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WEC Wrap-up: Part 2
WEC Wrap-up: Part 3
 Maria Alvarez Ponton and Nobby |
 Shaikh Mohammed and Ciel Oriental |
 Shaikh Hamdan and SAS Alexis |
 Jean-Philippe Frances and Hanaba du Bois |
COMPLETE RESULTS:
Start List || Team Start ListIndividual Finish || Team Finish
Photos by Merri Melde
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 and Caroll Gatelier |
2010 World Endurance Championship - Part III - by Merri Melde
Tuesday October 5 2010
Two loops left: loop 5 is 21.1 km; loop 6 is 18 km. Maria Alvarez and Nobby leave in first place onto loop 5. The first 7 riders leave within 3 minutes of each other, including USA's Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam. USA's Deborah Reich and DJB Juniper are in 18th, 41 minutes behind first place. There is a 3 hour difference now, between first place and Chikako Nishiyama, the last Japanese rider left of their group of 5 who started.
Argentina's Christian Petersen and RP Sebastopol had moved up steadily
all day, from 36th to 29th to 15th to 12th place leaving on loop 5.
Argentinean Mercedes Tapia and Ras Senor had pulled end of loop 4 because of lameness, but Mercedes was proud of the 8-year-old she rode for clients Clara Leonor and Juan Ithuralde. He'd had a rough van ride from Florida - after the long flight from Argentina - and arrived in Kentucky a bit laminitic. He's a talented youngster with plenty of years ahead of him. And Mercedes loved the ride. "It was beautiful! I realize now what I missed last year (at the muddy Kentucky Cup) in the cold gray rain!"
At this time of day, around 5 PM with the leaders starting to arrive off loop 5, and the slowest riders still on loop 3, Vicky the secretary was getting hammered with requests for vet gate results. Her tent corner was the most popular place at the venue. Imagine a continuous crush of 15 people and 30 hands in your face, "Can I have vet gate 3? vet gate 4? vet gate 5? Individuals? Teams? Eliminations?" and Vicky clicking "print" on her computer and retrieving printed piles of papers and stapling them and handing them out fast as she could. She never had time for a break after noon. I think somebody brought her a bottle of water to drink. Someone finally helped her start stapling papers together. I think she ran out of paper at some point, also.
2010 World Endurance Championship - Part II - by Merri Melde
Monday October 4 2010
And leading the galloping pack into vet gate two was...Lithuanian rider Alisija Zabavska-Granger and Merlin! Shaikh Mohammed was just behind them, with over a dozen coming in right on his tail. Maria Alvarez and Nobby weren't even in the first dozen horses.
Right in the fray were Americans Meg Sleeper and Syrocco Harmony, Deborah Reich and DJB Juniper, Lindsay Graham and Monk, and Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam. German Gabriella Forster was up there on 12-year-old Priceless Gold (this pair finished 8th in the 2007 European Championship in Portugal, and former World Champion Valerie Kanavy rode him to an 18th place finish in the 2009 European Championship in Italy). Shaikh Nasser of Bahrain on Khandela des Vialette (a 12-year-old mare who had won the 160-km CEIO in Compiegne, France in 2009 at 20.194 km/h) was up close.
But it's the vet gate where many things change. It was this vet gate where Merlin was eliminated for lameness. Sure it was disappointing, but Alisija later said, "I had a blast riding with the Shaikhs. Merlin was at 100%. Ed did a great job training him. But... s**t happens! I never enjoyed the race so much before!"
2010 World Endurance Championship - Part I - by Merri Melde
Sunday October 3 2010
"Some days you're the windshield, and some days you're the bug. Today, we were the bug..."
So said Ed Kidd, after his horse Merlin, ridden by Lithuanian rider Alisija Zabavska-Granger, was pulled from the World Endurance Championship after the second vet gate for lameness.
There were more windshields than bugs at this year's Championship - the 55% finish rate was the highest ever for an Endurance Championship at the World Equestrian Games - and there were some shocking results after the day had ended, both good and bad.
The start took place under partly cloudy skies and with a chill breeze lifting the participating nations' flags above the head of spectators lining the starting line. It was expected to reach the 70's with a slight chance of rain during the day.
Cheers broke out as the field took off at 7:30 AM, with Maria Alvarez Ponton and Nobby, several UAE riders, and Uruguay's Paula Fort on Campanina waving her arm in a happy salute, leading the way. The start was smooth and mostly orderly aside from a few sidestepping and head tossing equines. DJB Boomer, the mount of Namibian rider Olivia Matthaei was a bit spunky, thinking he'd try swimming upstream once or twice, before he got lined out with the rest of the Namibian team, Kordula Voigts on DC Macproof, and Anna Wucher on DJB K D Fantasia.
World Endurance Championship Vet In Day - by Merri Melde
Thursday September 30 2010
One of the great things about a World Endurance Championship is that there are so many people you will get to see and visit with once again from around the world.
One of the bad things about a World Endurance Championship is that there are so many people you want to see and visit with once again from around the world that you simply don't have the time to see them all.
A good little crowd had gathered around the vetting ring in an outdoor arena Saturday morning, as, one by one, the countries arrived in alphabetical order to vet in their horses. A good time to look at some handsome horseflesh, and greet long lost friends. Even Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum - the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and endurance racing competitor - was waiting around the vetting ring before and after his two horses passed inspection, chatting with people, watching horses, and without his usual retinue. He looked like just another endurance rider with a stable pass around his neck, hanging out with other endurance riders and grooms with stable passes around their necks
All the horses I saw were well behaved and calm, and plenty of people were enjoying themselves with smiles on their faces. The German girls looked spiffy in their black tights with yellow stars on them; the Great Britain men looked dapper in suits and ties as did the ladies in their waistcoats.
Maria, an exceptional pilot, Sheikh Mohammed, a knight
by Leonard Liesens, Endurance-belgium.com
The trainers of Sheikh Mohammed are in competition against each other for presenting the best horse to the leader and have him choose the one they have trained. The advisors of the Sheikh must probably realize in putting the most accurate comments and have the leader listen to their advise. Nothing else than what's happening in any organization. One must imagine the dilemma for Sheikh Mohammed in order to filter all the information he receives and take the right decision. Choosing the right horse for the right race must not be easy and can be a bit like playing poker. The biggest difference is that the one bluffing a bit too much can quickly be fired. C'est la vie...
Sheikh Mohammed had the choice between Ciel oriental, the chestnut and Acadienne, the grey mare. The photos are showing the two horses when ridden by Maria (Acadienne) and another trainer (Ciel Oriental). Would I be offered to ride any of them, be sure I would write flattering articles for years...
He opted for Ciel Oriental. This horse seems to be especially difficult at the trotting. Is seems that he is afraid of the person trotting him. Ears set to the back, head raised, hind legs shifted to the outside... This doesn't please the veterinarians as it is difficult to detect any gait abnormalities. At the last trotting, the horse was trotted twice by his trainer and showed the particularities described above. It seems that the vet committee asked another trotting with another person. Sheikh Hamdam took the rope and trotted Ciel Oriental, on a more 'normal' way. Seen from 3/4, the horse was looking OK, not perfect, but difficult to eliminate it, taking into account he is the horse from the biggest patron of endurance.
 Individual starting positions, download pdf |
QUICK RESULTS
1. Maria Alvarez Ponton - Spain - Nobby - 7:35.44 2. Shaikh Mohammed - UAE - Ciel Oriental - 7:36.39 3. Shaikh Hamdan - UAE - SAS Alexis - 7:36.56 4. Jean-Philippe Frances - France - Hanaba Du Bois - 7:40.12 5. Faich Nasser SS Bughenaim - Qatar - Amir - 7:51.13 6. Shaikh Majid - UAE - Kangoo D'Aurabelle - 8:07.27 7. Shaikh Rashid Dalmook - UAE - Rukban Kikruhu Mmn - 8:09.13 8. Sarah Chakil - France - Sakalia - 8:13.03 9. Christian Petersen - Argentina - RP Sebastopol - 8:18.02 10. Virginie Atger - France - Azim du Florival - 8:18.17 11. Cecile Miletto Mosti - France - Easy Fontnoire - 8:18.26 12. Shaikh Nasser - Bahrain - Khandela des Vialette - 8:20.59 13. Andre Vidiz - Brazil - Nuit Endurance - 8:29.51 14. Jordi Arboix - Spain - Ottello - 8:30.05 15. Gabriela Forster - Germany - Priceless Gold - 8:30.47 16. Sabrina Arnold - Germany - Beau Ox - 8:30.51 17. Belinda Hitzler - Germany - Shagar - 8:32.38 18. Debora Reich - USA - DJB Juniper - 8:42.55 19. Carmen Romer - Netherlands - Tuff Enuff - 8:57.26 20. Ahmed Abdulla Al Hazza - Bahrain - Kheopsy Du Pilat - 9:06.29 21. Pietro Di Geronimo - Belgium - SD Mengali - 9:06.35 22. Melanie Arnold - Germany - Shaika Bint Kheoma - 9:06.40 23. Alex Luque - Spain - Sankoc - 9:10.27 24. Lilian Bueno Garrubo - Brazil - Juda Hem - 9:10.33 25. Joao Raposo - Portugal - Titanic - 9:13.26 26. Alison Higgins - New Zealand - Twynham el Omar - 9:20.46 27. Petra Hattab - Germany - Prince Sharif - 9:20.52 28. Maria Hagman-Eriksson - Sweden - Power - 9:22.35 29. Jaffer Mirza - Bahrain - Izba du Caussanel - 9:23.33 30. Mustafa Tehrani - India - AF Big Bucks - 9:25.36 31. Christine Yeoman - Great Britain - LM Midday - 9:42.27 32. Fernando Goncalves Costa - Brazil - Mustaz SC - 9:54.05 33. Caroline Denayer - France - Gwellik du Parc - 9:55.05 34. Diego Andres Zamora Rodriguez - Costa Rica - Samurai - 10:03.44 35. David Yeoman - Great Britain - Haszar - 10:09.17 36. Carolina Greenwalt - Argentina - Jessie Q - 10:10.47 37. Robert Gielen - Canada - FC Galaxy - 10:13.55 38. Paula Fort - Uruguay - Campanina - 10:16.46 39. Cesar Tasias Torras - Spain - Oliver - 10:25.57 40. Beccy Broughton-Booker - Great Britain - Java Sunlight - 10:27.13 41. Eone Willemse - South Africa - Shamwari - 10:27.19 42. Cecilia Shrahle-Engqvist - Sweden - Aces Comett - 10:27.35 43. Sarah Rogerson - Great Britain - FFC First CSea Lord - 10:28.09 44. Penny Toft - Australia - Don - 10:46.08 45. Anna Afra Wucher - Namibia - DJB K D Fantasia - 10:54.51 46. Ana Maria Novoa - Chile - Pistrat - 11:03.04 47. Gianluca Laliscia - Italy - Leila de Saularie - 11:05.18 48. Alfonso Striano - Italy - Waligora - 11:05.19 49. Martina Lui - Italy - Jo Farouza - 11:05.20 50. Andrea Iacchelli - Italy - Djamina - 11:05.21 51. Karina Camargo Arroyo dos Santos - Brazil - 11:06.07 52. Gail Jewell - Canada - NL Temptation - 11:21.23 53. Lucia Starovechka - Slovakia - Balkan - 11:21.32 54. Ruth Sturley - Canada - RBF Super Sport - 11:30.16 55. Chikako Nishiyama - Japan - Dameon PJ - 11:30.22
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Sunday, September 26, 2010 Team and Individual Competition - 7 AM
Monday, September 27, 2010 |
Definite Entries for the 2010 World Endurance Championship |
2010 Games
The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 in Kentucky will represent the largest equine sporting event ever held in the United States. Held at the Kentucky Horse Park from September 25 to October 10, 2010, this will be the first time that the event will be held outside of Europe.The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 are comprised of the world championships for eight equestrian sports show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, endurance, vaulting, reining and para-equestrian. The FEI World Equestrian Games are held every four years, two years prior to the Olympic Games, and are governed by the Fdration Equestre Internationale (FEI). The FEI is the international governing body of equestrian sport recognized by the InternationalOlympic Committee. It is the organization which establishes rules and regulations for the conduct of international equestrian events. Today the FEI has over 130 member countries.
A BRIEF HISTORY
The concept of the FEI World Equestrian Games, the championships of all of the major disciplines being held simultaneously at a single venue, is relatively new. The first games were staged in 1990, when the FEI united six disciplines in Stockholm, Sweden. They included show jumping, dressage, eventing and the non-Olympic disciplines of driving, endurance and vaulting. The bringing together of some the best horses, riders, drivers and vaulters in the world was a huge success and reinforced interest in all equestrian sports worldwide.
The 1994 World Equestrian Games were held at The Hague, Netherlands. It followed the Stockholm format representing six disciplines. Rome provided the site for the 1998 games as the world's equestrian elite again experienced the glamour and enthusiasm that had reigned in Stockholm. Competitors in five disciplines met in Italy, with the endurance championships held separately in Dubai. Jerez, Spain was home to the 2002 games. In addition to the traditional sixdisciplines, reining made its debut as an international championship event. The Jerez games attracted some 300,000 visitors. Press credentials were issued to 1,048 media from around the world, and 25 television stations broadcasted a total of 150 hours of the competitions to approximately 100 countries.
In September 2002, the FEI awarded the 2006 World Equestrian Games to Achen, Germany after a spirited competition between Achen and the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. The Achen Games took place from August 20 to September 3, with approximately 800 athletes and 850 horses competing and an estimated 570,000 spectators in attendance over the 15 day period.
July 24 – August 5, 1990
37 Participating Countries
Prior to 1990, each FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) discipline held separate international championships. This fragmented practice came to an end in Stockholm, Sweden (1990) when all six FEI disciplines (show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, endurance, and vaulting) gathered in one venue to compete in the first World Equestrian Games (WEG). The international championship not only exceeded both attendance and financial estimates but also established equestrian sport as a dominate force on the world’s stage.
After the resounding success in Stockholm, the 1994 WEG in The Hague, Netherlands came as somewhat of a disappointment. Despite top showings from the elite competitors, the Games rapidly became mired in logistical and administrative problems which eventually led the event into bankruptcy.
More at Enduroonline.com.br
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A Lofty Goal: Monk and Lindsay Graham || A Blessing in Mule's Feet: Golden Lightning and Jan Worthington Steely Determination II: Steel Patriot, Bogart VF and Charisse Glenn Looking Down the Trail: LZP Julioslastchance and Sue White Hedgecock "Run Like the Wind Bullseye!": Hot Desert Knight and Farzad Faryadi Problem Horses: Syrocco Reveille, Syrocco Harmony and Meg Sleeper Kentucky Horse Park || WEC - Day Before World Endurance Championship Vet In Day 2010 World Endurance Championship - Part I 2010 World Endurance Championship - Part II 2010 World Endurance Championship - Part III
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