Australia: 9-year-old Georgie Girl Wonder

TheWesterner.com.au - Full Article

POSTED BY: LEE OLIVER
DECEMBER 7, 2016

Georgie Barber is showing the older kids how it’s done on horseback.

Last month the nine-year-old won the junior division of the South Burnett Endurance Riders Association event held at Nanango, for riders 17 years and under.

The Dayboro Pony Club member was the youngest rider to complete the 80km ride, finishing the course in a time of 6 hours and 24 minutes.

Over the past 12 months, Georgie has done ten endurance horse riding races, on three different horses.

“The best one yet was winning my first 80km (ride) on Shanti,” she said...

Read more here:
http://www.thewesterner.com.au/georgie-girl-wonder/

Australia: New plan could make Imbil a cultural hub

Gympietimes.com.au - Full Article

scott kovacevic | 8th Dec 2016 5:51 PM

THE FUTURE of the Rattler might still be up in the air, but a plan to turn Imbil into a business and tourism hub shows the town has no intention of waiting.

The Imbil Heritage Precinct will have the historic train station turned into a community recreational space, designed to showcase the region's history and establish a cultural centre for tourists and residents.

Running under the auspices of the Mary Valley Chamber of Commerce, advertisements have already been posted for the position of project manager.

Among the skills required for the role, applicants should be "motivated and decisive leader who is approachable, inclusive, good humoured and very much a team player”.

The project still requires significant funding, but the Chamber of Commerce said they were committed to developing a precinct which would expand on the range of other attractions already situated in the Mary Valley.

Mary Valley Chamber of Commerce acting president Karen Phillips said the plan demonstrated considerable foresight, especially in light of the recent denial of state funding for the revival of the Rattler this year.

Already host to international events including the International Rally of Queensland and the Easter endurance horse riding carnival, Mrs Phillips said the project manager role might not be time consuming, but would have a significant impact on the region...

Read more here:
http://www.gympietimes.com.au/news/new-plan-could-make-imbil-a-cultural-hub/3120783/

New Zealand: Seaview setting for horses and riders

Stuff.co.nz - Full Article

PETER JONES
Last updated 11:34, December 7 2016

Marlborough rider Linda Harmon claimed a notable victory over a strong field at the Marlborough Endurance and Trail Riding Club's Seaview event, near Seddon, over the weekend.

Forty five horse and rider combinations took part, with the pinnacle event being the CEI (International) 1* 80km endurance competition on Saturday.

Riders travelled from as far afield as Raetihi in the North Island to Fairlie in the south, but it was local club member Harmon, on her homebred gelding MF Shaheen, who took final honours in the main event, completing the three-loop course in five hours, a rate of 16kph...

Read more here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/sport/87295824/Seaview-setting-for-horses-and-riders

South Africa: AHS developments to boost horse exports

Bizcommunity.com - Full Article

December 1 2016

Significant developments have been made in African horse sickness (AHS) that will support the safe, direct exports of horses from South Africa. South African horse exports have been affected by AHS since the 1960s. The country is currently losing out on investment because of the onerous and expensive process of importing horses from South Africa, therefore, key stakeholders in the industry have been working to find long-term solutions to these challenges.

“Our research findings will enable the export of South Africa’s sought after racehorses, endurance horses, and sports horses. The depreciation of our currency also augurs well for this industry. We are currently exporting horses to the value of around R250 million per year but this can easily increase to R1 billion,” says Prof Ian Sanne of the Wits Health Consortium Equine Health Fund.

Mike de Kock, a top racehorse trainer comments, “South African horses are very competitive on the world stage and our results speak for themselves. Our horses are in demand but we have difficulty with delivery which hurt this industry financially. With efficient export, we could create thousands of jobs and bring in massive foreign investment...”

Read more here:
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/358/154625.html

Sheikh Sultan tells why he is shaking up the sport of endurance

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

December 1, 2016
Horsetalk.co.nz

Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Emirates Heritage Club in the UAE, has spoken of his Boutheib Initiative in endurance, and the steps he has taken to improve horse welfare in the sport.

Sheikh Sultan was among the keynote speakers at this year’s World Horse Welfare Conference in Britain last month, and he spoke of his strong belief that endurance should not be about the first horse past the post but instead the horse in the best condition at the finish.

In a sport which had been rocked by negativity over recent years, Sheikh Sultan presented a positive and forward-thinking approach with greater rules and regulation to protect horse welfare that has already seen success through a huge reduction in injuries and eradication of horse fatalities through the 2016 season.

“Removing the focus on speed does not remove competition in endurance. The real competition should be about your horse finishing in the best possible condition,” he said.

“We should encourage the art of horsemanship, because the culture of speed has taken over...”

Read more: http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2016/12/01/sheikh-sultan-shaking-sport-endurance/#ixzz4Rbat7Xuo

France's Stephane Chazel Appointed new FEI Endurance Technical Committee member

Inside.FEI.org

23 Nov 2016
Endurance - Appointment of new Technical Committee member

We are delighted to welcome Stéphane Chazel (FRA) in the FEI Endurance Committee, who was appointed for a four year term, following the decision taken by the FEI Bureau in Tokyo on 19 November 2016. Mr. Chazel is replacing the outgoing member Khalid Ahmed Hasan (BRN). The FEI thanks Mr. Hasan for his great collaboration during the past four years.

Coming from a family of breeders and riders of Endurance Arab horses, the new Committee member has always been passionate about this discipline.

Mr. Chazel has participated in Endurance events all over the world (USA, Brazil, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, China, Europe, Malaysia etc.), as you can see here for the international competitions.

Involved for 20 years in this discipline, he contributed to its evolution and regulations within many organizations in France, such as CNREE, ACA, SHF and CREE. In addition, he organized FFE and FEI Endurance events during ten years, while the past five years he has contributed to the development of Endurance in China.

We are looking forward to collaborating with Mr. Chazel and we believe that his long experience in Endurance will further promote the discipline.

UAE: Bouthieb Initiative Takes a Natural Desert Course

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

by Pamela Burton

New endurance tracks pass through UAE's Natural Forestry Reserves

28 November 2016, Bouthieb, UAE ~ Once again His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan has taken ground-breaking steps at his Bouthieb Endurance Village. The CEI* 80km seasonal opener which took place on 25 November, saw the first phase of plans to return to a maximum use of natural tracks through the desert, not seen in the UAE endurance for many years.

New tracks passing through the UAE’s Natural Forestry Reserves

Friday’s Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Cup took riders ‘off track’ on a beautiful course created to naturally slow the speed and to challenge the skills of the riders. These new tracks cover approximately 30% of the course; water points were strategically placed and no cars were permitted in these areas. This provided a natural environment for riders to understand, appreciate and to respect the welfare of their horses, centre theme of the Boutheib Initiative.

This latest development instigated by His Highness was very much appreciated by both horses and riders. It made a welcome change to the relentless flat race speed tracks that we have become accustomed to seeing in UAE endurance venues. A measure of the success of this most enjoyable day was the 79% (122 riders) completion rate and a clinic that was virtually empty...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/bouthieb-initiative-takes-a-natural-desert-course/