THIS WEEK'S CURRENT NEWS

Australia: Triple photo finish in Tom Quilty Cup

2026 Midnight Rider photos by Merri Melde

2026 Midnight Rider Endurance ride photos in Washington by Merri Melde, The Equestrian Vagabond:
https://www.theequestrianvagabond.com/Clients-Endurance

2026 Tom Quilty - Jay Randle, Splendacrest Arabians

The Americans Have Landed!

I've always blamed America.

Not for anything political, mind you. Simply because, after living there for ten wonderful years during the 1980s and 90s, I've never quite managed to shake it off.

I left Australia as a young woman, came home years later with an American accent that thankfully disappeared, a suitcase full of stories, and a lifetime's worth of friendships. Those friendships have followed me into endurance riding.

Over the years, several Splendacrest Squad riders have travelled to the United States to compete and train, and in return we've welcomed a steady procession of overseas riders to our little corner of Queensland. Somewhere along the way I found myself speaking at a few American Endurance Ride Conference conventions, making more friends, and apparently acquiring a reputation for producing horses that looked after their riders. So when word spread that Splendacrest might have horses available for the 2026 Tom Quilty, my inbox became surprisingly international.

Apparently Australians weren't the only ones mad enough to want to ride 160 kilometres through the Queensland bush…

Read the rest here:
http://www.endurance.net/international/Australia/2026TomQuilty/JayRandle.html

Arabian Horse Association Announces Return of Distance Nationals Championship in Menahga, Minnesota

2026 May's Horses in the Morning Endurance Podcast

Pony Express reenactment gallops into Old Sacramento after 10-day journey

Australia: 100 miles, one goal

FEI reopens bid process for FEI Endurance World Championship 2026 following withdrawal of AlUla (KSA) as host

01 July 2026
Author: FEI Communications

On 1 July 2026, during its in-person Board meeting, the FEI Board approved the termination of the Host Agreement for the FEI Endurance World Championship 2026, which had been scheduled to take place in AlUla (KSA) on 28 November. The decision was taken further to the Organising Committee, the Royal Commission for AlUla, informing the FEI on 29 June that, due to the current geopolitical situation, it was no longer in a position to organise the Championship as planned.

The FEI Board also approved the reopening of the bid process with the objective of identifying a new organiser and keeping the Championship on the 2026 calendar.

"This was not a decision the FEI Board took lightly," FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. "We are acutely aware of the impact this has on National Federations, Athletes, Officials, support teams and, above all, the preparation of the horses. However, under the circumstances, we had no option but to seek an alternative Organiser.

"We recognise the importance of the FEI Endurance World Championship for all those involved in the discipline and are fully committed to securing a new host. The bid process will open shortly and the matter will be rediscussed by the Board at the end of July.

"I would also like to thank the Endurance community for its continued commitment to the sport and for its support in this challenging situation."

A comprehensive summary of the decisions taken by the FEI Board will be issued shortly.

Australia’s endurance epic: Imbil saddles up for the Tom Quilty

2026 Mary and Anna Memorial ride - Tami Rougeau

June 25 2026
By Tami Rougeau

Team Red Adventure 6

One of the big goals for this year was to get back to doing 100s with Makena. After a very minor setback in 2024 we took our time getting things correct. A minor issue kept creeping in so we spent a lot of time with our vet Shane Miller, DVM making a plan and using all the resources we had available including shockwave, PEMF, Red Lights, body work and slow methodical work. The biggest key was changing my hoof management program. We teamed up with a new farrier friend, Bryan Smith, and after many long conversations, review of vet x-rays and opinion he started doing the girls feet for me. It made a huge difference getting her feet to work with her conformation which is not bad but even 1 degree off can make a difference with these athletic horses. No horse is perfect; they all have something that just needs to be managed. So Bryan worked his magic and I put her in EasyCare Inc. Protective Hoofware EasyShoe’s full time. Mostly we use Speeds but at times the terrain has dictated Ones. We glue on our own shoes and use EasyCare HoofLox products exclusively.

2025 was spent working on all of this and slowly bringing Makena along and keeping a close eye on her trimming. She has been doing fantastically at all the rides she has done and is finally getting to really do her thing. We went to Caballo with the intention of giving her a good test and making sure she was really strong and ready to take the next step.

After Caballo I knew she was ready to get back on the 100-mile trail. But which one? There are not very many 100s left so planning for 100s takes some calendar management. I looked at the calendar and there was the Mary and Anna Ride staring back at me. My nemesis ride, my Achilles heel the one that just always wins...

Read the rest here

UAE riders claim top three spots in Emirates Global Endurance Series opener in France

Camilla Coppini: Always Learning from her Horses

02 June 2026
Stacey Stearns

The Italian is developing a reputation as one of European Endurance's most promising talents... In Endurance, progression rarely happens overnight. The sport rewards riders who know how to build horses carefully, gain experience patiently and develop judgement one ride at a time. Italian Endurance athlete Camilla Coppini has embraced that philosophy throughout her career, rising steadily through the ranks by focusing on development as much as results.

Still among the younger generation of elite Endurance athletes, the 27-year-old has already established herself as part of Italy’s senior Endurance programme through a series of mature FEI-level performances and championship appearances. But for Coppini, success has never been about skipping steps.

"A successful ride, especially in this discipline, goes beyond the mere sporting results translated into terms of performance," Coppini explained. "It depends on various aspects, on the objective set and on the horse.

“A qualifying competition with a horse that requires greater effort in terms of preparation and interpretation of the horse and conditions can have greater value than a competition conducted out in the lead but in easier conditions..."

Read more here:
https://www.fei.org/stories/sport/endurance/camilla-coppini-always-learning-her-horses

2026 Old Dominion 100 - Hanna Bartnick

June 16 2026
By Hanna Bartnick
Photo by Becky Pearman

The short version is that my 18 year old, 14.1 hand mustang mare is a total freaking beast and we finished that gnarly ride with 4 minutes to spare, coming in 11th out of the 17 that started in the National Championship 100.

Every time I think of this past weekend, I still get teary eyed. Aspen and I ventured up to the AERC National Championship to try our hand at the Old Dominion 100, also known as the Beast of the East. For those that don’t know, it’s a grueling, rock filled trail up and down big mountains in the heat. The 100 is a point to point race where your crew travels and meets you at most of the vet checks and you eventually circle back to the starting point.

I won’t lie - I wasn’t even remotely excited for the ride the week leading up to it. Every time I checked the weather forecast it was looking hotter and hotter and I was totally dreading it.

Wyoming: Going the distance – by horse

2026 AERC Nat’l Championships/Old Dominion photos by Becky Pearman

2026 AERC National Championships at Old Dominion Endurance ride photos in Virginia by Becky Pearman:
https://beckypearman.smugmug.com/Other/Endurance-2026/Old-Dominion-AERC-National-Championships

2026 NASTR photos by Bill Gore

2026 NASTR Endurance ride photos in Nevada by Bill Gore:
https://williamgorephotography.smugmug.com/2026-Endurance-Rides/NASTR-2026/Bill-Gore