Endurance Wastage: Even Worse Than You Probably Thought

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | May 30, 2017

I was sorry to miss the FEI’s endurance forum at Vic in Spain. I went to the 2014 version in Lausanne, the first specialist endurance open forum staged after the extent of the cheating, doping and attrition in FEI Group 7 and the UAE in particular came to wider attention.

Not much seems to have changed, other than officialdom now being less uncomfortable about openly naming the problem countries. And it would be difficult now not to name the UAE when they were suspended (2015) and stripped of running a world championship (2016) because of horse welfare concerns. Even three years ago it was taboo to mention a Group 7 federation by name in an open FEI endurance debate.

Given that weeny increase in transparency, I was disappointed to be told in February that the 2017 renewal was limited to national federations. By the time the FEI changed its mind in April and invited general observers, I had arranged to do something else, which could not be rescheduled without inconveniencing other people and causing me irrecoverable expense.
I am thus indebted to attendees who kept me posted and provided context to the presentations now available on the FEI website, and for amplifying the topics excluded from the FEI’s media round-up.

Much was made at both the main FEI sports forum in Lausanne in April and at Vic about extensive veterinary studies into bone fatigue and metabolic failures, and how they might be mitigated by extending rest periods. Another proposal that has got as far as a draft rule is adding an extra seven days’ rest where speed has exceeded an average 20kph. But why not actively cap high speeds, as successfully already trialled at Boudhieb? All the evidence is that Group 7 horses continue to train hard during compulsory “rests,” and turn up at national rides – over which the FEI is always keen to tell us it has no jurisdiction or knowledge. A half-way house measure will merely encourage Group 7 to buy even more horses...

Read more here:
https://www.horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/endurance-wastage-even-worse-than-you-probably-thought/

Applications Available for the 2017 USEF Youth Sportsman's Award

USEF.org

by US Equestrian Communications Department | May 30, 2017, 1:15 PM EST

Lexington, Ky. - Are you a young equestrian who exhibits exceptional leadership potential? Do you serve as a positive role model for your peers and demonstrate an ongoing commitment and dedication to the promotion of equestrian sport? How involved are you in the community, and do you feel you exemplify positive sportsmanship principles? If so, you may be an eligible nominee for the 2017 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Youth Sportsman's Award. Each year USEF-recognized national affiliate and international discipline associations search through submitted applications looking for a candidate who is a true sportsman or woman ready to represent their breed or discipline on a national level, and this year just might be your lucky year!


To apply, visit www.usef.org/youth and download the application or contact your USEF-recognized national affiliate and international discipline associations. Be sure to submit your application and all other required materials directly to your USEF-recognized national affiliate or international discipline association’s office on or before September 1, 2017. Affiliate contact information is included on the application form. Each USEF-recognized affiliate may select a national nominee after the September 1 deadline. Each affiliate nominee is considered for the overall Youth Sportsman’s Award, but only two (one winner and one reserve winner) are selected to receive grants.


The overall winner of the 2017 USEF Youth Sportsman's Award will receive a $1,000 grant payable to the educational program of their choice and a commemorative trophy. The winner will also be nominated for the USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year Award. The reserve winner will receive a $500 grant payable to the educational program of choice.


Applicants must meet the following criteria for consideration of the 2017 USEF Youth Sportsman's Award:


Have a current membership in good standing with the USEF
Have a current membership in good standing with a USEF-recognized national affiliate and international discipline associations
Be 17 years of age or under, as of December 1, 2016
Demonstrate an ongoing commitment and dedication to the promotion of equestrian sport
Serve as a positive role model for peers
Participate at any level of competition, including local, regional, or national events
Be involved with their community
Exhibit characteristics that exemplify positive sportsmanship principles™


For more information regarding the USEF Youth Sportsman's Award, please contact Natalie Norwood, Director, National Breed/Discipline Affiliates, via e-mail at nnorwood@usef.org or call (859) 225-6951.

Calls for attitude change at FEI endurance forum

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Sarah Radford
13:23 - 29 May, 2017

Introducing analytics into FEI endurance events will be about “changing psychology and attitude”, according to EquiRatings co-founder Sam Watson.

The FEI announced it had signed a four-year agreement with Irish data science company EquiRatings in April, with the aim of “working together on risk management initiatives” in both endurance and eventing.

At an FEI endurance forum this week, EquiRatings’ Diarmuid Byrne and Sam presented a potential model for an athlete index — which would identify those at higher risk of non-completions.

A similar EquiRatings Quality Index was found to be effective in Irish eventing last year and the pilot has been extended for 2017. The safety analysis tool uses algorithms to calculate the potential for falls, giving officials and riders the ability to monitor risk.

“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,” he said...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/calls-attitude-change-endurance-forum-621710#LGbMMpMosKzI3Eh6.99

Australia: Port Lincoln woman entering Mongol Derby

Portlincolntimes.com.au - Full Story

Jarrad Delaney
29 May 2017

A Port Lincoln woman will be taking on the longest and toughest horse race in the world.

Emma Manthorpe will be entering into the Mongol Derby between August 6 and 19, which will see her riding for 1000 kilometres across Mongolia, stopping every 40 kilometres to change horses.

The course recreates the postal route Genghis Khan set up in the 13th century and includes a range of terrain including open plains, mountain passes and river crossings.

Each year about 40 professional, semi-professional and amateur riders take on the derby which requires them to balance survival skills and horsemanship...

Read more here:
http://www.portlincolntimes.com.au/story/4693229/set-for-mongolia-ride/

Challenges of regulating speed in Endurance discussed by forum delegates

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

May 27, 2017
Horsetalk.co.nz

Even small reductions in speed have large beneficial effects on bone fatigue for the fastest horses, delegate to this week’s FEI Endurance Forum were told.

A total of 100 delegates from more than 30 countries gathered in Spain to discuss the way ahead for the growing sport.

Horse welfare, education and the future direction of the sport were primary topics, with delegates weighing the challenges of keeping endurance horses healthy and free from injury in a discipline in which speeds are likely to increase through the likes of better training, breeding, feeding and riding.

The University of Glasgow’s Dr Euan Bennet 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...

Read more at http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2017/05/27/speed-endurance-forum/#bH2jEzCsuKtt1PgY.99

‘Wrong Identity’ Claims Revive Bahrain Endurance Controversy

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/

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.”