Thursday, March 28, 2024

New Zealand: Dozens of miniature horses readying for the Great Northern Gallop

RNZ.co.nz - Full Story

Chloe Phillips-Harris with Opi, who arrived at her Kerikeri farm with serious health and behavioural problems, but is now a star of the annual Great Northern Gallop. Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

28 March 2024
Peter de Graaf

Dozens of four-legged athletes standing no more than a metre tall will compete in an endurance race with a difference in the Far North this weekend.

Organiser Chloe Phillips-Harris calls it "the biggest miniature horse race in the world".

"That confuses a lot of people, because you're not riding the horses. They're tiny. You're running beside them.

"We do 100km over Easter, over four days, so that's 25km a day."

About 30 humans and their equine running mates will take part in this year's Great Northern Gallop on Ninety Mile Beach and in the nearby Aupōuri Forest.

Phillips-Harris, better known for her epic treks across Mongolia on full-size steeds, said she had dozens of miniature horses at her property north of Kerikeri...

Read more here:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/country/512939/dozens-of-miniature-horses-readying-for-the-great-northern-gallop

Friday, March 22, 2024

Retired Pickup Man Josh Edwards’ Wheelhouse is Adventure as He Prepares for the Mongol Derby

TheCowboyChannel.com - Full Story

2023 PRCA Pickup Man of the Year Josh Edwards is an adrenaline loving cowboy who is Mongolia bound.

March 21, 2024 12:53 PM

Josh Edwards, the 2023 PRCA Pickup Man of the Year, might have recently retired at the legendary Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo but he is far from done on the back of a horse.

It makes sense for a man like Edwards to love testing himself and crave adrenaline filled adventures. On top of being a decorated pickup man, he has competed in Iron Man Races and coming up, is an adventure of a lifetime for Edwards, a Mongolian Horse Race called the Mongol Derby.

“I was selected to compete in a 660-mile, cross country horse race in Mongolia where you ride wild Mongolian horses. It’s a ten day race, it’s basically just an adventure race,” Edwards said...

Read more and see video here:
https://www.thecowboychannel.com/retired-pickup-man-josh-edwards-wheelhouse-is-adventure-as-he-prepares-for-the-mongol-derby

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Australia: Queensland endurance riding season off to a ’stirling’ start

NoosaToday.com.au - Full Article

16/03/2024
Erle Levey

It was like the first day back at school as Queensland endurance horse riders started the 2024 season. ERLE LEVEY was at Imbil’s Stirling Crossing Equestrian Centre for a few lessons

The 2024 Queensland Endurance Riding Association (QERA) season got under way in style at Imbil this month.

There was a mix of experienced riders returning for the year and newcomers being welcomed into the fold for the Stirling’s Starter.

Seasoned horses were side by side with those being brought into the sport at the Stirlings Crossing Equestrian Centre.

There were 137 riders registered for the seven events over the two days – from 10km and 20km introductory rides to 40km intermediate and the 82km endurance event...

Read more here:
https://noosatoday.com.au/news/16-03-2024/queensland-endurance-riding-season-off-to-a-stirling-start/

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Who Is Sheikha Madiya Al Maktoum? 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Dubai Royal

GraziaMagazine.com - Full Story

By Falah Gulzar

She is an accomplished cyclist and horse racer

Whether it’s the determination she exudes while riding a horse galloping across the UAE desert or her dedication when she conquers Europe’s mountains, one bicycle ride at a time, Her Highness Sheikha Madiya Bint Hasher Bin Manaa Al Maktoum, a member of Dubai’s Ruling Family and a polished sportswoman, is an inspiration to women in the region, as well as across the globe.

Like many GCC royals, the Emirati seems to keep a low profile, occasionally sharing glimpses of her life on social media with her over 18,000 followers on Instagram. Doing a little bit of digging, GRAZIA brings you five facts you need to know about her for your daily dose of motivation...

Read more here:
https://graziamagazine.com/me/articles/who-is-sheikha-madiya-al-maktoum-5-facts-you-need-to-know-about-the-dubai-royal/

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

Gaucho Derby Wrap-up: Trio Claim Victory in the Greatest Test of Horsemanship and Survival Skill on Earth



Imagine yourself thundering deep into the wilds of Patagonia on horseback. Atop an incredible Argentine steed, you’re navigating across some of the wildest terrain on Earth attempting to win the toughest and most unique equine challenge in history…this is the Gaucho Derby.

An eight day plus, 500km multi-horse adventure race, The Gaucho Derby travels through the mountains and pampas of Patagonia and is unlike any other horse race on the planet, a test of much more than simply ‘who can go fastest’. Part of the Equestrianists Series, which also includes The Mongol Derby (the longest horse race in existence), The Gaucho Derby is based on the landscape, culture, history and horses of Patagonia and, or course, the Gauchos themselves. Crossing through high mountains, riders have to contend with both tricky terrain and unpredictable weather, ensuring the event is more than just a test of riders’ skills on a horse, pushing navigational skills, physical stamina and an ability to handle the wilderness (with riders camping out most nights) to the limit.

Riding endurance horses for the first few days of the race, when the land levels, riders must swap horses for faster riding, but still remain mindful of not pushing their horses too hard, for fear of penalties.

“We would rather nobody wins than someone wins by pushing too hard. Riders seen making bad decisions, riding too fast across difficult terrain or not presenting horses in great condition will get penalties or be disqualified.” – Tom Morgan, The Equestrianists founder.

The end result, ‘the greatest test of horsemanship and wilderness skills on Earth’.

This was the third time the Gaucho Derby’s run, with Covid causing a break in proceedings, and 39 riders, from 9 different nations, lined up at this year’s start line. The race began on the 8 th of February and from the off riders learnt that the environment in Patagonia can be a cruel mistress, as they faced the prospect of riding through a sandstorm. This slowed things down and no one was able to break away from the pack during the first day’s riding, with riders split between vet stations two and three as night fell. The end of the day’s riding was far from the end of the riders’ day however, as they took on the crucial responsibility of tending to their horses, ensuring they were well-fed, hydrated, and comfortably settled for the night, before setting up camp (riders carry their own tents, food and equipment) and preparing a ‘delightful’ dehydrated meal. This self-sufficiency is a hallmark of the journey, with riders managing their daily activities independently, without reliance on others or the support crew.

Day two saw six riders finally make headway on the rest of the pack, but their lead was short lived, as scorching temperatures and a complete lack of wind, made the going tough the following day. 16 riders spent the night together between vet stations seven and eight at the end of day three.

It wasn’t until day five that another breakaway occurred, with Gaucho Derby veteran Daniel Van Eden (Netherlands), endurance athlete Holly Masson (UK) and Mongol Derby veteran Rendel Rieckmann (Germany) breaking away from the pack. The trio carried the lead forward over the following three days, although at one point it looked like Daniel and Rendel would be able to get a lead over Holly, after she received a two hour riding penalty, but the pair decided to wait for her. Rendel commented...

“Honestly, it was exhausting to constantly look over your shoulder every 10 minutes and see them chasing you. Eventually, at one of the stations, we collectively made the decision to ride together and finish as a team. It has truly been a massive relief and a much more enjoyable race since we decided to work together."

It was these three riders who went on to claim the joint title of Gaucho Derby winners, on day eight, but only after a very tense wait at the finish line...

Midway through the race, at the Meseta de la Muerte (Plateau of Death), a fierce storm rolled in and, in consideration of the well-being of the horses and riders, the race directors opted to pause the race until it was deemed safe to proceed. At the time, Daniel, Holly and Rendel were in the lead and were given a 2hr ‘credit’ once the race had restarted.

Hot on the heels of the three riders, through the latter stages of the race, were French men Nathanael Bienvenu and Olivier Picard (who rode together throughout). They actually managed to cross the finish line first, but had to wait to see whether there was more than two hours between them and Daniel, Holly and Rendel. Unfortunately, for the French riders, there wasn’t and the trio were crowned champions of a race that will forever be etched in their minds for the scenery they rode through, the people they met, the weather and challenges they faced and, of course, the horses they rode.

Not only was the race an incredible success for all those involved, but it also helped raise thousands of dollars for various charities across the world.

For more details on the race visit www.equestrianists.com

WINNERS’ Q and A

Rendel Rieckmann (Germany)

- What was the most exciting part of this whole event?

- There were so many exciting moments, like flying over the bushes with these amazing horses or the small things like realizing that the navigation plan, which was done the night before, really worked out well. However, the  most exciting part was for sure to ride as a team and scream and shout together, whether it’s because of highs or lows.

- How was it riding as a team? Did you have different roles i.e. navigator, campsite selector etc

- Riding as a team was essential. You hear it often, but it’s simply true: I could not have finished alone and it would be a hell lot less fun. Dan always kept his cool to keep going and had great experience from the last Derby, Holly’s drive, cheer up capability and major path finding skills and my technical and nav contribution made an amazing team. In the end it all blended a bit together as we learned a lot from each other. - How were the horses?

- We were lucky with the full range of Patagonia’s beauties: from the rather relaxed and calm friends, which were easy to camp with, to the spicy rodeo ones where you wanted to take watches at night to make sure everything is ok. Every one of them became kind of a friend along the way.

- What was your emotional roller coaster like during the race?

- I’m not sure if this roller coaster would pass German regulatorIes. This much of up and down was hard to handle. There were parts when every hour basically we thought completely different from winning to not even being able to make it to the finish line. I literally wanted to quit 30km before the finish line and call it a day after we rode 10km in the national park which was the wrong way. An hour later we saw we can still make it and the spark was back on. 

- It’s billed as the Toughest Horse Race, was it really?

- The first two thirds were hard but still manageable with treating yourself well with food, water and sleep. After that it became mentally and physically very exhausting. I remember a scene when after hitting almost 9hrs of mountain climbing, unpassable forest, searching for gates in the labyrinths of fences and running through never ending bog fields we were partly falling on the ground begging it to end. So I guess it was quite hard :) 

- What kept you going when you were your most exhausted?

- Holly’s enthusiasm and just being a wonderful friend.

Daniel Van Eden (Netherlands)

- What was the most exciting part of this whole event?

- Hard to name one specific moment. Riding into the vet check where my accident happened last time and leading the race was special. The scenic terrain after Sierra Nevada was beautiful. Going over the finish and putting a checkmark to what started about four years ago felt great. I'm also proud to have finished without vet penalties.

- How was it riding as a team? Did you have different roles i.e. navigator, campsite selector etc

- Working as a team can be intense, especially with the pressure of the race and issues with the horses Holly was riding. I think in the end the team worked great because we all added different things to the team.

- How were the horses?

- Big, small. Some calm, some wild. Better in climbing up mountains than us. They all were beautiful. Because of how they are held they are more social than the horses back home. 

- What was your emotional roller coaster like during the race?

- I wasn-t expecting it to be such an emotional rollercoaster. Especially with the part where we had crossed into the national park and had to backtrack.

- It’s billed as the Toughest Horse Race, was it really?

- YES. Especially because it needs so many different skills. Physically and mentally. Horse riding, navigation, team work, finding fences, camping out. Hot weather (while all of us were prepared for cold weather).

- What kept you going when you were your most exhausted?

- Team mates. Also other riders. And the vets, medics and other people manning the vet checks and horse stations.











Top to bottom: winners at the finish line / a sandstorm rolls in / gauchos at work / horse settled – now time to set up camp - Josephine Jammaers from Belgium / Rendel Rieckmann leading the way through some tricky ground / the winners taking a chance to extend their lead. CREDIT - Kathy Gabriel

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Chile's Vicente Larrain’s Golden Moment and Bright Future

FEI.org - Full Story

21 February 2024
Words by Stacey Stearns
Images by Francisco Boetsch

We speak to the young Chilean Endurance talent...

2023 finished with a real golden moment for Chile’s Vicente Larrain and his entire family. At the FEI Endurance Pan American Championships for Young Riders and Juniors, the 20-year-old and HF Eva – one of his family’s horses – took first place. Amelia Larrain, his younger sister, closely followed and won silver on HC Tia Haydee.

The joy didn’t end there as two more family members were on Chile’s gold medal winning team in the senior competition!

“The best part of Endurance is being able to compete with my family and make this sport a family sport,” Vicente said.

Vicente’s golden finish was years in the making, and the most recent addition to the family’s impressive Endurance resume. The Larrain family lives in the Chilean countryside. Vicente recalls that they’ve always had horses, and his love for them began as a child. A cousin introduced the family to Endurance seven years ago, and now five members of the family compete in the discipline...

Read more here:
https://www.fei.org/stories/sport/endurance/vicente-larrain-chile-pan-american-gold-2023

World's best female horses face Gamilati Endurance Cup test in Dubai

KhaleejTimes.com - Full Article

The 119kmride will test the skills of the very best mares involved in endurance racing

By Team KT
Published: Thu 22 Feb 2024

The stage is set for the prestigious Gamilati Endurance Cup for Mares, which tests the skills of the very best female horses involved in endurance racing.

The 119km competition is part of the 17th edition of the HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Festival that runs at Dubai International Endurance City in Seih Al Salaam from February 20-24...

Read more here:
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/sports/worlds-best-female-horses-face-gamilati-endurance-cup-test-in-dubai

New Zealand: Dozens of miniature horses readying for the Great Northern Gallop

RNZ.co.nz - Full Story Chloe Phillips-Harris with Opi, who arrived at her Kerikeri farm with serious health and behavioural problems,...