Australia: Drought won't stop the Kilkivan Great Horse Ride

GympieTimes.com.au

21st Sep 2017
by Shelley Strachan

DESPITE the persistent drought, or perhaps because of it, Kilkivan Great Horse Ride event organisers are confident next weekend's muster of trail riders, campers and spectators will be a huge success.

President Steve Horseman said yesterday he and his management team had been heartened by the strong, unexpected support of many locals who have gone beyond the usual level of contribution to help ensure the event's success.

"Every day now we are receiving offers from locals which demonstrate the fantastic spirit that's still alive and well around here, despite the recent lousy weather pattern," he said.

"From the local camping ground owners who have made their premises available for a trail lunch site - despite it being one of their biggest weekends of the year - to the people baking extra quantities of goodies for the trail smokos and the craftspeople rallying their neighbours for extra display items while they are all also adversely affected by the drought, we are witnessing a wonderful display of country generosity...

Read more here:
https://www.gympietimes.com.au/news/drought-wont-stop-the-kilkivan-great-horse-ride/3226448/

UAE: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | September 19, 2017

The UAE desert endurance season is chugging into gear. It is accompanied by the annual spike in FEI horse registrations, mostly of the plane-loads of imported unfortunates set to hustle round the early 40km and 80km desert rides to “qualify” for the more onerous winter races to come. How much easier it must have been to invent the qualifying results in times past.

Current UAE endurance FEI registrations stand at 6,091 today, September 19th, out of 13,016 current FEI endurance horses worldwide. This is a 600% growth in 10 years, compared with 947 UAE horses in 2006. The biggest spurt was 2014-2015, around 1,500 extra horses year to year. That is depressing when you consider that by 2014 the abuses were more widely known, and that it might have occurred to people not to sell.

Last year, UAE registrations represented 46% of FEI endurance horses worldwide. Now it is 46.79%. No other country dominates horse ownership in any other discipline on this scale.

Worryingly, this figure taken in isolation makes it easy for the folks who support the warped notion of race-till-it-breaks to suggest that UAE domination means “best practice” and that they should be allowed to do what they want.

Even the FEI flags up that endurance is the world’s second fastest-growing horse sport: who they are trying to impress with that factoid, I don’t know. But it isn’t, anyway. Endurance is the fastest-growing sport in the UAE, but the UAE is just one of 130-odd countries affiliated to the FEI. The rest are not following at the same rate. Nothing like, in fact, and even if they wanted to, their best horses will quickly be sold to the UAE. What was it Benjamin Disraeli and Mark Twain said about Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics?...

Read more here:
https://www.horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/lies-damned-lies-and-statistics/

Great Britain: Annie Joppe’s endurance blog: talk about withdrawal symptoms, I am almost twitching

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Annie Joppe
10:55 - 19 September, 2017

It has now been two weeks since I sat on a horse. Talk about withdrawal symptoms, I am almost twitching. This is because it’s rest time for the horses. My winter plans include a five week break (expedition to Antarctica) during January and some of February which means that the rest breaks for the horses in some cases, of necessity is rather long and in the case of Chiara she will have two shorter ones.

Chiara is now on a two months’ break with six weeks to go before coming back into work for general conditioning and in particular schooling. There are several aspects of her work that need improving. One particular target will be working on her stiff side; her right side, especially right canter which she is always reluctant to strike off on her own accord. It is important that when competing she changes lead regularly and particularly useful if it becomes automatic for her without me having to nag her all the time...

Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/blog/annie-joppes-endurance-blog-talk-withdrawal-symptoms-almost-twitching-632684#oimxVfaYIKcSzRIW.99

Italy: 16 Teams to contend the World Title

ItaliaEnduranceFestival.com

18/09/2017 - evento sportivo

FEI MEYDAN Endurance Championship for athletes under 21 years of age; the curtain will lift shortly.
Lake Garda's bank watching toward Valeggio sul Mincio begins to come to life with the first arrivals, mostly from the more distant Countries.

33 Nations will be present at the big venue organized in and around Sigurtà Garden Park, and 16 of these Nations have been able to present a Team with at least 3 pairs.

We're now waiting for everyone to make their choices and designate those who will defend their Country's colors, and who will be in reserve as well.

The 4 USA riders are: Katelyn Baldino aboard Synthetic, Regan Kelly riding Kharismas Grace, Ainsley Suskey aboard and Princess Deelites MHF, and Annie Whelan riding Wallace Hill Leo.

Anya Levermann will represent Canada aboard Kataki.

Start list is here:
http://www.enduranceonline.it/events/events_details_n.php?gara_id=984&cat=V4_5

Malaysia’s Horse Whisperer

Thestar.com.my - Full Article

17 Sept 2017
By Rajes Paul

NOW, why would a septuagenarian, who quit the equestrian scene 10 years ago, want to get back on the saddle and compete in a 100-mile race?

For 72-year-old former world No. 1 equestrian rider Datuk Kamarud­din Abdul Ghani, it’s all about sending a message to the new generation.

“It’s not just about me riding again. Over the last five decades, I’ve competed in polo, show jumping, dressage and all distances in endurance races – from 40km to 240km.

“I’ve raced in the mountains, desert, jungle, hills and under all kinds of terrain and weather in different parts of the world. I’ve done it all. Now, I want the next generation of riders to go one level higher.

“I want to go around the country’s many riding places. I want to see them all flourish – from managing the stables to organising events and producing talents.

“We have good riders. We saw that during the recent KL SEA Games. But I want them to rise to another level,” said Kamaruddin, who intends to complete the Grand Slam of endurance by riding the 100-mile race in the Tevies Cup in Nevada, United States, next year.

He has already done two other 100-mile races – the Endurance Race in Florac, France, and the Tom Quilty Endurance in Tasmania, Australia, in the late 1990s...

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/other-sport/2017/09/17/malaysias-horse-whisperer-septuagenarian-kamaruddin-still-going-strong-in-bid-to-make-country-proud/#vSyWIb4rCSEBwheC.99

Australia: Dungog equestrian competes in iconic endurance event

Dungogchronicle.com.au - Full Article

MICHELLE MEXON
14 Sep 2017

A Dungog equestrian has faced and conquered a gruelling challenge, completing a 400 kilometre horse endurance ride over five days.

Monique Echentille from Main Creek competed in the Shahzada Memorial Endurance Ride which attracts competitors from across the country.

Shahzada is held annually in the last full week of August in the mountains surrounding the picturesque Macdonald Valley, at St Albans, north west of Sydney.

The ride is named after Shahzada, a champion grey Arab stallion, foaled in 1913 in the United Kingdom and brought to Australia in 1925.

The ride’s motto is “To finish is to win” with the emphasis on completing the whole 400km course with both horse and rider fit and well.

Monique was one of 44 riders to start the 400km ride and one of only 20 to successfully finish with her mount Follydown Kadin, a 15-year-old Arab.

She completed the course in 47 hours and four minutes...

Read more here:
http://www.dungogchronicle.com.au/story/4914525/endurance-rider-conquers-shahzada/

US Equestrian Begins the Countdown to the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 on Native Soil

USEF.org

An estimated 500,000 spectators expected for 14 days as the best-of-the-best compete in equestrian sport

by US Equestrian Communications Department | Sep 12, 2017

Lexington, Ky. – The FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG), which take place Sept. 11-23, 2018, at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Mill Spring, N.C., US Equestrian, in conjunction with the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) and TIEC, are beginning to prepare spectators and athletes alike for the phenomenon that is the WEG.

Since 1990, the WEG has been held every four years, halfway between the Summer Olympic Games cycle, and brings together the world’s elite equestrian athletes from eight FEI equestrian disciplines – including the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing, and jumping.

The FEI serves as the worldwide governing body of equestrian sport, while US Equestrian is the national governing body for equestrian sport in the United States. With the WEG hosted on home soil, US Equestrian will be instrumental in preparing and coordinating with the athletes that are selected to represent the United States in Tryon in 2018.

“We are thrilled that the WEG is being hosted in the U.S.,” says US Equestrian President Murray Kessler. “[WEG] gives US Equestrian a great opportunity to celebrate the joy of horse sports with millions of Americans in a way that will help grow engagement and participation in all equestrian sports in this country."

Expected to be one of the largest sports-related spectator events in the U.S. in 2018, the WEG is expected to draw nearly 500,000 people during the 11 days of competition, with 40,000-50,000 spectators each day. The 2014 Games in Normandy brought an estimated economic impact of over $14 million and attracted almost 1,000 athletes, over 1,000 horses, 74 nations, 1,900 credentialed media from 52 countries, and approximately 575,000 spectators to the event. Similar statistics are projected for the Tryon 2018 Games.

The WEG returns to U.S. soil following the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky., in 2010. The Tryon 2018 Games will be only the second on U.S. soil. The full history of the WEG is available on the FEI’s website.

Team and individual gold, silver, and bronze medals will be at stake in eight FEI disciplines during the Games. Following are the FEI descriptions of each discipline represented:

• Jumping: a spectacular mix of courage, control, and technical ability that make it easy to see why it is one of the three equestrian Olympic sports
• Dressage: the ultimate expression of horse training and elegance. Often compared to a ballet, dressage features an intense connection between both human and equine athlete that is a thing of beauty to behold
• Para-equestrian dressage: para, meaning ‘parallel,’ is dressage for athletes with disabilities and is evidence of the incredible bond, trust, and communication between horse and rider; a regular fixture at the Paralympic Games
• Eventing: a formidable combination of cross-country, jumping, and dressage; known as the triathlon of the equestrian world. A truly complete sport that tests both the horse and rider in all aspects of horsemanship
• Driving: also known as combined driving, is three days of competition (dressage, marathon, and cones), and an incredible display of fitness and stamina for both horse and driver
• Endurance: an ultra-marathon with horses on a 160-km course in one day, endurance racing is the ultimate test of stamina for both horse and rider
• Vaulting: simply described as gymnastics on horseback, vaulting is a harmonious bond between horse and athlete that creates awe-inspiring acrobatic displays of skill and precision
• Reining: with a history based on the skills that ranching horses would have needed, including large, fast circles, flying lead changes, 360-degree spins, and sliding stops, reining is one of the most exciting, thrilling, and breathtaking equestrian sports to witness

Opening ceremonies will take place Tuesday, September 11, with competition beginning on Wednesday, September 12, 2018. A competition schedule is currently available online, and tickets are expected to go on sale later this month via tryon2018.com.