Take a (playable) Tour of
the Course
Requires Google Earth
Official Event Website
Endurance in Abu Dhabi
Home || Official Website
Rider Profiles: Kelsey Kimbler and Cody Canuck || Steven Hay and Khalil Asam
Kyle Kibbon and Misu Koran
Updates from Participants ||
Notes from Yara de Boer (Netherlands)
News Items
Starting List
Phase 1 Results || Phase 2 Results || Phase 3 Results || Phase 4 Results
FINISH
Team Starting List || TEAM FINISH
Young Rider/Junior World Endurance Championship Updates from Participants
Abu Dhabi: Young Rider/Junior World Endurance Championship Updates
December 9Cheryl Van Deusen (USA):
Tough day today, the USA only has 3 horses starting the ride. Kyle's horse Misu did not vet in - he travels funny and although they gave us three trot outs, he did not clear. We are really sad for Kyle and Steve as they are such team players, along with great sports. Now the pressure is really on as we all have to finish to finish a team.
it's a great place,but boy are we whipped - lots of work, but it's paid off. DA Al Capone (will be ridden by Mary Catherine Clark) is feeling good and vetted in well - nice trot for him along with a pulse of 30.
Mary Farris and Melody Blittersdorf have been great crew, along with Grace and Wendy who scored so much local assistance, it's awesome. Momma Peggy came in a couple of days ago to round out a great team.
Race starts at 6:30 am for us (unless fog or sheikh is delayed) -- which is about 9 hours earlier there -- so while you are sleeping, we'll be riding.
Melody Blittersdorf (USA)
Good luck team USA ! Only thing that could have possibly made this trip better is if Kyle and Steven were riding. This is one heck of a group here! Wish us luck !!!!!
Mary Katherine Clark (USA)
Team USA is set to go in the mornig for the race in the morning. Unfortunately one of the horses was not quite right and did not pass vet in. Kyle and Steve have been so much fun to have around and help this week. Thank you for everything! The race starts at 6:30 a.m. which is 9 hours ahead of eastern time. Out to the barn at 4 a.m. Go Team USA!!
Kelly Kimbler
I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks to everybody following Kelsey & Cody on their big adventure. In addition to those at home and our endurance family we have a really great group of people here helping us and getting us ready for this race. They all keep reminding us that this is just another ride and to remember to have fun and do the best they can! Thanks everybody!
Lientie de Wit (Namibia)
Pierre and Otis TE are ready for the race......for know....it's bed time....have to be awake at 4 o'clock, leaving at 4.30......the race starts at 06h30.....
December 8
Kelly Kimbler (USA)
Long busy day preparing for the race tomorrow.
Cody vetted in great with all A's. Really ready for race day. Just about to start the ride meeting, then dinner and bed. I will not be able to update tomorrow during the race but a friend commented in my status from yesterday that there will be live updates and listed the webpage. If you go to that link on the top bar go to endurance + results. Then look at the left side for YR championship phases 1 - 5. They should be keeping it updated as the race progresses. We are 9 hours ahead of east coast time and the race starts sat. @ 6:30 am. So that will be Friday night at 9:30 pm for east coast or 8:30 central. Camey is going to post a picture of the team after the vet in. Kyle's horse was a little sore and sadly will not be allowed to start. They have made the course very technical so they will have to ride smart and careful in order to finish strong. Go USA :-)
Maura Leahy (Canada)
Checking out the trail... Fish tailed in to a scrub brush trial and poped the tire off the rim.... Bill diving to fish hut may be a non issue and has nothing on driving in the dunes
Veto in is today at 2:00pm, 6 hours from now. Summer is looking great!! The Team is doing Great and working very well together. Last night was an outing to the desert... had told Ariel MacLeod a few days ago that she was not to ride one of the road side camels untill after the race, but if we found a tourist type camel that she coulds... we they had camel rides at the event last night :). All my worring about the road side camel ride was nothing compared to the drive from the bus to place where the event was... 4x4 through the dunes at high speeds, fish tailing, going close to other 4x4's and fences, being on two wheels.... OMG and guess who was thrilled with the trip... for thoes who know me well you know what the trip was like for me. Will post from the vet in this afternoon.
Ariel MacLeod (Canada)
Summy passed vet in like a boss! :p
Yara de Boer (Netherlands)
Sand, sand, sand etc. But i'll never get bored here!
Glenn Sinclair (Canada)
So much to say and so little time to say it! Once this is all over I will go over all of the posted photos and flesh them out with a little explanatory text, but for now a few updates will have to suffice. The big news as Maura just posted is that our mare got through the first inspection with flying colors . She got all A's and her pulse was a very low 32..this after a long windy walk into new territory and being the only horse by herself waiting for the US to vet through prior to aloowing Canada's sole entry into the very hectic and crowded vet gate area. Canada and US are in the same quarantine barn together so we moved back and forth together and I was able to see the US horse's trot as well and for my money Summer had by far the best trot. Unfortunately for the US one of their 4 riders was eliminated for lameness and will not be allowed to start. What a huge disapointment after coming all this way!
Our barn quarantine man "Osama" has taken a particular fondness for Summer and has given her an Arabic name "Al Anoud" which is apparently the name of a very famous racemare and although I can't find an online translation he says it means beautiful mare. Now that this process is done its going to be a difficult night to sleep for what few hours we will be allowed. There is a rider's meeting at 7 pm followed by a Vet meeting then dinner then getting up in the wee hours to prepare for a 6:30 am start. Apparently the first 2 loops are very technical with alot of deep sand so the horses will need to go slow but after that it becomes more of a speed course.
We are allowed to take a 4X4 onto the course in designated areas where we will be allowed to get ahead of Ariel and Summer and pass relay style a bottle of open water to Ariel in motion with which she can drink and pour water over Summers neck. Dehydration of horse AND rider can happen since the wind cools you and makes you feel dry and comfortable meanwhile you are cooling thru the evaporation of sweat that hasn't had time to form on you so you don't feel hot or sweaty.
WE got rid of building tension and anxiety last night with an evening trip to the desert for dinner and entertainment. After a long bus ride we were loaded into SUV's and were taken kamikaze style through the dunes at breakneck speed experiencing what appeared to be one life-threatening manoever after another and I came very close to wetting my pants!
You know you have had an extreme experience when there are people waiting at the other end asking you if you are OK when you get out. There were drinks and a cash bar then a buffet and free hooka pipes called "shishous" sp which actually contain various flavored tobaccos and after 32 years of being an ex-smoker I actually shared a black licorice one with Tara and it was delicious and fun. Didn't taste remotely of tobacco and smelled beautiful and luckily I have absolutely no interest in doing it or any other tobacco ever again. Next there was a belly dancer who after doing a couple of numbers invited people on stage and before long it turned into one big fun dance party! Ariel was surprised that there was another side to me than the "stick" that she is used to (meaning me) and I told her that if she knew me when I was her age that she would be surprised that I am even alive today. Yes you too can overcome a rough teenagehood especially if you get into horses!
After the dancing they sent us back through the dunes with a little less dramatic flair and then a bus ride home where people from all nations chatted amiably together and friendships were struck.
I forgot to mention the Camel rides which I chose not to participate in but I was fascinated by their conformation and anatomy. The camels that get down and up alot have huge callouses over their elbows stifles and breast bones. When they go down the lean forward on their elbows and slowly stretch their skinny little hocks behind and land on their stifles and breastbones. The party did serve to tire us out and hopefully we do get some sleep tonight and have a positive day tomorrow. There are many more pictures out there and as I said I will try and tell you a bit about them after this is all over. So wish us well and godspeed to Ariel and "Al Anoud"
Yours as always
Double n Glenn
Lientjie de Wit (Namibia)
sooooo Chef d'Equipe meeting done....we're still on track.....2night's the Desert Safari Dinner somewhere in the desert......will be a great experience I think....
Mary Katherine Clark (USA)
Rode today with the team. All horses are looking great. After that my mom, Mr. Steve, Kyle, Forest, Steven, and I went to the world's 3rd largest mosque which we finally arrived at after getting slightly turned around. I can offically say that I have been in the desert and got stuck in a car.But it didn't take to long to get and unstuck and we were back to driving the course. Drove the first 2 loops. Tonight we had a desert dinner where I rode a camel, ate dinner, talked with some friends, face planted in the sand trying to come down it on a snowboard lol, and much more.Vet in tomorrow at 2 o'clock and the USA is first to vet. GO USA!!!
Lientjie de Wit (Namibia)
tomorrow it's the pre-ride checks...starting at 14h00....can't wait to see all the horses....all of them are still in quarintine...till race day....
Steven Hay (USA)
Today we rode the trail--there are some long sections, that have VERY deep sand...This is not an easy course. It's not flat either--granted there aren't mountains, but...
And by rode the trail I mean drove..actually got stuck out there too lol
Kelly Kimbler (USA)
All members of the team and crew have arrived including Carl, Camey & Tessa. Tonight was a great party in the desert.
Tomorrow we vet in at 2, so lots of last minute details in the morning. (We are ten hours ahead of the central time zone.) The race starts at 6:30 am on sat. So that will be like 8:30 pm central time friday night!
December 7
Lientjie de Wit (Namibia)
The Emirates Palace Hotel so so so so beautifull ...... and gold glitter where you look ..... ONGELOOFLIK!
Ali Toft (Australia)
Ferrari World... mega nice place...fast cars... went on worlds fastest roller coaster!
Maura Leahy (Canada)
Well initially when i saw the price of the AEU map for my GPS at $123 decided not to buy it, well, trying to find things is way too difficult, we always get there as there are multiple routes to get there. And we are getting to see a lot of Abu Dhabi becuase if it. Yesterday we spent way too much (i'm not saying how much) time to find a mall..... purchase the map last night well worth it - will make getting to the opening ceremony and closing cerimony much easier. :) way too many good driving stories :)
Ariel MacLeod (Canada)
Yesterday before opening ceremonies a few of us got to go to the beach, what a beautiful sight/feeling. The sand was super white, and the water as clear and blue as ever. This morning Team Canada will get down and dirty clipping Summer, I'm sure we will see black hair everywhere!!
December 6
Melody Blittersdorf (USA)
Kyle is doing Great !! Great ride today ! He is having a blast ! Practiced his French today with the French team ;) Forest had fun at the camel tack store , today they went to dubai today to a very fancy stable ;) Steven is having the time of his life too !
Kyle Gibbon (USA)
Hi Everyone - Sorry I did not get a chance to write yesterday. Each and every day seems to start at 6 a.m. and finish at 1 a.m....
it seems as if a fair amount of trails used here, the sand is grated and raked and gets quite hard, seems as hard as pavement.
Ali Toft (Australia)
Opening Ceremony at the Emirates Palace Hotel....NICE!
Ariel MacLeod (Canada)
Well now is the start of a new day, wonder would adventures Abu Dhabi brings us today. Finally got some sleep! That might help to be more functional. Going to see Summy soon and take her for a little ride :)
Mary Katherine Clark (USA)
Rode all the American horses this morning. Al was wonderful and read to go. I love that horse.
Melody Blittersdorf (USA)
It has been an amazing last few days here in Abu Dhabi. Beautiful weather, Horses and riders doing great ! Yesterday we went to several Camel sauks (pretty much a racing Camel tack shop) Today We went to the worlds fastest roller coaster. Of course all this after they ride and we spend tons of time at the BARN !!!
We are having a blast with Canada in our barn : )
Kelly Kimbler (USA)
The team went out on their first training ride today in the desert. It was sunny and hot! Wide open trails with car driving along. A little different then what we are used too!
After a full day at the barn the OC treated us to a private party at Ferrari world...home to the worlds fastest roller coaster!!!!!! Really fun day!
December 5:
Steven Hay (USA)
Arrived in Abu Dhabi about 8:30. Great, easy trip. I'll go out with the crew tomorrow and do the early feeding
Dessia Miller (USA)
Not sure if too many people realize this, but one of the US horses, Cody Canuck is Canadian bred! So we have two Canadian horses competing at the YR World Champs!
Dec 4:
Mary Kathryn Clark (USA)
Kyle Gibbon (USA)
Several members of our team have landed in Abu Dhabi today.
My 6 hour layover in Amsterdam turned out to be wonderful. Melody
Blittersdorf and I met up and took a train down town and did some
sightseeing. It was very early in the morning and was also a Sunday,
so nothing really open yet. I think Melody has a short video to
share. We did come across one little bakery that was open and had the
ovens running. We sat down and enjoyed a nice Dutch latte and a
traditional Christmas pastry called "oliebol".
Our tour was short and dark but we got to see some beautiful
architecture iluminated with Christmas lights. Surprisingly, it was
still quite dark at 9:00 a.m. After some racing around to locate the
right train to get back to the airport in time, and running up
escalators going in the opposite direction, we had some good
exercise. I must say that most of the Dutch people seem so very tall,
but everyone was so helpful and the nicest Kelly Kimbler and Kelsey
Kimbler were also reunited with us in Amsterdam and flew together the
final 6.5 hour leg to Abu Dhabi. The Canadian Chef d'Equipe was also
with us. A few of Spain's young riders were also on our flight.
At the hotel we had dinner with Cheryl Van Deusen, Mary Katherine
Clark, Lori Shifflett, and met up with Emmett and John Crandell as
well. The Mafraq hotel is very nice and the food delicious. I
ordered the Morrocan Braized chicken with dates and cinnamon sticks.
News is the horses are all looking wonderful.
Can't wait to go to the barns in the AM. Barns open up at 8:00 AM and are a brief 20 minute drive away. 12:17 AM here, good night!
We are here! This beautiful tile work ceiling greeted us as we got off the airplane. We have checked into our room and the horses are checked into their stalls.
Glen Sinclair (Canada)
Well I got here last night and Summer this morning and hopefully the
rest of the team and my luggage will also get here this
evening. Nothing like 2 days of travelling followed by a day in the
desert without a change of clothes..lets change the subject.
The mare is amazing! We did bloodwork upon arrival and she looks ready
to race and the rest of her physical exam is remarkable. I was going
to g...ive her "rehydration therapy" supplied by the treatment vet and
he said to me that he would not give her fluids as she is obviously
adapting and that we might in fact interfere with the process.
That and combined with the fact that our 4 tentmates from the US were
about to go for a handwalk leaving her alone changed my plans as we
are only allowed in the quarantine area from 8-noon and 2-6 so there
was yet another reason to hold off.
After she dragged me around the desert in front of the US horses and
handlers she had a good roll in the sand paddock behind the tent and
then seemed back to her quiet content self.
Its great sharing the space with the US as they are so quick to offer assistance and materials if we are in need of anything and after a few years of being together at competitions we are becoming friends
Apart from that the driving here is good for the producers of Zantac
and I think that I made enough mistakes today that the rest of the
stay will benefit from this experience.....so many off ramps and
options with so little time to choose especially when driving solo
without a GPS or back-seat driver (that will change when Maura gets
here) *S*
In any case so far we are in good shape with our equine competitor and after the the other team members get here and get a couple of days to adjust we should be in good shape...unless of course my luggage does not arrive.
Hoping to pass this journalistic baton to somebody else tomorrow and I apologize for any errors as I am too tired to go over it.
Best wishes to all!
Sincerely
Glenn Sinclair
Maura Leahy (Canada)
I arrived at 8pm this evening (well last evening) and was picked up along with the others that were expected at the same time - thanks Glenn for paving the way. Met up with Kelly, Kelsey, Kyle and Melodie in the Amsterdam airport, was great to see some familiar faces.
Was unpacking when i got the panicked email from Tara, she couldn't find their visa's - thank goodness for ipads and technology..., she was able to email the visas to the transfer station desk and they were able to print them - problem solved!! Apparently it is a $10,000 fine for the airline for having a passenger without a visa. The first time somebody wanted to see my visa was when i got to Abu Dhabi. Zulu the TD was in the loby when i went downstairs so hitched a ride to the airport - all was well they were abe to print copies and got a story to telleveryone about :)
At the moment only 2 people allowed in the barn at one time, this will apparently changing tommorw and thoes with accreditation will be alllowed into the barn starting tomorrow.
The journey is now in full swing
Ariel MacLeod (Canada)
We are finally in Abu Dhabi. And although it's 2:30 in the morning here Joan mom and I are bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to go see miss summy in a few hours!
Lientjie de Wit (Namibia)
oooo it's our last night in Dubai.....it was so nice...going to Abu Dhabi 2morrow....and then....it will be horses morning noon and night.....