Alex Luque wins 2016 Spanish Endurance Championship

April 30 2016

Alex Luque, riding the 8-year-old Abha Quely, won the 160-km Spanish Championship on April 30 near Badajoz, Spain. The pair finished with a time of 7:50.01, 13 minutes ahead of second place Angel Soy aboard Toumai Eureka. Maria Alvarez and Zefira finished in 3rd, 1 second behind Soy. Toumani Eureka won the Best Condition award.

Eight of 31 starters completed the ride.

See the complete results here:
http://ggjineteraid.blogspot.com/2016/04/resultados-finales-del-campeonato-de.html

Qatar: The Sheikha

Thehroseridersjournal.com - Full Article

A new generation of sportswomen is scoring pioneering victories in the fast-changing culture of the Arab Peninsula. One of them is Sheikha Reem bint Muhammad bin Faisal Al Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family who works tirelessly to encourage more women to take up equestrian sports.

April 24 2016

Text maria graae Photography daniel stjerne

Taken from the Summer 2014 issue of The Horse Rider’s Journal

Reem is another name for the small Arabian Sand Gazelle, found only in the Arabian Peninsula and distinguished by its elegant frame and big eyes. Like her namesake, Sheikha Reem lives in Doha and thrives in Qatar’s deserts, one of the harshest climates on Earth. For centuries, these deserts have tested humankind; now they serve as a scenic backdrop and a permanent challenge for the young Qatari endurance rider when she is training and racing her horses. “It gives me happiness and joy,” she says, softly and almost to herself, “being out here in the desert with my horses.”
A couple of years ago, still in her early twenties, Sheikha Reem shattered whatever stereotypes the West might harbour regarding the lives of women living in the Arabian Peninsula when she became the first Qatari woman ever to participate in an international endurance race...

Read more here:
http://thehorseridersjournal.com/the-sheikha/

Great Britain: Ambitious challenge for Alfie and his horse Poppy

Loughboroughecho.net - Full Article

28 APR 2016
BY ZOE HIGGINS

Alfie Wilton, who is seven-years-old, rides Poppy the pony with a number of local horse riding groups through the Sport Endurance organisation.

A YOUNG boy from East Leake with ADHD and autism has set himself the challenge of riding 100 miles on his beloved horse this year to raise money for charity.

Alfie Wilton, who is seven-years-old, rides Poppy the pony with a number of local horse riding groups through the Sport Endurance organisation.

The rides, which he takes while mum Debra and nan Jean walk alongside him, have a calming effect on Alfie and last year he won the East Midlands Junior Rider of the Year award at the Sport Endurance National Awards...

Read more here:
http://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/ambitious-challenge-alfie-horse-poppy-11245255

Pinol tops in 120-km National Championship Endurance Ride of Portugal

Horsereporter.com - Full Article

by Pamela Burton

Laia Soria Pinol and Kz Magica
25 April, 2016, Fronteira, Portugal~ Laia Soria Pinol riding Kz Magica won the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival-sponsored 120-km National Championship ride of Portugal held in Fronteira on Saturday, 23 April 2016.

Pinol finished the 120-km ride, run in five stages, ahead of Marisa Bote Chamorro on Tirante with Maite Melgusa Minguez on Harrison in third place. Pinol completed the five-stage ride in 6 hours 24 minutes and 01 seconds at an average speed of 18.74 kms while Chamorro on Tirante did the 120-km distance in 6:32.49...

Read more here:
http://www.horsereporter.com/pinol-tops-in-120-km-national-championship-endurance-ride-of-portugal/

"Fair Endurance" Facebook group starts petition to reinstate 2016 FEI WEC in Dubai

April 25 2016

A Facebook group, "Fair Endurance," for "Endurance riders, horses, trainers and owners of the horses," has created a petition on Change.org.

Countering the 6600-plus-signature petition that was started in February to remove the WEC from Dubai - which the FEI subsequently did - the Fair Endurance group, citing "FAIR PLAY FOR ATHLETES," initiated the petition to reinstate the 2016 FEI World Endurance Championship in Dubai as it was legally appointed by the FEI Bureau in December 2014. "Play sports, not politics!"

The petition further states:

On 7 April 2016 the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI - the International Federation for Equestrian Sports) suddenly cancels the 2016 World Endurance Championships in Dubai that was legally appointed in December 2014.

Read official statement of the FEI Bureau.

Two months ago the FEI and Emirates Equestrian Federation (EEF) made an agreement that established stricter conditions of all Endurance competitions in the UAE.

Trying to punish UAE riders, indeed the FEI punished all riders from all the world that come to the UAE to start in Endurance competitions.

SO FEI PLAYS POLITICS, NOT SPORTS!

We ask all equestrian people to sign this petition, because that agreement between FEI and EEF should be voided as illegal.
Any amendments to the FEI Endurance Rules must be approved by all the National Federations at FEI General Assembly, not by separate agreement between FEI and EEF.

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We hereby petition the FEI to revoke the unwarranted and prejudicial ‘Final Exams Maximum Pulse between 56 and 60 bpm within 10 and 15 minutes’.

• These rules are not practical and affecting us as riders, negatively. 

• We are unable to compete in such unfair situations, without achieving the goal of successfully finishing the ride. 

• There is no level-playing field by implementing such stringent measures for the purpose of punishing any country or any region. 

• FEI published Endurance Rules to be followed in all international competitions, Article: 814.1.5.5: “At the Final Inspection, the Maximum Pulse shall be 64 bpm within 30 minutes”.

Furthermore, we request the FEI to reinstate the FEI World Endurance Championships to take place from 10-17 December 2016 at the Dubai Equestrian Club (UAE).

If a different venue be chosen, we as riders will be affected because of the following reasons:

• Advancing the qualification dates and the event dates, will in turn put the pressure on riders and horses to qualify within such a short period.

• This will not give enough time to qualify the riders & horses, which is not fair.

• Training plans will have to be changed, based on the climatic conditions & track.

• Deciding the venue, just two or three months prior to the event, will affect horses results and welfare of horses will be of high concern.

• The terrain and climatic conditions will not be known until the 14 June 2016, for a high level championship happening in September/October 2016.

• Planning the budget is more crucial and now it is too late and almost impossible to find the money to prepare all arrangements for a different venue, which is still not known yet.

For more information see:
https://www.facebook.com/fairendurance/

Great Britain: Endurance Riders Don’t Stop for Wintry Weather

25th April 2016

Kings Forest near Thetford, Norfolk was the setting for three days of competitive routes through the iconic woodland of ‘The Brecks’. This unique area covers 393 square miles – the UK’s largest lowland forest, with miles of tracks and paths making it an ideal setting for Endurance GB’s main class of the weekend – a CEI 3* 160km (100 miles) competition. This distance is the ultimate challenge to the Endurance rider and four combinations rode up to the start line last Saturday morning in the dark at 5.00 am, head torches at the ready. The route comprised 6 loops, all coming back to the venue at Wordwell for strict veterinary checks and controlled rest breaks. The weather proved the biggest challenge on the day with a cold wind and persistent rain, with occasional hail, making the going slippery in places and special attention needed to stop horses and riders getting cold at rest points.

Two horses were stopped during the day by the vets due to minor lameness. The remaining two combinations went out together on the final loop with darkness descending. A strong bond develops between riders at this level of competition. Riders work together to motivate each other and their horses. Fiona Griffiths from Powys, South Wales, riding Oliver Twist IV and Mel Bradley from Devizes, Wiltshire, riding 15 year old CS Khan, owned by Linda Cross, left the venue knowing that they were running close to the maximum time allowed. A small crowd gathered at the finish line waiting for news from the course. Word came in that they were approaching the finish line and a cheer went up. Mel and ‘Khan’ came into view with only minutes to spare, urged on by their crew. They dug deep and cantered brightly to the finish with just 22 seconds remaining on the clock. Fiona felt that ‘Oli’ was tired and decided to slow down on the last loop so finished some time later but to equal cheers from the waiting group. Both horses passed the final vetting in good form but sadly no completion for Fiona due to being out of time.

Mel Bradley was thrilled with her win. “This has been my biggest win yet and brought up so many emotions. It was the most amazing feeling cantering towards the line with people cheering us on after such a long hard day. It certainly picks you up! After all Khan has been through we could only dream he would get around a 160km and he has done us proud.”

The other FEI classes yielded a good completion rate, with many happy riders achieving their qualification goals.

The weekend also had a full schedule of supporting classes at every distance demonstrating that Endurance really is a sport for everyone. The event was sponsored by Bury St Edmunds based, Science Supplements – leading suppliers of equine supplements, with welcome ‘goody bags’ and prizes galore. The riders and officials also benefited from a heated marquee generously provided by local FEI rider, Nicki Thorne and her husband, businessman Andy Thorne of Kestrel Liner Agencies.

The next Endurance event at this venue will be over the weekend of the 8th to 10th July and details can be found on our website: www.endurancegb.co.uk

Results from main classes:

Saturday 16th April

CEI 3* 160km
1st Mel Bradley and CS Khan  14.00 kph

CEI 2* 120km
1st Harry Ingram and Warren Hills Chayze  16.81 kph
2nd Rachel Pemberton and Deemonstrator  14.40 kph
3rd Ruth Chadwick and Aragorn  14.11 kph
4th Heather Whiteley and Distance Oasis  13.81 kph
5th Amy Theodorou and My Marco  13.10 kph

CEIYJ 2* 120km
1st Katie Bedwin and Burfield Goodie Two Shoes  14.76 kph

CEI 1* 80km
1st Lesley Ann Parker and Velvet Echo  18.48 kph
2nd Robert Newall and Loti du Caussanel  15.53 kph
3rd Lauren Mills and Crystal Magic Star  15.38 kph
4th Andrea Champ and A Little Bit of Magic 14.74 kph
5th Pam James and HS Asraf  14.74 kph
6th Francesca Bakker and Aratahnes Aphrodite  14.30 kph
7th Amy Boston and Burfield Court Appearance  14.06 kph
8th Susan Cox and Eden El Nyhl  13.03 kph
Completion Fiona Bloom and Verwa

CEIYJ1* 80km
1st Tess Wheldon and Verythas de Loc 17.12 kph
2nd Ella Bunting and Eas Boadicea  16.32 kph
3rd Tessa Kilpatrick and Aratahnes Phoebe  14.97 kph

National CER 80km
1st Antonia Hardwick and Shingle Street Speshal 18.93 kph
2nd Julie Kendall and Perfeq Pacha De Blaziet 18.86 kph
3rd Lesley Anne Booth and Rassam 18.08 kph
4th Josie Ratter-Evison and Krayaan Nasser 15.28 kph

Sunday 17th April

CEI 1* 80km

1st Ylva Sam Mowatt and Terminator’s Dream  17.33kph
2nd Carri Ann Dark and Emir  17.18 kph
3rd Abigail Tennant and Barik  16.73 kph
4th Linda Cowperthwaite and Maraday Mystaron  16.73 kph
5th Susan Hawes and Remynisce  13.62 kph
6th Andrea Champ and Drumghigha Lantana  13.39 kph



The photo is of Mel Bradley riding Linda Cross’s CS Khan to win the CEI 3* 160km event.  Photo credit:  Saunders Photography.

Endurance GB - National Governing Body for competitive Endurance horse riding in Great Britain a member body of the BEF. Offering rides for non-members and members from pleasure rides to competitive rides www.endurancegb.co.uk

Australia: Horsing around has taken Irvine across the globe

Sunshinecoastdaily.com.au - Full Article

A LOVE of horses has opened many doors for Kelsey Irvine.

The 25-year-old elite endurance rider and horse trainer has been a polo groom at Kerry Packer’s property in the Hunter Valley, trained Arabian horses in Dubai and ridden the Canadian Rockies as a horseback tour guide.

She also worked at stables in Eumundi and Kenilworth, for champion endurance rider Brook Sample.

Between horsing around, Ms Irvine has worked the Victorian ski fields and travelled throughout Canada and America in an old blue Chevy with older sister Jess.

It’s a long way from her family’s 162-hectare farm in Central Queensland but in an industry where pedigree counts for everything, hers provides a clue to the reason for her success.

Ms Irvine’s grandfather was bush legend and horse whisperer Alwyn Torenbeek, who is a triple Hall of Fame inductee as a rodeo champion, stockman and endurance rider...

Read more here:
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/horsing-around-has-taken-irvine-across-the-globe/3006472/