Spain: El Rocio Waits for VI Kaliber-Andalucia

El Raid Blog - Gabriel Gamiz

Thursday March 31 2011

We are at the foot of the White Dove participants waiting for Kaliber VI-Andalucia.

Tomorrow begins the reception of the pairs who come to this land marshy excited to start the pilgrimage from the Shrine of Our Lady of Rocio in Almonte (Huelva) to the Hill where is located the Sanctuary of the Virgin de la Cabeza in Andujar (Jaen), wandering in the provinces of Huelva, Seville, Cordoba and ending in Jaen.



When we arrived at Camping "The Village" which is mounted the Headquarters of the Organization of the VI Kaliber, we found that many participants were already enjoying the sand rocieras, walking their horses, among them Gunderson, Fernando Uriarte, some French and one Belgian, this Saturday to step back, but now in competition plan, when the departure of this great trial of strength Equestrian, the longest in Europe.
From the village of Rocio

Greetings - Gabriel en route.

[google translation]

Australia: Queensland XXXX beer saves horse's life

Jeremy Pierce From: Herald Sun April 01, 2011 12:00AM

Diamond Mojo is feeling great after a diet of XXXX beer. Picture: Adam Head Source: Herald Sun

IT sounds like a load of XXXX, but beer saved this horse's life.

Diamond Mojo, a six-year-old Australian waler, had been given up for dead by his owner, Steve Clibborn, after being struck down by a bout of colic.

So, as desperate men do in desperate times, Steve turned to the bottle - not for himself, but for his prize endurance horse.

"I had pretty much kissed him goodbye," he said.

"I had spent 23 hours straight with him, but nothing worked and then I remembered an old bush tale that said you could feed them beer.

"I don't know whether I really believed it or not, but it was worth a shot and, as soon as he had that beer, he burped and perked right up. So I gave him another couple."

Over the following days, Steve repeated the dose - using Queensland's XXXX lager - until his horse found his mojo.

Colic produces acute abdominal pain and can be caused by stress.

It often proves fatal to horses and opinion is divided on how it can best be treated.

But Steve thinks he is on to a winner with the amber nectar.

"It bloody well worked," he said.

"I am not sure of the science behind it but, because it's gassy, it can give them some relief.

"He ended up taking quite a shine to XXXX.

"So I had to get him off the grog or he was going to cost me a fortune. He prefers carrots now."

Diamond Mojo is well on the road to recovery on Mr Clibborn's farm near Lismore, in northern NSW, and could soon make a return to endurance racing.

[Full article at http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/queensland-xxxx-beer-saves-horses-life/story-fn7x8me2-1226031640282...]

Spain: Presentation of the VI Kaliber-Andalucia

El Raid Blog - Gabriel Gamiz

Tuesday March 29, 2011

This morning at 13 hours was made in Seville in Cruzcampo Foundation, the sixth edition of Kaliber-Andalucia.

The table was chaired by Mr. D. Julio Cuesta President of the Foundation Cruzcampo, D. Luciano Alonso Minister of Tourism, Trade and Sports of the Junta de Andalucia and D. José Manuel Soto Alarcon President of the Organizing Committee.

The event began with a presentation by the President of the Foundation Cruzcampo D. Julio Cuesta, giving the floor to José Manuel Soto, presented to all attendees this VI Kaliber-Andalucia, saying it is an opportunity to present a Andalucia the world, its culture, gastronomy, monuments and all the magnificent scenery that this test shows the whole world.

After recounting the glories of this trial as it passes through different regions and villages of Andalucia, Sevilla recalled the march of the race, which will join riders and carriages out of the race, which will accompany the participants on his visit to the City.

Upon completion of the dissertation of the race, a video project with the best pictures of last year, which to a tour through all the stages and better views of the competition.

The video ended thanked Mr Luciano Alonso Jose Manuel Soto Cruzcampo as an organizer and sponsor.

He referred to the Community Andalucia is more protected areas have with their parks of Doñana, Andujar, Cabo de Gata and Sierra Nevada.

Commented that the Junta de Andalucia supports sporting events in a number of 318, are sponsored this year for the attention of our territories.

These events are followed by the media for information of those who remain outside these tests.

His performance ended with congratulations and test out well.

At the end of the ceremony, the Cruz del Campo, a gift to all attendees with a magnifying glass to inaugurate the most fascinating and longest race of the World.
The magnificent ham Maximilian , shone in all its splendor.

José Manuel told us that to date there are about 40 pairs enrolled distributed among different nationalities are Swiss, French, Moroccan, Italian and Spanish, waiting to close the call on day 1 which is the day you start the test at Paloma Blanca plants and nine days after its finalization at the foot of the brunette, the Virgen de la Cabeza in Cazorla.

This is the beginning or starting gun for a big test and we will continue commenting on the daily route of all events occurring in the race, as well as classifications in stages, with the help of photos that show us and the wonderful landscapes of the riders and participants, so I will try that you can not attend this event, you can continue as if the race was.

[google translation]

Great Britain: Endurance champion Abby, 15, to escort

Horsemart.co.uk - Full Article

Tuesday 29 March 2011

Endurance Young Rider champion Abby Chisholm will escort eventing star Mary King in May when she takes part in the daunting 160k (100-miles) Golden Horseshoe Ride over Exmoor.

Mary, British champion a record four times and holder of an Olympic Silver medal, will be riding the first 25 miles of the course over terrain reckoned to be among the toughest in Europe.

Fifteen-years-old Abby, from Lydford on nearby Dartmoor, has competed in the Golden Horseshoe and knows Exmoor and its challenges. She had hoped to ride in the 160k class this year, but has decided to postpone it to concentrate on her studies which she hopes will lead to a place at Duchy College in Cornwall for an Equine Sports Performance course...

Read more here:
http://www.horsemart.co.uk/news/endurance_champion_abby_15_to_escort/2378

Great Britain: Teenager guides Olympian Mary King in Exmoor race

A 15-year-old champion rider is set to escort Olympian Mary King around part of a 100-mile horse race in Exmoor.

Organisers have asked Abby Chisholm, from Lydford, Dartmoor, to guide her for the first 40km of the Golden Horseshoe Ride because of her experience in the event.

Miss Chisholm said: "I am over the moon that I will be able to ride with her."

The endurance challenge will be held on 16 May and is regarded as the toughest race of its kind in Europe.

Although Ms King is an experienced equestrian who has won silver and bronze eventing medals at the Olympics, endurance riding requires different skills.

Eventing is made up of three disciplines - dressage, show jumping and cross-country which test the horse's ability in areas such as speed and accuracy, as well as balance, rhythm and obedience of the horse with its rider.

Endurance riding requires physical and mental stamina for long periods of time and the ability to navigate on horseback on rough terrain, while judging the horse's speed and strength, ensuring the horse does not become exhausted.

Competitors of the challenge will normally ride alone but Mary is taking part in the race for the first time in Exmoor to help raise its profile and needed someone familiar with the course to guide her through.
Mental stamina

During last year's event, Abby completed 80km in one day in the endurance challenge and the year before achieved 80km over two days.

"I've been asked to escort her round, and ride with her and show her the ropes of my sport."

It will be Ms King's debut at this type of horse-riding. She will be borrowing eight-year-old part-bred Arab mare called Ishtar Spirit, owned by Kirsty Wiscombe.

Speaking of endurance riding, Abby said: "You need lots of stamina, mentally as well to keep going all those miles."

In 2010, Abby was named Young Rider National Champion after getting the most points in all the competitions she entered.

She hopes to secure a place on the Equine Sports Performance course at Duchy College in Cornwall.

Ful BBC News article

Thailand Wins Endurance Horse Race

Tannetwork.tv

28 March 2011
Thai horse riders have won both the individual and team events at the Second Malaysia-Thailand Open Endurance Challenge Trophy 2011, an endurance horse race with a top prize of more than 300,000 baht, held from March 25 to 27.

Chon Buri Governor Wichit Chartpaisit presided over the opening ceremony of the Second Malaysia-Thailand Open Endurance Challenge Trophy 2011 at the Thai Polo and Equestrian Club in Pattaya.

The race, certified by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, was a competition for total price money of more than 300,000 baht and was held from March 25 to 27, with a total race distance of 80 kilometers.

A total of 26 horses, four from the Malaysian Military, four from Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, two from Terengganu State, two from Singapore, six from various equestrian clubs, and eight from Thailand, participated in the three-stage race.

Among those who represented Thailand at the race were Vice President of the Thai Equestrian Federation Pruttirat Rattanakul-Serireongrit; Wipawan Pawitayalarp, winner in an individual event; and Varis Khuntaraporn, runner-up in an individual event at last year's race.

The Thai riders won both the individual and team events in the race.

Thailand finished the team event with a time of 14 hours and 30 minutes, followed by Malaysia which recorded 20 hours and 10 minutes.

After the race, Pruttirat said all the riders were dedicated to the race.

However, he pointed out some mistakes which must be corrected before subsequent races to be held in Malaysia and Singapore.

He said the race was successful, as it was praised by all its participants.

The ASEAN Equestrian Clubs will try to push the sport as an event at the 27th SEA Games in Myanmar.

Colombia: Anthony wins in Villa de Leyva

(The following is a google translation of the original post which can be found at http://www.fedecuestre.com/joomla/content/view/1836/55/ )

The vet Anthony Phillips became the winner of the first screening for the Enduro Pan American Games, which will be played in Chile.
The rider completed the 120 kilometers of the race within the required time with the beats of his horse. Phillips' horse "Tiawan" is owned by Cristina Mutis has the ticket to be in the Pan-American event.

In the same distance in juvenile pro winner was Natalia Balcazar with "Reminaja Ali" horse that was in the last World Equestrian Games Kentucky 2010. The athlete with great ability led to his horse by the different terrain without missing a beat and smooth. Mauricio Gaona, Daniel Vasquez and Cristina exit this time had no luck and did not reach the target before the competition provisions.

The appointment took place in the tourist town of Villa de Leyva, just outside the village on the road to Santa Sofía. With cold weather, very wet at times in competition and wet floors are faced with the challenge.

10 pairs took part in the First Selective specialty that seeks to form a team to represent Colombia in Chile. In addition to this test, the other participants of the Enduro ran distances of 80, 40 and 20 kilometers. In the first of these the victory went to Camilo Lievano in Adult FEI. In the second it reached the goal Alejandro Rodriguez, a novice, while her sister won the same way Camila in Youth. And in the category of monkeys tour winners were Carlos Lleras and his daughter Mary.

Congratulations to the participants and the organization of the race that had the Chilean authorities to Juan Ignacio Rodríguez, and Antonio FEI Foreign Veterinary Llompart, who acted as Foreign Technical Delegate and the contest judge. Doranne Wilcox was the National Delegate, while Daniel Amaya, Enrique Pinto, and Luis Fernando Valderrama Claudia Builes formed the Veterinary Commission. The Road Committee was composed Juan Rodriguez and Mauricio Mutis. All of a working group that tried his best to make the meeting will take place smoothly.

Click here for complete orginal post in Spanish