Interview with Jean-Michel Grimal Chef d’Équipe of the French team

Endurance-world.com - Full ArticleInfo@endurance-world.com
21st December 2021
Photo credit: Eric Trescazes and Murielle Mulder Fotografie

Artagnan, South of France. The French endurance team has been performing very well in the last championships and heading this team is 45 year old Jean-Michel Grimal.

Who is Jean-Michel Grimal?

“My parents were carpenters, my mother was very keen on horses. When she was pregnant of me, she decided to cover her mare. So I arrived the same year as the first foal in Artagnan breeding. Passionate for horses from my young age I tried to do normal school and horse riding. And for sure I got the passion for horses from her. From childhood I was active with horses testing all what you could do with horses.

It is difficult to speak about myself. I am a farrier, horse breeder and trainer. I consider myself to be a real horse man. So I tried to learn and keep going to learn from experienced horse people in all different disciplines, from the breeding to competition.

At school, I learnt mathematics and marketing and with horses I passed the exam to become farrier...”

Read more at:
https://endurance-world.com/jean-michel-grimal-chef-dequipe-of-the-french-team/

Endurance GB agrees rule change to grow the sport

EGB.Myclubhouse.co.uk

Web Admin Press Release
17 December 2021

Rule changes at Endurance GB Annual General Meeting cement bid to grow the sport

• Minimum speed for all open/advanced Graded Endurance Rides was reduced from 10kph to 9kph
• Compulsory midway vetgate to be introduced at all rides over 46km to strengthen horse welfare
• Three new board appointees announced each dedicated to supporting existing board in building Endurance GB participation and membership

Endurance GB’s Annual General Meeting held at Woodland Grange in Leamington Spa on Saturday, 27 November 2021 saw some key changes to Endurance GB's rule book approved by the membership:

The minimum speed for all open/advanced Graded Endurance Rides was reduced from 10kph to 9kph, and ride organisers were also given the ability to apply to the Endurance GB Board to lower their minimum speed further on a ride-by-ride basis. This will make more challenging courses a more attractive prospect to riders. It will also allow riders to better prepare their horses for longer distances by following the old adage: increase distance before speed

• There will be a compulsory midway vetgate in all rides over 46km, strengthening horse welfare and making longer rides more attractive to riders attempting a longer distance for the first time
• Riders who retire at a midway vetgate following a successful vetting will be able to claim a completion and grading for the distance that they have ridden up to that point. This will encourage people to have a go at longer distances
• 1st-3rd 'Performance Formula' placings will be offered for all Graded Endurance Rides alongside the existing grading awards, giving an additional competitive challenge for riders
• Some of the championship rules and eligibility criteria were amended and clarified. The minimum distance for the Young Rider National Championship was reduced from 120km to 80km, putting it within reach of a wider range of young riders
• Some minor amendments have been made to the Para-Equestrian Endurance rules to simplify the administrative process for Para-Equestrian riders.

Operations Director Esther Young said: "These are exciting changes which will increase our appeal in the wider equestrian community and will make progression both to higher distances and to more challenging courses far more attractive whilst keeping horse welfare at our heart. We have a full season planned for 2022 with distances from 5km to 160km and we are very much looking forwards to welcoming all levels of riders to our events. Endurance riding really is a sport that has something for everyone."

More at:
https://egb.myclubhouse.co.uk/Cms/Spaces/NEWS/News/Endurance+GB+agrees+rule+change+to+grow+the+sport

Botswana: Sefhophe horse race dangles P25,000 prize money

Mmegi.bw - Full Article

December 17 2021
Kabelo Boranabi

A whooping P25,000 prize money will be on offer in the annual equestrian sport event dubbed Sefhophe Horse Challenge (SHC). The Sefhophe Horse Challenge is a carnival-style horse race billed for December 16 in Sefhophe.

The winner of the main events, the 40km Thoroughbred (TB) and Endurance races will pocket the five-figure prize money each, the highest in local horse racing...

Read more here:
https://www.mmegi.bw/sports/sefhophe-horse-race-dangles-p25000-prize-money/news

FEI Tribunal issues Final Decision in equine anti-doping case

Inside.FEI.org

09 December 2021
Author: FEI

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.

In this case, the horse Spootnick Davril (FEI ID 104YN31/BEL), ridden by Raoul Ronsmans (FEI ID 10014170/BEL), tested positive for the Banned Substance O-desmethylvenlafaxine, following samples taken at the CEI2*70 + (2) Monpazier (FRA), on 27-29 August 2021.

The athlete explained that the positive test result probably came from the actions of his groom, who had urinated in the stall of the horse during the above mentioned Event, while taking anti-depressant medication containing the Banned Substance since several years.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal accepted the agreement reached between the FEI and the athlete, according to which the athlete bears no fault or negligence for the Rule Violation and therefore shall not serve any period of ineligibility and the otherwise applicable period of ineligibility. The athlete will also not incur any fines.

The full Decision is available here.

Court reduces length of suspension against Belgian Endurance figure, but fine upheld

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

December 4, 2021
Horsetalk.co.nz

A prominent figure in the Endurance community has had his suspension reduced in his appeal against an FEI Tribunal decision that found he had falsified FEI horse passports.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland reduced the length of Pierre Arnould’s suspension from 20 months to 14 months. It left in place the fine of 5000 Swiss francs, along with the tribunal order for a 7000 franc contribution toward legal costs.

The CAS said in its written decision that the FEI vaccination system was insufficiently robust and should be improved.

Arnould is a 61-year-old Belgian national who has been involved in equestrian sport for 35 years, in particular Endurance. He served as team leader of the Belgian national team for many years, organised two FEI Endurance European Championships, one FEI Endurance World Championship, and is an active trainer of Endurance horses...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2021/12/04/court-suspension-endurance-figure-fine-upheld/

The Spanish King’s Cup at Ademuz

Endurance-World.com - Full Article

Race Report made with the assistance of Jackie Paarhuis and Manuel Ferrer Gómez for Albalat Endurance
Photo credit: David López
30 November 2021

Ademuz, Valencia, Spain. Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 November 2021 saw the end of the 5th endurance season in Ademuz.

With 5 competitions to choose from, riders from around Spain and abroad came to enjoy this rural Spanish area.

With a tried and tested track, the organiser included a CEI3* competition for the first time. This class brought a new level to Ademuz, with 7 out of the 8 starting combinations completing the course. For the first 2 loops the group stayed relatively close together. During the 3rd loop four riders, David Vilar, Roberto Laherran, Silvia Yebra and Gorka Llaguno broke away raising their average loop speed from around 17.5km/hr to around 21.5km/hr. This speed was maintained, and superseded until the last second, with a high-speed sprint finish by David Vilar on Koheilan Ishani CA and Roberto Laherran on Pirlo, finishing first and second respectively...

More story and photos here:
https://endurance-world.com/the-spanish-kings-cup-at-ademuz/

Cautious hope hyposensitivity testing is leading to ‘changed mentality’ in endurance

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

Lucy Elder
28 November, 2021 12:21

A LEADING vet has aired cautious hope that targeted hyposensitivity testing is having a “very deterrent effect” in endurance.

FEI veterinary director Göran Åkerström shared the news of the “very successful control programme” at the federation’s general assembly last week (14–17 November).

He said the programme, which ran across 2020 and 2021, was designed to protect horses from being nerve blocked before or during rides.

A total of 395 horses were examined at FEI events, with 452 examinations. Of these, four positive cases were found.

“It’s been a really, really useful tool and the reactions from the endurance community have been very positive,” said Mr Åkerström...

Read more here:
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/cautious-hope-hyposensitivity-testing-is-leading-to-changed-mentality-in-endurance-770507