Ireland: Inspirational Equestrian: Kathy Conly

Farmweek.com - Full Article

By Farmweek
May 13, 2020

ANYONE who has attended an ILDRA (Irish Long Distance Riding Association) ride has probably met Kathy Conly. She has been attending the rides since they started and has been a dedicated ILDRA supporter and ride organiser for many years. Kathy is not originally from Northern Ireland, but has been here for most of her life and has reared her family here.

Horse Week’s Bree Rutledge was keen to find out more about Kathy’s background.

Kathy was born in a small market town, Knaresborough in North Yorkshire – situated in Nidderdale, one of the Yorkshire Dales – just two months before the outbreak of World War 2, making her an octagenarian! She had one older sister and came from a non-horsey background.

Her sister used to ride at the local riding centre and Kathy managed to persuade their parents to let her go too at the age of 10.

Kathy’s father was away for most of the war, serving in the RAF and he spent many years in Egypt. After the war ended, he took over his father’s drapery business and also opened up a hardware shop.

Although Kathy never had a pony of her own, she rode at the riding centre and rode her friends’ ponies. She was a member of the York and Ainsty Pony Club, which held it’s yearly camp at the Great Yorkshire Showground...

Read more here:
https://farmweek.com/inspirational-equestrian-kathy-conly/

Racing into the Unknown: A Canadian’s Patagonian Adventure

Richard Dunwoody photo
Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Central Alberta vet Christian Peterson finished third in the inaugural Gaucho Derby, then had to race for home as international travel shut down.

By: Róisín Magee | May 13, 2020

When Chris Peterson got the call informing him he had a spot in a 500-km race across the Patagonian wilderness in South America on horseback, he only had four months to prepare ‒ but he loves a challenge.

Having worked with beef cattle outfits off and on since he was a teenager, guided horseback trips in Wyoming and Banff where he had packed strings of four to eight horses and mules, worked as a farrier, and logged timber for a few years with draft horses in the East Kootenays of BC, he was also not afraid of hard work. In his ‘spare time’ he started colts for friends, enjoyed riding rodeo broncs, and competed in blacksmith contests on the weekends.

Chris graduated from veterinary school in 2016 and is now working as a vet in and around Calgary. Divorced with two children aged 15 and 19, the busy 44-year-old thanks the influence of a neighbour who is a keen endurance rider for getting him interested in the sport. Although he did not compete, he credits the hours and miles of conditioning he did aboard a half-Morgan in the mountains outside of Windermere for a few seasons with his ability to ride long distance in steep country without wearing out his horse...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/magazine/profiles/after-fall-long-road-back-saddle/

A Look Back: Spain's 2008 Al Andalus 10-day Endurance Ride - Part IV: Riding in Spain!!

March 30 2008
by Steph Teeter

These days are long and busy, and the nights are short! We're not getting a lot of sleep... but I guess we're not here for sleeping :)

I rode today (in Spain!!!!), on a very nice mare - Arenales - owned by Fernando Uriartes - a friend of Paco. She's 8 years old, not very experienced, but lovely animal! Very trustworthy.


She about died from fright when we first got to the ocean - she'd never seen/heard the crashing waves before, and was galloping in place along beside Paco's trotting stallion Ibor. (There's a whole nuther experience - riding a mare in heat with a stallion all day…they were both very well behaved, but a lot of nickering and ear flicking and posturing, and I had to keep her from trying to stand for him whenever we stopped.) She was absolutely dripping sweat the first stretch of beach - with the crashing waves and the tourist hotels and kids and umbrellas and hotels and so much activity.


There was deep sand all day long - really a hard day. The first vetgate was on the beach at one of the main tourist areas - very windy, waves crashing, tourists being tourists, and the horses were all nervous, and took extra time to pulse down. Madonna and Fernando helped us at the vetgate - very welcome help!

After the first vetgate we had a 35 km (20 mi) ride along the beach. It was magnificent!!!! After we got past the tourist stretch, we entered the national park coastline. It was low tide, so we were able to ride in the shallows, with the birds flying up in front of us and crabs and ocean creatures scurrying underfoot. Arenales relaxed and started enjoying the water and the waves. It was wonderful. Paco's horse was tired - second day for him and so much deep sand, so we took it pretty slow all day, and finished last and almost last :)


When we got to the final vetgate we had to load the horses, along with the last of the staff rigs onto a ferry and cross the channel to the other side, the town of San Lucas (southern Andalucia - almost to the Straights of Gibraltar - just across the water from Africa). What a hoot! The horses did pretty well, handling the sway of the ferry quite bravely (tired enough to not fuss too much).


On the other side all of the horses were there waiting, and we were to all ride together the final 1.5km to the 'grand finish' for press and media. I felt sheepish about being so slow knowing that the others had been waiting for us (at least an hour, probably more). But everybody seemed happy and festive and we did the final ride.


There was some wonderful manzanilla (a white fortified wine) at the finish, plenty of little cups to go around. We grazed the horses in a grassy meadow, full of yellow flowers, and then joined the group at the lunch for paella and some wonderful potato saucy dish with calamari. Spain has WONDERFUL FOOD. And the wine is good too :)

Tonight Merri and I stayed at the hotel, with internet, and worked instead of going to the briefing and awards. Too much to do, and so little time for work, it was nice to chill and little and get caught up.


Tomorrow we're up for a 6am breakfast, will then go to the stables and I'll join up with Paco, Fernando, Texano (a Spanish rodeo guy who is helping crew... and he also sings great), and Madonna and Paul. I don't think Paco is going to ride tomorrow, so I'm not sure what the day will bring. Merri will go along with Nacio (nacho) again for a day of photos and adventure.

And now it's after midnight, time for bed!

Steph





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Part I: The Travels is here

Part II: Preparations is here

Part III: Registration and a Prologue is here

Tales of the Unexpected in Doping Proposals for 2021

HorseSport.com - Full Article

A less draconian approach to recreational drugs but tougher penalties for deliberate horse doping are among possible changes to the 2021 rules.

Athletes who can prove their recreational drug use was not related to sport and was taken out-of-competition can receive a three-month (or less) sanction under the new proposals, instead of the previous year ban.

By Cuckson Report // Pippa Cuckson | May 6, 2020

Do you agree that the minimum suspension for a doping offence should be doubled to four years? Is it time for a less draconian stance over recreational drugs and contamination? While the world is in limbo over Covid-19, there is a real chance for all stakeholders to refresh knowledge of the Equine Anti Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs) and also the human athlete rules.

Moreover, until May 11 you can have a say about how these rules could look from January 2021. They are being overhauled right now, in tandem with the periodic revision of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) code, to which the FEI is a signatory.

In the past the FEI has invited public comment over major rule revisions after airing them at its annual April sports forum, before the statutory consultation of national federations begins. But at the start of a busy season only a handful of riders usually respond. Following the 2020 forum’s cancellation, the FEI has put all anti-doping discussion documents online, with instructions about how to submit your comments. Judging from some of the excuses/defences/reasons proffered in Tribunal cases, most riders have a sketchy understanding of this huge topic, despite its facility to kibosh a career...

Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/cuckson-report-1/tales-unexpected-doping-proposals-2021/

The endurance household name the Toft family

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

Info@endurance-world.com
4th May 2020

The ‘Toft name’ has been present in the horse endurance world for more than two decades.

We felt it was about time to present the Toft family. The complete Toft Family ; Peter Toft – father, Penny Toft – mumsie, Alexandra Toft – daughter, 150 + horses, 5 dogs, 44 guinea fowl, Birt the bird and Salem the cat.

Who is riding in the family?
All three of us people.

What are you activities and tell us about your facilities
We breed, train, compete, trade and export horses.
Toft Endurance is a magnificent property at Marburg, Queensland, Australia. There are big paddocks, small paddocks, yards, stable barn, two horse walkers, treadmill, three arenas for education and training, a round yard for young horse breakers, trucks and feed sheds, quarantine facilities, a training track and local trails for exercise and more serious training in the mountains...

Read more here:
https://endurance-world.com/the-endurance-household-name-the-toft-family/

Three-year doping ban for Oman rider among latest FEI Tribunal decisions

Insidethegames.biz - Full Article

By Liam Morgan
Monday, 27 April 2020

Endurance rider Said Al Balushi of Oman has been banned for three years by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Tribunal after two of his horses tested positive for a prohibited substance.

The sanction from the FEI Tribunal is one of seven final decisions rendered in doping cases, while it has also suspended an athlete for horse abuse.

Al Balushi has been hit with an extended suspension from the sport, and will not be able to return until February 2022, after two horses he rode in December 2018 failed drugs tests.

Samples taken from Kekmadar and Si Quilombo following events in the United Arab Emirates were both found to have contained arsenic...

Read more here:
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1093647/fei-tribunal-decisions-seven-doping-case

A Look Back: Spain's 2008 Al Andalus 10-day Endurance Ride - Part III: Registration and a Prologue

March 27, 2008
by Steph Teeter

Today was registration, vetting, and the 10km prolog. Very very busy at registration - so much to do, everybody worked really hard and got it done, more or less on schedule. The meetings were a bit late (Spanish time... actually Andalucia time which is even more relaxed than Spanish time) but they all got done, more or less. It's very difficult for me to understand Spanish when people talk conversationally. I can read pretty well, and can handle short sentence dialog, but the meetings were absolutely impossible. So Merri and I have no idea what was said at any of the briefings, but it was still fun to be there. I love the Spanish people! So warm and friendly, and Andalucia seems to be the best of the best in Spain. Might have something to do with the warm sunny climate too. But so far, it's great to be here.



Paco and his group didn't arrive until around 4pm - still transporting van and horses and picking up an RV for Madonna and Paul - and he's been on the road for the last two days and was totally exhausted. (But still smiling). We didn't have time to saddle up and join the rest of the group for the 10km 'prologue' around the track (it's actually a horse racing stadium, not a soccer stadium) - but we managed to get the horses vetted in and took them for our own little 6km prologue after everybody else had finished and the track was cleared off.



I'll be riding a nice bay mare 'Arenales' - 8 yrs, not very experienced (she has done 1 80km ride) but kind and fairly level headed. Paco is riding his stallion. He will ride tomorrow. I'll be on a team with Pepe Lopez - we're both #19 and will ride alternate days. Pepe will ride tomorrow, and I'll ride on Day 2, and so on. He has a good experienced horse and will ride pretty fast, I have a less advanced horse so will ride conservatively - and we'll see what kind of combined time we have by the end of the ride!



Up very early in the morning - to go to the hippodrome and then transport horses a few miles away to where the first day will begin.

more later- (so many details, so little time to write!)

Steph

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Part I: The Travels is here

Part II: Preparations is here