New UAE prohibited substances cases under FEI anti-doping rules

Inside.FEI.org

3 Feb 2017

The FEI has announced seven adverse analytical findings involving prohibited substances in UAE Endurance events. The horses were tested at four different events at the Al Wathba venue in Abu Dhabi.

All seven horses have tested positive to the same four prohibited substances, the stimulant Caffeine and its metabolites Theophylline, Theobromine and Paraxanthine. Equally, Theophylline, used for the treatment of asthma and various respiratory diseases, can be metabolised to Caffeine. One of the horses also tested positive to the corticosteroid Flumetasone, which is used in the treatment of skin disorders.

Theophylline, Caffeine and Theobromine are listed as Controlled Medication and Specified Substances under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Rules (EADCMRs). Paraxanthine is a Banned Substance under the FEI EADCMRs.

Samples taken at the CEI2* 120-kilometre ladies ride at Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi (UAE) on 26 November 2016 from the horse Rafik de Kerpoint (FEI ID 103ZQ05/UAE), ridden by Amy Louise McAuley (FEI ID 10066318/IRL) tested positive for all four substances.

The horses Castlebar Lightning (FEI ID UAE41150/UAE), ridden by Saeed Sultan Shames Al Maamri (FEI ID 10048603/UAE), Intisaar (FEI ID ESP40786/UAE), ridden by Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum (FEI ID 10034071/UAE) and Mraseel (FEI ID 104ED73/UAE), ridden by Sheikh Sh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum (FEI ID 10073722/UAE) in the CEI2* 120-kilometre ride at Al Wathba on 17 December 2016, tested positive for the four substances. The horse Mraseel also tested positive for Flumetasone.

The horse Salam Banquetol (FEI ID 103YG68/UAE), ridden by Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri (FEI ID 10054553/UAE) to finish second at the CEI2* 120 kilometre event at Al Wathba on 24 December, tested positive to all four substances, as did both Tom Jones TE (FEI ID 104ER04), ridden by Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri (FEI ID 10054553/UAE), and Aspenview Amir (FEI ID 104OZ13), ridden by Saeed Ahmad Jaber Al Harbi (FEI ID 10084918/UAE) at the CEI2* 120-kilometre event at Al Wathba on 14 January 2016.

The seven athletes and the trainers Ismail Mohd, Khalifa Ghanim Al Marri and Mohd Ahmed Ali Al Subose have all been provisionally suspended from the date of notification (30 January 2017). The seven horses are also suspended for a two-month period from the date of notification.

Details on these cases are available here and here.

“We take all breaches of the FEI anti-doping regulations extremely seriously and these latest positives demonstrate clearly that those using prohibited substances will be caught”, FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said.

“This is the first time that we have suspended the trainers at the same time as the athletes, but when there are multiple breaches by one trainer, it is clear that there is something wrong with the stable management. Suspending the trainers immediately, rather than waiting until the athlete has been prosecuted, confirms that the FEI will not tolerate any attempts to enhance the performance of the horse.”

The FEI Secretary General will give details of measures to be implemented to address horse welfare issues in the region later today.

More here:
http://inside.fei.org/news/new-prohibited-substances-cases-under-fei-anti-doping-rules

Australia: AERA Sends Letter of Concern to Equestrian Australia Re: UAE Horse Welfare

January 31 2017

The Australian Endurance Riders Association has sent a letter to Equestrian Australia about their concerns regarding Horse Welfare and the Catastrophic Injuries in the UAE.

Referring to the 8 reported horse deaths due to catastrophic injury in the UAE endurance races in the past few weeks, AERA requests that EA write to the FEI and recommend cancellation of all FEI events, and immediate suspension of the UAE Nat'l Federation for an indeterminate period until further investigations can be conducted.

The full letter can be read here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/UAE/2013FEIControversy/01.2017.AERALetter.jpg

The 4 years of running controversy on UAE horse welfare/scandal/controversy can be seen here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/UAE/2013FEIControversy/

New Zealand: Barack comes up Trumps

Times-age.co.nz - Full Article

January 25 2017

By Chelsea Boyle
chelsea.boyle@age.co.nz

As champion horse ‘Barack Obama’ was cantering cross country in a mammoth 160km race, his United States namesake was farewelling his presidency.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, Masterton’s Jenny Champion was on her way to winning her 10th endurance horse racing championship in Taupo.

Barack Obama, a “seasoned horse” at 19 years, proved more than up to the task in his third season of endurance racing.

“He would be the oldest horse out there competing, but he goes like a ten-year-old,” Champion said.

“He has an extraordinarily low heart rate...”

Read more here:
http://times-age.co.nz/barack-comes-trumps/

Australia: Permanent home for Imbil endurance ride

GympieTimes.com.au - Full Article

26th January 2017


IMBIL endurance ride founder Bob Sample could not be more pleased with his son Matt's equestrian centre project, which won support from Gympie region councillors this week.

The centre, which has already had a successful trial run as home base for endurance riders, will now be developed to allow riders and supporters to camp on-site during up to six three-day equestrian endurance events a year.

A staff report to Wednesday's council general meeting said neighbours were not all happy with the idea, but their submissions had formed the basis of conditions which council planners believed would "manage and alleviate concerns..."

Read more here:
http://m.gympietimes.com.au/news/permanent-home-for-imbil-endurance-ride/3136127/

The UAE Endurance Controversy Continues… 4 Years On

January 26 2017

In a controversy concerning UAE endurance horse deaths, doping, and cheating scandals spanning nearly 4 years, 8 more horse deaths this season (6 in the last month) has prompted AERC President Michael Campbell to pen another letter to USEF on behalf of AERC, strongly condemning the UAE's failure to adhere to horse welfare rules. While great progress has been made in Abu Dhabi, particularly by the Boutheib Initiative, Dubai has failed to show any such improvements.

In the letter, Campbell has urged USEF to register a protest with the FEI in the strongest terms, urging indefinite suspension of the UAE from all endurance competition until the Dubai endurance community can remedy the horse welfare situation. Removal of the 2016 WEC from Dubai, and previous suspension of the UAE from FEI competitions has failed to make an impression on Dubai.

The entire letter can be seen here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/UAE/2013FEIControversy/AERC_Letter_to_USEF_Jan_2017.jpg

The 4 years of documentation of the ongoing UAE controversy can be seen here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/UAE/2013FEIControversy/

UAE: FEI Endurance Rules Under Review Again Following More Horse Deaths

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

January 25, 2017
by: Pippa Cuckson

Two horses sustained catastrophic injuries in a 40km qualifier at Dubai international Endurance City (DIEC) on January 23rd, bringing the total to five deaths at this venue in three weeks, and six since its winter FEI programme recommenced in mid-December.

After three fatalities earlier this month, the FEI met organisers and officials in Dubai. The renewed suspension of rides mentioned by the FEI as a possibility before the talks took place has not eventuated.

Instead the FEI will continue to work with new management at the UAE national federation, while the FEI endurance committee will revisit topics such as age of horse and rider, who can often be younger and less experienced than riders in other regions. It will also look at the “elite rider” status which, unlike other equine risk sports, allows riders in that category to start in championship events on horses they have not ridden before, never mind qualified...

Read more here:
https://www.horse-canada.com/horse-news/fei-endurance-rules-under-review-again-following-more-horse-deaths/

Great Britain: Ridgeway Rally: A private event

Ridgewayrally.com

January 17, 2017

Ridgeway Rally is a private independent event. We are lovers of luxury and all things fabulous including our riding experience. A bit of camping in your lorry on your usual endurance event can be fun but sometimes, just sometimes, it would be amazing to hand your horse over to someone else at the end of a long ride and relax, and when you have riding again the next day, to go to a lovely hotel, get clean and dry, dine and be entertained as well as get to know the other people who are riding too. We created Ridgeway Rally to accommodate both, a great ride with luxury hotels and relaxing entertainment too for an all round superior experience.

For more information, see:
http://www.ridgewayrally.com/