Gaucho Derby heads for an exciting finish in Patagonia

The Gaucho Derby has been billed as ‘the greatest test of horsemanship and survival skill on Earth’ and is certainly living up to its promise.

By: David Ferguson | March 13, 2020

The Gaucho Derby has been billed as ‘the greatest test of horsemanship and survival skill on Earth’ and the Pioneer Edition of the race is certainly living up to this promise.

Run by The Adventurists, the team behind the Mongol Derby ‘the longest and toughest horse race on the planet’, The Gaucho Derby is looking to build on the new sport of ultra-endurance. The Adventurists went in search of the next world-beating adventure. They didn’t just replicate The Mongol Derby with new scenery, but designed a new race from the ground up, based on the landscape, culture, history and horses of Patagonia and the Gauchos, and have created, what they believe, is the ‘greatest test of horsemanship and survival skill on Earth’.

So far, with still a day of racing to go, the race has delivered on all fronts. Racing through the wild landscapes of Argentina, in places the going has been technical and slow, with pack horses in tow, in others fast and furious, through flatter pampas sections; the scenery stunning throughout.

Drama unveiled as the race headed through the mountains and a ferocious snow storm swept in. Local Gauchos helped guide riders to safe passage and an emergency shelter was created in a forest, with some riders (most to re-join the race later) air lifted out as a precaution.

And it’s still not over…to follow the race to the finish visit on Twitter or Facebook.

Kyrgyzstan: 69 Year Old Woman Makes Cross Country Trip Horseback

Watch.Horse.Tv

Taking to the saddle for the first time in 12 years, this 69-year-old woman will brave below-zero temperatures and wolves of Kyrgyz mountain ranges in order to settle the wrangling question of the Appaloosas' origin and prove other American horse breeders wrong. "For 40 years I've claimed they came from Asia, and for 40 years they've laughed at me", she says. Not anymore.

Watch the preview here:
https://watch.horse.tv/true-appaloosa37063148

Patagonia: Gaucho Derby Race Day 7

Photographer: Anya Campbell
TheAdventurists.com - Full Story

March 12 2020

With weather once again looking a bit grim at the higher elevations, Day 7’s course was reset to avoid the high country and instead include a scenic circular route down the Tucu Tucu valley from VS5, back along Arroyo Potrancas and Laguna Govido. The riders made the return trip in times ranging from between 6.5 to 9.5 hours with most commenting on, yet again, the incredible scenery. If nothing else, these riders will go home with some indelible images imprinted in their memory banks.

The scenery will continue to improve (is that even possible?) as the riders transfer from VS5 to La Maipu on March 12 to begin their final push towards the finish line at Estancia La Quinta (near El Chalten) on March 13. Mount Fitz Roy sits just above El Chalten, making for some iconic photo ops – will the riders take that opportunity or blast on by, finish line in their sights, hot shower on their minds?...

Read more here:
https://www.theadventurists.com/updates/gaucho-derby-race-day-7/

Patagonia: Gaucho Derby Race Day 6

Photographer: Anya Campbell
TheAdventurists.com - Full Story

March 11 2020

After the extreme weather events of the last few days, racing got underway again today shortly after 9am as the riders, equipped with dry kit, packed up their woolies and mounted some fast horses for their trip between VS3 – VS5. This the first time since the beginning of the race that the riders have been without a packhorse, yet it was reminiscent of Day 1 when many riders set a blistering pace to VS1 (with a packhorse in tow, not an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination.)

CP and ZH led the pack and were minutes apart into VS4 having made the leg in approximately one hour flat. The vet check took a mere six minutes and four minutes respectively for these two, and as they did not have a change of horses, they were flying once again to VS5 with the rest of the pack on their tails. By the end of the day, most riders were into VS5 having made the day’s journey in well under five hours...

Read more here:
https://www.theadventurists.com/updates/gaucho-derby-race-day-6/

Horse racing trainers and veterinarians charged in international doping scandal

NBCNews.com - Full Article

Defendants allegedly tainted races in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky and the United Arab Emirates.

March 9 2020

By Tom Winter and David K. Li
More than two dozen trainers, veterinarians and others in horse racing were charged in a widespread doping scheme that "amounted to nothing less than abuse," federal officials and court papers revealed Monday.

The defendants ran horses at tracks in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky and the United Arab Emirates, federal prosecutors in New York City said.

"Over the course of the scheme, participants manufactured, purchased, sold, shipped, delivered, received and administered thousands of units" of performance-enhancing drugs, or PEDs, for use on racehorses, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman wrote in charging documents against 19 of 27 defendants.

The indicted included 11 trainers, seven veterinarians and nine drug suppliers and distributors, according to Berman.

"All involved in the cruel and systematic doping of racehorses across the United States and indeed around the world using misbranded, adulated and dangerous performance-enhancing drugs," Berman told reporters in New York...

Read more here:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/horse-racing-trainers-veterinarians-charged-nationwide-doping-scandal-n1153126

South Africa: Middelburg endurance ride

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

9th March 2020
Race Report made with the assistance of Carmen Du Preez

Fairview Farm, Middelburg, Eastern-Cape, South Africa. Friday 22 and Saturday 23 February 2020.

The Middelburg (Lormar) FEI 3* ride was blessed with rain early in the week which had both a positive and negative effect on the course . With the Karoo area experiencing drought for so long the rain was welcomed. The track now being muddy in some sections did create new problems but was carefully approached by riders after receiving sound advice from the veterinary panel at briefing.

The entire ride had to be set-up quickly as the venue was used for a cycling event the weekend before. The course was muddy in strategic places and had to be re-thought and changed at the last minute to keep the horses and riders safe. It all turned out well with a high completion rate.

Riders, vets and officials came from all over the country to support and participate at the much loved Lormar ride. The ride was well supported with 83 horses in both FEI & ERASA ( Endurance Riding Association of South Africa ) categories.
New rule changes had many riders and junior riders queuing with heavy saddles at registration. After ride discussions weren’t positive about the dead weight on the horses and light and heavy weight riders being excluded from FEI weight classes...

Read more here:
https://endurance-world.com/middelburg-endurance-ride/

Great Britain: ‘She gave me reason to live’: rider with severe medical condition takes national title

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Eleanor Jones
7 March, 2020

A rider who has overcome the challenges posed by her severe medical condition to win a national title credits her horse for keeping her going – and saving her life.

Georgia Massey, riding her nine-year-old Irish draught mare Indigo Clementine, was named national senior pleasure rider champion, as well as champion of her age group, by Sport Endurance on 1 March. Clemmie was also named top pleasure mare.

Georgia told H&H she thought she would never ride again, when she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2017. She weighed six stone when she was admitted to hospital, and her organs were shutting down.

“The process of regaining my health was not linear and was the hardest battle I have ever had to face,” she said. “I was in and out of hospital constantly for months, but the thought of seeing my horse again gave me the strength to keep fighting...”

Read more here:
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/she-gave-me-reason-to-live-rider-with-severe-medical-condition-takes-national-title-709256