Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Current News

THIS WEEK'S CURRENT NEWS


brought to you by

Breeding Arabians for temperament and athleticism





MORE NEWS...

Australia: 100 miles, one goal


NoosaToday.com.au - Full Article

02/07/2026

PRECEDE

The Tom Quilty Gold Cup, the premier event on the Australian Endurance Riders Association, is being held at Imbil this weekend. ERLE LEVEY looks at what inspires riders from across Australia and from overseas to saddle up for the challenge.

BREAKOUT QUOTE

“The Tom Quilty is considered the pinnacle of the sport in Australia. It’s what most riders are aiming for – to start, complete and get a Tom Quilty buckle as a result.“

The 60th anniversary of Australia’s premier endurance horse riding event, the 2026 Tom Quilty Gold Cup, is ready for a midnight start on Saturday 4 July.

Riders from across Australia will be competing in the 160km event, being held at Imbil this week.

The iconic ride, to be completed within 24 hours, will comprise a strong contingent of international riders – from the US, Spain, New Zealand, France and the Netherlands.

The leading riders are expected to complete the ride on Saturday afternoon – a little more than 12 hours undertaking the challenging ride through Imbil State Forest and rolling countryside between Brooloo and Mitchell Creek.

This anniversary ride celebrates the initial event in 1966, to the west of Sydney, that saw 23 starters. By comparison, the 2026 Tom Quilty has has attracted 231 nominations...

Read more here:
https://noosatoday.com.au/news/02-07-2026/100-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


NoosaToday.com.au - Full Article

29/06/2026
Erle Levey

It has been all hands on deck as the Stirling’s Crossing Tom Quilty 2026 committee and volunteers prepare the Imbil equestrian centre for the nation’s premier endurance event this week.

With 231 nominations for the iconic test of horsemanship being held over July 3-5 there was line-marking and mowing to be undertaken, and water pipes to be installed for more than 300 camp sites to accommodate an estimated 900 riders and support crews on site.

It is the 60th anniversary of the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, that saw 23 starters in that first event to the west of Sydney...

Read more here:
https://noosatoday.com.au/news/29-06-2026/australias-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


Gulfnews.com - Full Article

Youth, junior and senior UAE contenders shine in FEI-sanctioned French opener

Last updated: June 22, 2026

COMPIÈGNE, France: UAE riders dominated the concluding competitions of the first leg of the Emirates Global Endurance Village Series, held today in Compiègne, France, under the supervision of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI).

In the Emirates Global Endurance Village CEI2* 120-km race, Emirati rider Salem Hamad Malhoof Al Ketbi, aboard SW Kabroz, won first place. Fellow Emirati rider Mansour Saeed Al Farsi, riding Baileys Rembrandt, finished second, while Issa Hamad Al Anzi, aboard Ermine d’Artagnan, secured third place. The four-phase race featured 94 riders.

In the Emirates Global Endurance Village Youth and Juniors CEI2* 120-km race, Emirati rider Rashid Khalid Mohammed Abdullah, aboard Baraka Unica, won first place. Jaber Badr Jaafar, riding Erada Victorias, came second, while Lia Clerici, aboard Chekhov, finished third. The four-phase race featured 23 riders...

Read more here:
https://gulfnews.com/sport/uae-riders-claim-top-three-spots-in-emirates-global-endurance-series-opener-in-france-1.500582135

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


Wyomingnews.com - Full Article

Amber Travsky Outdoors columnist
Jun 18, 2026

In the sporting world, endurance events are common. Runners push themselves in the 26.2-mile marathon and cyclists pedal 100 miles in a century ride. Less well known is the equestrian version of “going the distance.”

Endurance horse races range from 25 to 100-plus miles per day, with many lasting more than one day. Horses and riders travel on varied terrain, going down dirt roads, on wooded trails and cross-country.

The local version, the annual Happy Jack Equestrian Endurance Ride, will take place this weekend on June 20 and 21 in the Vedauwoo Recreation Area of the Medicine Bow National Forest. Cheyenne resident and Trail Master Sue Basham and has been busily marking the course, a task that takes about 10 days of riding and hiking. She has been a part of the race for some 40 years now. Cindy Eckles, also from Cheyenne, is ride master for the event...

Read more here:
https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/going-the-distance-by-horse/article_85c60dd2-ca49-4d9c-8382-98b3ebe7597e.html

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

Horse Welfare in Endurance: A glimpse from Top riders


Journal D'Endurance - Horse Welfare Podcast

June 15 2026
A Conversation by Journal d’Endurance

Castelsagrat, France | CEIO2* 120 km | 35°C | A few hours after the finish

In scorching temperatures and on one of the most demanding tracks of the French calendar, Melody Théolissat and Yalla de Jalima secured second place, only seconds ahead of Virginie Atger and Raya de Jalima, after a perfectly judged race and a memorable final sprint. Paul Bard, who was set to compete the following day in the CEI3* 160 km with Hasna Valarbin, a home-bred mare, also joined the conversation.

Beyond the sport results, this discussion provided an opportunity to explore one of the most important topics in endurance riding: horse welfare. How do top riders balance performance with respect for their equine partners? What signs do they rely on to assess their horses’ physical and mental well-being? How do they manage training, travel, and race strategy to keep their horses comfortable and motivated? Drawing on their experiences, successes, and the mistakes that helped shape them as horsewomen & men, Virginie Atger, Melody Théolissat, and Paul Bard share their perspective on horse welfare in endurance riding and explain why, in their view, it is one of the key foundations of performance...

Read more here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SlN6ikh-BhvC6ttAMa7fEVTMrlfXOoDT/view

Who Will Answer the Next Emergency Call?


HorseSport.com - Full Article

Equine veterinary medicine is struggling to attract and retain practitioners. Three different perspectives suggest that preserving access to care will require changes from veterinary practices and horse owners alike.

By: Horse Sport staff | June 10, 2026

When a horse colics at 10 p.m., the owner’s first thought is panic. The second is: call the vet.

For the equine veterinarian who answers, the call may come after a full day of appointments, while eating dinner, attending a family event or finally getting to sleep. When the emergency is over, the next day’s scheduled work will still begin as usual.

After-hours emergencies have always been part of equine veterinary medicine. Increasingly, however, the profession is questioning whether the traditional model is sustainable.

“The number one issue is the lack of people that want to go into equine practice,” says Dr. Mike Pownall of McKee-Pownall Equine Services, an equine veterinarian who has spent years studying and speaking about wellness and mental health within the profession. “Recent surveys show less than two per cent of graduating students in North America want to enter equine,” he says. “That’s less than 200 people a year for all of North America,” which is not enough to replace veterinarians who are retiring or leaving the field...

Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/magazine/business/who-will-answer-next-emergency-call/?vgo_ee=itb9xEAbpXVHm%2BpWDPrGyv8f1O%2FMpmeHqSoS3EM%2BfpHQW%2BO%2Bnyiv%3AqLLH0nZ3PSxoRFP3%2F26HNzRa78wzZhgu

Endurance Horse Podcast: 23,000 Miles Later | A Conversation with Marci Cunningham


EnduranceHorsePodcast - Listen

June 6 2026
with Christina Hyke

What can more than 23,000 endurance miles teach us about horses, horsemanship, and longevity?

In this episode of the Endurance Horse Podcast™, I sit down with longtime endurance rider Marci Cunningham, an AERC Decade Team rider, Pacific Southwest Region Director, and horsewoman whose endurance career spans decades and thousands of competition miles.

Marci shares stories of the horses that carried her through the years, the partnerships that shaped her journey, and the lessons learned along the way. We discuss why longevity matters, the benefits of a slower and more thoughtful approach to riding, and how listening to our horses can help us build partnerships that stand the test of time.

Whether you're a brand-new rider, chasing your first 50, or reflecting on a lifetime in the saddle, this conversation is a reminder that the greatest accomplishments are often built one mile, one ride, and one horse at a time.

Because sometimes the goal isn't simply to go farther or faster—it's to still be enjoying the trail years from now.

Listen:
https://endurancehorsepodcast.podbean.com/e/23000-miles-later-a-conversation-with-marci-cunningham/

2026 City of Rocks photos by Merri Melde & Cat Cook


2026 City of Rocks Endurance ride photos in Idaho by Merri Melde, The Equestrian Vagabond, & Cat Cook:
https://www.theequestrianvagabond.com/Clients-Endurance

2026 Mary and Anna photos - Jala Neufeld and Andrea Hurn


2026 Mary and Anna Endurance ride photos in Oregon by Jala Neufeld, DKTAJAY photography:
https://dktajay.smugmug.com/event/MAMR-2026

And Andrea Hurn:
https://amhphotography.instaproofs.com/gallery/#events

2026 April's Horses in the Morning Endurance Podcast


HorseRadioNetwork.com Podcast - Listen

Endurance Rider AP & Jeepers’ Journey to Their 1st Tevis, by Farnam and Endure Gold Killer Fly & Mosquito Control for April 14, 2026

Horses in the Morning
April 14, 2026

Film Animator & equestrian AP Davis shares how she and her horse Jeepers are getting ready for their first Tevis. Karen shares some pointers on getting organized for vet checks. Listen in...

https://horseradionetwork.com/2026/04/endurance-rider-ap-jeepers-journey-to-their-1st-tevis-by-farnam-and-endure-gold-killer-fly-mosquito-control-for-april-14-2026/

ALL NEWS ARCHIVE