Road To The Mongol Derby: End Of The Road

Photo by TheAdventurists.com
Thoroughbreddailynews.com - Full Article

Monday, July 30, 2018
By Kelsey Riley

Nine months and a week after receiving the call that I was in, the road to the Mongol Derby has come to an end. on Wednesday, I board a plane to Ulan Bator and brace myself to be thrown into a seismic challenge that I’ve spent every day of the last 37 weeks preparing for, but that I know I could never be truly ready for.

To recap, the Mongol Derby is a 1000 kilometre (620 mile) race across the Steppes of Outer Mongolia on ‘semi-wild’ (aka varying definitions of broke) Mongolian horses. There is no marked course; we’ll navigate to each checkpoint by GPS and change horses every 40km. We’ll ride 14 hours a day for 10 days straight and camp out with the nomads (no showers), mimicking their lifestyle and diet. We’ll do all this with maximum 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of kit carried by saddlebag. Race training starts on Aug. 5, the starting gun fires on Aug. 8 and riders have until Aug. 17 to reach the finish line.

What has preparation looked like? First, seemingly endless winter months of galloping in the Lexington deep freeze, snow, and once even an ice storm. And suddenly, within about two days, riding out in the suffocating heat. Galloping racehorses turned out to be the best preparation I could have dreamed of in terms of fitness, strength, but most importantly, the confidence to jump on an unfamiliar steed and head off at full speed; the mantra of the Mongol Derby.

More recently, I’ve been fortunate to spend time at the beautiful Mt Brilliant Farm hacking their polo horses all over the farm. Truly brilliant for getting a feel for long hours in the saddle, which I believe became more a mental exercise than a physical one. Any spare moments were spent in the gym, researching or shopping for kit, or making frequent visits to the travel clinic for rounds of various inoculations (fun fact about me: I am now vaccinated against rabies-come at me wild dogs!)...

Read more here:
http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/road-to-the-mongol-derby-end-of-the-road/

Australia: Courtney takes on 400km ride to help break mental health stigma

The-Riotact.com - Full Article

By Ian Bushnell 31 July 2018

A Canberra public servant battling a debilitating illness plans to undertake a grueling endurance ride to raise money for a mental health charity.

Courtney Chapman from the Australian National Audit Office suffers from autoimmune illness Crohn’s disease, and has had her own demons to overcome, but she is not letting that stop her doing her bit for LIVIN, which aims to break the stigma and silence around mental health.

The 27-year-old Downer woman will attempt to ride 400 kilometres from 27 to 31 August in the Shahzada endurance event held in the Hawkesbury area of St Albans in New South Wales.

“It is a test of spirit, strength, resilience and communication with a creature with whom we share our life during the long hours and miles of training and competition. Spirit, strength and resilience are things you need to battle mental health challenges,” Courtney says...

Read more here:
https://the-riotact.com/courtney-takes-on-400km-ride-to-help-break-mental-health-stigma/258136

Australia: NSW State Championship Endurance ride

Bellingencourier.com.au - Full Story

July 30 2018

Bellingen’s Modena Schofield-Foster is the junior winner of the NSW State Championship Horse Endurance ride.

The 160 km ride was held in Tooraweenah on July 14, with riders from far and wide coming to be challenged at the foot of the scenic Warrumbungle Mountains.

The track ran over varying terrain that included private farming country, public dirt roads, national park trails and rocky sections of mountain tracks with a few challenging hill climbs to inspiring views.

Thirteen-year-old Modena entered with her horse “Kalarney” a 12-year-old part-Arabian gelding, and riding alongside her was her father Chris Schofield on his horse “Ally”.

The midnight start meant heading out in darkness at sub-zero temperatures, navigating with only a head torch...

Read more here:
https://www.bellingencourier.com.au/story/5554116/a-girl-her-dad-a-long-ride/

Endurance GB Launches Internal Review Following European Endurance Championship for Young Riders

July 30 2018

EGB has taken the decision to launch an internal process review following the withdrawal of GBR athlete Charlotte Chadwick at the FEI European Endurance Championship for Young Riders.

The results and conclusion of this review will be made public and EGB will endeavour to publish its findings as quickly as it is able, bearing in mind the complexity and wide-ranging points that will need to be included. Until such time it is inappropriate for EGB to comment any further on the situation.

EGB has already issued a detailed statement on its position and current processes which remain in place.

Italy: Exhausted Horse Provokes New Endurance Controversy

Horse-canada.com - Full Article with video

July 28 2018

An FEI Endurance Championship is again at the centre of controversy, with video evidence of a highly distressed and exhausted gold-medal winning team horse at the Maktoum/Meydan-sponsored FEI European Young Riders in Pisa, Italy, on July 26.

Spain’s CS Rogelia was deemed “fit to continue” at the final veterinary inspection following the 120km race. But this video clip, shot while leaving the final inspection area, shows the horse physically held upright by numerous crew and other helpers on the slow walk to the clinic, where it was still being cared for 36 hours later.

A “pass” by the vets gave CS Rogelia and Martina Codina Sala Planell seventh place individually, enabling Spain to claim team gold; with two others out of the competition, Spain only had the minimum three counting scores left.

A four-star official who provided the video to Horse-Canada.com said this was not the only “disgusting” scene at the championship, and pointed to apparent conflicts of interest...

Read more here and see video:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/exhausted-horse-provokes-new-endurance-controversy/

Australia: Local riders enjoy success at 2018 Tooraweenah Championship

OberonReview.com.au - Full Article

July 26 2018

Oberon-born Andrew Bailey and Courtney Anderson (nee Freeman) of “Native Dog”, Oberon shared line honours at the 2018 Tooraweenah NSW Championship 160-kilometre endurance ride last weekend.

It was déjà vu for Mr Bailey as he cantered across the line riding Twynham El Zephyr. In 1991, he won the National Championship 160km Tom Quilty Gold Cup Endurance Ride on the same course, riding Tantawanglo Hamal Zahab.

Tooraweenah, in the foothills of the Warrumbungles, is experiencing the same dry times affecting all the state, but that didn’t stop a wonderful committee providing a great course and event, according to Mr Bailey...

Read more here:
https://www.oberonreview.com.au/story/5542479/local-riders-enjoy-success-at-2018-tooraweenah-championship/

Sue Phillips Is Taking Every Variable Into Account For The World Equestrian Games Endurance Course

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

By: Amber Heintzberger
Jul 24, 2018

On Sept. 12, hundreds of elite athletes from around the world will gather before dawn to set out from the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina, for the world endurance championships. They’ll make several loops and cover almost 100 miles through the nearby countryside, returning to the TIEC for intermittent veterinary checks, during the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games.

And course designer Sue Phillips will be anxiously awaiting the results of her first World Games championship.

But Phillips, who hails from Poetry, Texas, outside of Dallas, is anything but under-qualified for the job. She’s a four-star technical delegate, course designer and judge, as well as an official FEI steward. She’s been an official for more than 25 years and also has competed in endurance.

“When you come in as an official who rides, your brain functions like an organizer: You think about how it should be organized, through years of putting on local rides,” she said. “You also have to be a star-rated FEI official to be a course designer for endurance. I’ve worked as an FEI official but not a course designer for a championship, but I know what we need to do and what we need to accomplish, and I have a great crew working with me...”

Read more here:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/sue-phillips-is-taking-every-variable-into-account-for-the-world-equestrian-games-endurance-course