Endurance GB issue roadmap to resume sport within COVID 19 guidelines

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01 June 2020

Covid 19 update re resumption of rides

Endurance GB has announced plans to move towards resumption of the sport in England and Wales following the issuing of revised COVID 19 restrictions by the Government and British Equestrian.

The roadmap towards competitive activity agreed by Endurance GB prioritises the safety, health and well-being of the participants, ride officials and the local communities as being at the forefront of any decisions on resumption.

The phased resumption of activity begins from today with the announcement by British Equestrian that coaching of riders in groups of up to six (including the coach) may resume in England. Endurance GB Groups and Coaches will now be able to run small outdoor coaching and training events involving no more than six people in England where it is safe to do so.

As restrictions ease further over the coming weeks to allow events involving more than six people to take place, Endurance GB will look to resume small non-competitive rides of between 5km and 34km. Events will be fully risk assessed and will only take place if it is safe to do so and if all of the respective landowners are content with the event taking place. Competitive events will only be organised once it is clear that the processes in place for non competitive events are working satisfactorily and that safe systems of work are in place for the additional officials that competitive events require.

Entries will only be accepted in advance of the events and attendees will need to complete a health screening form before arriving at the event.

Strict social distancing and additional hygiene measures will be in place at all venues with plans including;

• Staggered arrival and start times
• Two metre floor markings where queues may form
• One way systems at venues to eliminate bottlenecks
• Restrictions on the number of people who can ride together on the route
• Extra space for horsebox parking
• The provision of additional hand washing/sanitising facilities
• Reducing handling of equipment and paperwork
• Additional cleaning and hygiene measures in place in respect of toilets
• First aid provision to follow the NHS hygiene guidance in place at the time.

Endurance GB will be issuing clear guidance to its local Groups and event organisers and will help them put in place the additional measures that they will need to apply.

The last phase of the roadmap to resuming the sport will see longer distance competitive rides reintroduced with ride organisers including at Kings Forest and the British Horse Feeds Red Dragon currently working on plans to hold events later this summer and in the autumn.

Unfortunately Dialstone, Birling Gap, Aram Grange, the War of the Roses ride and the Cirencester Inter-Regional Championships will not now take place. The organisers of Finchingfield, Wentwood and the Pegasus ride are all tentatively hopeful that they will be able to run pleasure rides in July, although Wentwood will not be an FEI ride this year. Endurance GB’s Leicestershire & Rutland, Northumberland & Tyneside and Derbyshire Groups are also tentatively hopeful that their planned pleasure rides for July may go ahead.

Esther Young, Operations Director of Endurance GB said: “Competitive events will only be given the green light once Government guidance allows them to take place, it is clear that the processes in place for non-competitive events are working satisfactorily and that safe systems of work, for instance at vet gates, are in place for the additional officials that competitive events require.

“We also have to be mindful that many of our officials and riders are currently among the more than one million people in this country who are shielding and this may temporarily impact on our ability to run larger scale events. The situation remains fluid and unpredictable and we will have to ensure sufficient flexibility in our plans to respond very quickly in the event of restrictions being re-imposed at any point.”

Phil Nunnerley, Chair of Endurance GB said: “We are all looking forward to resuming the sport and coming together as an organisation and we welcome the sensible and phased lifting of restrictions as we move towards a return to competition. I would like to thank all those on the board as well as our ride organisers and officials who are working so hard behind the scenes to put measures in place as well as safeguard the financial future of the sport. We must all be clear that while lockdown restrictions are being eased and everyone is looking for a swift return to normality, our priority as a sport must at this time remain ensuring that events will only go ahead when it is agreed that the required conditions to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid 19 can be met.”

FEI publishes return to play policy as equestrian adapts to “new normal”

Inside.FEI.org

May 29, 2020 Author: FEI

The FEI has published its Policy for Enhanced Competition Safety during the Covid-19 pandemic, aimed at assisting Organisers and National Federations with the safe resumption of international equestrian events in line with national and local restrictions.

The Policy will apply to all FEI Events held as of 1 July 2020 and has been put in place to limit the risk of transmission and further spread of Covid-19 until an effective treatment and/or vaccine as determined by the World Health Organization (WHO) are available.

Developed by FEI Medical Committee Chair Dr Mark Hart together with FEI Headquarters, the Policy requires National Federations and Organisers to carry out a Risk Assessment to evaluate whether it is safe to hold their Events. The Policy includes general best practice recommendations for Organisers and is to be implemented in conjunction with any requirements imposed by the domestic authorities. In addition, discipline-specific guidance will be issued shortly by the FEI.

The policy is intended to be used in conjunction with the following WHO documents: Considerations for sports federations/sports event organizers when planning mass gatherings in the context of Covid-19; Mass Gathering Sports Addendum Risk Assessment; and the Decision Tree.

It is mandatory for FEI Event Organisers to conduct the risk assessment together with their National Federation and domestic government and public health authorities. Events for which the FEI has not received the completed risk assessment and mitigation measures plan will be removed from the FEI Calendar.

“Covid-19 has caused massive disruption to the FEI Calendar and to national events, with a huge impact on all the various participants of equestrian sports,” Dr Mark Hart said. “We are all in this together and this pandemic will be with us for at least 12-24 months. We need to adapt to a “new normal” as we move forward.

“The FEI is committed to assisting National Federations and FEI Event Organisers by providing resources to effectively assess the risks potentially posed by Events from the planning phase and mitigate such risks through relevant measures.

“As we anticipate the gradual return of competitions, we must do everything we can to mitigate the risk of transmission and further spread of Covid-19. This is a matter of public health, and it’s also how a sport can demonstrate to public authorities that it is ready to resume activity.”

In Memoriam: FEI pays tribute to FEI Honorary Vice President Vittorio De Sanctis (ITA)

Inside.FEI.org

May 25 2020

Professor Vittorio De Sanctis, the man widely recognised for introducing the sport of Endurance to Italy and the FEI, has passed away. He was 84.

A qualified lawyer, he had a life-long passion for equestrian sport that he passed onto his children and grandchildren.

He was Vice-President of the Italian Equestrian Federation (FISE) from 1980 to 1988 and a member of the FISE Council. He was also a founder member and President of the National Equestrian Tourism Association.

Vittorio De Sanctis was an FEI Bureau Member from 1982 to 1988 as well as Deputy Chair of the FEI Judicial Committee and Chair of the Special Disciplines Committee. He was also an FEI Endurance Course Designer, Judge and Technical Delegate.

He became FEI 1st Vice President in 1982 working alongside HRH the Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón, who passed away in January this year. He was appointed FEI Honorary Vice President at the end of his mandate in 1998 and continued to be an active member of the international equestrian community.

“Vittorio De Sanctis represented the world of equestrian sport with great passion and dedication,” FISE President Marco Di Paola said. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to his entire family during this difficult time.”

“We are truly sorry to have lost such a great advocate for our sport,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “He will be sorely missed, not just by his Italian equestrian family but also by the international community.”

The FEI extends its deepest sympathy to Vittorio De Sanctis’ family, to the Italian Equestrian Federation and the global equestrian community.

The FISE tribute to Vittorio De Sanctis is published here.

FEI publishes return to play policy as equestrian adapts to “new normal”

Inside.FEI.org

May 29, 2020 Author: FEI

The FEI has published its Policy for Enhanced Competition Safety during the Covid-19 pandemic, aimed at assisting Organisers and National Federations with the safe resumption of international equestrian events in line with national and local restrictions.

The Policy will apply to all FEI Events held as of 1 July 2020 and has been put in place to limit the risk of transmission and further spread of Covid-19 until an effective treatment and/or vaccine as determined by the World Health Organization (WHO) are available.

Developed by FEI Medical Committee Chair Dr Mark Hart together with FEI Headquarters, the Policy requires National Federations and Organisers to carry out a Risk Assessment to evaluate whether it is safe to hold their Events. The Policy includes general best practice recommendations for Organisers and is to be implemented in conjunction with any requirements imposed by the domestic authorities. In addition, discipline-specific guidance will be issued shortly by the FEI.

The policy is intended to be used in conjunction with the following WHO documents: Considerations for sports federations/sports event organizers when planning mass gatherings in the context of Covid-19; Mass Gathering Sports Addendum Risk Assessment; and the Decision Tree.

It is mandatory for FEI Event Organisers to conduct the risk assessment together with their National Federation and domestic government and public health authorities. Events for which the FEI has not received the completed risk assessment and mitigation measures plan will be removed from the FEI Calendar.

“Covid-19 has caused massive disruption to the FEI Calendar and to national events, with a huge impact on all the various participants of equestrian sports,” Dr Mark Hart said. “We are all in this together and this pandemic will be with us for at least 12-24 months. We need to adapt to a “new normal” as we move forward.

“The FEI is committed to assisting National Federations and FEI Event Organisers by providing resources to effectively assess the risks potentially posed by Events from the planning phase and mitigate such risks through relevant measures.

“As we anticipate the gradual return of competitions, we must do everything we can to mitigate the risk of transmission and further spread of Covid-19. This is a matter of public health, and it’s also how a sport can demonstrate to public authorities that it is ready to resume activity.”

Tom Morgan, the man behind Mongol Derby and Gaucho Derby

Photo credit: The Adventurists
Endurance-world - Full Article

Info@endurance-world.com
22nd May 2020

The Mongol Derby and Gaucho Derby are not what you call the most traditional endurance horse races in the world.

They have been documented over and over again for their sheer adventure and risk. Time to talk to Tom Morgan, founder of The Adventurists.

Who is Tom Morgan?
I originally come from a small town in the South of England but now live out in the West Country near Bristol. I studied Fine Art, which is not entirely relevant but I left university swearing I would never get a real job. I started The Adventurists right after then and have, so far, managed to avoid that real job. I’ve been deep in a world of organising adventures ever since.

What is The Adventurists?
We’ve spent the last 14 years designing and running large scale, often slightly ridiculous, adventures and races around the world. From air races to tuktuk adventures and of course the World’s longest horse race the Mongol Derby. At our core we’re a pretty small team but a huge community around the world gathers to stage events like the horse race.
The Mongol Derby and now the Gaucho have grown over the years so we recently moved them into a separate company. As a result we can build a team just around the very specific requirements of multi-horse racing. We’re going to be launching a series of new races globally...

Read more here:
https://endurance-world.com/tom-morgan-the-man-behind-mongol-derby-and-gaucho-derby/

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/