexico.

Held in August each year, the 1,000km race recreates Chinggis Khan’s legendary messenger and supply route on the Mongolian steppe, with riders changing horses every 40km, and living with local herders or camping out each night.

Heidi, Will and Marcia met before the start of race, and spent time together during training. Heidi and Will decided to pair up and rode together for the duration of the ride.

“Will and I raced hard against Marcia,” said Heidi. “She had a lot of tricks up her sleeve and I respect her competitiveness. I learned a lot from her before, during and after the race. Marcia was really fast at the Urtuus [horse stations] and would get on the steppe much faster than we did...

Read more here:
http://www.horse-canada.com/magazine_articles/conquering-the-derby/

HH Sheikh Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival promises exciting endurance events in 2017

Enduroonline.com.br - Full Article

October 21 2016

Endurance sport under the umbrella of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is spreading its wings far and wide and will include several more countries in the 2017 season.

Ms Lara Sawaya, Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Festival, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR), announced this at a press conference on Thursday, October 6, 2016 on the sidelines of the 14th edition of Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) currently on at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre premises.

Ms Sawaya stated that the Festival introduced endurance sport five years ago and ever since has not looked back and over the years many new countries are joining the fraternity. “The year 2016 saw many new countries in the endurance calendar and more will be added during 2017, thanks to the support of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Mother of the UAE, Chairperson of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and Mother of the World,” she said.

She also announced that the Festival will be hosting the FEI 120-km 2-star HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Cup at the Al Wathba Endurance Village in Abu Dhabi, on November 26, 2016 which will attract riders from all over the world including the recent winners at the Endurance Equestrian Negrepellise on the historic Saint-Etienne-de-Tulmont region in Montauban, Toulouse, France...

Read more here:
http://www.enduroonline.com.br/2016_sh_mansoor_festival_promises-exciting-endurance-events-in-2017.php

Canada: Strong bond between young rider and horse brings success

GRACE LOGIE AND Ladigo have formed a close bond that has helped them have success in endurance horse riding. Logie and Ladigo took second in the Canadian Edurance Championships in Brandon, Man., last August. Logie is hoping to qualify for the Young Rider World Championships in Italy in 2019. — Image Credit: Submitted Photo

Pentictonwesternnews.com - Full Article

by Emanuel Sequeira - Penticton Western News
Penticton posted Oct 27, 2016

There is a strong bond between Grace Logie and her horse Ladigo.

“I couldn’t ask for a better best friend and horse,” said Logie.

That connection has led to success in endurance riding and a chance to qualify for the Young Rider World Championships in Italy in 2019.

“I feel very honoured to be able to compete on an international level,” said Logie. “Competing at this level feels like such an accomplishment when my horse and I cross that finish line and make it through the final vet check. Competing at the world-level rides, with world-level standards is so amazing. Every time I hear that Ladigo and I made it through the final vet check it takes my breath away. I’m amazed at how far we have made it...”

Read more here:
http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/sports/398962651.html

Expressions of interest being sought from Endurance riders for 2017 Youth Endurance Championships and beyond

Equestrian.org.au

Posted by Equestrian Australia on 27/10/2016

Following the recent excellent performance of the Australian Endurance team at the World Endurance Championships in Slovakia. Equestrian Australia is calling for further expressions of interest from endurance riders who wish to join the group working to represent Australia at international championship endurance events.

These events include:

World Endurance Championships for Junior and Youth Riders 2017. This event will be held in Verona, Italy from the 22nd – 24th September 2017.
World Equestrian Games 2018, timing and venue to be confirmed.
The intent is to gather together riders who wish to prepare themselves for possible selection to represent Australia at these and future events. EA will work with the riders and their horses to prepare them to successfully compete at these events. At this stage, the final requirements for qualification are uncertain, and there may be changes to the requirements.

The current qualification criteria for are set out in the previous EOI’s HERE and HERE. Youth and junior riders must be turning 14 years of age or older in the year of the competition and will need to be taking all opportunities in Australia and also internationally to achieve qualification and exhibit high performance in preparation for the 2017 championship. Senior riders for the 2018 WEG should be aiming to finalise their qualifications during 2017.

Please note these events will be completely self-funded. Riders will be responsible for the following costs:

Return airfares to the competition
Horse transportation and related costs
Transport to/from the airports
Meals and accommodation
Insurance (The EA National Office can assist with this insurance)
Entry fees and any other related expenses
If you are interested in riding at international Championship events and in representing Australia, we encourage you to submit an expression of interest using the below form.

Expressions of Interest close on the 15th December 2016.

For any further information, please contact Stef Maraun at the Equestrian Australia Office on 02 8762 7777 or stefanie.maraun@equestrian.org.au

or see
http://www.equestrian.org.au/news/expressions-interest-being-sought-endurance-riders-2017-youth-endurance-championships-and

Horse death in France causes Endurance community to draw conclusions

Equnews.com - Full Article

October 24, 2016
Editorial Equnews.com

Last weekend, the endurance competitions in Fontainebleau, France, near Paris, were marked by several incidents, including the euthanizing of two horses competing in the CEI 1*. Several days later, Gilles Cabardos, president of the organizing committee, commented on the incidents through a press release.

In the communiqué, entitled “Sadness, anger, incomprehension and reassurance,” the president of ‘Grand Parquet Endurance’ [GPE] reacted in particular to the deaths of horses Ariane d’Oudairies and Castlebar Gulstream, who were being ridden by French and Emirates riders in the CEI 1* at the event.

“I am sad for the two horses who died, their owners, riders and grooms, for whom I and the whole team have a deep respect,” Gilles Cabardos said. “We understand the sacrifices involved in our discipline and losing a companion is difficult.” Cabardos also expressed his “anger, when [he] sees an attempt to discredit [his] organization by a so-called fair endurance movement,” a reference to the website ‘Fair Endurance’, which a few days ago denounced “the hypocrisy of the French endurance [discipline]...”

Read more here:
http://equnews.com/other-sports/horse-death-in-france-causes-endurance-community-to-draw-conclusions/

Bulgaria wins individual and team gold at FEI Balkan Endurance Championships 2016

All smiles - Croatia’s Zrinka Bilen on ten-year-old Sally took individual bronze and helped her team to silver on home soil at the 100km FEI Balkan Endurance Championships 2016 at Velika Pisanica yesterday (8 October). (FEI/Bosko Milivojevic)

FEI.org

9 Oct 2016

After a second place finish on the podium in 2015, Bulgaria’s Denis Furlanski captured individual gold riding Moz in the 100km FEI Balkan Endurance Championships 2016 at Velika Pisanica in eastern Croatia yesterday (8 October).

Furlanski, who last year won team gold and individual silver at the 90km Balkan Championships, headed Moz into the cold morning fog through the forest trails coming into the first vet check just behind top Croatian athlete Zrinka Bilen on the 10-year-old mare Sally.

They left for the second loop at the same time, but Furlanski and the 10 year-old Shagya gelding pulled ahead and completed the ride in the afternoon sun in 04:54:28 with an average speed of 20:376 km/ph.

Fellow Bulgarian Desislava Aleksieva, finishing five minutes later on the 9-year-old Arabian, Pompey, scored individual silver with the ride time of 04:59:37, and bronze was won by Zrinka who arrived three minutes later over the finish line.

Team spirit

With Bulgaria’s one-two finish, the team had a leg up on the top podium spot, and thanks to the sixth-place finish of third team member Ruz Nedkova-Ivanova on Morfey the team’s combined ride time of 15:11:53 secured the gold medal.

Croatia, with Bilen’s individual bronze in the bag, narrowly missed team gold with Stefano Osip on the 8-year-old Shagya gelding Hajna finishing fourth and Iva Lipovac taking fifth place with 9-year-old mare Hita. They completed in a combined ride time of 15:18:15.

Greece took home team bronze finishing in 21:53:53 with Viktoria Schoina on Koheilan XIII 16 SALA, Irini Mitona on Aphroditi and Sotirios Patisouras on Sheikh, who finished 10th, 11th and 12th in that order.

A total of 30 rider/horse combinations from Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece and Turkey started out at 07:00 on the FEI Balkan Endurance Championships 2016 trail, which left from the Kukavica sports centre in Velika Pisanica into a forested area with excellent horse trails.

Best Condition - Moz

Moz, ridden by the Championships winner Denis Furlanski (BUL), won the Best Condition Award. The ten-year-old gelding won the CEI3* 160km ride in Aschen, Austria, in May.

Antun Baković of the Croatian National Federation, who was in charge of timing on the day, said: “Everything connected to facilitating the event went smoothly thanks to enthusiastic athletes and supporting crew, and the experience of Technical Delegate and Foreign Judge Anita Goedl and officials led by Teodora Kostova, President of the Ground Jury.”

FEI Balkan Endurance Championship 2016 - individual results

1. Denis Furlanski (BUL), Moz - 04:54:28

2. Desislava Aleksieva (BUL), Pompey - 04:59:37

3. Zrinka Bilen (CRO), 130 Sally - 05:02:35

4. Stefano Osip (CRO), Shagya Hajnal - 05:05:02

5. Iva Lipovac (CRO, Hita - 05:10:38

6. Ruz Nedkova-Ivanova (BUL), Morfey - 05:17:48

7. Katina Lyutova (BUL), Artur - 05:38:27

8. Sitki Doguslu (TUR), Bolero - 05:54:42

9. Dinka Kovačević (CRO), Gidran XXIV-90 HAJNA - 05:57:41

10.Viktoria Schoina (GRE), Koheilan XIII 16 SALA - 07:13:37



Team results

Gold: Bulgaria - 15:11:53

Silver: Croatia - 15:18:15

Bronze: Greece - 21:53:53