Saturday, July 06, 2019

Estonia champion over Norway in Kõrvemaa

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

6th July 2019
Race Report made with the assistance of Merike Udrik-Õispuu

Kõrvemaa, Estonia. Friday 28 and Saturday 29 June 2019. Kõrvemaa, also known for excellent ski trails, hosted riders & teams last weekend. Estonia excelled the famous skiing country Norway, although this time in endurance riding, with Estonia securing three Baltic and Nordic championship gold medals and Norway winning one.

Athletes from six countries competed in Kõrvemaa, Norway present with the biggest number of starters, aiming to take home the most coveted victories in Baltic and Nordic Championships. The competition was exciting from start to finish.

Duel between Norway and Estonia

Jasmin Viinamägi on Ilueedi (EST) had a very strong ride in the CEIYJ1* (86 km), which was also a Nordic Championship class. The pair finished with a 7 minute lead ahead of two Norwegian competitors, Amanda Mælum Engevold (Arina) and Sarah Kjørberg (Toruk Bey). The winner’s riding time was 4:31:58,3 with an average speed of 18,97 km/h. Arina finishing third, was also awarded the Best Condition prize...

Read more here:
https://endurance-world.com/estonia-champion-over-norway-in-korvemaa/

Friday, July 05, 2019

Mongolia: Gobi Gallop 2019 Sets New Record(s)

July 4 2019

Nine intrepid riders from around the world met in Mongolia in early June to ride The Gobi Gallop -the longest annual charity endurance ride on the planet. Billed as a ride covering a minimum of 700 kilometers in 10 days of riding, the Gobi Gallop this year exceeded all expectations and ran for a full 770 kilometers covering Arkhangai, Overhangai, Bulgan and Tov provinces. The riders faced rain, sand storms, cold nights and searing heat in the day and miles and miles and miles of desert in addition to amazing rivers, wonderful rocky outcrops and outstanding cultural and historical sites. The Gobi Gallop this year was aptly named the Ride to Kharkhorin and the riders had a wonderful morning on their “rest day” touring the famed Erdene Zuu Monastery in Kharkhorin which is the home of the oldest working monastery in Mongolia where they were treated to not only the peace and tranquility of the monastery but got to witness monks chanting their prayers.

In addition to riding farther than any previous Gobi Gallops, this international group with riders from America, Canada, Australia, Belgium and England also crossed the 700 kilometer line a day early!

Susan Smith from New Zealand, 67, became the oldest woman to ever finish the Gobi Gallop. Considering this was the longest Gobi Gallop on record this is no mean feat and she undertook it with grace and dignity and great humour and set the bar high for future Gobi Gallopers who are looking to break this record. In addition to riding the longest ever Gobi Gallop Sue had the added challenge of riding after her friend and co Gobi Galloper came off hard when her horse went through a soft spot in the ground and ended up being sent into Ulaanbaatar by ambulance to be looked at. Fortunately, she ended up with only a cracked collar bone and assorted bruises and was able to greet Sue a day and a half later back at the finish line for the Gobi Gallop. This was the first time in Gobi Gallop history that anyone was sent off in an ambulance and not a happy record to break. Michele herself was very impressed with the majestic Mongolian guides, their horses their amazing endurance abilities. As she puts it, “These are not horses that have had their spirits broken by man and work. These are horses whose spirits and hearts have been embraced and revered by their handlers and those handlers are the Mongolian horsemen who guided us safely across some of the harshest riding terrain in the world....”

Another amazing record that fell to Martin Ruppert of Belgium was the record for the most kilometers logged in the traditional Mongolian wooden saddle, an unusual looking hand carved wooden saddle which all the Mongolians ( and some of the foreign guides) traditionally ride in and which each rider is required to log at least 20 kms in. This year Martin set the stage by actually preferring the Mongolian saddle and he ended up spending 408 kms in it. In fact, whenever anyone else was not in it, you could find Martin trotting along on “Rocket” out in the lead of the pack taking care of business. In his own words, the Gobi Gallop was “an experience so beautiful it makes you want to go back there every moment of the days in memories within yourself or by talking about it to others”. The Traditional Mongolian Comfort Saddle as it is called, was sold at the live auction at the Gobi Gallop Gala which tops off this amazing ride for over $3000.00 to benefit the children.

The ride is not just about the distance and the endurance component, it is a trip through time and a chance to learn about traditional horse training and care in the oldest surviving horse culture on the planet. According to Logue Williams, an experienced American endurance rider and first time Gobi Galloper describes the Gobi Gallop like this:

“You begin with recognizing the reason you are there....the precious children of the dump. Then you move on to the amazing herdsmen and guides, the fabulous horses, the tireless Julie Veloo, your equally amazing riding companions, the crew members who met you in the Yellow Bus each evening with your tent set up, your bags ready to be grabbed, the table and chairs ready to accept your tired bodies, your plastic cup filled with delicious adult libations....then you begin to gush about the tremendous views, the sure-footedness of your steed for the day, the majesty of the hundreds of horse herds headed up by a lone stallion...you then marvel at how you cantered non-stop for 15 kilometers, your horse never missing a beat, you laugh when you think of the daily joke by the herdsmen who pretend to grunt heavily when they assist you in mounting your horse for the day....you try to end your speech....the music begins playing softly, steadily rising in volume....you manage to add a few more rambling sentences about thousands of marmot holes, volcanic rocks, steep mountain climbs, a sand storm that you took unaware, the night that you slept through an entire thunderstorm, the hot springs, the trips to the monasteries, the afternoon that you got to help herd the horses,.. and you get chill-bumps when you remember listening to the melodic and soulful sounds of your guides and herdsmen, who are now your friends, sing in complete harmony a song of respect for mothers.”

The Gobi Gallop is the brainchild of Julie Veloo, Vice President of Veloo Foundation and 7 time Gobi Galloper. Coming to riding late in life when she moved to Mongolia, Julie did her first Gobi Gallop at 52, a scant year and a half after the first time she sat on a horse. She learned to ride in Mongolia and now leads treks and adventures, including the Gobi Gallop, across Mongolia to raise money to care for Veloo Foundation’s projects in Mongolia. The Gobi Gallop riders this year raised in excess of $48,000 USD all of which will go to support Veloo Foundation’s Children of the Peak Sanctuary Project which feeds, cares for and educates hundreds of Mongolian children who would otherwise be scavenging in the garbage to survive or home alone. This total combined with the money raised at the Gobi Gallop Gala in Ulaanbaatar and the sister Gala in Brisbane brought the 2019 total raised to a whopping $92,000 USD.

The current total for money raised for Veloo Foundation’s Children of the Peak / Narnii Huuhduud project over the 7 years of the Gobi Gallop stands at almost $550,000 USD all of which has gone directly to help the children. This total makes The Gobi Gallop one of the highest netting charity rides in history. In addition to the money raised for the charity, 100% of the riders fees paid to participate in the Gobi Gallop over the years have stayed in Mongolia and has gone to help support crew along with numerous traditional herder families as they train the horses in the traditional Mongolian endurance riding so they are able to take on this epic endurance challenge. A staggeringly beautiful ride, amazing horses, the oldest horse culture on the planet, raising money for an excellent cause and providing a demand for traditional training techniques which are under threat make the Gobi Gallop a truly one of a kind endurance adventure.

More information & photographs about the ride, the route, the participants and the charity available on request or visit http://www.horsetrekmongolia.com/gobi-gallop.html

Veloo Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 not for profit in the United States and a registered Canadian charity or visit http://www.veloofoundation.com/

Qatar: Trainer, rider banned after Endurance horse was not presented for drugs test

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

July 5, 2019 Horsetalk.co.nz

The failure to present a horse for drug testing after an Endurance ride in Qatar has resulted in a 30-month ban on the trainer and a 24-month ban on the rider.

The case, heard by the FEI Tribunal, involved the Qatar-registered mare Gavotte Des Pins, ridden in a CEI1* 80km Endurance ride in Doha by Ahmed Mubarak Ahmed Al Kuwari on February 3 last year.

The horse’s registered trainer at the event was Mohammed Misfer M D Al Habibi.

While accounts of the day varied, tribunal member Henrik Arle was satisfied that the FEI had proven the allegation against the pair – that of evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection.

He suspended them both and fined each of them 3000 Swiss francs. Each man was ordered to contribute 1500 francs towards the cost of the judicial procedure.

The horse had been selected for sampling at the event, none of which were ultimately taken...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2019/07/05/trainer-rider-banned-endurance-drugs-test/

Thursday, July 04, 2019

Germany: Endurance Festival Bavaria 2019

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

28th June 2019
Race Report made with the assistance of Ursula Klingbeil

Endurance Festival Bavaria, Buch, Germany. Friday 14 and Saturday 15 June 2019. The new location in Buch for the Endurance Festival Bavaria is a beautiful place with enough space to receive a big number of riders and horses.

The new-made concept, a race weekend of two days covering nearly all competitions, was very successful and the varied landscape took the riders along forests, lakes, chapels and even wild animals. Organiser of the event is Ursula Klingbeil (trainer, rider and owner of the Bavarian endurance stable Endurance Team Klingbeil) together with her team.

Scheduled over Friday and Saturday were CEI1*, CEI2*, CEI3* and CEN races, by a lack of interest the 2 day race 80+ and the CEiO`s were cancelled.

Friday at 05:30am the CEI3* 160km started with four riders; Bernhard Dornsiepen (Bekele el Djem) and Tanja Kraft (Atoum’Re) from Germany, Ralph Dürler from Switzerland and Romane Yernaux (Sichen Des Sauvions) from Belgium. Unfortunately Ralph got a heat stress at 120km, the others finished very well with first place for Bernhard, second position for Tanja and Romane came third...

Read more at:
https://endurance-world.com/endurance-festival-bavaria-2019/

Wednesday, July 03, 2019

Australia: 2016 champion Debbie Grull heads North-West crop at Tom Quilty Gold Cup

TheAdvocate.com.u - Full Article

Juy 3 2019
Jarryd McGuane

Staverton's Debbie Grull will be part of strong contingent of North-West riders battling it out at the Tom Quilty Gold Cup endurance race starting in Queensland on July 11.

The 2016 champion will be joined at the event by Natone's Angela Hawks and Blaine Astell, Wynyard's Angie Clark and Elliott's Megan Finn and will be ready to compete over the 160km track at Stirling's Crossing.

Grull said she was going to race with no expectations, although she was still hopeful of being in contention at the business end of the race.

"I don't haven't got any expectations, I am loyal to my horse by treating well and then I will take whatever happens after that, but it would be great to be a chance," she said...

Read more here:
https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/6255174/former-champion-heads-north-west-crop/?cs=12

Former FEI President Flees United Arab Emirates

Chronofhorse.com - Full Article

By: Ann Glavan
Jul 1, 2019

Multiple news outlets have reported that Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, the former president of the Fédération Equestre Internationale, has fled the United Arab Emirates with her two children, reportedly seeking asylum. She is also seeking a divorce from her husband, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Princess Haya, 45, is the daughter of Jordanian King Hussein Bin Talal. She served two terms as president of the FEI, from 2006 to 2014. Before her role with the FEI, Princess Haya competed in show jumping, representing Jordan at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Princess Haya married Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Dubai, in 2004, becoming his sixth wife.

Sheikh Mohammed, 69, earned individual silver in endurance at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. He also owns several well-known Thoroughbred racing stables, including Godolphin. Sheikh Mohammed has been accused of doping violations with his Thoroughbreds and his endurance horses, and he was suspended from the FEI for six months in 2009 after a failed doping test in endurance with his mount Tahhan...

Read more here:
https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/former-fei-president-flees-united-arab-emirates

Endurance Officials Criticized as Tribunal Bans Three Riders for Abuse

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

July 2, 2019
by: Pippa Cuckson

Abdul Rahman Saeed Saleh al Ghailani was banned 12 months and fined 4,000 Swiss francs for his riding of Sarab during the President’s Cup 160km race.
The FEI Tribunal has slammed endurance officials who turn a blind eye to horse abuse, after handing down record fines and suspensions to three Emirati riders.

In separate decisions last week, Tribunal suggested the FEI open cases against officials who failed to act against abuse on the day, warning that the “survival” of equestrianism is at stake.

In one case, the horse Castlebar Nato sustained a cannon bone fracture on the home stretch, and the incident was caught on camera. Tribunal said he was “violently kicked until the Horse eventually collapsed from exhaustion.”

In the separate case of Songbird FF, Tribunal declared the horse was so tired that even when grooms ran onto the piste to “encourage” him, he could proceed no faster than walk.

The toughest sanction was applied to Nato’s rider Khalid Jumaa Salem Al Khatri – a 30-month suspension plus a fine of 9,000 Swiss francs ($12,000 CAD) for his alleged abuse during the CEI* 100km at Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, on December 8, 2018...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/endurance-officials-criticized-tribunal-bans-three-riders-abuse/

Australia: A life with horses

Two-times Tom Quilty Gold Cup winner Tom Thomsen lends his endurance experience to a new crop of riders NoosaToday.com.au - Full Article ...