2012 World Endurance Championship Pre-Ride - 24 July 2011

On July 24, Euston Park held the pre-rides for the 2012 World Endurance CHampionship, which will be held in 2012, exact date to be announced.

USA's Heather Reynolds finished first on Opium Lord in the FEI CEI** 120 km Endurance Ride at Euston Park on 24 July 2011. The pair crossed the finish line in 5:26.03, averaging 22.45 km/h, 8 seconds ahead of second place Khalifa Ghanem Al Marri of the UAE, riding Taita. Fatma Jaseem Saeed Al Marri of the UAE, riding Menvise Quatre Vents was 3rd, some 29 minutes later.

The USA's Cheryl Van Deusen finished 20th on Dacora

38 started, 21 finished, and 17 were eliminated.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum won the FEI CEI*** 160 km Endurance ride at Euston Park on 24 July 2011 in 7:40.06, averaging 20.86 km/h

In fact the first 8 finishers, all from the UAE, finished 1 second behind the next, all averaging 20.86 km/h for the finish. Spain's Alex Luque, riding Ikland, finished 9th, averaging 20.17 km/h, with Great Britain's Alice Beet riding Nediem, rounding out the Top Ten, in 8:17.56, averaging 19.28 km/h. The USA's Becky Hart finished 13th on Oued El Kebir Larzac (from the barn of Juma Ponti Dachs), in 8:43.47.

The reigning European and World Champion, Maria Alvarez Ponton from Spain, was eliminated on Bajzar on Loop 3; HM Tuanku Mizan Z Abidin Mahmud, the King of Malaysia, was eliminated at Vet Gate 4 on Parbella De Galonne.

72 started and 21 finished, with 51 eliminations.

USA's Devan Horn won the FEI CEI** 120 km YR on the same day, riding Tawmarsh Muharram, in 6:59.25, averaging 17.45 km/h. The pair finished 41 minutes ahead of Great Britain's Louise Rich, riding Oakleaze Farm Cziko.

7 started, 2 finished, with 5 eliminated.

Great Britain's Nicola Malcolm won the FEI CEI* 80 km on Khartoum With a K, in 3:55.47, averaging 20.36 km/h. The pair finished 12 seconds ahead of India's Jaswant Singh Tkn Singh on Baikorada, with Norway's Ellen Gutubakken riding Her Ofir in third. Great Britain's Richard Allen followed in fourth riding Quizz De Loperhet.

11 started, 6 finished, 5 were eliminated.

Great Britain's Chelsea Bristow was the only finisher from 3 starters in the FEI CEI* 80 km YR. She rode Sawson Bint Siwah, finishing in 5:04.53, averaging 15.74 km/h.

Sunday, 24 July 2011

On Saturday, the day before the race, Jeremy Becky and I went to Juma's barn again and all three of us went out for a nice ride with Maria and Juma. It was very nice and fun.

After we were done there Emmett, Dwight, Becky Jeremy and I headed over to the venue. We had a bite to eat at the venue from Jack's Snack Shack. Pretty good.

In the mid afternoon we were getting our ride packets from the race secretary when a phone call came in from the barn that I was borrowing Ox from (ultimately Sheik Mohammad). Apparently Sheik Mohammad reviewed the group of his horses racing in the race with the riders who were riding them and he saw that I was on Ox doing the 50 mile/ 80k and said "no", she must do the 75/120k. So the phone call was to offer me a horse for the 120k. Of course I accepted. I would now be riding a horse that I would meet on Sunday morning right before the start. I was told that he is very big and that he is a grey Anglo Arab. His name is Opium Lord!! Too funny.

The rest of the horses that the USA would ride were vetted in on Saturday. Darren, Cheryl and Becky's horses all vetted in.

After hanging out, watching the vetting and hearing the ride meeting there was a big party with dinner and live music. It was really nice and there was ice cream:)

We headed back to the hotel to hear the party going on from the wedding that was happening in our hotel. I fell asleep regardless and was deeply sleeping when the fire alarm went off. After the third time that it went off Jeremy called the front desk to make sure there wasn't a real problem. The person who answered told him there was no problem, the DJ had set off a smoke machine or something on the dance floor. Great.

This morning was race day, Sunday morning. We piled into the cars at 6 am. The races began at 7 for the 100 mile/160k and 7:30 for the 75/120k. Becky was doing the 160k and the rest of us were doing the 120.

When we got there I went to weigh in as my saddle arrived with my horse that morning, new saddle, new horse. Then I got to meet my horse. Very cool horse. He was probably around 16 hands with a lean racy body.

Becky started the race without an issue. Then it was our turn to get going. I mounted Opium and started warming him up. He was excited and I think he was worried that I was going to not let him do his job because he crow hopped a few times when I didn't let him canter right away. After a 20 min warm up with me riding him we were off. My instructions were to go with the lead group...cool...

Read more here:
http://www.reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/346/euston_park____success_for_the_usa__

Friday, 22 July 2011

Jeremy and I went to the SFO airport on Wednesday with Becky Hart, however we weren't on the same flight as her even though we were all headed to the same destination.

After the first leg of the flight we landed in Atlanta. Jeremy and I had a short lay over so we were looking for our gate when all of the sudden a stewardess that was walking towards us fell down in front of us. Jeremy and I reached down to help her up and a man behind her bent down to help her up as well. When we looked up it was Emmett Ross, our new Chef for team USA! How funny. He was headed to England as well and he was on yet another flight. His flight left Atlanta 30 mins ahead of ours.

The second flight was long and I slept a lot and then watched a movie. We landed a little after noon on Thursday. Jeremy and I headed to the rental car location where we would meet up with all the USA team that was on this trip.

When we got there Emmett Ross, Becky Hart, Vonita Bowers, Dwight Hooten, Sue Hedgecock & Devon Horn were there. We got our cars and started the 2 hour drive to the hotel. It was colorful as we were on the wrong side of the road on the wrong side of the car. Emmett drove our car and Dwight drove the other. We were all a bit tired and navigating was really fun! On one of the round-abouts we made a bonus round and noticed a Starbucks half way around and pulled in. We were all due for some caffeine and a sandwich.

After about another hour we arrived at the hotel. It is really beautiful. We are at the Grange Hotel. It is about a 20 min drive from here to the race venue. When we walked into the lobby we saw Valerie Kanavy, John Crandell, Deborah Reich and Melody Blittersdorf. All of them looked like sleep should happen soon!

When we got checked in we all got back into the cars and went to the race venue to check things out. It was still being set up but was looking nice. The terrain is very flat and grassy. The weather is cloudy and in the mid 60's. Everything is green and beautiful...

Read more here:
http://www.reynoldsracing.us/heathers_blog/view/345/euston_park___world_championship_pre_ride

Mohammad wins 160km ride

Receives trophy from Hamdan after qualifying for Endurance World Cup 2012

* WAM
* Published: July 26, 2011

London: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, won the 160km endurance race at London's Austin Park yesterday. The victory helped him qualify for the Endurance World Cup 2012, which will take place in August.

Shaikh Mohammad received the award from Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, who also participated in the race and was deputed by the organising committee to present the award to the winners.

Avid fans

Shaikh Mohammad was crowned champion riding his horse, Pony Express, with a timing of 7:40.6 hours at an average of 20.86km/h. Altogether 65 riders, including Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad, the King of Malaysia, and some prominent riders from Britain, France, Germany, Spain, and those from UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Morocco, took part in the race. Shaikha Mariam Omar Al Qasimi came second in the race at 7:40.7 hours.

Shaikh Rashid Bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum came third at 7:40.8 hours. The race had six rounds of 38km, 29km, 30km, 20km, 23 km and 20km respectively.

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, and a number of senior officials and avid equestrian fans were also present.

Important destination

Mohammad Al Adhab, Deputy General Manager of the Dubai Equestrian Club, praised Shaikh Mohammad's victory and achievement that qualifies him for the World Cup race.

All Adhab added that the race is an important destination, and represents one of the prominent rounds that Shaikh Mohammad has participated in during the summer.

"UAE riders proved their competence in the race, which is a small version of the World Endurance Cup, a fact that enabled them to occupy top places and gives a positive sign for their future participation," he added.

Shaikh Nasser hails UAE win in UK endurance ride

Posted on » Tuesday, July 26, 2011

BAHRAIN Royal Endurance Team captain Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa hailed the victory of UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Rule of Dubai Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the Euston Park 160-kilometre endurance ride, held Sunday near Newmarket in the UK.

Shaikh Nasser said that it is no surprise that Shaikh Mohammed was able to clinch the win in the gruelling six-stage event, given his vast experience in top-level international endurance races and the class of the UAE endurance team.

Shaikh Nasser was prevented from competing in the race due to an injury with his horse, while other Royal Team members, including Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president and Al Khalidiyah Stables leader Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, were forced to make early exits also due to horse injuries.

Shaikh Nasser said that despite the disappointing results, the Royal Team must learn from their experience and apply the lessons in future endurance rides.

Shaikh Nasser added that the Royal Team is now more determined to do well in upcoming events, as they gear up to compete in the European Championships later this summer and then the World Endurance Championships next year.

The events at Euston Park on Sunday acted as a rehearsal for the worlds, which will be held at the same UK venue.

At the end of Sunday's 160km ride and upon the invitation of Shaikh Mohammed, Shaikh Nasser took part in the awarding ceremony where the top three were presented their respective trophies. Shaikh Mohammed led another two UAE riders onto the podium. Saeed Al Ameeri was the runner-up while Shaikha Maryam Al Qassimi came third.

Course Map

Euston first appears in the Domesday Book in 1087 as a manor belonging to the Abbey at Bury St Edmunds. There was a manor house here throughout the Middle Ages and in 1578 Elizabeth I stayed here with the Rookwood family on her way to Norwich.

The Estate, in near ruin, was purchased in 1666 by Henry Bennet, Earl of Arlington and Secretary of State to the newly-restored King, Charles II. He set out to build a grand house in the French style, built around a central court with large pavilions on each corner. Charles II paid the first of several visits to Euston in 1671. John Evelyn, the diarist, was amongst the large court that accompanied the King, and he described the new Euston Hall as "magnificent and commodious . . . splendidly furnished".

The property was inherited in 1685 by his daughter and son-in-law, the first Duke and Duchess of Grafton. In about 1750 their son, the Second Duke, decided to re-model the house and employed Matthew Brettingham who succeeded William Kent in designing Holkham Hall in Norfolk. The domes at Euston were replaced by the low pyramid roofs you see today, and some of the house was refaced. So it remained mostly unchanged until a disastrous fire in 1902 which destroyed the south and west wings and the fine Verrio ceilings. The house was soon rebuilt on the same plan, but became unmanageable, and the south wing, and most of the west wing, were pulled down by the Tenth Duke in 1952

The courtyard, now the main entrance to the Hall was created by Matthew Brettingham. It contains Lord Arlington’s stable block and a service wing linking it with the Hall.

This charming church stands on the site of the original medieval parish church (the base of the tower is all that remains now) and is a rare example of an unaltered seventeenth-century country church. It is one of only four country churches to be built during the reign of Charles II, as all efforts were centred on rebuilding the churches in the City of London that were burnt during the great fire in 1666.

After he had completed the building of Euston Hall, Lord Arlington decided to rebuild the church to be more in keeping with his new grand house. His daughter laid the foundation stone (to the right of the tower) in 1676. Lord Arlington consulted Sir Christopher Wren and, employing local builders, it was quickly finished. John Evelyn, the diarist, visited in 1677, and recorded the church as one of the prettiest in England.

Inside, there are elegant plaster bands of decoration around the arches and on the vaults. The fine woodwork is thought to be designed by Grinling Gibbons. The inscription recording the rebuilding is the largest of an interesting range of FitzRoy family memorials. The coat of arms over the door (thought to be by Daniel Marot) is that of the first Duke and his wife Isabella. A new bell frame was made in 1983 and a sixth bell was added.

The Watermill

The watermill was built in the 1670s by Morland for irrigation and grinding corn. In 1731 it was redesigned by William Kent to resemble a church. In 1859 an iron waterwheel was added by Charles Burrell, the traction engineers of Thetford. In 2000/2001 the Duke of Grafton and English Heritage fully restored the wheel and the building.

The Temple

Temple (not open to the public) is an unusual octagonal folly designed by William Kent in 1746. It was his last work. It has a magnificent octagonal banqueting hall rising to a dome. From here the Third and Fourth Dukes would enjoy watching their racehorses being exercised in the Park. The Gardens, Pleasure Grounds and Park

The terrace to the south of the house shows how large the original house was - the lead cisterns bear Lord Arlington’s cipher, dated 1671. The formal garden to the east was designed by the present Duke around the William Kent summer-house.

The Pleasure Grounds were laid out by the diarist John Evelyn, who was a noted landscape gardener and an expert on trees. His designs for Euston included the walk through the pleasure grounds which can still be enjoyed today. The whole park and river layout was designed by William Kent and is considered one of his great works. The project was completed by Capability Brown.

Taken from the Euston Hall Website www.eustonhall.co.uk