NST.com.my - Full Article
By ADRIAN DAVID - March 3, 2017
ETIU: Terengganu is destined to be the home for equestrian sports as the state’s most influential supporter is Sultan of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, said Terengganu youth, sports and human resources committee chairman Datuk Rozi Mamat.
Rozi pointed out that the Sultan’s interest and keen involvement has helped equestrian sports to gain popularity and develop rapidly in the region.
It is no secret that Sultan Mizan is an avid endurance rider, who has competed in prestigious endurance competitions globally...
Read more here:
https://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/03/217292/terengganu-seeks-groom-young-talents-equestrian-sports
Saturday, March 04, 2017
Thursday, March 02, 2017
20 Mule Team FEI Ride, USA
Endurance-world.com - Full Article
March 2 2017
Article and images created for Endurance World by Kimberly Rivers
20 Mule Team FEI Ride in the heart of the California Desert
Ridgecrest, CA, USA – On Saturday 28 February Dominique “Dom” Freeman of Great Britain and her Arabian gelding Rising Heat (Desert Heat VF x Zemina) placed first in the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) 160K 3* 20 Mule Team endurance ride in the heart of the California desert. Freeman finished the ride in 12 hours, 43 minutes with an average speed of 12.58 KPH. Freeman was the only finisher in the FEI 160km ride.
“It is hard to qualify here in the West, we only have two chances a year,” said Anne Marie Barnett of Cool, CA. She brought her 15-year-old Arabian gelding Momentto (Moment of Valor x MA Pollianna) with a goal of obtaining her Certificate of Competency by completing the 160km ride. Barnett and Momentto were pulled at Vet Check 4 for “GA” – gait aberration. She led the early stages of the ride...
Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/ridgecrest-ca-usa-28-february-2017/
March 2 2017
Article and images created for Endurance World by Kimberly Rivers
20 Mule Team FEI Ride in the heart of the California Desert
Ridgecrest, CA, USA – On Saturday 28 February Dominique “Dom” Freeman of Great Britain and her Arabian gelding Rising Heat (Desert Heat VF x Zemina) placed first in the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) 160K 3* 20 Mule Team endurance ride in the heart of the California desert. Freeman finished the ride in 12 hours, 43 minutes with an average speed of 12.58 KPH. Freeman was the only finisher in the FEI 160km ride.
“It is hard to qualify here in the West, we only have two chances a year,” said Anne Marie Barnett of Cool, CA. She brought her 15-year-old Arabian gelding Momentto (Moment of Valor x MA Pollianna) with a goal of obtaining her Certificate of Competency by completing the 160km ride. Barnett and Momentto were pulled at Vet Check 4 for “GA” – gait aberration. She led the early stages of the ride...
Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/ridgecrest-ca-usa-28-february-2017/
Wednesday, March 01, 2017
The Rebirth of Endurance Tests - Parts 1 to 10
Awarewelfare.net - Full Article
By John Crandell
Contents
Prologue
The Time Is Now
The Genesis of Modern Endurance
Expansion Across North America
FEI Enters the Scene
Back in the USA
Our Issues are More Alike Than We Realize
A Rebirth Begins
Building Wise Endurance Testing Programs
Roadmap to the Future: Part 1
Creating Healthy Goalposts and Incentives (COMING SOON)
Prologue
Endurance riding was once on the vanguard of equine welfare, generating new definition in the meaning of equine welfare itself. Now that honorable position is obscured under a mountain of saddening imagery on the internet and a growing contempt from other equestrians over the level of equitation and horsemanship displayed at endurance races.
Who’s to blame? We all are, and perhaps especially those of us that have been engaged in the discipline as long as myself. I’ve been endurance racing for over forty years now; long enough to have won two Tevis and Haggin Cups, first to finish at six Old Dominion 100 mile Rides, and FEI championship medals as early as 1986 and as late as 2010. I certainly should have known better, should have spoken out more at the right time way back when. Well, no time like the present.
It’s impossible address the governance issues we’re now facing in a way that guarantees that they’ll never return if we can’t openly identify our collective mistakes that allowed this travesty to develop in the first place. So please notice that as I dissect this calamity of errors, I offend people on both sides of highly polarized positions equally. I have been party to both camps and am therefore as culpable as anyone.
I will show that the root issue here has been brooding for a long time, and goes back to a time before the involvement of the Federation Equestrian International (FEI) and well before the Persian Gulf countries participation in internationally sanctioned endurance racing.
The Time is Now
At this time the entire world, especially the equestrian community, is aware of the alarming spectacle of endurance racing activity in the United Arab Emirates. This has devastated the already fragile reputation of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), which sanctions these races. The FEI has been supplying the public years of image posturing and repeated announcements that is making “sweeping changes”, but the carnage has continued with its renewed sanctioning.
Meanwhile in the United States the endurance riding disciplines national governing body is in a different kind of downward spiral. The economic demography of the U.S.A. has lured the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) into a dangerous trap. When businesses and organizations here listen to their constituents too democratically what they will always hear most loudly is that “we want more quantity, less cost; and we enjoy being patronized gratuitously”. Following this mandate usually creates economic growth initially, but it then leads to departure from the organizations original purpose, alienation of its original supporters, and declining standards until there is nowhere lower to go in order to acquire new members.
This is written as a warning to other regions with developing equestrian programs not to follow in our footsteps. The following is chronical of the foolish choices we’ve made that led to this mess nationally and internationally. Review this history to learn by our mistakes as the modern endurance riding discipline begins an inevitable rebirth...
Read the full article here:
https://awarewelfare.net/2016/02/28/blog-post-title/
By John Crandell
Contents
Prologue
The Time Is Now
The Genesis of Modern Endurance
Expansion Across North America
FEI Enters the Scene
Back in the USA
Our Issues are More Alike Than We Realize
A Rebirth Begins
Building Wise Endurance Testing Programs
Roadmap to the Future: Part 1
Creating Healthy Goalposts and Incentives (COMING SOON)
Prologue
Endurance riding was once on the vanguard of equine welfare, generating new definition in the meaning of equine welfare itself. Now that honorable position is obscured under a mountain of saddening imagery on the internet and a growing contempt from other equestrians over the level of equitation and horsemanship displayed at endurance races.
Who’s to blame? We all are, and perhaps especially those of us that have been engaged in the discipline as long as myself. I’ve been endurance racing for over forty years now; long enough to have won two Tevis and Haggin Cups, first to finish at six Old Dominion 100 mile Rides, and FEI championship medals as early as 1986 and as late as 2010. I certainly should have known better, should have spoken out more at the right time way back when. Well, no time like the present.
It’s impossible address the governance issues we’re now facing in a way that guarantees that they’ll never return if we can’t openly identify our collective mistakes that allowed this travesty to develop in the first place. So please notice that as I dissect this calamity of errors, I offend people on both sides of highly polarized positions equally. I have been party to both camps and am therefore as culpable as anyone.
I will show that the root issue here has been brooding for a long time, and goes back to a time before the involvement of the Federation Equestrian International (FEI) and well before the Persian Gulf countries participation in internationally sanctioned endurance racing.
The Time is Now
At this time the entire world, especially the equestrian community, is aware of the alarming spectacle of endurance racing activity in the United Arab Emirates. This has devastated the already fragile reputation of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), which sanctions these races. The FEI has been supplying the public years of image posturing and repeated announcements that is making “sweeping changes”, but the carnage has continued with its renewed sanctioning.
Meanwhile in the United States the endurance riding disciplines national governing body is in a different kind of downward spiral. The economic demography of the U.S.A. has lured the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) into a dangerous trap. When businesses and organizations here listen to their constituents too democratically what they will always hear most loudly is that “we want more quantity, less cost; and we enjoy being patronized gratuitously”. Following this mandate usually creates economic growth initially, but it then leads to departure from the organizations original purpose, alienation of its original supporters, and declining standards until there is nowhere lower to go in order to acquire new members.
This is written as a warning to other regions with developing equestrian programs not to follow in our footsteps. The following is chronical of the foolish choices we’ve made that led to this mess nationally and internationally. Review this history to learn by our mistakes as the modern endurance riding discipline begins an inevitable rebirth...
Read the full article here:
https://awarewelfare.net/2016/02/28/blog-post-title/
FEI Conference Fatigue
Horse-canada.com - Full Article
Cuckson Report | March 1, 2017
I have been to all but one of the FEI Sports Forums in Lausanne, Switzerland every April since its launch in 2012.
The format has changed from the first year, when it spanned three days often with simultaneous debates in different halls. The jam-packed program was quite an assault on the brain cells, and it became a two-day event thereafter.
The forum is usually a “news fest” so I felt a modicum of disappointment when this year’s itinerary (April 11-12) plopped into my mailbox. I guess the media corps was spoiled in 2015 and 2016 by the emotive debates about future Olympic and World games formats.
This time the first day is devoted to jumping. The Nations Cup discussion looks the most interesting; two forums ago, it was hinted Nations Cups become the main route to qualifying for the Olympics and World Equestrian Games, to mitigate the growing rival demands of the Global Champions Tour. If so, that could be lively.
On the second day, there are sessions of 90 minutes each on risk management in eventing, and the long-awaited injury and bones study for endurance...
Read more here:
https://www.horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/conference-fatigue/
Cuckson Report | March 1, 2017
I have been to all but one of the FEI Sports Forums in Lausanne, Switzerland every April since its launch in 2012.
The format has changed from the first year, when it spanned three days often with simultaneous debates in different halls. The jam-packed program was quite an assault on the brain cells, and it became a two-day event thereafter.
The forum is usually a “news fest” so I felt a modicum of disappointment when this year’s itinerary (April 11-12) plopped into my mailbox. I guess the media corps was spoiled in 2015 and 2016 by the emotive debates about future Olympic and World games formats.
This time the first day is devoted to jumping. The Nations Cup discussion looks the most interesting; two forums ago, it was hinted Nations Cups become the main route to qualifying for the Olympics and World Equestrian Games, to mitigate the growing rival demands of the Global Champions Tour. If so, that could be lively.
On the second day, there are sessions of 90 minutes each on risk management in eventing, and the long-awaited injury and bones study for endurance...
Read more here:
https://www.horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/conference-fatigue/
Monday, February 27, 2017
UAE: BOUDHEIB - DRIVING THE FUTURE OF ENDURANCE
https://www.facebook.com/boudheib/posts/431796127164351
February 25 2016
H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan 11th International Endurance Festival, 6 - 11th March 2017
His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has for many years been concerned by the wonton waste of fine Arabian horses in the sport of endurance here in the region and decided to make changes with the consideration of the 'Welfare of the Horse' at its core.
As a result of recent developments of this sport in the desert regions of the world, speeds have increased from around 18kph in 1998 to current speeds nearing 40kph which exceeds the natural ability of most horses. In order to achieve such speeds, natural dune trails have been replaced by specifically prepared tracks that are maintained hard surfaces. Such tracks were originally necessary in order to preserve any semblance of soundness in horses of these regions, however as speeds continued to increase over the past two decades, so have the countless horse injuries and fatalities!
Sheikh Sultan decided to take a stand by introducing strict rules regulating speed and horse heart rates and so the 'Boudheib Initiative' was born. Returning to natural desert trails which have increased in length to as much as 50% as their
Value has been proven time and again in naturally reducing speed and thereby vastly reducing horse injuries. Boudheib is proud to note that the Boudheib Endurance Village hospital is almost always empty, a fine achievement in less than two years.
Each year, to further improve horse welfare standards, His Highness Sheikh Sultan holds an annual Conference during the Boudheib International Endurance Festival, inviting top international speakers from around the globe to participate in sharing views to enhance the rules which are now being requested worldwide.
This year is no exception, the conference Boudhieb Initiative Worldwide is being held on 8th March at Boudheib Endurance Village at Al Khatem, Abu Dhabi, (registration 9.30). The organisers are delighted to announce a top class panel including :- Roly Owers, UK (World Horse Welfare), Melanie Scott, AUS (AERA President), Laurentinus (Franz) Arts, NED (Senior Endurance Vet), Sybille Merkhart North GER (Endurance Event Organiser), Ahmed Samarraie, GER (Holds National Champs), Kevin Croke IRE (FEI 4* Judge), Leonard Liesens, BEL (Head of Endurance), John Crandell, USA (Endurance Promotion), Kseniia Horbunova, Ukraine and Jean-Paul Boudon, FRA (Organiser FLORAC).
Another newly introduced initiative encouraging conference participation from local trainers, riders, owners and breeders is an invitation which has been accepted by celebrity football club Al Jazira. They will spend time discussing training tactics and injury rehabilitation which can be applied to the same training program for endurance horses. Once again Boudheib is making ground breaking progress!
His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan also wants to tackle the future of endurance by educating young Emiratis in the art of true horsemanship and has put in place a series of beginners rides for both the Boudheib Academy Equestrian Centre Riding School under 16's and open events for young riders never having participated in endurance, this wonderful program teaches the youngsters horse welfare from a young age and both the boys and their horses are loving it.
Everyone is welcome, we have a full program of endurance rides and events with the main feature Boudheib Festival Cup 3 day 3* FEI 240km starting on 9th March
Come and enjoy the beautiful natural desert trails unique to Boudheib.
For festival information and timings visit: www.boudheib.ae or social media: - twitter, instagram & facebook @ boudheib
February 25 2016
H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan 11th International Endurance Festival, 6 - 11th March 2017
His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has for many years been concerned by the wonton waste of fine Arabian horses in the sport of endurance here in the region and decided to make changes with the consideration of the 'Welfare of the Horse' at its core.
As a result of recent developments of this sport in the desert regions of the world, speeds have increased from around 18kph in 1998 to current speeds nearing 40kph which exceeds the natural ability of most horses. In order to achieve such speeds, natural dune trails have been replaced by specifically prepared tracks that are maintained hard surfaces. Such tracks were originally necessary in order to preserve any semblance of soundness in horses of these regions, however as speeds continued to increase over the past two decades, so have the countless horse injuries and fatalities!
Sheikh Sultan decided to take a stand by introducing strict rules regulating speed and horse heart rates and so the 'Boudheib Initiative' was born. Returning to natural desert trails which have increased in length to as much as 50% as their
Value has been proven time and again in naturally reducing speed and thereby vastly reducing horse injuries. Boudheib is proud to note that the Boudheib Endurance Village hospital is almost always empty, a fine achievement in less than two years.
Each year, to further improve horse welfare standards, His Highness Sheikh Sultan holds an annual Conference during the Boudheib International Endurance Festival, inviting top international speakers from around the globe to participate in sharing views to enhance the rules which are now being requested worldwide.
This year is no exception, the conference Boudhieb Initiative Worldwide is being held on 8th March at Boudheib Endurance Village at Al Khatem, Abu Dhabi, (registration 9.30). The organisers are delighted to announce a top class panel including :- Roly Owers, UK (World Horse Welfare), Melanie Scott, AUS (AERA President), Laurentinus (Franz) Arts, NED (Senior Endurance Vet), Sybille Merkhart North GER (Endurance Event Organiser), Ahmed Samarraie, GER (Holds National Champs), Kevin Croke IRE (FEI 4* Judge), Leonard Liesens, BEL (Head of Endurance), John Crandell, USA (Endurance Promotion), Kseniia Horbunova, Ukraine and Jean-Paul Boudon, FRA (Organiser FLORAC).
Another newly introduced initiative encouraging conference participation from local trainers, riders, owners and breeders is an invitation which has been accepted by celebrity football club Al Jazira. They will spend time discussing training tactics and injury rehabilitation which can be applied to the same training program for endurance horses. Once again Boudheib is making ground breaking progress!
His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan also wants to tackle the future of endurance by educating young Emiratis in the art of true horsemanship and has put in place a series of beginners rides for both the Boudheib Academy Equestrian Centre Riding School under 16's and open events for young riders never having participated in endurance, this wonderful program teaches the youngsters horse welfare from a young age and both the boys and their horses are loving it.
Everyone is welcome, we have a full program of endurance rides and events with the main feature Boudheib Festival Cup 3 day 3* FEI 240km starting on 9th March
Come and enjoy the beautiful natural desert trails unique to Boudheib.
For festival information and timings visit: www.boudheib.ae or social media: - twitter, instagram & facebook @ boudheib
Sunday, February 26, 2017
UAE- Argentina's Catalina Bastons wins Sheikha Fatma bint Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ladies Endurance Cup - 100 km ride
Menafn.com - Full Article
25/02/2017
(MENAFN - Emirates News Agency (WAM))
ABU DHABI, 24th February, 2017 (WAM) -- Argentina's Catalina Bastons won the H.H. Sheikha Fatma bint Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ladies Endurance Cup CEN 100 km Endurance Ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, on Friday.
Riding the nine-year-old chestnut gelding called SM Jota Curado, Bastons prevailed in one of the most hotly contested women's rides where the top five were in the fray until the final minutes.
With as many as 105 women riders taking part in the four-stage race, Bastons, who represented the Jumeirah Stables, showed her superiority and finished the first loop in third place. She then took over to lead in all three remaining stages...
Read more here:
http://menafn.com/1095267274/UAE--Argentinas-Catalina-Bastons-wins-Sheikha-Fatma-bint-Mansour-bin-Zayed-Al-Nahyan-Ladies-Endurance-Cup---100-km-ride
25/02/2017
(MENAFN - Emirates News Agency (WAM))
ABU DHABI, 24th February, 2017 (WAM) -- Argentina's Catalina Bastons won the H.H. Sheikha Fatma bint Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Ladies Endurance Cup CEN 100 km Endurance Ride at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, on Friday.
Riding the nine-year-old chestnut gelding called SM Jota Curado, Bastons prevailed in one of the most hotly contested women's rides where the top five were in the fray until the final minutes.
With as many as 105 women riders taking part in the four-stage race, Bastons, who represented the Jumeirah Stables, showed her superiority and finished the first loop in third place. She then took over to lead in all three remaining stages...
Read more here:
http://menafn.com/1095267274/UAE--Argentinas-Catalina-Bastons-wins-Sheikha-Fatma-bint-Mansour-bin-Zayed-Al-Nahyan-Ladies-Endurance-Cup---100-km-ride
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Australia: Moura's Rebecca Hewitt is training for the Mongol Derby
Queenslandcountrylife.com.au - Full Article
Lucy Kinbacher
@lucykinbacher
25 Feb 2017
THE dry and hot conditions across Queensland this summer have been unwelcome for most but at least one person in the state has been using the conditions to her advantage.
Rebecca Hewitt, Roundstone, Moura will be one of 40 riders competing on semi-wild horses in the longest and toughest horse race in the world, The Mongol Derby, from August 9 this year.
The mother-of-two from cattle and cropping property has been running 8km, swimming once a week and doing core strength exercises to prepare herself for the gruelling 1000km course.
Ms Hewitt is no stranger to riding horses, having done pony club and show jumping as a child and now a keen campdrafter, but she has never competed in an endurance ride before...
Read more here:
http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/4491134/moura-mum-shares-training-schedule-for-mongol-derby/
Lucy Kinbacher
@lucykinbacher
25 Feb 2017
THE dry and hot conditions across Queensland this summer have been unwelcome for most but at least one person in the state has been using the conditions to her advantage.
Rebecca Hewitt, Roundstone, Moura will be one of 40 riders competing on semi-wild horses in the longest and toughest horse race in the world, The Mongol Derby, from August 9 this year.
The mother-of-two from cattle and cropping property has been running 8km, swimming once a week and doing core strength exercises to prepare herself for the gruelling 1000km course.
Ms Hewitt is no stranger to riding horses, having done pony club and show jumping as a child and now a keen campdrafter, but she has never competed in an endurance ride before...
Read more here:
http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/4491134/moura-mum-shares-training-schedule-for-mongol-derby/
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Great Britain: Chichester rider and former racehorse shortlisted for national equestrian award
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