Opportunity knocks with FEI World Championships 2022 bid process

FEI.org

13 Feb 2019

While 2019 is set to be another busy year for international horse sport, potential bidders are already vying for the possibility of hosting FEI World Championships in 2022. The FEI has already received some exciting expressions of interest for 2022, with more submissions expected before the 28 February deadline.

“I am delighted to say that the level of interest and the quality of submissions to host FEI World Championships in 2022 has been very high so far, and we are confident that we will have an interesting pool of candidates to choose from when the allocations are made later this year,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

The FEI initiated a bid process for individual FEI World Championships in all disciplines for 2022 at the FEI General Assembly in Manama (BRN) in November last year.

The FEI President stressed at the time that this does not necessarily mean the end of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ concept, and bids to host the full seven disciplines together for 2022 will be considered.

The FEI Board unanimously approved the opening of a bidding process for individual world championships in all disciplines for 2022, with preference being given to multi-discipline bids. The Board also agreed that ideally the FEI World Championships for Dressage and Para Dressage should be combined. The world championships for 2022 in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines will serve as qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Games.

“Equestrian sport has become increasingly globalised, but there are relatively few countries that have the capacity to host world championships in all disciplines simultaneously,” the FEI President said.

“The new bid process allows for the sustainable and cost-effective use of existing equestrian sports facilities and for the FEI to partner with National Federations that may have hesitated putting forward multi-discipline bids in the past. The door is now open for these Federations to consider submitting an expression of interest for an individual world championship in the discipline of their choice.”

In a key change to the bid process, the FEI will host an interactive workshop at the end of March in Lausanne for all National Federations/Organising Committees that submit an expression of interest in the 2022 World Championships.

“This interactive workshop is a key factor in ensuring that we adequately convey the structure, opportunities and minimum requirements of hosting the FEI World Championships 2022. By working more closely with the National Federations and Organising Committees from the very start of the process, we can ensure a unified vision and establish an achievable set of goals to work towards,” Ingmar De Vos said.

There are over 4,000 FEI events organised world-wide annually across the seven disciplines of Jumping, Dressage & Para-Dressage, Eventing, Endurance, Driving & Para-Driving, Vaulting and Reining, with world championships in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines held every four years and every second year for non-Olympic disciplines.

Timeline

• 28 February 2019 – Deadline for receipt of non-binding expressions of interest to host one or multiple FEI World Championship(s) 2022. All information can be accessed here.
• 26 March 2019 – Workshop to be held in Lausanne after which interested bidders will be invited to submit a formal bid, outlining their plans and visions for hosting FEI World Championships in 2022.
• November 2019 – Allocation of FEI World Championships at the in-person Board meeting at the FEI General Assembly in Moscow (RUS). All bids will be fully evaluated over the Spring/Summer of 2019.

Questions concerning the bid process can be sent to bidding@fei.org.

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.

The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.

The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.

Frst Trainers Automatically Suspended Under New Anti-Doping Rule

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

February 12, 2019
by: Pippa Cuckson

Two UAE endurance trainers are the first to be automatically suspended for horses in their care testing positive to banned substances.

The new rule came into effect on January 1st, as the FEI beefs up its battle with ongoing doping issues. Endurance still returns a substantially higher percentage of positives from horses sampled than any other equestrian sport; 37 of the 57 cases currently waiting a Tribunal decision are in endurance, mostly from riders in the Group 7 (Middle East) region.

Trainers Ibrahim Joynal Abedin (Si Quilombo) and Rashed Suhail Al Darbi (Kekmadar) have been provisionally suspended, pending a final Tribunal decision, after both horses tested positive to arsenic. Both horses had the same rider, Said Al Balushi, who is also provisionally suspended. Saudi rider Ahmad Althmaly is also listed as the suspended trainer of Sarem who has tested positive to steroids Stanozolol and 16-betahydroxystanozolol.

This is the first time a new FEI anti-doping rule has been discipline-specific. In all other equestrian sports, because the rider is usually the horse’s trainer and stable manager he is regarded as the prime “person responsible” (PR) and thereby liable for doping offences. However, endurance in the Middle East mostly revolves around large barns of many hundreds of horses and prepared by professional trainers but competed by staff riders or overseas visitors with little prior contact...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/first-trainers-suspended-new-anti-doping-rule/

Dubai: Final push gives victory to F3 Stables in HH The President of UAE Endurance Cup

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

Info@endurance-world.com
13th February 2019

Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, United Arab Emirates. Saturday 9 February 2019. HH The President of UAE Endurance Cup in Al Wathba is being considered as one of the UAE season highlights, along with the HH Sh. Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup in Dubai.

Joined with invited riders from around the globe this event was the most important race of the season held in Al Wathba totalling 313 entries (from 28 countries), an increase compared to last year’s entries of 270 entries.

With the exception of the HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Italy Endurance Festival in Pisa – ITA and the HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum UK Endurance Festival in Euston Park – GBR, the Middle East stands out regarding prize money for the endurance races.

Most recently, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in Al Ula – KSA still fresh in our mind, together with the earlier mentioned Sheikh Mohammed Cup held last January in Dubai and furthermore last weekend’s HH The President of UAE Endurance Cup where the organisers, the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, announced AED 100,000 for each finisher, good for over US$ 27,000.- The 160km distance was split into six loops of 40, 33, 24, 23, 20 and 20km which included, in the second loop, the much dreaded and at the same time most liked Tora Bora section. It looked like most combinations survived it well although the riders were surprised by the deep sand.

The hot weather was an added challenge the international riders coped rather well with considering the fact that temperatures are much less in their home base...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/final-push-gives-victory-to-f3-stables-in-hh-the-president-of-uae-endurance-cup/

Australia: Bush ride to test endurance

Latrobvalleyexpress.com.au - Full Story

Michelle Slater
11 Feb 2019]

Local horse owners who love riding in the bush are being encouraged to have a go at endurance riding at a training weekend in Glengarry in March.

Ride organiser Trish Van Donk said anyone on any breed of horse could tackle the introductory 20-kilometre loop through the Bool Bool State Forest so long as their horse has had regular work.

She said the social ride would be ideal for budding pony clubbers, adult riding club members or trail riders wanting to step up the pace and learn more about the sport.

"I definitely encourage people who haven't done this before to try the 20 kilometres. It's not difficult, it won't be hilly and won't put the horse under stress if they haven't done it before," Ms Van Donk said.

"It's pretty friendly. Most people will help you out and guide you. It's not competitive and a good way to start..."

Read more here:
http://www.latrobevalleyexpress.com.au/story/5897874/bush-ride-to-test-endurance/

A new chapter for Italia Endurance Stables & Academy

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

8th February 2019
Feature made with the assistance of Italia Endurance Asd
Photo Credit: Italia Endurance Asd

One should consider Italia Endurance Stables & Academy as a whole entity, with the stables being the headquarters for Fuxiateam as well as location for events, an endurance academy and breeding activities.

Italia Endurance Stables & Academy is a centre par excellence for endurance riding and one of the most important in Europe. Located in Italy, between Perugia and Lake Trasimeno, it is surrounded by the gentle green hills of Agello village. Italia Endurance Stables & Academy is a sport and breeding project whose headquarters are in Agello, Magione near Perugia, on Via Emirati Arabi Uniti, 3.

Inspired by the vision of H. H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the future of these facilities is all about endurance riding and to create opportunities for young people involved in this sport. World Team Champion Gianluca Laliscia has turned his dream, dedicated to endurance and Pure Arab horses, into reality. A new special place where wellness, comfort, and quality come together, creating a harmonious relationship among people, horses and nature which is immediately perceptible...

Read more here:
http://endurance-world.com/a-new-chapter-for-italia-endurance-stables-academy/

Petaluma woman to compete in “the longest and toughest horse race in the world”

Petaluma360.com - Full Article

JOHN JACKSONARGUS-COURIER SPORTS EDITOR | February 5, 2019

Petaluman Erin Nagle is adventuresome, athletic, impetuous, determined and, by her own admission, — crazy.

How else would you describe a 26-year-old who is planning to ride 25 half-broken horses 600 miles across the Mongolian steppe.

Competing in the Mongol Derby, described as “The longest and toughest horse race in the world, is the latest in Nagle’s continuing self challenges. It is by far the most demanding of her adventures.

In the past, she has competed in a body-building competition, learned to play polo, tried her hand at horse archery and run a half marathon. Those seem tame compared to what stretches like a barren dessert in her future...

Read more here:
https://www.petaluma360.com/sports/9233099-181/petaluma-woman-to-compete-in

Saudi Arabia: Endurance race winners crowned at Al-Ula

ArabNews.com - Full Article

DEEMA AL-KHUDAIR
February 02, 2019

• The total prize value for the race was SR15 million ($4 million)
• The race was organized by the Saudi Equestrian Federation and the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation

JEDDAH: Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman on Saturday crowned the winners of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup.

The ​120km race took eight hours to complete and brought together 100 riders from a dozen countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.

It was part of the Winter at Tantora festival held in Al-Ula, which is 300 km north of Madinah.

The Royal Commission for Al-Ula hailed the race as the biggest in the world in terms of endurance, and said it wanted to promote the city as a tourist destination for art, culture, heritage, nature and sport.

The race was organized by the Saudi Equestrian Federation and the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation. It was recognized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports.

The total prize value for the race was SR15 million ($4 million).

In first place was Salem Hamad Al-Kitbi from the M7 team of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

In second place was Abdullah Ghanim Al-Marri from the F3 team of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al-Maktoum and, in third place, was Saif Ahmed Al-Mazrouei from the MRM team of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

Reward

The winner received a cash prize of SR900,000 and a Range Rover.

The runners-up received a cash prize of SR650,000 and a Jaguar F-Pace each.

Those placing fourth to 10th were rewarded with SR400,000 each, while 11th to 100th place holders received SR100,000 each...

Read more here:
http://www.arabnews.com/node/1446056/saudi-arabia