Endurance.Net: World News

Wednesday, September 01, 2021

Iceland: Horse Race Takes Place Over Highlands

August 31 2021
Words by Desirai Thompson
Photo by Vísir/Landssamband hestamanna

The National Association of Horsemen (Landssamband hestamanna) put on a four-day endurance race over the highlands which ended yesterday. Having begun the journey in Skagafjörður, the riders traveled roughly 70 kilometres per day until they reached Þingvellir.

Four participants, two Icelanders and two foreigners, took on the challenge with teams comprised of three horses, one competitor and a veterinarian each. The ride is meant to emphasise endurance, courage, strength and appreciation for Icelandic nature, reports Vísir. More than that, the race centres the strength and amazing ability of the iconic Icelandic horse.

The race was won by Iðunn Bjarnadóttir, riding for Riding Iceland Saltvík, clocking in at 18 hours and 40 minutes. Next up was Annie Whelan, riding for Íslandshestar with 18 hours and 52 minutes...

Monday, August 30, 2021

Great Britain: Red Dragon Festival is back with a roar

EGB.MyClubhouse.co.uk

Web Admin
29 August 2021

Iconic Endurance GB British Horse Feeds and Golden Paste Company Red Dragon Festival is back with a roar

• Festival of Endurance at Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells (24-26 September) sponsored by British Horse Feeds and Golden Paste Company hosts array of 2021 Championship events • Nearly 300 riders expected to compete over the three days including teams from across the country in the Pony Club National Championships • National Championship classes to attract many leading horse and rider combinations to tackle iconic Cambrian Mountain route including the ride’s legendary climb over Aberedw Hill summit. • Welsh Championship newly added after move from Pembrey Sands

Often billed as an end of season party, the iconic British Horse Feeds & Golden Paste Company Red Dragon Festival of Endurance is back bigger and better than ever next month after a year’s absence due to the spike in Covid cases across Wales last autumn.

Organisers say support for the iconic event in the Cambrian Mountains, swelled last year and have put plans in place to ensure it bounces back bigger and better than ever.

John and Jane Hudson in their 10th year as organisers of the prestigious event, held from the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells, say that they were overwhelmed by the strong backing of the sponsors and the support of the endurance community when it became clear that the Welsh Government would have to delay lifting of restrictions in time, forcing the cancellation of the 2020 event.

John Hudson said: “A huge amount of work had gone into last year’s event and the support then gave us the impetus to return this year bigger and better than ever...”

More at:
https://egb.myclubhouse.co.uk/Cms/Spaces/NEWS/News/Red+Dragon+Festival+is+back+with+a+roar

Saturday, August 28, 2021

Three-day extravaganza at Endurance GB’s new FEI Well Vale International Ride

EGB.myclubhouse.co.uk - Full Article

26 August 2021
Sponsored by Emerald Green Feeds and Sheer Endurance

Three-day extravaganza at Endurance GB’s new FEI Well Vale International Ride, sponsored by Emerald Green Feeds and Sheer Endurance kicks off

• New venue to host three day extravaganza of Endurance (27-29 August) with classes of all distances and for all levels.
• Nearly 100 riders set to compete over the three days including nine British combinations contesting FEI International classes
• Popular Team Spirit returns to the schedule after Covid-enforced gap in 2020

Endurance GB welcomes a new FEI International Ride at Well Vale near Alford in the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds this weekend. Sponsored by Emerald Green Feeds and Sheer Endurance, the event has attracted nearly 100 riders to a range of classes across the distances including three FEI sections, a 3* 160km, 1* 100km and 2* YJ 120km.

With a stunning venue in front of Well Vale Estate Hall, organiser Thay Stephenson and her team are presenting a course running almost exclusively on private tracks, field margins and rights of way which will take riders over the glorious Wolds countryside...

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Australia: Collie to host Tom Quilty National Endurance Championship on October 1-3

FarmWeely.com.au - Full Story

Amanda Rayner
25 Aug 2021, 6 p.m.

FROM October 1-3, the South West town of Collie, 200 kilometres from Perth, will play host to the Tom Quilty National Endurance Championship.

WA has had the honour of hosting the 100 mile (160 kilometre) ride on four previous occasions - Mornington Mills in 1989, Toodyay in 1995, Tumbulgum Farm in 2001 and 2007 and Wagin in 2014.

This time around, the WA Endurance Riders Association (WAERA) will co-host the event with the historic and scenic Shire of Collie, which has also kindly offered the support of its community-based volunteer groups.

WAERA feels that the event has a special affinity with WA as Tom Quilty, who the event is named in honour of, lived a great part of his life in the State...

Monday, August 23, 2021

Interview with Spanish top athlete María Álvarez Pontón

Endurance-World.com - Full Article

Info@endurance-world.com
23rd August 2021
Barcelona, Spain.

Introducing María Álvarez Pontón is not needed for the pundits in the horse endurance community.

With the European Championship coming up in two weeks in Ermelo, Netherlands, María is one of the top contenders. Maria is a very private person avoiding interviews yet Endurance World was able to catch up with this Spanish top amazon.

Who is María Álvarez Pontón?

I was born in Cantabria (North of Spain) in 1976, July 20. I grew up there and when I was 18 I moved to the South to study to become a vet. Being there I got the opportunity to go to Dubai. I went as a nice experience, with the idea of spending six months in Dubai and coming back. I ended up working there for 13 years. I met my husband, Juma Punti, who is also my trainer, and we’ve been together ever since. Nowadays I live with Juma and our 3 children in our farm in Barcelona, where we breed and train endurance horses...”

Read the interview here:
https://endurance-world.com/interview-with-spanish-top-athlete-maria-alvarez-ponton/

Saturday, August 21, 2021

3 USA Young Riders Bound for World Championship in Netherlands

August 21 2020

Three riders will represent the USA in the FEI Endurance World Championship for Young Riders & Juniors which will be held at Ermelo in the Netherlands on September 6-11, 2021.

19-year-old Alex Shampoe, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, will ride Valerie Kanavy and Wndy MacCoubrey's 10-year-old Arabian mare, Fine Cut Gold. This pair won the USA Young Rider 75-mile Championship at Fort Howes, Montana, in June.

16-year-old Charlene “Charly” Dugan, from Muncy, Pennsylvania, will ride the 9-year-old gelding Southern Justice, owned by Sally Jellison and Dessia Miller.

14-year-old Meghan Wert, from Spring Mills, Pennsylvania, will ride the 13-year-old gelding Dude Free Gold, owned by Valery Kanavy.

Alex Shampoe and Valerie Kanavy's Promissin Gold, an 8-year-old Arabian mare, are the alternates.

115 riders and 140 horses representing 23 countries are on the nominated list. The definite entry list is scheduled for September 4th.

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Netherlands: Interview with Eric Lamsma, Ermelo Organiser

Endurance-world.com - Full Article

Info@endurance-world.com
12th August 2021

Ermelo, the Netherlands. Wednesday 11 August 2021.

With less than a month to go for the FEI World Endurance Championship for Young Riders and Juniors 2021 and FEI European Endurance Championship 2021, Endurance World talked to Eric Lamsma, organiser of the event.

Who is behind the organisation?

Eric Lamsma: “Fasna Trail foundation which is managed by Pieter Wiersinga and myself. We have a core team of four people and when you look at the bigger circle it consists 15 people, furthermore we are lucky we can rely on more than 100 volunteers. Back in the days, Foundation Fasna Trail organised several (international) rides in Ermelo, the 2014 CEI in Uddel being the most recent event.”

The test event was, according the FEI, successful so why was there a change of organiser?

“I don’t know so I can’t answer. As soon as we were asked to organise we have been busy looking forward.” Why Ermelo as venue?

“Ermelo has the national equestrian centre and is the base of all equestrian disciplines of the National Federation ‘Koninklijke Nederlandse Hippische Sportfederatie, KNHS’. The idea is to host all championships in this beautiful location, the middle of the Veluwe...”