From WestConnex to the Mongolian plains of Genghis Khan

Greatlakesadvocate.com.au - Full Article

Tim Barlass
5 Sep 2017

Belinda Ritchie knows a thing or two about transport. Her day job is as general counsel to Arcadis, part of the consortium of companies building Sydney Metro and WestConnex. Her expertise is in project management and sorting out the legal headaches presented by large infrastructure projects.

But today she departs for a transport challenge of a different kind. She will be part of a four-woman Australian team competing in a race to cross the Gobi Desert in Mongolia on horseback. The inaugural Gobi Desert Cup across the desert known for its dunes, mountains, snow leopards and Bactrian camels, will take six days covering 80 kilometres a day. That's a long time in the saddle.

And she admits she hasn't done much preparation: "You should probably do a lot more than I have," she said. "I only found out about it five weeks ago.

Ritchie is no stranger to long hours at the reins. In 2014 she was awarded Young Adventurer of the Year by the Australian Geographic Society after spending a year riding the entire 5330 kilometres of the Bicentennial National Trail from Melbourne to the north of Cairns. It was a horsewoman friend who has just completed the trail who told her about the Gobi challenge...

Read more here:
http://www.greatlakesadvocate.com.au/story/4901283/from-westconnex-to-the-mongolian-plains-of-genghis-khan/?cs=7

Great Britain: UAE riders sweep all categories at Euston year-ender

Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Fifth and final event wraps up successful second season at Suffolk venue

Published: 15:58 September 3, 2017
Staff Report

Dubai: Emirati riders won all three categories of the fifth and final Euston Park Endurance Ride, sponsored by Longines, in Suffolk, England, on Saturday.
Ahmad Azealdein won the 80km CEI1* ride on Morro in a time of 04:08.24 averaging speeds of 19.32km/h.

Rashid Al Mazrooei won the CEI2* 120km ride on Athos du Nouvion in 06:33.14 averaging 18.31km/h, and Saeed Al Muhairi won the CEIJYR2* 120km ride on Bullio Solute in 06:18.57 averaging 19km/h.
The latter horse also won the best condition award in that class along with Temporada ridden by Humaid Al Mazroui in the CEI2* 120-km...

Read more here:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse-racing/uae-riders-sweep-all-categories-at-euston-year-ender-1.2084366

Endurance GB announces major support package

Endurancegb.co.uk

(Published:04 September 2017)

Endurance GB (EGB), the National Governing Body for the sport of endurance riding in England and Wales, has announced the support it has received in 2017 – both financial and in kind – from HPower Group Endurance (HPGE). This has included over £59,000 of entry fees, received from the Euston Park Rides, which have been donated to EGB.

HPower Group has a long history of organising major equestrian events in the UK and around the world and is behind the hugely successful Royal Windsor Endurance (now five years old) and the Euston Park Endurance rides, run by HPGE for the first time in 2016.

The investment in the Euston Park Rides in particular has allowed HPGE to actively work with EGB to grow the sport of endurance within the UK with the ambition of making Great Britain a strong competing nation in the discipline.

HPGE’s focus will be supporting the core operational areas of Endurance GB, such as technology, IT and general office costs, in order that sufficient resource can be put into the administrative areas that will make a difference long into the future.

With this support EGB will put into action an enhanced programme of activities that will directly benefit its members, event organisers and local Groups all over the country. Horse welfare within the sport will continue to be at the top of the EGB agenda and this increased financial investment will ensure that even more focus is put on ensuring best practice at all UK endurance rides, to position the UK as a world leader.

The latter part of 2017 has seen FEI rides organised by EGB receive additional financial support. The wider support will ensure that the discipline will provide something for everyone, from 10km to 160km competitions. At the same time, much effort will be put into supporting international teams, young riders and para-endurance riders. It is hoped that more riders will participate at national and international competitions, as a result.

Building upon the excellent events held so far in 2017, Euston Park has been developed into an Endurance Centre of Excellence, with training programmes for officials, vets and trainers. EGB also have access and use of HPGE’s media operation and agencies to assist in promoting and publicising the positive nature of the sport in the UK to a wider audience.

John Hudson, Chairman of EGB, said: “This level of support gives EGB the opportunity to really move UK endurance onto the next level. We are looking forward to developing a close and productive relationship with all our stakeholders and supporters in order to enhance our offering and delivery of services. With additional support, we hope that all our members see a real benefit, and that we are once again able to compete for the top prizes abroad.”

FEI Meydan World Endurance Championship for Young Riders & Juniors Verona Italy

Photo credit: Sport Endurance EVO
Endurance-world.com - Full Article

by Admin
2 September 2017

Valeggio sul Mincio, Verona, Italy. Saturday 2 September 2017.
The second last weekend of September promises to be high activity in Valeggio sul Mincio.
On Sunday 24 September CEI1*, CEIYJ2*, CEI2* and CEI2* Ladies are scheduled.
But main event for the weekend will be on Saturday with the FEI Meydan World Endurance Championship for young riders and juniors.

Nominated entries for each country had to be announced latest by 28 August and 14 September will be the last day for the definite entries.

Last week the long list of participations has been published with 159 riders from 34 countries.
It was already clear from the previous edition in Chile that the next championship would receive a greater number of starters and this due to the logistically challenges although the organisers didn’t expect so many registrations.

“The number will change once the team leaders select their final teams but for sure there will be around 100 riders at the start-line...”

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/fei-meydan-world-endurance-championship-verona/

In Brief: Barry Armitage (52) from South Africa

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

by admin
30 August 2017

Name – Barry Armitage
Age – 52
From – Cape Town, South Africa

Biography of Barry Armitage.

I studied clothing design and worked in the industry before getting into the yachting world. Horses became a part of my life when I returned to South Africa after many years of living in Europe. With riding partner Joe Dawson, I made three television series retracing epic horseback journeys that shaped history. One of those television series was about our ride in the 2011 Mongol Derby and began my obsession with long distance adventure racing. I rode the Derby again in 2012 crossing the line in a first-place dead heat with Irish jump jockey Doni Fahey only to lose due to a vet penalty.

We were introduced to riding on the Wild Coast while filming our first expedition in 2010, again in 2011 during a 2,200km charity ride across South Africa and have ridden the coast extensively since. The first edition of Race the Wild Coast was held in October 2016 and won by South African Monde Kanyana. The film we shot about the race will be released in October 2017.

Notable achievements / palmares.

My most notable achievement must be winning the Mongol Derby this year. I had a great ride and was fortunate enough to be able to put pressure on the front runners on the last two days with some great horses. We were travelling very quickly, all three of us at the front of the race struggling to pass the vet checks in the heat, and I was fortunate that things went my way this time unlike 2012.

My toughest ride however was from Cape Town to Grahamstown in South Africa; 950km in six days over some pretty tough country. Joe and I were racing against the record of Sir Harry Smith’s 1835 ride which he achieved using the horseback postal system of the time. It was a brutal ride making use of a team of 36 horses. Our longest day was the last; 205km ridden with tired bodies and suffering from a lack of sleep. The tough old Englishman beat us to Grahamstown by four hours and as a result we called the resulting television show Chasing the Ghost of Harry Smith...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/in-brief-barry-armitage-from-south-africa/

Australia: Tackling the mini at 'the ultimate test' in endurance riding

Armidaleexpress.com.au - Full Article

Ellen Dunger - @ellen_159

29 Aug 2017

A year ago I couldn’t have even contemplated taking my horse to a massive event, let alone one of the biggest rides on the endurance calendar. People used to hold their breath when I rode Pepper for the fear of her exploding.

My persistence with the Arabian Stockhorse mare was met with calls to “get rid of her and get yourself a decent horse.”

Born stubborn, I battled on and took her to dressage and pony club events before taking on our first 40 kilometre endurance ride in Windeyer in June this year.

Pepper and I then ventured north to Killarney for our second for another successful completion before I was encouraged by long-time endurance rider and Armidale local Ruth van der Wegen to enter the 120 kilometre mini marathon at Shahzada. Shahzada, ‘the ultimate test’, is held annual in the last week of August at St Albans in the Hawkesbury...

Read more here:
http://www.armidaleexpress.com.au/story/4886417/shahzada-to-finish-is-to-win/#slide=6

Great Britain: Teenager not daunted by endurance horse racing event

Ealingtimes.co.uk - Full Article

August 23 2017

Competing at your first senior endurance tournament may have daunted some but 14-year-old Ollie Holman admitted he wasn’t too nervous as he headed to Euston Park.

The Imberhorne School pupil finished 22nd in the HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup 80km distance on his horse Grace.

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

Endurance is a mixed gender sport and the winning is the first one to cross the finishing line while stopping periodically to pass strict veterinary checks which deem the horse fit to continue...

Read more here:
http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/sport/15491609.Teenager_not_daunted_by_endurance_horse_racing_event/