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2010 World Endurance Championship - Part I
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South Africa 2010 World Equestrian Games News
Lani & Legato go to Kentucky
Vangerve.com - Full Story
Lani van Gerve and her horse Arkab Legato are on their way to compete in the 160 kilometre event at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky on 26 September 2010.
The road to Kentucky was long and required great commitment. In June 2009 Lani and Legato qualified to compete in the Games by winning the South African National Championship over 160 kilometres. Legato went into quarantine at Kenilworth in Cape Town in January 2010. Lani moved from Pretoria to Cape Town to exercise Legato daily for the two months of quarantine.
On 22 March 2010 Lani flew with Legato and 23 other horses in a DC10 cargo plane to Europe. In-flight photographs and a short description of the process can be accessed via the link "Legato flies to Europe" at right.
In Europe, Lani and Legato participated in Endurance rides in Belgium and the Netherlands. ..
Read more here:
http://www.vangerve.com/home
www.endurancesouthafrica.co.za - The official web site of the 2010 Alltech FEI WEG Endurance S.A. Team
Dominique van Zyl, Lani van Gerve and Eone' Willemse have qualified and been selected to represent South Africa in Endurance at the WEG2010.
Dominique van Zyl
July 9 2010 - Endurancesouthafrica.co.za
Total competitive distance ridden: 6500 km
2008/9 :Western Province Provincial teams
2009 Invitation Team to New Zealand
2009 SA Endurance Rider of the Year, and awarded most competitive km completed in 2009
2010 SA National Team at SA FEI International Challenge
Bambinella
8 year old Arabian Mare
Based in Sao Paulo, Brazil
The World Equestrian Games in 2010 came under Dominique’s attention when she competed in a 160km ride in Christiana, 2007. Sakkie van Niekerk, the SA team manager, advised her that she would have to find a suitable horse that she could qualify on. A week later at the Calvinia ride, Prins was offered to Dominique. She rode with him on the second day of the ride and won convincingly. Even though he is a relatively tiny horse, he has a big heart, and Dominique soon learned that he loved winning as much as she did. He also rcgjpgproved to be extremely reliable, with only one elimination because of lameness – Prins stepped on a sharp stone just before he came in on a vet check! Dominique withdrew him from his first 160 km ride in Dullstroom on 100km’s because she was not happy with the recovery of his pulse. It was contributed to the altitude and long travel to the ride. Dominique pushed him in 2009 and he rose to the occasion, winning all the rides except Christiana, where he finished third and Fauresmith that she decided to ride slowly and build him up for his first 160 km ride.
Schanskraal became the designated ride to qualify for WEG on Prins. It proved to be a good hunting ground for Dominique. IMG_0275Even though, the qualifying speed is only 13km/h, Dominique wanted to ensure her place in the team, so she decided to go for a win. She was up against two of the top riders in the country and the ride became a sprint race at the end. Prins showed his heart gathering just enough strength to get his head over the line first. To see horses racing on a full gallop to the end after having ridden 160km is an awesome sight!
Her place in the team was secured with Prins, but she decided to qualify on another horse in Brazil who would not have to endure the same Quarantine requirements that South African horses are put through. She rode Bambinela in December but was unfortunate to fall out because of the severe weather conditions. Only five of the twenty five horses that started, managed to finish the ride. Image1She returned to Brazil on the 20th of March to complete the qualifying ride on Bambinela and is now officially in the SA team for WEG Kentucky
Lani Van Gerve
July 9 2010 - Endurancesouthafrica.co.za
Lani van Gerve
* Finished more than 9000 competitive kilometres.
* I have started and finished seven Fauresmith South African National Championship rides of 200 kilometres over three days.
* Junior Provincial Team at Fauresmith in 2001
* Junior South African National Team at Fauresmith in 2002
* Young Rider South African National Team reserve at Junior and Young Rider World Championships in Bahrain in 2005.
* Senior South African National Team at Walvis Bay, Nami
bia in 2005 (FEI 130 kilometres)
* Senior Provincial Team at Lobatsi, Botswana in 2006 (FEI 160 kilometres)
* Senior Provincial Team at FEI 160 kilometres Tri-Nations and National Championships, Beaufort West in 2009.
* Senior Provincial Team at Lobatsi, Botswana in 2009 (FEI 120 kilometres)
* I rode in the AERC American National Championships in Idaho in 2007.
* Eleven 120 kilometre rides:
o Six 1st places
o Four 3rd places
o Three Best Condition awards
* Nine 160 kilometre rides:
o Three 1st places
o One 2nd place
o Two 3rd places
o One 4th place
o One fifth place
o Five Best Condition awards
* First place at the FEI 160 kilometre Tri-Nations and South African National Championships, Beaufort West in 2009 and received the Best Condition award for the 160 kilometre ride as well as the Best-of-the-Best award for the Best Condition over all distances.
* In 2009 I won two out of my three 160 kilometre rides and both times received the Best Condition award for the 160 kilometre ride as well as the Best-of-the-Best awards for the Best Condition over all distances.
* My horse Arkab Legato and I was ranked3rd on the FEI World Ranking List for horse-rider combination at the end of 2009; first in South Africa.
Arkab Legato
* Finished more than 4500 competitive kilometres.
* Started and finished three Fauresmith South African National Championship rides of 200 kilometres over three days; 2003; 2004; 2005
* Seven 120 kilometre rides:
o Four 1st places
o Two 3rd places
o Four Best Condition awards.
* Senior South African National Team at Walvis Bay, Namibia in 2005 (FEI 130 kilometres)
* Senior Provincial Team at Lobatsi, Botswana in 2006 (FEI 160 kilometres)
* Senior Provincial Team at FEI 160 kilometres Tri-Nations and National Championships, Beaufort West in 2009.
* Eight 160 kilometre rides:
o Three 1st places
o One 2nd place
o Two 3rd places
o One fifth place
o Five Best Condition awards
* First place at the FEI 160 kilometre Tri-Nations and South African National Championships, Beaufort West in 2009 and received the Best Condition award for the 160 kilometre ride as well as the Best-of-the-Best award for the Best Condition over all distances.
* In 2009 won two out of three 160 kilometre rides and both times received the Best Condition award for the 160 kilometre ride as well as the Best-of-the-Best awards for the Best Condition over all distances.
Eone' Willemse
July 9 2010 - Endurancesouthafrica.co.za
Total competitive distance ridden: 8614 km
Free State Provincial team
2009 Invitation Team to New Zealand
1048 km Completed in USA including 3 x 160 km rides, placed in the top 5 twice and once in the top 10
Shamwari ( Shammi)
Based in USA
12 year old Arab Cross
Total competitive distance ridden: 2640 km
florida 005Eoné started horse riding when she was six years old and took part in training camps and competitions with her mother and sister in Pretoria. The family moved to Bloemfontein in 2002 and stayed on a game farm outside Bloemfontein, Free State. The family had four horses that were used for family rides on the game farm. There were no workers, the training and stabling of the horses were done by and Eoné her sister, Anri. This is where Eoné learned to read horses and understand them - as the family did not bought expensive horses for competitions – Eoné and Anri learned to get a normal endurance horse to perform well and complete endurance races. She is still riding her first horse, Kromar Ben that has completed 3500 km with Eoné riding him. Because of Eoné’s ability to bond with a horse and to “read” the horse and complete most of her 160 km rides -Breeders offered her horses to ride and complete 160 km rides on different horses. This is Eoné’s best characteristic, to ride on a foreign horse and a foreign trail and complete well.
Eoné has completed 10 X 160km rides on 9 different horses.
In South Africa she completed 6 X160 km rides on 5 different horses, completing one of the toughest 160km rides, with a broken ankle. She completed all 5 Fauresmith rides she started and represented the Free State Province 5 times. She took part and completed in 4 Botswana endurance races and 2 Namibian endurance races.
In New Zealand, as part of an invitation team, she came 4th and was the first South African rider to cross the line.
In the USA she took part in 10 races that included 4 x 160km races on 4 different horses finishing 3rd, 5th and Best Condition and 7th. Eoné was fortunate to be able to ride the Old Dominion ride, one of the toughest rides in the USA testing both horse and rider. Eoné and LR Bold Greyson finished 7th in the 160km competition and winning the AHA Champion award, also completing 4 X 80km on 4 different horses with 4th and 10th placing.
She is studying B Sc Animal Science at the University of the Free State and took the year off, to train and prepare for the World Equestrian Games in the USA and was awarded for her hard work and dedication by the SA selectors-to represent South Africa in Kentucky.
She was also fortunate to meet wonderful people in the USA such as Valerie Kanavy and Connie Caudill, this created opportunities to ride in the USA.
Megan Davis made her horse Shamwari (Shammi) available earning 5th place and Best Condition award at the qualifying ride with Eoné. She qualified on a second horse of Megan, Shashaani (Shaani) earning a 3rd place at the qualifying ride.
Shammi is a 12year old Arab cross that has completed 2640km with 5 X 160km with 4th, 5th placing and Best Condition award. He is ranked number 3 on the National Best Condition List. Shaani is an 8year old Arab cross. She has completed 2336km, completing 6 X 160km rides with 3rd and 7th placing.
Thanks to all the people who support and helped her. Thank you to Leon Liversage Saddles for all their help with the saddles. Endurance racing is not about the individual-it is about the horse and the support team and to be able to finish each ride with the horse in good condition!