Top prize for Perthshire adventurer whose life changed after epic trip with her horse and dog

DailyRecord.co.uk - Full Article

Karen Inkster- whose ‘The Deaf, the Daft and the Ditsy’ journey round the Outer Hebrides captured the imagination of animal lovers in 2017 - won the ‘international equine travel award’ at the Equus Film Festival

By Douglas Dickie
4 FEB 2021

In 2017, Perthshire ’s Karen Inkster went on a 300km journey in a final desperate bid to save her horse, Connie.

Little did she know that, four years later, that trip would see her recognised at a worldwide awards ceremony.

Karen’s ‘The Deaf, the Daft and the Ditsy’ journey round the Outer Hebrides captured the imagination of animal lovers across Perthshire and beyond.

And it continues to inspire today.

A diary she compiled was made into a book, and has helped her raise thousands of pounds for animal charities.

And late last year it was named the winner of the ‘international equine travel award’ at the Equus Film Festival...

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https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/top-prize-perthshire-adventurer-whose-23442934?utm_medium=40digest.7days3.20210205.home&utm_source=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=campaign

Bahrain: Endurance Festival set to kick off

GDNOnline.com - Full article

14 February 2021

His Majesty King Hamad’s four-day Endurance Festival will open on Wednesday and run until February 20, announced the King’s representative for humanitarian work and youth affairs Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

He directed Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), chaired by Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, to hold the event at the Bahrain International Endurance Village.

Shaikh Nasser, who is also Breef honorary chairman, praised the King’s royal care which put Bahrain on the world map of horseracing, making it a capital of equestrian event in the Arab World.

The main endurance on the Cup of the King will cover a distance of 160km...

Read more here:
https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/935764

Qatar: Minister of Culture and Sports crowns winners of Amir Sword endurance Race

Gulf-times.com - Full Article

February 13 2021

QNA/Doha

HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali crowned the winners of the endurance race on the Sword of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at the Marathon village in Sealine. Jassim Rashid Al Kaabi on the "Qualy De La Fontaine" horse, owned by Sheikha Reem bint Mohammed al-Thani and trained by Jihad Khaled El Ahmad, came in the first place and won the sword...

Read more here:
https://www.gulf-times.com/story/684608/Minister-of-Culture-and-Sports-crowns-winners-of-A

Ireland: A fond farewell to an indomitable equine

Farmweek.com - Full Article

By Bree Rutledge
February 12, 2021

WELL-known endurance rider Helen McFarland from Co. Down, writes:

MADAM,

I had the recent privilege of saying a final goodbye to ‘Just Paddy’, my equine companion for over 30 years. Without the benefit of ‘Paddy’s’ indomitable spirit and iron constitution, I would never have gone on to enjoy an endurance career, which has enabled me to compete all over Ireland and Britain, as well as further afield and to have the honour of representing Ireland at European and World Championship level and at the World Equestrian Games.

‘Paddy’ and I started out together in mid 1990 and spent several happy years hunting with the North Down, flying round cross-country courses and doing all the usual Riding Club activities. Nothing ever seemed to tire ‘Paddy’ out and when we took up the newly emerging sport of endurance in 1995, he made swift progress through the various qualification levels at 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 miles, with ILDRA (Irish Long Distance Riding Association).

I caught the endurance ‘bug’ myself and quickly became addicted to the fascinating challenge of competing over long distances, riding across different terrain and adapting speed and tactics to my horse’s level of fitness. But I can still remember the astonishment I felt when Lorraine Sloan (whose help and guidance were invaluable to me as a very novice endurance rider), casually mentioned one day that she was training to do a ride of 100 miles in a day – I had no notion such a thing was possible, 50 miles seemed more than enough!...

Read more here:
https://farmweek.com/a-fond-farewell-to-an-indomitable-equine/

100 days to go Longines FEI Endurance World Championship 2021

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

Info@endurance-world.com
11th February 2021

Pisa, Italy. Thursday 10 February 2021. The countdown begins to the Longines FEI Endurance World Championship 2021.

In 100 days the San Rossore racecourse will be the scene of an event that is long-awaited for as it is the symbolic desire to return to normality through a sport, Endurance, which founding values are based on true partnership between horse and human. The appointment is for Saturday 22 May 2021, when Tuscany and in particular Pisa will host the Longines FEI Endurance World Championship 2021 as part of the sixth edition of Toscana Endurance Lifestyle.

Event Director Brian Dunn (IRL) and sistemaeventi.it, in partnership with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and the Italian Equestrian Federation (FISE) and with the institutional support of the Municipality of Pisa and the Tuscany Region, are working at full speed to set up a World Championship based on ambitious goals, starting with health protection and compliance with the protocols dictated by the Covid-19 pandemic...

Read more here:
https://endurance-world.com/100-days-to-go-longines-fei-endurance-world-championship-2021/

Great Britain: Popular Man v Horse race is cancelled for a second year

CountyTimes.co.uk - Full Article

8 February 2021
By Matt Jones

ENDURANCE runners from Powys and well beyond have been dealt a blow after organisers of the immensely popular Man v Horse race announced the cancellation of this year’s event.

The quirky race – which pits people against horses over a 22-mile distance – is one of the most popular events on the annual Mid Wales calendar, but was cancelled last year because of coronavirus. Organisers Green Events had provisionally pencilled in a June 12 date for the Llanwrtyd Wells race’s comeback, but instead they have followed suit with many other events this year by postponing for a second successive year...

Read more here:
https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/19073603.popular-man-v-horse-race-cancelled-second-year/

UAE: Sultan Alawani emerged to top in Al Wathba

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

Info@endurance-world.com
1st February 2021

Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, United Arab Emirates. Friday 29 January 2021.

After three days of racing the previous week it was time for Junior & Young Riders to battle for first place at the Sheikh Zayed bin Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Junior & Young Riders Endurance Cup CEN 120.

A total of 100 combinations entered the race and it was Consuelo Marchant – CHI (Gacela 50 – Jumeirah Stables) leading after the first loop with nine riders within the same minute.

Saif Beljafla – UAE (Shadeedah – M7 Endurance Stables) arrived first after the second loop in an important pack of riders but thanks to a good recovery it was Khalfan Beljafla – UAE (Avenir La Majorie – MRM Stables) who took over the lead with an ignorable advantage of two seconds on Saif Beljafla. The only other rider to be in the same minute was Rashed Al Ketbi – UAE (Waterlea Sikorsky – M7 Endurance Stables) in fourth place...

Read more here:
https://endurance-world.com/sultan-alawani-emerged-to-top-in-al-wathba/