Australia announces team for 2017 FEI World Endurance Championships for Juniors & Young Riders

Equestrian.org.au

National Endurance Selectors have announced the athletes that will represent Australia at the upcoming FEI World Endurance Championships for Juniors & Young Riders from 22 – 24 September 2017, in Valeggio sul Mincio, Italy

Congratulations to those selected in the team, listed in alphabetical order:

Tayla Hadzi & Oso Edith
Liberty Mercer & Turbulence
Rebecca Radny & Estragon

The team will be accompanied by Andrew Kettlewell in the role of Chef d’Equipe.

Australia: Two locals to represent Yass Valley in Tom Quilty Cup.

Yasstribune.com.au - Full Story

Zac Lowe
27 Jun 2017

Yass Valley will be sending two local women – Shirley Clark of Yass River and Kristie Wright of Binalong – to South Australia to compete in the Tom Quilty Gold Cup this year.

The event takes place annually, and is considered the most prestigious event on an endurance horse-rider’s calendar.

It will take place across July 7th and 8th, and requires riders to complete 160 kilometers on horseback as quickly as possible.

Clark described the tribulations of preparing for such an intense event, and said that a key aspect was her relationship with her horse, Oso Zoltan...

Read more here:
http://www.yasstribune.com.au/story/4748980/yass-valley-riders-in-tom-quilty-cup/

Australia: 2017 Tom Quilty Gold Cup Coming Up

TomQuilty.com

June 26 2017

The 52nd Tom Quilty Gold Cup will be held July 7-9 at Wirrina Cove, South Australia. Event Director Jean Sims and her team offer a great event from a fantastic venue at Wirrina Cove and this area has been used for endurance riding for many years. Wirrina Cove is located between the coastal towns of Second Valley and Normanville on Yankalilla Bay.

With 10 days to start time, 122 riders are signed up, including 5 international riders

The Tom Quilty Gold Cup is the premier ride on the endurance calendar in Australia. The prestige associated with winning this event, as well as competing, is immense. It is the goal of all Australian endurance riders to attempt and be successful in this ride.

The original Tom Quilty Gold Cup is held in the ‘Stockman’s Hall of Fame’ in Longreach QLD as the inception of the Quilty Cup ride was nurtured by Queenslanders Erica and RM Williams who loved their distance riding and their beloved Arabian horses. RM’s Rockybar Stud was situated in QLD. The Quilty was named after RM’s old mate Tom Quilty of Spring Vale Station in the Kimberley Ranges of WA, who on request donated the valuable gold cup.

More information can be found at:
http://tomquilty.com.au/2017/

Great Britain: Annie Joppe’s endurance blog: negotiating a heatwave

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Annie Joppe
10:55 - 21 June, 2017

After all of the recent competing and training it was back home again to sunny Cornwall (literally) to work on improving fitness for all three horses. Fantom had a couple of days off after his weekend away and then it was back to work.

At the squad assessment, tests had shown that Fantom’s fitness was going to be improved by interval training and some general hill work rather than work on the track. Actually I am rather glad about this as we both enjoy these sessions far more than cantering on the flat for several kilometres at a time.

To this end, I duly headed off to the sand dunes for a session on the ‘dunes from hell’ path. This is a long, long path which climbs up steeply from the beach in fairly deep, dry sand. Three of these is enough, followed by a long canter over undulating dunes back to the tracks home. This session was not totally straightforward, as we had many dog walkers, holiday makers and the local riding stables wobbling their way along the path, so strategic planning was called for to avoid all of these hazards...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/blog/annie-joppes-endurance-blog-negotiating-heatwave-624061#8PrTPpdvDTT4P7fQ.99

Great Britain: More than 15 tonnes of ice used to hard to keep riders and horses cool

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

UAE wins across the board in Suffolk FEI rides

Published: 15:04 June 19, 2017 Gulf News
Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Features Writer

Suffolk, England: The UAE had an incredibly successful day, winning all the classes and the Best Condition awards at the second of the Euston Park Endurance Rides, sponsored by Emirates Airline, which took place this weekend in record high temperatures.

Organisers worked hard all day to keep riders, volunteers, stewards and staff cool and over 15 tonnes of ice was used to safeguard the welfare of the horses.

A total of 85 riders from eight nations competed in CEI 3* 160Km, CEI 2* 120Km, CEIYJ 2* 120Km, CEI 1* 80Km and an additional CEI 1* ride.

Euston Park Endurance trialled a staggered start in the CEI 1* 80km classes, they were well received, although the majority of riders still opted for the mass start.

EGB Board Member, Nicki Thorne (GBR) said: “The staggered start is a huge opportunity for riders who have not previously had experience at FEI level to start in a very safe way (away from the melting pot), gain confidence and enjoy FEI riding whilst removing a lot of the stress and worry that might prevent them trying FEI...”

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/more-than-15-tonnes-of-ice-used-to-hard-to-keep-riders-and-horses-cool-1.2046064

Australia: Windeyer endurance ride hailed a success

Armidaleexpress.com.au - Full Article

Ellen Dunger
@ellen_159

17 Jun 2017

If you drove through the village of Windeyer on the long weekend you would have noticed an array of trucks, trailers and horses at the recreation ground.

The quiet village became a hive of activity for the annual endurance equestrian event.

More than 100 riders and horses travelled from all over the sate and rode the extra mile in the 20, 40, 80 and 160 kilometre ride on Saturday and Sunday.

It was the 16th year the endurance event got underway and organiser Allix Jones said this year’s competitors ranged from newcomers to the sport to old hands and the four rides were met with great enthusiasm.

“This year’s turnout was a huge success attracting riders coming from all over the state,” she said...

Read more here:
http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/story/4736069/riders-go-the-extra-mile/

Endurance GB to formally adopt 'The Leading Rider Award' at major competitions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

15 June 2017
 
Following extensive trials, 'The Leading Rider Award' will be formally launched at Endurance GB's major competitions, starting with Euston Park on the 17th and 18th of June. The award is the corner stone of the British Endurance Protocol, an initiative born from a joint working party, led by the British Equestrian Federation.

The purpose of the newly named Leading Rider Award (previously Good Horsemanship Award), is to reward what we believe to be clever riding, covering terrain competitively, but within the horse's means. The award gives points based on criteria judged throughout the competition and takes into account the recovery time of the horse, the CRI and consistency of speed. It's an evolving process and we welcome further feedback.
 
A full list of criteria can be found here. 
 
The award was first trialed at two national rides and two FEI rides, which enabled the working party to refine the criteria and produce an efficient way of capturing and managing the data.
 
The Leading Rider Award forms one part of a much wider British Endurance Protocol, which is looking to develop proposals to support good horse welfare, transparency and clean sport, positioning the UK as a champion for continued development in the sport.