Belgium: Arnold claims European endurance crown

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

German rider ends 22-year wait for her first major title

Published: 19:01 August 18, 2017 Gulf News
Staff Report

Brussels: Germany’s Sabrina Arnold won her first endurance ride in 1995 but it took her 22 years to win her first major international championship and that happened on Thursday in the European Championship (CH-EU-E).

The 160-km Four star ride, which was held under the banner of the HH Shaikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, was held at the at the Bois de la Cambre, an urban public park situated on the edge of the Sonian Forests in Brussels.

Arnold and 10-year-old Tarzibus made it a start to finish affair.

Arnold on Tarzibus, a horse trained by Frenchman Jean-Philippe Frances, staved off the Spanish challenge to complete the 160-km ride in 7 hours 14 minutes and 52 seconds at an average speed of 22.53km/h...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/arnold-claims-european-endurance-crown-1.2076352

Great Britain: Record field for Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup Festival

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Euston Park braced for over 600 athletes from over 35 countries

Published: 19:09 August 18, 2017 Gulf News
Staff Report

Suffolk, England: The largest and most impressive mass participation of riders and horses representing over 35 countries will compete for top honours in the HH Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup Festival UK Endurance Masters at Euston Park on Saturday.

The Festival, which is the third and final leg of the Endurance Cup series, will feature four rides in four categories over distances of 160 km, 120 km and 80 km.

With over 600 riders set to compete in all categories, it is the biggest and most exciting endurance festival to be held in the UK.

Rider from far away Australia, Argentina and Uruguay have arrived at the Suffolk venue while hosts Great Britain have a record 80 riders ready to compete alongside some of the discipline’s finest competitors in a world class setting boasting impressive facilities and generous rider incentives...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/record-field-for-shaikh-mohammed-bin-rashid-al-maktoum-endurance-cup-festival-1.2076360

Ireland: Dundalk man proves yet again that age shouldn't a barrier to sporting success

Sportsjoe.ie - Full Story

Tom MacGuinness is a national treasure

August 18 2017

Staying the distance.
Dundalk man Tom MacGuinness competed in his first FEI (International Equestrian federation) European Championships when he took part in the 160km Endurance Championship in Brussels recently.

The 66-year-old was the only Irish man to take part in the event, but one man was all it took to set the Irish flag flying high among Europe's elite.

85 competitors toed the line in Belgium, but the Louth debutante wasn't fazed by the sizable competition, and finished a creditable 11th place aboard his mount Sasha D'Allais.

This is just another box ticked off Tom's growing and wide-ranging CV when it comes to equestrian events.

Having enjoyed success in eventing, show-jumping and polo, MacGuinness took up the demanding sport of endurance racing in 2013, aged 60...

Read more here:
https://www.sportsjoe.ie/horse-racing/dundalk-man-proves-yet-age-shouldnt-barrier-sporting-success-134195

Mongolian Derby: Australian Olympian Ed Fernon wins world's toughest horse race

A young Australian Olympian has won the longest and toughest horse race in the world.



Twenty-nine-year-old Ed Fernon conquered the gruelling Mongolian Derby, crossing the finish line with South African Barry Armitage in equal first after a nail-biting race to the finish.

The 2017 race saw 12 men and 24 women from nine countries riding 1,000 kilometres across Mongolia on semi-wild horses.

Mostly riding full tilt, they charge through the rugged terrain of the Mongolian Steppes, forging rivers, deserts and wide open plains on a course that is designed to recreate Genghis Khan's ancient postal system.

It puts to the test the competitor's survival skills, horsemanship and sheer endurance.

Competitors change horses every 40 kilometres and camp out under the stars or stay with local herders.

Horses will often injure the participants if badly handled, and riders are also given penalties if they overwork the tough Mongolian ponies.



Fernon is a young man who cannot resist a challenge.

Although city born, he spent time on a family farm near Wagga Wagga in NSW where he first threw his leg over a horse.

His love of riding inspired him to take up the modern pentathlon, mastering the five disciplines of swimming, fencing, running, shooting and show jumping.

He started the sport as a 20-year-old and four years later represented Australia in the 2012 London Olympics.

Needing a new challenge post-Olympics, Fernon did a charity ride across the snowy mountains.

The ride retraced the 1,100 kilometre journey of Archer, the legendary horse that walked from NSW to Melbourne before winning the inaugural Melbourne Cup in 1861.

"Following the Legend of Archer" raised over $50,000 for The Black Dog Institute, offering support for people suffering from depression and bipolar disorder.

[Read full article at abc.net.au ...]

Mongol Derby Day 8

TheAdventurists.com - stories, photos and more

Day 8. August 16th, 2017
Underwater Love - Smoke City

Dumpling has been sent to the finish camp to sniff the fresh mutton air of the steppe and the stories it is still to yield from this year's Mongol Derby. As the finishers congregate at Khangal Nuur (Lake) in faraway Khentii province she'll be collecting the story-dust before it settles. And standing around on horses arses, as in the photo above. Updates posted by Chief Willings, in the office another day, by correspondence. Mainly pigeon.

Says Dumpling: "Bromance Will Comiskey and Warren Sutton rode into joint fourth place this morning. Upon passing the vet (immediately), Will stripped down and rode bareback into the lake, jumping off his horse's bum for the first "bath" he's had in a week. Overheard at the finish: Ed to Will: "Jakkie is a fucking legend. What a hero." Sportsmanship and camaraderie at its absolute finest."

"On JM's last night riding, he stayed with local family. Wanted to help the woman of the house churn butter, and found himself stuck w that chore... for 40 min. Very sore arm in addition to everything else upon finishing."

MOre news, stories, photos at:
https://www.theadventurists.com/the-jibber/2017/8/9/mongol-derby-2017-rolling-news

Mongol Derby Day 7

TheAdventurists.com - Stories, photos, videos, map

Day 7. August 15, 2017

The Boys are Back in Town - Katy Willings, Derby Chief
(Michelle Tanaka at finish camp to newshound from there)

We have a winner! Well, two actually, and three riders over the line nursing their newly minted Mongol Derby sores). For the first time since 2012 we have a male-dominated leaderboard. Ed Fernon of Australia and Barry Armitage of South Africa crossed the line together at 17:34, brother in arms after 7 days of fierce competition and grueling riding. Close in behind them at 19:01 was Jakkie Mellet, also of South Africa, who vied for the lead through much of the race.

So many scores were settled and loose ends tied up by this evening's result, and some extraordinary benchmarks set.

2017 brought the fastest ever finish; mid afternoon on the 7th day after a slightly tardy 11:11 start on Wednesday last week.

It was also the longest ever Derby; 1020km of incredibly open steppe, a veritable ocean of green, which after some much needed rainfall in the days prior to, and early in, the event, made for a spectacular arena.

Jakkie lost his lead this morning after an unfortunate "horse not great in traffic" incident, which meant he had to back-track to Urtuu 25 on foot and retrieve a more suitable mount. His original choice decked him when a car came past (doesn't happen all that often in Mongolia, to be fair) and fled back to the station, saddle round belly. In the bid for freedom JJ lost a stirrup leather, and the herders helped him fashion something out of rope to ride home on. Meanwhile Ed and Barry snuck past, gaining 20 kms. Amazingly he did catch up and get his nose in front again, but squandered the lead again having pushed too hard to retake it - his 27th horse didn't pass the vet check. So he sat a penalty as BA and EF cruised past again.
Here's Hugh and Cozy, our multi-tasking vet/event manager team, towing referee Charles on their way to set up U26. Much better by horse
Here's Hugh and Cozy, our multi-tasking vet/event manager team, towing referee Charles on their way to set up U26. Much better by horse
Amazingly, this is Barry's 3rd Derby. He was first across the line in 2012 too, but subsequently lost the race on a vet penalty. Many a buttock was clenched watching him hone in on the finish. Ditto Ed, who has led or been thereabouts throughout the race, pushing hard for every racing minute and falling foul of the vets and refs a couple of times. That's how you end up an Olympic athlete, no doubt. In the event, they cruised most of the day riding skilfully within themselves, in hot and intense conditions, and unable to put any real distance between each other. In a great example of gentlemanly endeavor they elected to ride over the line together. If 1000 kms couldn't split them, so be it. No showboating, no risk taking, they just got their horses home and promptly took them into Khangal Lake, where we have created our finish camp, for a well-earned swim and cool down.


Amanda Charlton and Leslie Wylie enjoying a bowlful of dumplings for breakfast. Truly a sublime start to the day (and portable with the aid of a ziplock bag).
Amanda Charlton and Leslie Wylie enjoying a bowlful of dumplings for breakfast. Truly a sublime start to the day (and portable with the aid of a ziplock bag).

Don't Stop Me Now

Some highlights from further back in the field. Actually the highlights are more like low-lights, because most of the chasing pack, mid-field and rear guard just kept buggering on today. Some cracking 3 and 4-leg days from the likes of BW, RM, LT, PR, CL...they seem to have got into their rhythm of eat, sleep, ride,repeat. Shout outs to ST and CP who seem to have made camping between urtuus something of an art form too, another clockwork day's riding. MB who got off to a very slow start and got shuffled up the field in a car once he was some 60kms off the pace rode through four stations today. That's pretty much the Derby Gold Standard. Hats off.


42 cracking Mongolian warrior-horses bagged and tagged and on the line for our lucky riders. That's what an urtuu should look like folks.
42 cracking Mongolian warrior-horses bagged and tagged and on the line for our lucky riders. That's what an urtuu should look like folks.

Cry Me a River

Two items under this heading. Paul Richards riding upsides of our whizzkid mounted camerawoman Chloe - it was his wife's birthday, and this is the longest period they have spent apart in 36 years. Understandably, the tears started to flow, first Paul's, and then, Chloe's. Look out for some wobbly camerawork there.

Secondly, the Kherlen and Onon rivers flowing fast in the latter section of the course, and the volume of water in some of the low ground swallowed a few of our vehicles whole. 1 referee, 2 vets, one film crew and the Blood Wagon were all part digested by the flood plains of Khentii. At five separate intervals we had riders approaching urtuus with the vet team assigned to that urtuu digging out of a bog on their way to post. Some impressive day saving behind the scenes today.

***

19.55 JM has passed the vet check. confirming him as 3rd place finish. Congratulations to Mr Mellet.

17:55. Vet check passed. It's confirmed. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are proud and honoured to announce that Mr Barry Armitage from South Africa and Mr Ed Fernon from Australia are joint winners of the 2017 Mongol Derby. The world's longest and toughest horse race has new champions. Congratulations gentlemen.

And how did they celebrate their glory? By getting straight in the lake - with their horses.

Bloody good show.

17:34. Barry Armitage and Ed Fernon have crossed the line and completed the 2017 Mongol Derby. Awaiting vet check...

Australia: 2017 Avon Valley Ride a success

A group of 58 riders from all over WA enjoyed a picturesque day at Mokine near Northam on August 5, for the Avon Valley Ride.

The competiiton has been held from Blair Wilding's property for the last four years and previously at Muresk.

At 7am, 13 competitors were immediately engulfed in a heavy fog only to emerge to a splendid sunrise across the town of Northam from Eric Fox's farm.

The first rider to cross the finish line and passing the necessary vet requirements was Lienca Nell a middleweight rider on her Arab gelding Ruoak Daryus in a ride time of five hours and eight minutes.

She was very pleased with the result as a month earlier her horse had vetted out at the Tom Quilty National Endurance Championships held in South Australia.

Overall there was a completion rate of over 90 percent and in the 20 kilometre event a 100 percent completion which showed how well the new comers to the sport were looking after their horses.

Many local volunteers and landowners stepped up to the task of gatekeeping, road marshalling and manning checkpoints until the last rider was safely back to base.

At the end of the day riders gathered to receive their awards which included local prizes contributed by many local sponsors.

A hot air balloon ride donated by Windward Ballooning was won by a woman manning two gates on the day and she has enthusiastically already booked her flight.

Event organiser Amanda Rayner said endurance riding is a lifestyle that consumes those that are passionate about the sport.

“With it comes the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and we gain lots from both of them,” she said.

“It is a test of our spirit, compassion and our communication with a creature with whom we share our life during the long hours and kilometres of training and competition.”

The ride season runs from early March to mid November with rides taking place every fortnight.

Over the next month two further rides will be held east of Perth, Greenhills and at Merredin.

Endurance riding is a family fun sport.

Without the support of the local landowners, the event could never have been held.

For further information go to www.waera.asn.au or contact organiser Amanda Rayner on 9622 9533.
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