Sweden: Good racing in tricky weather conditions at Vasaritten in Rättvik

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

23 February 2020
Race Report made with the assistance of Linnéa Engblom

Rättvik, Sweden. Saturday 15 February 2020. After two years of successful races it was time for the third edition of Vasaritten in Rättvik.

Rättvik is located in the middle of Sweden where ‘warm’ weather conditions have not been seen for over 20 years, with snow only in some parts of the forests. Usually the competition is being held mid-January however this year it got postponed to give all riders the best conditions possible, even if this was not what the organizers hoped for. The interest in this competition has grown each year and is now considered as Sweden’s biggest international endurance competition. Among the starters were riders from the Nordic countries, UAE, Italy, Holland and the USA. This year there was the option to choose between the CEI2*120, CEIYJ2*120, CEI*100 and two national classes. As usual the vet gate and resting area were located inside the big hall at the venue.

During the night prior the competition, temperatures dropped below zero degrees and a thin snow blanket covered parts of the track. During the day the temperature rose and the sun even appeared for a while. As the day went on the course became softer...

Read more here:
https://endurance-world.com/good-racing-in-tricky-weather-conditions-at-vasaritten-in-rattvik/

Jordan: Two Prohibited substance endurance cases under FEI anti-doping rules

Inside.FEI.org

February 19 2020

The FEI has announced new adverse analytical findings (AAF) involving equine prohibited substances. The cases involve *Banned Substances under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).

In the following two Endurance, cases the athletes and the trainers have been provisionally suspended from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision. The horses have been provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification.

Horse: Blue Diamond (FEI ID 106HE36/JOR)
Person Responsible: Fahad Alkharmani (FEI ID 10072564/KSA)
Trainer: Anas Al Saied (FEI ID 10185797/JOR)
Event: CEI2* 120 – Wadi Rum (JOR), 13-14.11.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Diisopropylamine
Date of notification: 13 January 2020

Horse: Bouzarika (FEI ID 106RJ34/JOR)
Person Responsible: Sameh Faris Mohammad Said (FEI ID 10040466/JOR)
Trainer: Khldoon Mohd Al Sayed (10014556 /JOR)
Event: CEI1* 80 – Wadi Rum (JOR), 13-14.11.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Strychnine
Date of notification: 13 January 2020

The trainer in the Bouzarika case, Khldoon Mohd Al Sayed, has been provisionally suspended, both in this and a second case from the same event, from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision.

Horse: ***N/A
Person Responsible: ***N/A
Trainer: Khldoon Mohd Al Sayed (FEI ID 10014556 /JOR)
Event: CEI1* 80 – Wadi Rum (JOR), 13-14.11.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Strychnine
Date of notification: 13 January 2020

*** No PR/Horse Name in cases involving Minors and/or Fast Track Procedures...

More at:
https://inside.fei.org/content/prohibited-substance-cases-under-fei-anti-doping-rules-1

Spain: Completion of the file to Ignasi Casas

BlogElRaid.com

[google translate]

After arduous complaints to different instances of the FEI and TAS. Ignasi Casas has been suspended only three months, which has more than fulfilled his punishment, although he has kept, at this time, to exercise its federal charges and as an officer in the tests.

This is all the information:

CAS Ends at record FEI vs Ignasi Casas

The claim Ignasi Casas vs the International Equestrian Federation regarding Unfortunate Events Tryon (USA) WEG 2018 has been favorably resolved the claims of the Spanish by the CAS / TAS (Tribunal Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.)

This long and hard process began in October 2018 when the FEI Ignasi Casas communicated to the opening of the disciplinary proceedings where he was asked 2 years disqualification in all its functions related to the FEI.

In November 2018, even with all the open, the FEI informed him his suspension as vice president of the ETC (FEI Endurance Technical Committee).

This suspension and the proposed penalty of 2 years were not accepted by Ignasi Casas and RFHE, which led them to proceedings before the FEI Tribunal where the final resolution was 1 year sanction against the 2 proposed initial years.

This time the national coach and team leader RFHE Raid did not agree with the resolution and reported the case to the CAS, sports highest legal authority.

Finally, this body has clearly resolved in favor of Ignasi Casas, only 3 months reducing the initial proposal for suspension of the FEI 2 years. Also it indicates that the FEI must pay 5,000 CHF Ignasi Casas as a concept of aid to legal costs and expenses also recommends reinstatement in the ETC (FEI Endurance Technical Committee).

However, the final and definitive resolution of the TAS, gone forth when Ignasi Casas had already 11-month ban, so it has been 8 months more disabled, with not allowing, injury later in the 2019 season, to be head of the Spanish Raid team, or act as an officer in FEI and national tests. In addition to attending the FEI prohibit Sports Forum 2019 and the 2019 General Assembly decisive in Moscow, where the new regulation was approved Raid.

Despite being the final judgment from the exit of the resolution on 10 January 2020 and after several allegations by the FEI, the CAS letter on February 14 terminated the case without accepting the amendments proposed by the FEI and gives the resolution definitively closed and non-confidential, so since 10 January, Ignasi Casas has all its functions fully recovered FEI (TAS will shortly publish the full resolution full details of the trial). "

Source: RFHE.

New Zealand: HYGAIN ESNZ Endurance South Island Champs 2020

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

17 February 2020
Race Report made with the assistance of Heidi Bulfin

Marlborough Endurance and Trail Riding Club, New Zealand. Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 February 2020.

The Marlborough Endurance and Trail Riding Club played host to New Zealand’s HYGAIN ESNZ Endurance South Island Champs with the venue being just outside the small town of Renwick at the top of the South Island. The ride programme featured classes of all levels, starting with Introductory Endurance and CTR 15km and right up to 160km Endurance. The FEI events were combined with National, so those in the combined classes were competing for the same title over that distance.

All loops over the weekend travelled over many of Marlborough’s top winery vineyards – starting with Spy Valley wines, into Delegats, Hunters and Mudhouse, Pernod Ricard (Stoneleigh), and finishing up on smaller blocks of Saint Clair, Johnson Estate and Isabel Estate. The vineyards in this area are flat but feature many creeks and ditches throughout, with the tracks winding around them, maze-like in some parts, meaning riders had to always keep checking which way the marking was taking them. Despite the heat and dry conditions, the underfoot was surprisingly good thanks to the decent grass covering over the vineyards’ many headlands.

Saturday 1 February started at 1am with two HYGAIN 160km CEN Senior riders making their way out in the dark to negotiate the 35km loop while the temperatures were still relatively cool. This loop was repeated before doing two 25km loops and finishing with two 20km loops...

Read more here:
https://endurance-world.com/hygain-esnz-endurance-south-island-champs-2020/

New Zealand: Kohuratahi endurance rider wins title for the second year

NZHerald.co.nz - Full Article

12 February 2020

A Kohuratahi horse rider has won a endurance title at the North Island Championships.

Pip Mutch attended the Dunstan North Island Endurance and CTR Championships based at the National Equestrian centre in Taupō in January.

Pip won the 160km event for the second year in a row.

"Winning for the second time is awesome. To finish a 160km ride is an amazing feeling and to win as well just makes it that much better..."

Read more here:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/article.cfm?c_id=16&objectid=12305858

Riders at UAE President’s Cup Emirates Reminded Not to Abuse Horses

HorseSport.com - Full Article

A list of extra rules for last Saturday’s big desert endurance race shines a light on the true extent of past abuse and cheating on the field of play.

By: Pippa Cuckson | February 10 2020

Horses may not be “intimidated by any kind of electric shock device” or the “hooting” of cars, the latter a feature of the accompanying motorcade at desert rides.

It is “strictly forbidden to drag and pull horses by the tail to stimulate them to walk” or to “twitch the horse’s skin or grab his ear at any time during the ride” – the latter a widely used technique to hasten a reduction in heart rate prior to metabolic checks at vet gates.

Unauthorized assistance is often seen in the closing stages of a race, with grooms running onto the field of play to chase and strike tiring horses. Under new special rule President’s Cup riders were warned not use electric shock devices to intimidate horses or beat them with “wire” in an astonishing list of extra rules for the big 160km endurance race at Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi...

Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/horse-news/riders-presidents-cup-emirates-reminded-abuse/

Are the Days Finally Numbered for Faux ‘International’ Horse Events?

HorseSport.com - Full Article

Scandals over Olympic jumping qualifications and endurance races have prompted the FEI to review what is meant by national, international and minor events.

By: Cuckson Report // Pippa Cuckson

So: a 2* jumping event involving half a dozen riders of moderate achievement can be deemed “international” and qualify you for the Olympics. Yet the world’s second-most gruelling 160km endurance race with a $2 million purse and 300 riders from 24 nations is allowed to run under “national” rules.

These cock-eyed scenarios have always been possible under FEI protocols, but it’s almost unheard-of for organisers or riders to exploit that loophole. Most decent people have a basic respect for fair play or, failing that, a semblance of personal pride. Winning world rankings points for a 28-fault jumping round, or being simultaneously in the top five AND bottom-placed, are not achievements most people would boast about, after all.

These nonsenses are finally in the spotlight at the same time, for widely differing reasons...

Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/cuckson-report-1/days-finally-numbered-faux-international-horse-events/