Horse-canada.com - Full Article
May 26 2017
The FEI has declined to review a controversial endurance fatality in Bahrain, despite new evidence suggesting both the dead horse and the ride were wrongly identified.
A grey French-bred mare, Samba d L’Ile, was belatedly named by the FEI after liaison with the Bahrain equestrian federation.
But now ride start lists have emerged, which appear to show that Samba was not a participant on March 4th. This raises new questions about the scope of the FEI investigation, especially in the light of its emphasis on the monitoring of Catastrophic Injuries (CIs): attrition was a major topic at the FEI Endurance Forum in Spain earlier this week.
The Bahrain saga dates back to distressing videos of a grey horse at the moment it broke its foreleg. They were posted on April 3rd by an outspoken blogger known only as “Fair Endurance,” who has been active for the past year, and has clear UAE sympathies. The clips also showed the horse – whose rider was unseated – valiantly trying to follow the rest, stumbling along on three legs while other riders did nothing to help.
The blogger did not identify the horse, but claimed the fatality occurred during the King’s Cup 120km CEI on March 4th and was not recorded in FEI results – an alleged breach of FEI rules. “Fair Endurance” also alleged that other CIs in Bahrain have gone unrecorded. The videos went viral, leading to strong criticism on social media of the FEI and of one of its most senior judges, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Al Hammad of Saudi Arabia. Dr Al Hammad was FEI Foreign Veterinary Delegate in Bahrain, where his responsibilities included immediate reporting of any fatalities to FEI HQ...
Read more here:
https://www.horse-canada.com/horse-news/wrong-identity-claims-revive-bahrain-endurance-controversy/
Saturday, May 27, 2017
Friday, May 26, 2017
FEI Endurance Forum 2017: Welfare, education and the future
FEI.org
26 May 2017
Welfare, education and the future direction of the sport were prominent topics at the FEI Endurance Forum 2017, which took place this week in Vic, Barcelona (ESP). A total of 100 delegates from over 30 countries gathered together at a pivotal time for the discipline of Endurance, which is seeing massive growth year on year across the globe.
Scientific presentations on Endurance risk factors, bone fatigue and risk management set the scene, providing a data-based approach for the Forum’s further discussions on education, rules revisions and the future of the sport. Key topics including horse welfare, speed, athlete education and how the elite level of the sport could look in the future were debated in an open and honest dialogue by representatives from across the Endurance community.
“This growth of the sport is remarkable and brings great opportunities but also presents challenges to the global endurance community”, FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said in her opening address. “Endurance is clearly appealing and has potential, but as we grow we need to secure the integrity of the sport with correct processes, and maintain the highest standards of horse welfare. We are all here because we want to ensure that Endurance continues to develop and thrive around the world. And we are also here because we want to ensure the very best for our horses, for our athletes and for the greater Endurance community.”
First presented at last month’s FEI Sports Forum 2017, Dr Euan Bennet from the University of Glasgow took delegates through the highlights and main results of the first year and a half of the FEI’s Global Endurance Injuries Study, and Professor Chris Whitton from the University of Melbourne presented data on bone fatigue. Both reiterated the message that speed and non-compliance with mandatory rest periods are the key risk factors, highlighting that an increase of seven days on the mandatory rest periods established in 2014 could potentially prevent 10% of the failed-to-qualify statistics and that small reductions in speed have large beneficial effects on bone fatigue for the fastest horses. It was unanimously agreed that key to injury reduction is a combination of rules revisions and education for athletes, trainers and all involved in the sport.
Diarmuid Byrne and Sam Watson from equestrian data science company EquiRatings, presented a potential model for an athlete index in Endurance, aimed at identifying those at higher risk of non-completion and following a similar concept to the ERQI model in Eventing. This was received with interest and generated discussions on data collection in the future to enhance this tool, possible applications to reward positive performance and good horsemanship, and potential application to trainers, and horse/athlete combinations.
EquiRatings founder Sam Watson explained: “It is about changing psychology and attitude. We need to create awareness and provide a tool that can guide the level of responsible horsemanship and help maintain a standard for the sport around the world.”
The new Endurance Education System for Endurance Officials was presented and received widespread support, with unanimous agreement on the benefit and importance of rewarding excellence and increasing experience. The introduction of job descriptions, promotional courses for top level Officials, horsemanship education for all Endurance Officials, requalification every three years and the introduction of a new 5* level of Officials were all on the agenda.
Wrapping up the first day’s proceedings, FEI Endurance Director Manuel Bandeira de Mello led delegates in discussion around potential rule revisions aimed at improving horse welfare and based on the scientific findings relating to areas such as qualifications, speeds, rest periods and weight regulations.
There was widespread support for the creation of a new 5* level of elite competition, with further consultation needed on what form it will take, and a general consensus that there should be clear and increased qualification criteria for entry to 1* level and for progression onto 4* and 5*, however further work is needed to flesh out proposals for the introduction of completion rates for Championship qualifications.
Discussions also covered the need for any potential changes to mandatory rest periods to be clearly based on welfare and not as sanctions for speed. The extensive feedback will be discussed by the FEI Endurance Committee as the next step in this rules revision process.
Inspiration for the second day’s discussions on the future of the sport covered everything from event promotion, sponsorship, innovation in promotion, and what the sport could look like in the future, with presentations from across the spectrum of the sport: athlete Valerie Kanavy, Organiser Nick Brooks-Ward from Hpower Group, athlete and trainer Stephane Chazel and Spanish Chef D’Equipe Ignasi Casas.
Athlete education was again central to the debate as discussion turned to how speed relates to the future of the sport. Delegates noted that ultimately this is a sport against the clock, but this cannot be to the detriment of the horse, however as the sport progresses then speeds will get higher with better training, breeding, feeding, riding etc. However all acknowledged that speed contributes to injury, which is not acceptable for horse welfare and has a negative effect on the perception of the sport. Minimum weights and course design were discussed as examples of how to regulate speed but ultimately conversation came back to athlete responsibility and training, a key theme throughout the Forum.
FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez closed the forum with a commitment to continue organising these types of discussion forums for Endurance on a regular basis, commending the “productive and exciting meeting of such a wide group of people, with very diverse views yet working together and allowing each other to speak, with a real community feel for open dialogue.”
26 May 2017
Welfare, education and the future direction of the sport were prominent topics at the FEI Endurance Forum 2017, which took place this week in Vic, Barcelona (ESP). A total of 100 delegates from over 30 countries gathered together at a pivotal time for the discipline of Endurance, which is seeing massive growth year on year across the globe.
Scientific presentations on Endurance risk factors, bone fatigue and risk management set the scene, providing a data-based approach for the Forum’s further discussions on education, rules revisions and the future of the sport. Key topics including horse welfare, speed, athlete education and how the elite level of the sport could look in the future were debated in an open and honest dialogue by representatives from across the Endurance community.
“This growth of the sport is remarkable and brings great opportunities but also presents challenges to the global endurance community”, FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said in her opening address. “Endurance is clearly appealing and has potential, but as we grow we need to secure the integrity of the sport with correct processes, and maintain the highest standards of horse welfare. We are all here because we want to ensure that Endurance continues to develop and thrive around the world. And we are also here because we want to ensure the very best for our horses, for our athletes and for the greater Endurance community.”
First presented at last month’s FEI Sports Forum 2017, Dr Euan Bennet from the University of Glasgow took delegates through the highlights and main results of the first year and a half of the FEI’s Global Endurance Injuries Study, and Professor Chris Whitton from the University of Melbourne presented data on bone fatigue. Both reiterated the message that speed and non-compliance with mandatory rest periods are the key risk factors, highlighting that an increase of seven days on the mandatory rest periods established in 2014 could potentially prevent 10% of the failed-to-qualify statistics and that small reductions in speed have large beneficial effects on bone fatigue for the fastest horses. It was unanimously agreed that key to injury reduction is a combination of rules revisions and education for athletes, trainers and all involved in the sport.
Diarmuid Byrne and Sam Watson from equestrian data science company EquiRatings, presented a potential model for an athlete index in Endurance, aimed at identifying those at higher risk of non-completion and following a similar concept to the ERQI model in Eventing. This was received with interest and generated discussions on data collection in the future to enhance this tool, possible applications to reward positive performance and good horsemanship, and potential application to trainers, and horse/athlete combinations.
EquiRatings founder Sam Watson explained: “It is about changing psychology and attitude. We need to create awareness and provide a tool that can guide the level of responsible horsemanship and help maintain a standard for the sport around the world.”
The new Endurance Education System for Endurance Officials was presented and received widespread support, with unanimous agreement on the benefit and importance of rewarding excellence and increasing experience. The introduction of job descriptions, promotional courses for top level Officials, horsemanship education for all Endurance Officials, requalification every three years and the introduction of a new 5* level of Officials were all on the agenda.
Wrapping up the first day’s proceedings, FEI Endurance Director Manuel Bandeira de Mello led delegates in discussion around potential rule revisions aimed at improving horse welfare and based on the scientific findings relating to areas such as qualifications, speeds, rest periods and weight regulations.
There was widespread support for the creation of a new 5* level of elite competition, with further consultation needed on what form it will take, and a general consensus that there should be clear and increased qualification criteria for entry to 1* level and for progression onto 4* and 5*, however further work is needed to flesh out proposals for the introduction of completion rates for Championship qualifications.
Discussions also covered the need for any potential changes to mandatory rest periods to be clearly based on welfare and not as sanctions for speed. The extensive feedback will be discussed by the FEI Endurance Committee as the next step in this rules revision process.
Inspiration for the second day’s discussions on the future of the sport covered everything from event promotion, sponsorship, innovation in promotion, and what the sport could look like in the future, with presentations from across the spectrum of the sport: athlete Valerie Kanavy, Organiser Nick Brooks-Ward from Hpower Group, athlete and trainer Stephane Chazel and Spanish Chef D’Equipe Ignasi Casas.
Athlete education was again central to the debate as discussion turned to how speed relates to the future of the sport. Delegates noted that ultimately this is a sport against the clock, but this cannot be to the detriment of the horse, however as the sport progresses then speeds will get higher with better training, breeding, feeding, riding etc. However all acknowledged that speed contributes to injury, which is not acceptable for horse welfare and has a negative effect on the perception of the sport. Minimum weights and course design were discussed as examples of how to regulate speed but ultimately conversation came back to athlete responsibility and training, a key theme throughout the Forum.
FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez closed the forum with a commitment to continue organising these types of discussion forums for Endurance on a regular basis, commending the “productive and exciting meeting of such a wide group of people, with very diverse views yet working together and allowing each other to speak, with a real community feel for open dialogue.”
FEI Endurance Forum 2017 Report - by Linda Tanian
May 24
by Linda Tanian, Australia
Today’s session at the FEI Endurance Forum was all about modernising the sport. There were lots of interesting stats about the increasing popularity of endurance on a worldwide basis including:
• 95% increase in the number of international endurance events since 2007
• 58% increase in the number of registered endurance riders
• 37% increase in the number of registered endurance horses
Our own Brian Sheehan led the first presentation taking us through the mission statement, values and some of the changes being experienced by endurance. A WEG Review highlighted a number of concerns about endurance and the fact that it is only available for 1 day on the WEG schedule of events means a considerably smaller spectator attendance (6,000 compared to 110,000 spectators for Jumping which runs for 6 days). It is making it unviable to include endurance on the WEG schedule as other sports are subsiding us.
Brian presented his expectations for the future of the sport which included:
• Highest standard of horse welfare of all the FEI and non-FEI disciplines
• Officials practice the highest standard of integration
• New and successful competition format for individuals and teams with high completion rates and entertaining to watch
• Self-funded discipline ensuring financial stability
• Education for officials, athletes and trainers
Valerie Kanavy then provided an inspiration presentation when she answer the question of “where do I want the sport to go in the next 20 years”. Her aspirations included:
• Wanting to be part of a sport she can be proud of
• A sport that challenges her abilities
• A sport where athletes and horses can be admired and respected by others
• Where horse welfare is the most important thing in our sport
The next speaker was Nick Brooks Ward who is the Operations Director of the Horse Power Group and is involved in the Windsor Royal Show and the Euston Park endurance events among many other things. He provided some thought provoking questions for us and highlighted how we keep endurance hidden away.
He has lots of experience in promoting sports (the Tour de France is one of them) and suggested:
• Endurance is conceived as a closed sport
• Videos that his company have put up onto the web are pulling good numbers in terms of views and this is a much under-utilised opportunity
• There is a lack of understanding about what endurance is in the larger equestrian community that we could easily address
• There are lots of positive messages that we could be producing to highlight our sport
• A lot of education is required to bring people up to speed on what we do and how we do it
Stephane Chazel is a member of the FEI’s Technical Committee for Endurance. He talked about the philosophy of the sport and how it has changed from being a complete to win scenario into flat racing. He thought that we had the opportunity to decide where our sport was heading and presented three options:
• More professional and elitist – a little like cycling where a team approach is adopted
• Extreme sport with the supreme test of horsemanship
• Long distance racing
His feeling was that the sport should be splintering and a new rule set should be created for each splinter.
The last presentation was given by Ignasi Casas who is the Chef d’Equipe of the Spanish Team. He gave us a bit of a trip down memory lane and showed how they used to do things in the ‘good old days’ including a vet gate in a bull fighting arena, luckily without the bull. He tracked the changes of the sport from a totally amateur sport to what it is today – professional teams, big sponsorship and monetary/high value prizes.
Ignasi also talked about changes in qualifications and team competitions for championships and how they have continued to evolve over the past 30 years.
The opportunity for everyone to then join in an open discussion on the issues facing the sport and where the sport could go. Many interesting comments were provided and some of the elephants in the corner were allowed to run around a bit. While there was no consensus on a single approach the FEI has been given lots of information and ideas to mull over.
by Linda Tanian, Australia
Today’s session at the FEI Endurance Forum was all about modernising the sport. There were lots of interesting stats about the increasing popularity of endurance on a worldwide basis including:
• 95% increase in the number of international endurance events since 2007
• 58% increase in the number of registered endurance riders
• 37% increase in the number of registered endurance horses
Our own Brian Sheehan led the first presentation taking us through the mission statement, values and some of the changes being experienced by endurance. A WEG Review highlighted a number of concerns about endurance and the fact that it is only available for 1 day on the WEG schedule of events means a considerably smaller spectator attendance (6,000 compared to 110,000 spectators for Jumping which runs for 6 days). It is making it unviable to include endurance on the WEG schedule as other sports are subsiding us.
Brian presented his expectations for the future of the sport which included:
• Highest standard of horse welfare of all the FEI and non-FEI disciplines
• Officials practice the highest standard of integration
• New and successful competition format for individuals and teams with high completion rates and entertaining to watch
• Self-funded discipline ensuring financial stability
• Education for officials, athletes and trainers
Valerie Kanavy then provided an inspiration presentation when she answer the question of “where do I want the sport to go in the next 20 years”. Her aspirations included:
• Wanting to be part of a sport she can be proud of
• A sport that challenges her abilities
• A sport where athletes and horses can be admired and respected by others
• Where horse welfare is the most important thing in our sport
The next speaker was Nick Brooks Ward who is the Operations Director of the Horse Power Group and is involved in the Windsor Royal Show and the Euston Park endurance events among many other things. He provided some thought provoking questions for us and highlighted how we keep endurance hidden away.
He has lots of experience in promoting sports (the Tour de France is one of them) and suggested:
• Endurance is conceived as a closed sport
• Videos that his company have put up onto the web are pulling good numbers in terms of views and this is a much under-utilised opportunity
• There is a lack of understanding about what endurance is in the larger equestrian community that we could easily address
• There are lots of positive messages that we could be producing to highlight our sport
• A lot of education is required to bring people up to speed on what we do and how we do it
Stephane Chazel is a member of the FEI’s Technical Committee for Endurance. He talked about the philosophy of the sport and how it has changed from being a complete to win scenario into flat racing. He thought that we had the opportunity to decide where our sport was heading and presented three options:
• More professional and elitist – a little like cycling where a team approach is adopted
• Extreme sport with the supreme test of horsemanship
• Long distance racing
His feeling was that the sport should be splintering and a new rule set should be created for each splinter.
The last presentation was given by Ignasi Casas who is the Chef d’Equipe of the Spanish Team. He gave us a bit of a trip down memory lane and showed how they used to do things in the ‘good old days’ including a vet gate in a bull fighting arena, luckily without the bull. He tracked the changes of the sport from a totally amateur sport to what it is today – professional teams, big sponsorship and monetary/high value prizes.
Ignasi also talked about changes in qualifications and team competitions for championships and how they have continued to evolve over the past 30 years.
The opportunity for everyone to then join in an open discussion on the issues facing the sport and where the sport could go. Many interesting comments were provided and some of the elephants in the corner were allowed to run around a bit. While there was no consensus on a single approach the FEI has been given lots of information and ideas to mull over.
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Mongol Derby: Birregurra Australia rider Warren Sutton saddling up
Weeklytimesnow.com.au - Full Article
FRAN CLELAND, The Weekly Times
May 23, 2017
BIRREGURRA horse trainer Warren Sutton is preparing for an adventure of a lifetime — the Mongol Derby.
He will be one of 12 men and 22 women from nine countries to compete in the 1000km race across Mongolia in August, with all riders mounted on semi-wild horses.
The event is featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest and toughest horse race, recreating Genghis Khan’s ancient horse messenger system.
The hardy native horses of Mongolia reprise their traditional role and the horse stations will be manned by nomadic herding families as they traditionally were.
Messengers will be riding up to 160kms a day, navigating independently and changing horses at 40km intervals.
Riders have 10 days to complete the course, with last year’s winner taking seven and a half days...
Read more here:
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/sport/horses/mongol-derby-birregurra-rider-warren-sutton-saddling-up/news-story/d1b53c9c0dc474b280cc41431195a5a2
FRAN CLELAND, The Weekly Times
May 23, 2017
BIRREGURRA horse trainer Warren Sutton is preparing for an adventure of a lifetime — the Mongol Derby.
He will be one of 12 men and 22 women from nine countries to compete in the 1000km race across Mongolia in August, with all riders mounted on semi-wild horses.
The event is featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest and toughest horse race, recreating Genghis Khan’s ancient horse messenger system.
The hardy native horses of Mongolia reprise their traditional role and the horse stations will be manned by nomadic herding families as they traditionally were.
Messengers will be riding up to 160kms a day, navigating independently and changing horses at 40km intervals.
Riders have 10 days to complete the course, with last year’s winner taking seven and a half days...
Read more here:
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/sport/horses/mongol-derby-birregurra-rider-warren-sutton-saddling-up/news-story/d1b53c9c0dc474b280cc41431195a5a2
Cambodia: Dara keeps up SEA Games endurance drive
Phnompenhpost.com - Full ArticleWed, 24 May 2017
H S Manjunath
The Cambodian Equestrian Federation’s relentless drive to build an endurance team of six riders and horses meeting SEA Games participation standards met with a measure of success last week when Ly Sovanchandara became the first rider to qualify in an international level competition at a pregames event in Malaysia.
Also making the grade, but at the national competition level, was Phay Visal, while Moeng Sochea, who has already qualified, could not complete his run as his leased horse returned with an injury after the first lap.
Competing in the International Federation for Equestrian Sports-approved 80km event at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Kuala Lumpur, Sovanachandara, riding Ohara Armor, was ranked 12th in the pregames trial and qualified with an average speed of 14.038. He led the first lap at a speed of 19.327 but slowed down on the next two to conserve his leased horse...
Read more here:
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/sport/dara-keeps-sea-games-endurance-drive
Great Britain: UAE riders take Euston Park by storm
Gulfnews.com - Full Article
Make clean sweep of four endurance rides held in glorious weather in Suffolk
Published: 16:10 May 23, 2017 Gulf News
Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Features Writer
Suffolk: UAE riders made a clean sweep of the four classes at the first Euston Park Endurance Rides, sponsored by Emirates Airline, which took place in stunning weather conditions in Suffolk, England.
Contests were held in four categories — CEI3* 160km, CEI2* 120km, CEIYJ2* 120km and CEI1* 80Km — on the Euston Park Estate and surrounding land.
All the winning horses represented the MRM Stables and were trained by Esmail Mohammad Al Jeziri.
“We started our European season last week at Royal Windsor Endurance but this was our first three star ride and it’s just amazing,” said Al Jeziri. “The horses finished in great condition and it looks very positive for the season ahead...”
Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/uae-riders-take-euston-park-by-storm-1.2031724
Make clean sweep of four endurance rides held in glorious weather in Suffolk
Published: 16:10 May 23, 2017 Gulf News
Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Features Writer
Suffolk: UAE riders made a clean sweep of the four classes at the first Euston Park Endurance Rides, sponsored by Emirates Airline, which took place in stunning weather conditions in Suffolk, England.
Contests were held in four categories — CEI3* 160km, CEI2* 120km, CEIYJ2* 120km and CEI1* 80Km — on the Euston Park Estate and surrounding land.
All the winning horses represented the MRM Stables and were trained by Esmail Mohammad Al Jeziri.
“We started our European season last week at Royal Windsor Endurance but this was our first three star ride and it’s just amazing,” said Al Jeziri. “The horses finished in great condition and it looks very positive for the season ahead...”
Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/uae-riders-take-euston-park-by-storm-1.2031724
Monday, May 22, 2017
Great Britain: Annie Joppe’s endurance blog: ‘he stood stock still with a look of utter amazement’
Horseandhound.co.uk - Full ArticleAnnie Joppe
10:55 - 22 May, 2017
Well the decision was made; Fantom was going to Windsor and Dilmun would be prepared for the popular inter-regional enduarance championships in July, this year to be held at Cirencester Park.
All the last-minute preparations were made for Windsor. We had a final training session of approximately 20km around a cross-country course averaging 20kph, a relaxing massage (for Fantom, not me!), and a new set of shoes complete with pads in the front to guard against any random stones with our name on it!
I have to admit that I was looking forward to this event with, shall we say, nervous anticipation. I had a plan! Now in endurance there is a saying that plans are bad as they tempt fate with the endurance gods, but in this case it was vital. Fantom was definitely fit enough and carefully prepared for this particular race, but our long term plan this year is to maximise our chances of being selected for the European Championships and to this end, we needed a solid result without taking any undue risks...
Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/blog/annie-joppes-endurance-blog-stood-stock-still-look-utter-amazement-621236#qH8dK7qTGS4KJbxi.99
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Costanza Laliscia: the young Italian equestrian endurance champion
Sport.quotidiano.net - Full Article Costanza Laliscia, endurance champion, talks about her passion for horses and the sacrifices she makes...
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