Great Britain: Experienced rider excited by future of endurance horse racing

Ealingtimes.co.uk - Full Article

August 23 2017

She may have not finished herself but Nicki Thorne was delighted with the impact the HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup Festival will have on endurance racing.

Thorne, 46, was taking part in a home race at Euston Park, in Norfolk, and had been going well on her horse Crazy Girl in the 160km discipline before retiring with 40km to go.

The largest ever ride staged in Europe, endurance consists of three separate distances with riders competing in the 80km, 120km and 160km.

http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/sport/15491610.Experienced_rider_excited_by_future_of_endurance_horse_racing/

Australia: Expressions of interest being sought from Endurance riders for 2018 World Equestrian Games

Equestrian.org.au

Equestrian Australia is calling for further expressions of interest from endurance riders who wish to join the group working to represent Australia at the World Equestrian Games 2018.

The intent is to gather together riders who wish to prepare themselves for possible selection to represent Australia at this event.

Senior riders for the 2018 World Equestrian Games should be aiming to finalise their qualifications during 2017.

Please note these events will be completely self-funded. Riders will be responsible for the following costs:

Return airfares to the competition
Horse transportation and related costs
Transport to/from the airports
Meals and accommodation
Insurance (The EA National Office can assist with this insurance)
Entry fees and any other related expenses
If you are interested in riding at an International Championship and in representing Australia, we encourage you to submit an expression of interest using the below form.

EOI_ WEG2018_Endurance.pdf

Expressions of Interest close on the 29th September 2017

For any further information, please contact Stef Maraun at the Equestrian Australia Office on 02 8762 7713 or stefanie.maraun@equestrian.org.au

Malaysia: Careful planning helps Sultan Mizan's team surge to victory

NST.com.my - Full Article

By ADRIAN DAVID - August 20, 2017 @ 8:40pm
SETIU: A carefully-calculated strategy and high morale helped Malaysia bag the two gold medals at the 80km equestrian endurance race at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Lembah Bidong.

Team manager Che Mat Din said they had studied the strengths and weaknesses of their rivals, especially main challengers Thailand, before formulating a plan to succeed.

“After 20km, we changed our plan when we found out Thailand and Cambodia lagging behind by some 20 and 30 minutes, respectively. We were cruising at an average speed of 20 km per hour and got our rhythm going.

“During the water break and short rest as they completed the first leg of 35km, I advised the team riders to maintain their speed into the second leg of 25km...

Read more here:
https://www.nst.com.my/sports/others/2017/08/270347/careful-planning-helps-sultan-mizans-team-surge-victory

Australia: Mary Valley complex wins bid for exclusive event

Gympietimes.com.au - Full Article

Tom Daunt | 20th Aug 2017

EQUESTRIAN: Stirling's Crossing Equestrian Complex is celebrating winning the bid to host Australia's most prestigious endurance event, the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, in 2019.

Complex owner and founder of Stirling's Crossing Endurance Club Matthew Sample said he was delighted that the venue had secured the event given it only opened last year.

"The Tom Quilty is the biggest national championship endurance ride in the southern hemisphere, spanning 160 kilometres and attracting over 300 riders from across Australia,” Sample said.

"We're thrilled to be hosting it in Imbil for the first time in 2019 and expect to have horses and riders travelling from all corners of the country to compete.

"It really is an iconic event steeped in history since it was established by R.M. Williams in 1966 and the original gold cup still has pride of place in the Stockman's Hall of Fame in Longreach.”

Read more here:
https://www.gympietimes.com.au/news/mary-valley-complex-wins-bid-for-exclusive-event/3214357/

Great Britain: Rich haul for UAE riders

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Al Ketbi leads sweep of three titles at HH Shaikh Mohammad Endurance Cup Festival

Published: 23:30 August 19, 2017 Gulf News
Leslie Wilson Jr, Racing & Special Features Writer

Dubai: Salem Hamad Al Ketbi led a UAE sweep of three of the four classes at the prestigious HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum UK Endurance Cup Festival at Euston Park in England on Saturday.

The 21-year-old Al Ketbi, who has 49 rides under his belt, completed the gruelling CEI 3* 180km ride in seven hours, 34 minutes and 26 seconds aboard the grey gelding Klim De Jansavis.

Spanish rider Eulalia Gonzalez Guardia took the runner-up slot with nine-year-old stallion Umrod De Keropartz. He crossed the finish line at the Suffolk venue in 07:35:34 seconds.

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/rich-haul-for-uae-riders-1.2076845

Careful planning helps Sultan Mizan's team surge to victory

By ADRIAN DAVID - August 20, 2017 @ 8:40pm

SETIU: A carefully-calculated strategy and high morale helped Malaysia bag the two gold medals at the 80km equestrian endurance race at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Lembah Bidong.

Team manager Che Mat Din said they had studied the strengths and weaknesses of their rivals, especially main challengers Thailand, before formulating a plan to succeed.

“After 20km, we changed our plan when we found out Thailand and Cambodia lagging behind by some 20 and 30 minutes, respectively. We were cruising at an average speed of 20 km per hour and got our rhythm going.

“During the water break and short rest as they completed the first leg of 35km, I advised the team riders to maintain their speed into the second leg of 25km.

“When I observed we were clearly ahead by at least an hour over Thailand and Cambodia, I told them just to relax and cruise ahead and not to push their horses further,” said Che Mat.

He added that the strategy worked well in Malaysia's favour as the riders' horses were not spent towards the last leg and even managed to magnificently gallop to the finish line.

Terengganu ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, astride Rtes Annaversary, won the individual gold with fellow Malaysian Mohd Bulkhari Rozali, riding JQ Tuan Junior, grabbing silver.

Three other Malaysians in Mohammad Fuad Hashim, riding Mora Makaka, Mohd Adhwa Embong, riding Mora Franka, and woman Azizatul Asma Abdullah, riding Mora Tishaka, finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

However, as tournament rules did not permit more than two from the same team to win medals, Thailand's Warit Khuntaraporn, astride Shardell Prince Ali, who finished sixth was awarded the individual bronze.

Also, no same rider is allowed to win both the individual and team medals.

But there was no denying Malaysia the team gold as Fuad, Adhwa, Azizatul and Mohd Yusran Yusuf, who was forced to retire after his horse Castlebr Twilight was injured, won the team gold.

All the top five Malaysian riders broke the Games record of six hours, 26 minutes and four seconds set by fellow Malaysian Sulaiman Muda at the Myanmar Games in 2013.

Che Mat said the Malaysian riders will be put to test in October during the Sultan Mizan's Cup 120km endurance race at TIEP and the South East Asia Cup on Dec 20.

Azizatul, who finished fifth at an endurance race in France earlier this year, is due to compete in the World Junior Endurance Race in Verona, Italy next year, where she is the top seed.

Azizatul said they had to race closely together as a team at the Sea Games, as it boosted each other's morale to stay ahead of the competition.

"The weather and condition of the horses also played a key role, apart from our riding skills and strategy. I am glad we did it," she said.

Bulkhari said their proactive measures taken during the race worked greatly in their favour.

"For me, I have to thank my horse for doing a good job by following my riding instructions. I coaxed it by giving it occasional pats and affectionate touches to urge it to race forward.

"This despite the fact that I was riding it only for the third time. I guess, I had build a good chemistry with it to bring results," said Bulkhri.

Fuad also had the same comments adding that he would even give his horse a kiss to show he appreciated its good showing.

Adhwa praised his horse for much of the work done and said there was still a lot of training to do to win more medals.

Meanwhile, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said the success of the riders augured well for the state to further promote equestrian endurance riding as four of the five medalists were born and bred in Terengganu.

"This success story is due to the diligence of the riders, trainers and officials. They made us proud with not only wining both gold but in record fashion, too," said Razif.

The ruler's wife, Sultanah Nur Zahirah, presented the prizes to the winners.

[Full story]

Denmark's Neland pips UAE's Alyazia to gold

photo: It was a superb end to a highly competitive ladies ride at the Bois de la Cambre, an urban public park situated on the edge of the Sonian Forests in the Belgian capital of Brussels.

Rides were part of the three-day Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters which was supported by the Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival

brussels - Denmark's Merethe Neland won the individual gold and France emerged team champions in the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Nations Ladies Cup, a CEIO two-star 120-km ride, while Sebastien Valerio of France won the 120-km Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup International CEI two star ride in Brussels on Friday.

The two rides were part of the three-day Brussels Equestrian Endurance Masters (Beem) which was supported by the Shaikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival.

In fact it was heartbreak for the UAE lady rider Alyazia Al Romaithi in the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Nations Ladies Cup and for the UAE rider Butti Ghemran Al Qubaisi in the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup as both of them led going into the final stage but could only end up in second places.

The ladies ride was one of the most hot-contested events and when the final three crossed the finish line after negotiating the 120-km distance, just two seconds separated the top three.

Denmark's Merethe Neland on 11-year-old Paragon managed to pip the UAE's Alyazia Al Romaithi on 10-year-old Holoutaria and in close third was Virginia Atger of France on Quersane Des Pins.

It was a superb end to a highly competitive ladies ride at the Bois de la Cambre, an urban public park situated on the edge of the Sonian Forests in the Belgian capital of Brussels.

After three stages of 39.5kms, 32.7kms, 30.3kms in the 120-km ride, the final stage of 23.4 kms left, the UAE's Alyazia Al Romaithi on Holoutaria was five seconds ahead of the Danish rider while a second behind in third was Atger of France. With leads changing hands and the three riders in a very competitive mode, they finished almost together but one second separated Neland from the UAE's top rider Alyazia and Atger finished third for the Bronze.

Merethe Neland and Paragon completed the 120-km distance in a time of 6 hours 28 minutes and 06 seconds, with the Alyazia and Atger finishing one second behind respectively.

In the team championship among ladies, France took the Gold while hosts Belgium helped themselves to Silver and they were the only two teams that had three riders from their team completing the ride.

In the 120-km Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup International CEI two-star ride, which was run along with the Sheikha Fatima ladies ride, three UAE riders were in the top four going into the final stage with Butti Ghemran Al Qubaisi on Ffaramir ahead of Sebastien Valerio of France riding Gindastik. Butti and Ffaramir had led every stage until the final one and that seemed to take its toll. The Frenchman and his horse Gindastik stayed steady and won the 120-km ride in 6 hrs 33 mins and 04 seconds while Butti Ghemran Al Qubaisi on Ffaramir completely slowed down keeping the welfare of the horse in mind and completed over 45 minutes behind the winner. Ahmed Ali Al Marzouki on Uperkut Charbonnier finished third for the UAE.

[full story]