World’s endurance elite flock to €2m feature event in Britain

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

July 21, 2017
Horsetalk.co.nz

One of the most significant endurance events in Europe is being planned for Britain next month, with a prize pool of some €2 million.

Already 160 entries have been received from 16 countries, and more than 200 overall are expected for the three-day FEI sanctioned competition, from August 18 to 20 at Euston Park. The aim is to attract competitors from five continents.

New ride categories have been created for the UK Endurance Masters, which is the third leg of His Highness’s Cup, staged under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The other two legs were hosted in Spain and Italy.

The competition will be centered on the FEI Best Condition Award, maintaining the emphasis on horse welfare, and total prize money and participation support will be €2 million (£1.7m)...

Read more at https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2017/07/21/endurance-2m-feature-britain/#b0ljDcaVK2fgOJed.99

Great Britain: Equestrian federation facing investigation as chief executive Clare Salmon quits

Telegraph.co.uk - Full Article

by Jim White
20 JULY 2017

The British Equestrian Federation has ordered an independent investigation into the administration of the sport following the resignation of Clare Salmon as the body’s CEO.

In her resignation letter Salmon, who only took up the post in June 2016, raised what Joanne Shaw, the BEF chair, described as “significant and serious concerns about culture, governance and the interaction of some of the Member Bodies.”

The BEF is an umbrella organisation covering 15 full and three associate bodies involved in British equestrian sport, from British Eventing to the Pony Club.

Part of its remit is responsibility for distributing funding from UK Sport for the Olympic programme. And since the post-2016 reduction in central financing, the BEF budget for Tokyo 2020 of just under £15.5million is nearly £2.5million down on what it was for Rio.

This has led to a series of disputes with the constituent bodies, all of whom have seen budgets shaved. Issues have ranged from Carl Hester, coach to Charlotte Dujardin and a leading figure in British dressage, suggesting that his sport has lost sponsors after they were leant on to make up the ensuing financial short fall, to those in eventing lamenting the enforced redundancy of a number of coaches on the junior programme.

Several figures within the sport have questioned why coaches have been laid off, while the BEF has not yet seen any reduction in its 30-strong administrative staff.

Further strain has been caused by the BEF’s embrace of Sheik Makhtoum’s sponsorship of the UK Endurance Masters being held next month in Euston Park, Suffolk. This offers prize money of £1,768,900 for horses competing in cross country races of up to 80km in duration.

After six horses died in an endurance event in Dubai in January, there has been widespread dismay at the connection: GB Endurance has seen a spate of resignations since the sponsorship announcement was made...

Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/equestrianism/2017/07/20/equestrian-federation-facing-investigation-chief-executive-clare/

Great Britain: Thorne hoping for home comforts at UK Endurance Masters at Euston Park

Ealingtimes.co.uk - Full Article

July 19 2017

Norfolk's Nicki Thorne is a woman on a mission, hell-bent on success as she prepares to saddle up once again and battle it out for top step on the podium at the UK Endurance Masters at Euston Park next month.

Great Britain’s Thorne, who was a former world No.1 in 2014, will be put through her paces at one of the premier endurance events of the year, with more than 200 competitors from across the globe set to compete as part of the Euston Park August Festival.

And as one of the most established endurance competitors, she cannot wait to get back in the saddle for the competition.

“Euston Park has done so much work into putting on an incredible series both last year and this year.

"It’s dear to my heart because I am from Norfolk and it’s my home turf,” said Thorne, who grew up in Wicklewood, near Wymondham, where her parents ran the village stores.

“There are some fabulous opportunities to ride in this area and Euston Park have provided us with a venue which is set up for endurance. To have the opportunity to take our horses to the event is a very good opportunity..."

Read more here:
http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/sport/15420655.Thorne_hoping_for_home_comforts_at_UK_Endurance_Masters_at_Euston_Park/

Great Britain: UK Masters Endurance to offer record prize purse

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

UAE riders sweep through Toscana Endurance event

Published: 19:00 July 18, 2017 Gulf News
Staff Report

Dubai: A record prize money purse of £1 million (approx) is at stake for the first UK Endurance Masters, to be held on August 18-20 at Euston Park Suffolk.

The Masters, to be staged under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai is the first event of its kind. It has the potential to become the most significant endurance event in the UK, the competition offering riders the challenge of a variety of terrains through Suffolk and Norfolk.

There are already 130 entries from 16 countries and that number is set to rise given the attractive terms of this announcement. The organisers are hoping that the competition will attract interest from all five continents...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/uk-masters-endurance-to-offer-record-prize-purse-1.2060989

Janahi races to victory in France event

GDNonline.com - Full Article

July 17 2017

Bahrain Royal Endurance Team’s Hamad Janahi won first place in the 130-km Argenton Race held in France to qualify for the World Youth Championship which is set to be held in Italy.

Janahi rode his horse Samira to victory clocking 06:24.57 hours at a speed of 20 km.

Completing Bahrain Royal Endurance Team’s impressive performance were Mohammed Al Miqdad, who finished third, and Mohammed Abdul Samad at fifth.

Al Miqdad clocked 06: 25.02 hours at a speed of 20 km, while Abdul Samad registered clocked 07: 11.55 hours at 18 km speed.

Last year, Bahrain Royal Endurance Team’s Rashid Al Rowaie also won first place on the same horse, Samira, on the same location.

With his victory, Janahi joined fellow Bahraini riders Fahad Al Khateri, winner of the latest edition of the World Youth Championship in Chile, Dana Al Bengadeer, Rashid Al Rowaie and Salem Sabt to the World Youth Championship...

Read more here:
http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/235159/Janahi-races-to-victory-in-France-event

Italy: Toscana Endurance Lifestyle delivers top class racing with UAE in charge

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

by Admin
17 July 2017

Toscana Endurance Lifestyle, San Rossore, Pisa, Italy. Saturday 15 July and Sunday 16 July 2017.

A total of 517 riders, coming from 44 different nations and prize money at Euro 2,000,000. These are the facts of this year’s edition HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup Festival in this Toscana Endurance Lifestyle event.

The buzz was very vibrant during this high octane of racing with three races on Saturday CEI1* 80km (57 entries), CEIYJ2* 120km (29 entries) and the discipline that gains popularity the CEI2* 120km ladies (172 entries). Sunday two race were scheduled with the CEI2* 120km (200 entries) and the CEI3* 160km (50 entries).

The European record breaking entries for the ladies’ race obliged the organiser to move this race from Sunday to Saturday. “We felt this was necessary to have the best and safest races” were the comments.

On Saturday in the CEI1* 80km it was Bairisal Singh – IND (Magic Glenn Avelina) who was the strongest and crossed the finish half an hour in front of Essa Al Shair – UAE (Ghazwen) and Alessandro Generali – ITA (Ireno) a further 15 minutes back.
The warm weather seemed to be a concern for most stables: “It’s very hot out there and on certain parts of the track there is no air which makes it pretty hard for the horses...”

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/toscana-endurance-lifestyle-top-class-racing-uae-charge/

Italy: Toscana endurance ride breaks European records

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Festival inspired by Shaikh Mohammad sets new landmarks in entries and rider benefits

Published: 18:27 July 14, 2017 Gulf News
Staff Report

Dubai: The status of the Toscana Endurance Lifestyle continues to grow as the competition sweeps all existing records with respect to unprecedented entries for this week’s endurance event at the San Rossore Estate.
The festival draws its inspiration from the patronage and vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The competition now boasts a record 500 entries from 44 nations, across all continents and a record prize money fund that has increased, from the previously announced Euro 500,000 to approximately double, by the Meydan Group.

Commenting on this very positive development Brigadier Mohammad Essa Al Adhab, General Manager, Dubai Equestrian Club, stated: “Such positive feedback from competitors and officials inspires us to plan for bigger and better events to promote endurance riding.

“The positive vision and blueprint designed by Shaikh Mohammad makes us confident that the best is yet to come in the world of endurance riding competitions supported by the UAE and Dubai all over the world..."

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/toscana-endurance-ride-breaks-european-records-1.2058867