Greece: Modern mythology: Riders stage 1,500-mile trek in the name of art and politics

CNN.com - Full Story

April 26 2017
By Nick Glass, CNN

Athens, Greece (CNN)It could be a story out of Greek mythology: three men and a woman setting out on horseback to ride across Europe in 100 days. Tagging along with them is a rider-less steed named after the Greek messenger of the gods, Hermes.

But this isn't a poetic narrative from Homer. It's actually happening now, a wondrous and rather surreal conjunction, both marathon horse ride and contemporary artwork. (Anything, it seems, can be art these days if the artist decrees it.)

The piece is titled "The Transit of Hermes," and in one sense, it's romantic. It harks back nostalgically 150 so years or so to a time before the automobile, when horses ruled and you could canter freely across any border...

Read more here:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/26/arts/documenta-14-transit-of-hermes/

GB: Annie Joppe’s endurance blog: ‘I take a stethoscope with me at all times’

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Annie Joppe
10:55 - 29 April, 2017

After a busy start to the season, there is now a lull in proceedings. There have been no competitions for us for the past two weeks and there are no competitions for the next couple of weeks.

The first FEI ride in the UK has been and gone and, in the King’s Forest in Norfolk, was one of my favourites. Following the races online is great but not as good as actually being there; next time…

Now is the time to concentrate on fitness training for Fantom and Dilmun and to a slightly lesser extent for Chiara. Poor little Chiara had a bit of an accident, slipping backwards onto some concrete and getting a nasty cut on her hock. Thankfully this is not serious but interrupted her training for 10 days or so...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/blog/annie-joppes-endurance-blog-take-stethoscope-times-618540#S7VyA3ZAwWLyY45X.99

Major New Additions to Tryon World Equestrian Games Grounds

Dressage-news.com - Full Article

April 27 2017
By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

MILL SPRING, North Carolina, April 27, 2017–Plans are being completed for a 20,000-seat temporary main stadium for dressage and jumping and a new indoor arena for vaulting and reining for the 2018 World Equestrian Games at Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina.

Officials from at least 15 countries will meet at the Tryon show grounds next week to review progress for the world championships of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, jumping, reining, vaulting and para-dressage Sept. 11-23, 2018.

The officials from Asia, South America and Europe as well as North America will be briefed on flying in about 840 horses from around the world, construction of competition venues, stabling, accommodations for riders, grooms, officials and media, the massive undertaking of feeding about 50,000 people a day expected to watch the world championships of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, jumping, reining, vaulting and para-dressage Sept. 11-23, 2018...

Read more here:
http://www.dressage-news.com/2017/04/27/major-new-additions-to-tryon-world-equestrian-games-grounds/

New Zealand Endurance celebrates 40th anniversary of national championships

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

27 April 2017
Race report made with the assistance of Daryl Owen

Taupo, New Zealand. 14 and 15 April 2017
Easter 2017 marked the 40th anniversary of the Endurance New Zealand National Championships.

Endurance World Taupo Georgia Smith 160km Senior winnerIn the run up to the event participants past and present studied up their NZ endurance history for the trivia night, and also watched the weather forecast as a cyclone headed on a collision course with the area.

The start time for the 160km Championship was delayed in deference to the expected weather but riders and crew alike were relieved when the worst of the rain faded away, leaving near ideal riding conditions.

Taking the 160km Championship title for the third time was the combination of Georgia Smith and homebred mare Glenmore Vixen. They have claimed to this title twice in the senior division and once in the junior division, as well as taking the North Island title in the 160km. Second place went to Jenny Chandler and AC Tigger, winners of the North Island Champs 160km last year, with third place going to this year’s North Island winner, Jenny Champion and Barack Obama...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/taupo-new-zealand-endurance/

Australia: A Gerogery endurance horse trainer is being trained by two of the nation's best in his bid to compete in the Olympics for air pistol

Bordermail.com.au - Full Story

Ellen Ebsary
@EEbsary
24 Apr 2017,

A specialty shipping container shooting range could be the key to cementing endurance trainer Alamdar Dastani’s chances at bringing Olympic gold home to the Riverina.

The Gerogery endurance horse trainer has been competing in air pistol for only 14 months, but has two of Australia’s best in the sport mentoring him.

To meet his daily training requirement of four hours, he floated the idea with Greater Hume Council of setting up his own world-class shooting range in a shipping container.

Dastani, now with council’s blessing, will seek approval from the NSW Police Firearms Registry to construct the 10-metre range.

“My first state-level competition was at the Victoria state titles, held last March, and I won the gold medal in my division,” he said.

“My closest club is the Hume Pistol Club, and the other two clubs are Wagga or Yackandandah.

“I’m a professional horse trainer, so after training 130 horses, travelling to those clubs takes up a lot of my time.

“Hence the reason why I’ve put forward the idea of a completely legal indoor shooting range in a shipping container.”

Plywood 1.5 inches think will be installed at the back of the container with a pellet catcher, a sound-absorbing system preventing pellets from falling on the floor...

Read more here:
http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/4615705/olympics-hopeful-has-podium-in-his-sights/

Australia: Hawkesbury riders saddle up for Tom Quilty

Hawkesburygazette.com - Full Article

Jo Arblaster
26 Apr 2017

More than 50 riders are expected to mount up to tackle the legendary Quilty trails in the Hawkesbury next weekend.

The Q60 - named after the 100-mile Tom Quilty ride which was first held in the Hawkesbury in 1966 - will take place on 29th /30th April. Based at Ararat Lodge in the Colo Valley, there will be distances to suit all abilities, ages and levels of fitness. Rides from 5kms to 100kms will take horses up rocky sandstone escarpments and along shady four-wheel drive tracks through the National Park, and over private property alongside ancient water-courses festooned with waterlilies in the Colo valley...

Read more here:
http://www.hawkesburygazette.com.au/story/4621776/riders-saddle-up-for-tom-quilty/

British Endurance Protocol Endurance Takes Shape - Update

24 April 2017

The Kings Forest national 80km Competitive Endurance Ride hosted a trial of a new award which forms part of the British Endurance Protocol currently being developed by Endurance GB and the British Equestrian Federation. The award is designed to complement the existing competition structure and reward good horsemanship over the course of the competition. At each vetgate and at the finish, presentation times were scored as 20 points minus the presentation time. A 20 point bonus was given for each Cardiac Recovery Index (CRI) result where the second pulse was lower than the first. Scores were also awarded for the other veterinary criteria (gut sounds, gait and dehydration) up to a maximum of 15 points at each vetgate and at the final vetting.

The winners of the trial competition were Christine Ryan & Almaak with 145.40 points, who also won the class. Christine Ryan and Almaak had the shortest presentation times out of all the competitors at each vetgate and at the finish, and they had excellent CRI results including a final pulse of 60/48 in five minutes.

In second place was Saffron Bishop & Ty Shute Golden Savannah with 135.62 points, and in third place was Charlie Chadwick & Sky's the Limit with 132.68 points.

The results of the trial competition will now be reviewed by the working group. Other elements of the protocol which focus on participation, promotion of clean sport and selecting officials are still being worked on and more information will be released in due course.