UAE: Chopita scores on Tehama Souveign for National Day glory

Khaleejtimes.com - Full Article

December 6 2017

All the top six riders won a 4X4WD car each and were among the 33 who completed the ride from the 156 starters

Argentina's Daiana Yamila Chopita riding 12-year-old grey gelding Tehama Souveign won the prestigious National Day Cup 120Km Endurance Ride held on Saturday at the Emirates International Endurance Village in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

The ride was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and other VIP guests.

Chopita came up with a consistent performance to stave off a strong set of UAE riders who took eight of the 10 spots in the 120-km ride which was run in four stages.

Hitting the front early, Chopita and Tehama Souveign, took the lead after the second stage and from there on did not look back to win in 4hrs 16mins 57secs at an average speed of 28.02 kmph...

Read more here:
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/sport/local/chopita-scores-on-tehama-souveign-for-national-day-glory

Amateurs Like Us: Madison Smith Has Gone From The Hunter Ring To The Mongol Derby

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

By: Natalie Voss
Dec 5, 2017

Everyone gets a little ring sour now and again, and 28-year-old Madison Smith is no exception. As a joke, a friend of the lifelong rider and self-declared “hunter princess” emailed her a link to the application for the 2016 Mongol Derby, a 1,000-kilometer endurance race across the Mongolian Steppe. On a whim, Smith filled it out.

A few weeks later she had completely forgotten about it when she got a call that the event organizers wanted to interview her.

“It looked interesting and super different from what I’d done before,” she said. “The more I researched and learned, I became hooked.”

Many of us, even those who hadn’t spent the majority of our horseback hours comfortably confined to an arena, might balk at the idea of seriously preparing for a seven-day trek aboard “semi-broke” native Mongolian horses. Not Smith.

“I love doing big adventures,” she said. “Outside of riding I’ve done some climbing and some cool travel adventures. This was the perfect combination of the two for me. I figured why not?”

The Mongol Derby retraces the route of Chinggis Khaan’s postal system and takes about 40 riders across wide open grassland without fences or property lines. At 28, Smith was on the younger end of the age spectrum for Derby riders, as many are in their 50s or 60s.

The race also requires some bravery, as the scrappy, stocky horses (they are technically ponies by their height, but the Mongolians prefer to call them horses) are not the quiet hunters Smith grew up riding. They’re skittish to get on (a quick Google Image search for the race shows lots of riders struggling to come to terms with their mounts), and once you outlast the first few bucks, they have two speeds: stopped and speed fiend...

Read more here
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/amateurs-like-us-madison-smith-has-gone-from-the-hunter-ring-to-the-mongol-derby

UAE: 18-year-old Rider at the Centre of Endurance Steroids Case

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

December 5, 2017
by: Pippa Cuckson

The horse at the centre of a blood controversy during the world young riders’ endurance championships in September, called 8 Minute, has now tested positive to three banned steroids.

The 18-year-old rider of 8 Minute, UAE team member Khalifa Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri, faces a FEI Tribunal hearing to explain how stanozolol and two other steroids that have not previously featured in an FEI doping case – Nandrolone and 5A Estrane-3B,17A-DIOL – came to be in his horse.

This is the first time there has been a doping case involving banned substances at a FEI under-21s championship. It represents a major setback for the FEI’s education programme for endurance in the Middle East.

A second horse has also failed a dope test at the same medal event in Valeggio sul Muncio, Italy. Bahrain team member Poly de Coat Frity, ridden by Fahad Helal Mohamed Al Khatri, tested positive to the controlled anti-inflammatory Harpagoside.

Al Jahouri had already caused controversy as the first through the finish line in the 120km race.

Pictures showed what appeared to be blood tickling down the front of both of 8 Minute’s front hooves from the coronet band. After a social media storm, the original post of these images disappeared and was replaced with an identical shot but the hooves now clean...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/18-year-old-rider-endurance-steroids/

Australia: All riders welcome: Willinga Park hosts endurance training day

Begadistrictnews.com.au - Full Article

December 5 2017
Kerrie O'Connor and Joel Erickson

Forty-five riders traversed the Murramarang National Park as part of the South Coast Zone Endurance Riders’ training day at Willinga Park on Sunday, December 3.

Riders from the South and Far South Coasts and the ACT chose from 10, 20, or 40-kilometre rides, starting from the Bawley Point equestrian facility.

Ride organiser Clare Feary, of Wandandian, said the sport of endurance riding was accessible to any person.

“It’s a fantastic sport for families to get involved in,” she said. “It welcomes a huge array of people and a huge array of horses.

“There are 70-year-old folk doing 400-kilometre rides, so certainly in these shorter distances almost anyone can take part...”

Read more here:
http://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/5099533/all-riders-welcome-willinga-park-hosts-endurance-training-day/?cs=510

Tickets Now on Sale for FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018

Tryon2018.com

Tryon, NC – USA – October 16, 2017 – Tickets for the FEI World Equestrian GamesTM Tryon 2018(WEG) are now on sale. Set for September 11 through September 23 in the scenic Carolinas region of the United States, spectators can choose from a variety of ticket types to experience the world’s largest equestrian championship. With all competitions happening onsite at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) in Mill Spring, N.C., attendees can come for the day, a week, or the entire Games. Tickets are available online at www.tryon2018.com. Select “Buy Tickets” from the menu. Please like the @Tryon2018 Facebook page to stay informed on late breaking news.

Held every four years alternating with the Olympic Games, the FEI World Equestrian Games™ crowns the world’s best athletes and horses as the ultimate world champions in the equestrian disciplines of Jumping, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Reining, Vaulting and Endurance. Horse and rider combinations from more than 70 nations are expected to compete in the massive 12-day event.

The initial sale of tickets for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 includes the following options: All Games Pass, Week 1 Pass, Week 2 Pass, and then All Session Passes for all of the eight disciplines. Individual Discipline-Specific day sessions will be sold, subject to availability, following sales of all multi-session discipline tickets.

Opening Ceremonies and Closing Ceremonies tickets will be sold separately. General Grounds Day Passes will be sold that allow access to the venue to experience the trade fair, event expo, as well as equestrian demonstrations and will be sold three months prior to the event.

VIP tickets and hospitality packages will also be released this winter and customers can trade up their purchased tickets toward these higher value ticketing/hospitality options.

Due to the high demand for ticket packages, those ticketing types are being offered first to ensure that those who want to purchase ticket packages can receive the same seats for all events. Seats will be assigned on a first come, first served basis according to the date and timestamp of the ticket purchase. The earlier your purchase, the better your seats.

• All Day Session Passes are currently SOLD OUT. We will re-evaluate the release of additional All Day Session Passes at the time of Individual Discipline Session ticket sales.
• We anticipate a sold-out event, as pre-purchase ticket sales were significantly above estimates
• Ticket prices outlined below are the advanced public ticket prices which are discounted from prices for sales, subject to availability, on the day of the event,
•
Prices below do not include tax and 8.5 percent processing fee, which will be applied upon check out.

All Session Full Games Pass
The All Session Full Games Pass grants ticket holders access to all of the competition sessions during the full two weeks of competition from Tuesday, September 11, through Sunday, September 23. Full Competition Individual Sessions are valued at $1,600.00 USD, while the All Session Full Games Pass offers a discount of 8% for $1,380 USD.
Total Cost: $1,380.00 USD

All Games Pass – Week 1
The All Games Pass – Week 1 grants ticket holders access to all of the competition sessions during the first week of competition from Tuesday, September 11, through Sunday, September 16. Week 1 Individual Session totals are valued at $840.00 USD, while the All Session Week 1 Pass offers a discount of 8% for $750.00 USD.
Total Cost: $750.00 USD

All Games Pass – Week 2
The All Games Pass – Week 2 grants ticket holders access to all of the competition sessions during the first week of competition from Tuesday, September 18, through Sunday, September 23. Week 2 Individual Session totals are valued at $760.00 USD, while the All Session Week 2 Pass offers a discount of 8% for $675.00 USD.
Total Cost: $675.00 USD

All Session Jumping Pass
The All Session Jumping Pass grants ticket holders access to all sessions of Jumping competition hosted at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.
Individual Jumping session tickets are valued at a total of $425.00 USD while the All Session Jumping Pass offers a discount of 8% for $375.00 USD.
Total Cost: $375.00 USD

All Session Eventing Pass
The All Session Eventing Pass grants ticket holders access to all sessions of Eventing competition hosted at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.
Individual Eventing session tickets are valued at a total of $245.00 USD while the All Session Eventing Pass offers a discount of 8% for $225.00 USD.
Total Cost: $225.00 USD

All Session Dressage Pass
The All Session Dressage Pass grants ticket holders access to all sessions of Dressage competition hosted at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.
Individual Dressage session tickets are valued at a total of $375.00 USD while the All Session Dressage Pass offers a discount of 8% for $345.00 USD.
Total Cost: $345.00 USD

All Session Para-Dressage Pass
The All Session Para-Dressage Pass grants ticket holders access to all sessions of Para-Dressage competition hosted at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.
Individual Para-Dressage tickets are valued at a total of $120.00 USD while the All Session Para-Dressage Pass offers a discount of 8% for $110.00 USD.
Total Cost: $110.00 USD

All Session Reining Pass
The All Session Reining Pass grants ticket holders access to all sessions of Reining competition hosted at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.
Individual Reining session tickets are valued at a total of $210.00 USD while the All Session Reining Pass offers a discount of 8% for $193.00 USD.
Total Cost: $193.00 USD

All Session Driving Pass
The All Session Driving Pass grants ticket holders access to all sessions of Driving competition hosted at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.
Individual Driving session tickets are valued at a total of $90.00 USD while the All Session Reining Pass offers a discount of 8% for $82.00 USD.
Total Cost: $82.00 USD

All Session Vaulting Pass
The All Session Vaulting Pass grants ticket holders access to all sessions of Vaulting competition hosted at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.
Individual Vaulting session tickets are valued at a total of $115.00 USD, while the All Session Vaulting Pass offers a discount of 8% for $105.00 USD.
Total Cost: $105.00 USD

Opening Ceremonies & Closing Ceremonies Passes: Pricing Coming Soon
The two-week event begins with a captivating tribute to the Tryon 2018 theme of “Celebrate the Horse, Celebrate the Sport” at the Opening Ceremonies on Tuesday, Sept. 11. The Opening Ceremonies for the 2018 WEG will feature theatrical, crowd-engaging entertainment, renowned performers, and sensational surprises. The final event of the FEI World Equestrian GamesTM will end on Sunday, Sept. 23 with a festive closing ceremony. Tickets for both events will go on sale following the public sales launch of Games tickets.

For more info, see:
https://tryon2018.com/article/tickets-now-on-sale-for-fei-world-equestrian-games-tryon-2018-in-mill-spring-north-carolina-usa-on-september-11-23-2018

10 Days, 1,000 Kilometers: The Mongol Derby

ThoroughbredDailyNews.com - Full Story

November 28 2017
By Kelsey Riley

Editor’s Note: Kelsey Riley will be riding in the Mongol Derby in August, 2018, and will be regularly blogging about her preparations and ultimately, her 1000-kilometer, 10-day ride across Outer Mongolia. Every rider chooses a charity for which they raise money as part of the process. Kelsey has chosen the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s Blackburn Correctional Facility in Lexington, Ky. To learn more about Blackburn, click here.

I have done some weird and adventurous things in my life, but this one is by far the craziest.

Next August, I will be one of 40 riders participating in the Mongol Derby, which is the world’s longest and toughest horse race and is contested on the backs of half-broke Mongolian horses across 1000 km of the Outer Mongolian steppe. Over 10 days, we riders will have to navigate our way through 25 horse stations using GPS, maps and our wits (there is no marked path) in a course that is a recreation of Chinggis Khaan’s world-first long-distance postal system set up in 1224. We are likely to encounter all types of terrain and weather–open valleys, river crossings, rolling hills, heat, cold, rain, hail–not to mention being bucked off, extreme chafing from 13-hour days in the saddle, and being chased by wild dogs. We will carry just 11 pounds of kit with us and won’t have access to showers while out on the course...

Read more here:
http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/10-days-1000-kilometers-the-mongol-derby/

FEI: New Endurance Rules Lost in Translation

Horse-Canada.com - Full Article

Cuckson Report | December 1, 2017

British people, certainly my generation, can be very lazy about other languages. Much of the world has English as its first or second tongue, so we think we don’t have to bother. I was taught French in a very academic way in the 1970s, equipping me read Sartre without having to consult a dictionary too much, but not confident enough to chat for hours with an actual person.

I lost my nerve on a trip to Berlin years ago, when trying to give directions to a fellow tourist. After establishing we had a smattering of French in common I proudly escorted him to a watch shop a couple of blocks away. But he wasn’t saying he wanted a horlogerie. He was trying to find the Hard Rock Café.

Clumsy misunderstandings are not always a cause for levity. I have often felt that rules for horse sport drafted in English by someone who is not a native English speaker and then debated by people for whom English is also only a second or third language is a major handicap for the FEI. A number of FEI regulations do not actually say what people think they say.

All this came to a head at the FEI General Assembly in Uruguay last week where new endurance rules proposals were so incomprehensible, several delegates tell me, that after a closed debate they were all shelved till 2019 pending further discussions.

The official reason for delaying them is that it wasn’t fair on riders to introduce new rules part way through the qualifying period for the 2018 WEG. I don’t recall that ever being advanced as a reason for suspending new rules in other sports, even though jumping, dressage and eventing also have an Olympic qualifying cycle to cope with, unlike endurance.

The greater likelihood that the new endurance rules were shelved because they were not understood (also, I suspect, opening the door for a bit of brinkmanship from the UAE and others targeted by the welfare aspects.) This is evident in the final day’s debate that was held in public. If you have a spare half hour you can see the shambles in all its glory in this extract from the official livestream. I have watched it several times since and am still not sure what the hell was going on...

Read more/see video here:
https://www.horse-canada.com/cuckson-report/new-endurance-rules-lost/