Saudi Arabia: More than 400 horses compete in Saudi fest

Kansascity.com - Full Article

Jan. 30, 2009

By DONNA ABU-NASR
Associated Press Writer

At a green oasis in the desert outside Riyadh, a dazzling array of Arabian horses with colors ranging from dark gray, coffee bean black and warm honey have competed all week in an extravaganza designed to celebrate Arabian horses.

The second Al Khalediah Arabian Horse Festival features a beauty show, races and an auction. The popular animal is intrinsic to this region's culture, and one that, according to ancient Bedouin legend, God designated as one of the "glories" of the earth.

The event, which began last Sunday and ends Friday, was hosted by Prince Khaled bin Sultan, the son of Crown Prince Sultan, at his Al Khalediah Farm which has more than 900 Arabian horses. More than 400 horses from 18 countries took part in this year's festival.

"This is one of the biggest such gatherings in the world," Khaled said of the festival.

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Australia Day Awards - Nagambie

Euroa-gazette.com.au

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Residents in the Nagambie district gathered in the RSL Park at 9.30am for their welcoming address, flag-raising, National Anthem and Affirmation.

Nagambie's Australia Day Ambassador was Peter “Crackers” Keenan, who delivered an address for the occasion.

Nagambie's Australia Day Awards were presented as follows:

Young Citizen of the Year - Samantha Cubbin

Samantha, or 'Sam' for short, is fifteen years old and attends the Seymour Secondary School. She has been around horses since she was a baby, starting with pony rides on older Pony Club horses with her twin brother, Phillip. However, she did not take up riding seriously until the age of eleven, as she was diagnosed with a tumour in her arm. Numerous operations and treatments kept her away from horses for a few years but the growth is now under control and Sam now only misses a couple of months here and there when she needs another operation.

In 2004 Sam began endurance riding. In the past two years she has dominated the State's junior division with her horse Kimba, and may well have taken out the national junior distance title, too. She recently began endurance riding with Tiawarra Ramy, her pony club horse at Tatura Pony Club.

The State Championships at Stanley in 2006 was Sam’s first 160 kilometre ride. She was so tired when she came in off the fourth leg that she fell asleep sitting up with her soup in her lap. She headed out for the fifth leg with a promise of fish and chips for tea if she got back before the shop shut, and subsequently passed five other riders!

Sam is the third generation of a family that has been endurance riding and horse-training for more than twenty-five years, and her achievements include:

* 2006 - Sam: 1st Vic points rider junior, 2nd Vic distance rider junior, 1st Vic one horse one rider all divisions (fifth junior to ever win this title), 5th Nationals distance rider junior, 5th National points rider junior, 2nd Victorian State championship junior; Kimba: 1st Vic points horse, 1st Vic distance horse, 2nd National distance horse, 2nd National points horse.

* 2007 - Sam: 6th National points rider junior, 4th National distance rider junior, 1st Vic points rider junior, 1st Vic distance rider junior; Kimba: 1st National distance horse, 3rd National points horse, 1st Vic distance horse, 1st Vic points horse.

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India: National Endurance Championship begins

The Telegraph

7 teams feature in meet
OUR CORRESPONDENT
National Endurance

Dibrugarh, Jan. 29: The four-day National Endurance Championship got under way at the Ethelwold Tea Estate here this morning.

Altogether seven teams, comprising 31 horses and 27 riders, are featuring in the meet, organised by the Equestrian Federation of Assam (EFA). The teams are Assam Rifles, EFA, Assam Police, Manipur RVC, Saharanpur RVC (Hempur) and ASC, 33 Corps (Siliguri).

The Assam squad for the 34th National Games to be held in Jharkhand will also be selected after the meet.

Siddhartha Sharma, the secretary general of the association, told mediapersons that competitions would be held in the 60km, 80km and 100km endurance rides.

Dibrugarh had hosted the first CEI International Endurance Championship in the country in February, 2003, and has been a favourite destination of endurance riders.

Monoj Jalan, the adviser and chief patron of the EFA, also a rider, said there was a plan to host an international endurance meet after the nationals, but the plan was cancelled in view of the Jharkhand National Games.

UAE: Endurance Seminar for Judges, Veterinarians

Khaleej Times
29 January 2009

DUBAI — The Veterinary Department of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation is conducting an Advanced Endurance Seminar and FEI Refresher Course for Endurance veterinarians and Judges at Abu Dhabi on February 12, a press release said.

The seminar is being held with the cooperation of the Organising Committee of the President’s Cup Endurance ride to coincide with the President’s Cup Endurance Challenge which is scheduled to be held at the Emirates International Endurance Village, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi on Saturday, February 14.

The seminar will be conducted by Dr. Hallvad Sommerseth, Head of the Veterinary Department at the UAE Equestrian Federation and Mr. Ian Williams, Director of Non Olympics Department.

For details contact the Veterinary Department on (9712)6661800.

Bahrain: Royal team horse tops FEI ranking

Gulf Daily News

ROYAL Endurance Team horse Mexico has been ranked first in the latest International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Horses' World Ranking, issued by the FEI yesterday. The Bahraini horse moved to the top of the list among 2,237 horses from across the world with the highest total of points of 595, beating UAE's Tazoul El Parry (583 points) who is presently second overall.

Third is Qatari horse Lasan (546), followed by Spenda Crest Kanolflage (536) of the UAE in fourth place, Uruguay's Llamarada (471) is fifth and Malaysian horse Texas (465) sixth.

Seventh is Australia's Ferrymaster At Webbs Creek (456), followed by Moolmanshoek Roes (447) of South Africa while Moolmanshek Pula (435), also from the Bahrain Royal Endurance Team, is ninth overall.

Mexico's achievement followed his success in nine different competitions last year, including the World Endurance Championship held in Malaysia two months ago when he was steered by Royal Endurance Team rider Ghazi Al Dossary to a ninth-place finish among the world's best entrants.

The Bahraini horse, presently in France, is being prepared for upcoming international events like the next edition of the World Cup to be held in Italy in September.

Bahrain Royal Endurance Team technical manager Shaikh Daij bin Salman Al Khalifa expressed pride for the impressive accomplishment which, he said, underlined the abilities of the horse.

It was Shaikh Daij who recommended the horse after he was given the green light by team captain and president of the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

After finishing ninth overall in the World Championship in Akhn, Germany, Shaikh Daij was assigned to monitor a number of good horses competing in different races.

Shaikh Daij followed up Mexico's participation in a race in Namibia which was over 160km. In that race, the horse took a place on the podium by finishing third overall.

According to Shaikh Daij, Mexico's maiden challenge in Bahrain was His Majesty King Hamad's Endurance Championship last year when he came ninth.

Mexico continued to compete in local and international races which were part of his preparations for the Malaysian World Championship.

Shaikh Daij said the horse had competed in nine different races since he joined the Royal Endurance Team and he was never eliminated in any race which underlines his physical strength, stamina and endurance.

Royal Endurance Team manager Dr Khalid Ahmed Hassan said the outstanding result of Mexico has never been achieved by any horse from any Bahraini stable.

Hassan confirmed that the achievement will be a major motive for all Bahraini riders to keep up their momentum in future championships and raise the Bahrain flag high abroad.

He praised the efforts of Shaikh Daij in bringing the horse to the team and also thanked Shaikh Nasser for his continued support to the team in specific and to other endurance stables in general.

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FEI Endurance Horses' World Ranking 2008

1. Mexico - Bahrain
2. Tazoul El Parry - UAE
3. Lasan - QAT
4. Splenda Crest Kamouflage - UAE
5. Llamarada - URU
6. Texas - MAS
7. Ferrymaster at Webbs Creek - AUS
8. Moolmanshoek Roes - RSA
9. Moolmanshoek Pula - BRN
10. Bebabeloula - UAE
11. Electra BBP Murdoch - AUS
12. Moro Ideal - ARG
13. Omsura Nasrohn - BRN
14. Leonardo - QAT
15. Umag - CZE

Complete Rankings

Australia: Sutton and Best named in Australia Day awards

Mudgee.yourguide.com.au - Full Article

BY DON MAHONEY
27/01/2009

Mudgee endurance rider Mette Sutton was named Mid-Western Regional Council sportsperson of the year at Australia Day ceremonies held in Robertson Park on Monday.

The rider, who may be the first endurance rider to win this prestigious award, capped a fine year in the sport with a second in the state championships and was then selected to be part of the support team for the Australian team at the world championships held in Malaysia in November.

"The trip to Malaysia was probably the highlight as it was the first time I have ever gone overseas," Sutton said.

"I had to nominate to be a part of that team and I enjoyed the experience immensely.

"My focus for the future is to continue riding and I hope we have another great season in 2009."

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