Sport Endurance EVO issue n. 20/2017

number

20

N. 20 SUMMER AUTUMN 2017

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MADE in ITALY

Sabrina Arnold show 1 million likes in San Rossore Sardegna Endurance Festival

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N. 20 SUMMER AUTUMN 2017 Quarterly Endurance Riding Lifestyle Magazine Printed on the 10th of October 2017 Next issue 10th of January 2018

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TORGNON 2017 BLOWS OUT 20 CANDLES! TELL US YOUR STORY: ISABEL NOGUEIRA

Registered in the Court of L’Aquila (IT).

Registration n. 572, February 2nd, 2008

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SAN ROSSORE TOSCANA ENDURANCE LIFESTYLE 2017

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MICHAELA SUPEKOVA KNOWS WHAT SHE WANTS: WIN A MEDAL FOR HER COUNTRY

Publisher/Manager Luca Giannangeli (lucag@sportendurance-evo.com) Marketing and Business Developer Elena Vanni (elenav@sportendurance-evo.com) Artwork Vincenzo Brancadoro (brancadoro@gmail.com) Supervisor Giovanni Graziani (sportendurance2@gmail.com) Photographers Chiara Gobbetti, Oreste Testa, Michele Ardu, Barbara Miller, Muriel Judic, Gudrun Waiditschka, Gianluca Sasso, Dominique Cognee Collaborators Muriel Judic, Gudrun Waiditschka, x-bionic® press office

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CEI ENDURANCE AT MARBACH

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LIGNIERES: ECURIE DE MINUIT FROM THE PARISIAN REGION TO THE HEART OF FRANCE

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THE SARDINIA ENDURANCE FESTIVAL 2017

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LEONARD LIESENS: TEAM SPIRIT AND NEW POLICY FOR SELECTIONS

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ROCCARASO ENDURANCE MASTER: IN THE HEART OF THE APENNINES

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BRUSSELS EQUESTRIAN ENDURANCE MASTERS 2017: A HUB OF GREAT EVENTS

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Editorial

by Luca Giannangeli

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his summer 2017 was definitely characterized by Meydan’s powerful entrance into the world of endurance.

HH Sh. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum with the brand Meydan has always been very present in world endurance events... but this year he really spoke up!

Many European organizing committees have been negatively affected by this strong presence from the UAE, in fact the number of riders has decreased.

Today, most athletes prefer to go where they are paied to run instead of competing at home for a simple qualification.

I was personally disappointed to see very short start lists in France, Germany and Italy... my own country.

The truth is that we all live in a more and more globalized open market and everyone is free to take the best decision possible for the company’s sake and to develop.

I don’t feel like judging either the rich organizing committees or those who choose to go where they get more benefits or are paied to run.

Hypocrisy doesn’t belong to me and I’m sure that every organizing committee would have accepted financial support from any Gulf country.

I would like to strike a blow for Gianluca Laliscia, the greatest manager in this field of all time. A man who was able to lead the discipline of endurance riding to high notoriety levels.

There will continue to be people who will prefer valuable stages for many reasons: work, necessity or simply virtue.

While others will keep running the classical rides in Italy or abroad just for passion, without caring about selling their horses or money in general.

We just hope that qualifying rides will continue to exist around the entire world.

If I could, I would devide the endurance world in two parts: professional riders on one side and amateurs on the other... this would attack the problem at its source.

However... hip hip hooray for sport!

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San Rossore – Pisa – Italy

HH SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM ENDURANCE CUP FESTIVAL

THANK YOU… to the 453 Riders from 39 Nations, for the 24.827 km of riding successfully completed, for the 74.800 kg of ice distributed and used, for the 5.276.116 separate visits to the official website, for the 996.888 likes, comments and shares on facebook, for the 29.230 overnight stays in accommodation facilities, for the 3.150 web and press articles written.

Thank you to the participating institutions, officials, sponsors, partners and suppliers, to our guests and friends, and to the public.

Thanks also for our passion, which gives us no other choice than to work with heart.

SEE YOU IN 2018, 25-29 JULY!

endurancelifestyle.it

FATIGUE-REDUCING AND DECONGESTANT PASTES:

for the health of limbs!

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horse that runs over long distances is easily subject to limb fatigue due to physical effort and continuous ground impact. Therefore, it is advisable to use fatigue-reducing or decongestant pastes to soothe pain and swelling of joints, ligaments and tendons.

What types of fatigue-reducing pastes are there?

There are two types of pastes: one is used to soothe, thanks to the content of menthol and eucalyptol like Antiphlogistine, the other helps remove exudates and endotoxines, it works with an osmotic and adsorbing effect, fostering lymphatic drainage. Artoxine, for example, is a fatigue-reducing paste made of water, aluminosilicates and borates, it is included in the category of the so-called clay minarals.

How to choose the most appropriate fatigue-reducing paste It all depends on the result one wishes to achieve and on the horse’s limb condition. If the limbs present some sort of injury, it is not advisable to use pastes containing essential oils and Menthol because they increase skin irritability.

Therefore, it is very important to read the components of a paste carefully before use. Whereas Artoxine contains borates, disinfectants that can be used on damaged skin too.

How to use fatigue-reducing pastes It is necessary to spread a layer of paste (a thin or 1 cm layer) according to the desired effect. It is advisable to cover it with raw paper and then

apply a rest bandage. After 6-12 hours, remove the bandage and rinse with water to get rid of the paste. Never use newspapers, ink contains metals that could be absorbed by the skin.

Many people advise to remove the paste with a brush, but only water can clean it perfectly, furthermore it doesn’t irritate damaged skin and its jet has a massaging effect.

When to apply the transparent film over the paste You use the film to prevent the paste from drying out too fast (it depends on the climate and on how long it takes you to spread the paste on the limbs). Otherwise you can use it on the sole, to achieve a softening effect, without the

ACME Srl - Cavriago (RE) Tel: 0522 941919 tech.info@acmedrugs.com www.acmedrugs.com

film you would produce the opposite effect.

You can use the same method for sole bruising, in this case Artoxine has an adsorption effect that can break the abscess and drain pus, the exudate.

Why use ACME’s fatigue-reducing pastes 30 years ago ACME started studying and making products for the welfare of the horse; the creation of two different fatigue-reducing and decongestant products for the limbs proves that this is an important matter. It is necessary to use high quality substances, field studies, correct application and users’ feedbacks. The wrong paste doesn’t solve the problem and can perpetuate inflammatory events.

Torgnon 2017

blows out 20 candles!

Photo by Gianluca Sasso www.sassofotografie.it/

W

e’ve had a small talk with Mr. Franco Pitti, the cornerstone of Torgnon’s organisation in the Aosta Valley.

He made a simple but concrete analysis of his event and today’s endurance situation.

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“I started organizing endurance rides in Torgnon 20 years ago and before I begin I would like to thank my very efficient staff, always careful and accurate.

Things haven’t changed much since then... probably not at all. What definitely remained

unchanged is the unique, marvelous scenery that our wonderful nature offers us everyday.

If you love your horse take him up here in the mountains for a natural aerosol. It takes a lot of breath to blow out 20 candles and we must replenish ourselves.

Shepherds regenerated themselves up here in the past and they still do today although they now have smartphones, Facebook and take selfies!

But it is still as it was: winter in the valley and summer in the mountains.

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hat we offered from July 6 to 9 was just some good fresh air, a bit of rain, a poor prize money but definitely a lot of fun and desire to get together. I think that this discipline, just like many others, is losing the real sense of sport.

Sport is the abbreviation of the English word disport:Â activity that offers amusement. If you look it up in the dictionary you will read that the word Sport assembles all those physical activities that foster health, formation and competition.

I believe that Torgnon and the real meaning of Sport are synonimous; once you have replenished yourself you run and compete and just like after a rugby match you have fun, you make toasts and celebrate. Rankings aren’t important at all, what really counts is to finish the ride and sign our book...not everybody knows this.

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2 Day CEI3* winner - Jean-Philippe Cohard and Eaunoire Bonzai

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CEI2* 1st place Stefano Mori with Aechimea della Bosana

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CEI2* 2nd place and best condition Diana Denayer with Laa Royale

CEI2* 3rd place Matteo Tamborini with Zibibbo della Bosana

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nfortunately, this year’s starters list was short...probably the shortest ever, but it is quite obvious that riders preferred to run in San Rossore (Pisa) in order to enjoy the tempting benefits offered by its organizing committee.

However, I was happy that the GPS system was introduced in Torgnon for the first time, working efficiently and making this ride safer and clearer for riders and audience.

I love technology especially when it helps improving the rules.�

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endurance needs elegance too Caterina Mutinelli

Pariani saddle, italian style http://pariani.it/ 14

SPORT ENDURANCE EVO

The ride

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2 Day CEI2* winner Daniele Serioli with Shamir

ean-Philippe Cohard and Eaunoire Bonzai (Aramat x Keine Ahnung) certainly deserve the greatest applause, they ran a 2- day 188 km ride alone, finishing in very good conditions. Curiosity: they were the only starters of the 2-day 94+94 km CEI3*, last year they finished the 2-day CEI2* in ninth position. A really wonderful performance...it is not easy to run over such a long distance by yourself. Daniele Serioli with Shamir won the 2-day 120 km ride and were awarded with the title of Best Condition. Greta Ferrari with Margie and Giuseppe Milia with Amir conquer second and third podium positions, respectively.

Stefano Mori with Aechmea della Bosana conquer the CEI2* at 15,47 km/h (av. speed).

Second podium position for the French rider Diane Denayer with b.c. Laa Royale (Ismael d’Aubanel x Aouda Kercha). Third place goes to Zibibbo (La Bosana) ridden

by Matteo Tamborini.

The CEI2YR and CEI1* go to Aurara Salvati with Thouleima (b.c.) and Marco Frassi with b.c. Paslaw (Piaff x Panonia).

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2 Day CEI2* 2nd and 3rd place Greta Ferrari with Margie and Giuseppe Milia with Amir

CEI1* 1st place and best condition Marco Frassi with Paslaw

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View rankings on www.enduranceonline.it

CEI2*YR 1st place and best condition Auroara Salvati with Thoulema

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Tell Us Your Story

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If you don’t give it a try... you’ll never know

y name is Isabel Nogueira, I am a professional endurance rider and second place winner of the two consecutive National Championships for Young Riders (2015 and 2016).

In those years I was also a rider of the Portuguese National Junior team. It is a pleasure for me to share my story with you.

At the beginning of 2012 my uncle António Nogueira, a well-known breeder of Arabian horses (Du Cambou) in the south of France (Uzés) and president of the national final for young horses in Uzes, delivered a horse to my house in Portugal.

He was a 9 year old, chestnut gelding, with a bony deficiency in different parts of the body and people always told me that he would have never made it further than 80 km because after 100 km he had always been eliminated for lameness.

I started out over 40 km distances and then 80 km rides, the results were always the same ones: podium positions!

After 2 or 3 years of qualifications I came across an interesting proposal from my family: to run the National Championship for Young Riders over a 120 km distance.

My answer was NO. I didn’t trust my horse enough and didn’t think that he could make it... but it was a great challenge indeed! My first 120 km ride...maybe he could have completed it. My dad said “You’ll never know!”. So we started training and used plenty of ice almost every day on the tendons of this future champion... more and more clay till race day when we all left the house with a smile on our face saying “Whatever happens happens”.

We are a family and our horse is part of it, we

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A story by

Isabel Nogueira will come back as a smiling family...whatever happens! That same night, I visited my horse at the stables and took him for a walk, I felt that he himself was as nervous as I was so I hugged him, gave him a kiss on his forehead and told him it was going to be alright.

On the day of the big event, everyone was startled, my team consisting of my two sisters, my mother, my father, my brother-in-law and my 6 year old niece, supported me body and soul.

Our goal was to enjoy the race and not only assist our horse in everything he needed.

He ran 40 km...then 80 km and it was soon time to stop at the 100 km vet gate. I remember it as the worst time of my life...nothing came accross my mind.

The final verdict was yes, the horse that everyone mistrusted due to his bony deficiency was sound to continue.

I was really proud and knew that he had still a lot to give. There were still 20 km to go and I had the pleasure to run the last loop with other three riders at an average speed of 25 km/h, horses were all very tired and Portugal’s heat was really tough to endure.

We finally finished in second place, a result I had never expected and achieved thanks to all of us. I still remember when we crossed the finish line...I stopped the horse, fell to the side and looked at my team incredulous...I then started to cry for joy...I was so excited that I couldn’t even breathe!

At present my wonderful Opiom Du Cambou is 16 years old and he is enjoying his retirement and the silver medal of two 120 km National Championships, another great result I would never have expected after that first victory.

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2017

will undoubtedly be remembered as the richest year ever in the

world of endurance.

The presence of the HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Endurance Cup Festival was an important one thanks to several millions of euros.

In just a short time, the racecourse of San Rossore with its Lifestyle format became the

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centre of world endurance thanks to the support of Meydan first and Azizi Development later.

Gianluca Laliscia, CEO of SistemaEventi, organizer and creator of the TOSCANA ENDURANCE LIFESTYLE, hit the target again after achieving resounding success in Umbria and Marche.

The event’s ride attracted 529 horses... an amazing number!

1 MILLION LIKES for the Toscana Endurance Lifestyle 2017

Text by Luca Giannangeli - Photos by Oreste Testa and Chiara Gobbetti

TOSCANA ENDURANCE LIFESTYLE Italian Leg of the HH Endurance Cup Festival SPORT ENDURANCE EVO

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1st place CEI3* Tahar du Barthas with Aida Mohamed

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egione Toscana, Toscana promozione turistica, Comune di Pisa, Camera di commercio di Pisa, Alfea and the Ente Parco regionale Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli, the closest partners of the event, have greatly appreciated the big number of participants.

Below a brief description of the event in numbers.

What struck the most was the great involvement of nearby accomodation facilities, restaurants, hotels and local people with the event.

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Endurance people have literally invaded the province of Pisa, an already very crowded province, especially in the summer time; as a result, local economy was boosted.

The attractive formula invented by Dubai’s Prime Minister consisting of paying the riders at the time of registration and at the end of the ride, was definitely a winning strategy especially for the Italian riders who returned home with minimum 2.500,00 ₏ in their pockets.

Sold out in San Rossore... hotels, horse stalls at the racecourse, parking lots etc. A very crowded 3 day event that slipped away peacefully.

The ride

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ery strong horses showed up at the start line of the CEI3*: Taher du Barthas (Khadar x Fayza de la Salud) ridden by Aida Mohammed won for Algeria and Shadda (unknown), ridden by Al Mehairi Saeed Mohd Khalifa (UAE) placed 4th and conquered best condition title.

Siam Du Barthas (Djin Lotois x Malvasia) with Al Kaabi Hamad Obaird Rashed and Castlebar Corsair (Kevisan Park Kentucky Blue) with Al Owais Salim Said (U.A.E.) completed the podium.

Magic Glenn Tayla (Arabian Park Batal x Mag-

ic Glenn Tiffin) with Al Faresi Mansour Saeed Mohd conquered the CEI2*; that same horse was eliminated a month later in Euston Park, followed by Chanah (Sadepers x Daisy du Cayrou) and Dji’Nha de Fignols (Djin Lotois x Attilha) ridden by Al Marri Abdulla Ghanim and Al Owaisi Ghanim Said Salim respectively. A month later Dji’Nha de Fignols was eliminated too in Euston Park’s CEI2*.

Razorback Mechano (Razorback Hotwing x Razorback Kkalimah) and Subose Ahmed Salem Ali Sultan Al conquer 4th place and best condition.

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1st CEI2* JY Al Marri Hamdan Ahmad Mohd with Vishkra Jais

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here’s something curious about this horse: he won the CEI2* in Euston Park (18th of June 2017), he was 4th at the CEI2* in San Rossore (July) and 15th in Euston Park again in the CEI2* that was held in August. The CEI2 Ladies cup was run by 154 women; UAE, ESP and UAE again stepped on the podium: 1st place for Za’Amah with Al Saboori Alia Ahmad Mohd, Al Fatin with Gonzales Guardia Eulalia and Quetzal Arvorig (Fadasir x Thunder de Caradec) with Al Romaithi Ayesha Darwish Ahmed.

The CEI2* YR was conquered by Vishkra Jais (Bering de Piboul x Akene) with Al Marri Hamdan Ahmad Mohd while Bairsal Singh Ugam Singh with Magic Glenn Avelina (Castlebar Optic x Magin Glenn Blue Diamond) won the CEI1*.

HH Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at San Rossore

Gianluca Laliscia and Andrea Bocelli

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Podium of CEI2*: 1st place Al Faresi Mansour Saeed Mohd with Magic Gleen Tayla 2nd place Al Marri Abdulla Ghanim with Chanah 3rd place Al Owaisi Ghanim Said Salim with Dji’nha de Fignols

Ranking: http://www.enduranceonline.it/db/db_results.php

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1st place CEI2* Ladies Al Saboori Alia Ahmad Mohd with Za’Amah

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Staff, Riders and Friends

The event in numbers • 14.800.000 euros: value of the whole event • 5.276.116 official website visitors • 996.888 likes, comments and shares on facebook • 29.230 overnight stays at accomodation facilities • 3.150 press and web articles • 978 people working in the event’s organization • 529 participant horses • 54 represented nationalities • 39 competing nations • 16 Italian regions (12 rides)

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MICHAELA SUPEKOVA knows what she wants: win a medal for her country In Valeggio she almost made it!

A

fter dedicating an article to Lucia, we decided to introduce you to another talent of the Supek’s family: Michaela. Mom and Dad Rasto follow their daughters around the world almost every week-end, looking for rides and success but most of all for great life experiences.

From the very beginning these forward-looking parents have tried to passdown to their

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daughters important life values and feelings that do of course include the world of sport.

The 17 year old rider Michaela lives and trains in Slovakia. Today, September 17th, she’s sixth in the Open Riders World Endurance Championship Ranking with a total of 633 points.

Photo by Chiara Gobbetti Oreste Testa Enrico Querci

“School and horses are my bread and butter”

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M

ichaela granted us this interview a few days before competing in Valeggio so we had to stop the printing process of this issue immediately in order to modify this article and update some of her old declarations...but it was a pleasure for us.

A few days before the FEI MEYDAN World Endurance Championship YJ 2017 Michaela declared that her favourite European ride was Santa Susanna, in Spain.

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A tough, long and demanding ride that she ran with the young 7 year old Pink Floyd, achieving an extremely satisfying result.

“To run a 2 day 94 km ride with him was a marvellous and educational experience” - declared Michaela.

But let’s go back to Valeggio where Slovakia signed an important page in the book of endurance riding.

Tell us about this recent experience.

Michaela and Girola de Quercus

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id you expect this result?

As I was on my way to the Championship I thought to myself that it would have been nice to finish among the top 10... a dream come true!. Today that dream became a reality and I still can’t believe it!

It has been a wonderful ride...I ‘ll definitely never forget this championship!

Who is Girola de Quercus?

Girola is an amazing horse with a very good and big heart. She was great, we’ve made a good team together. I love her, she has gifted me with tons of experiences and very good results in this last ride, together we have achieved this wonderful result. From the very first time I rode her I had a great impression, I knew she was a champion. First of all, I would like to express special thanks to the owner and trainer Anna Maria Yebra Altimira and to the whole team...I would never have reached this result without them.

Imagine you were walking with some of your friends and one of them declared he wanted to do endurance...what would you advise him?

First of all I would tell him that he needs to be driven by a great passion and respect for horses.

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Second, I would emphasize that endurance is a tough sport and training sessions are long and tiring. You have to wake up early in the morning, do a lot of physical training and put a lot of patience into it.

After running the first rides I would advise him to start attending some of the most important competitions as a spectator only. He should try to catch those important details that make a difference, because they could turn useful to him in the future when he will have to take important decisions while competing.

I have personally looked for a model myself... an athlete to imitate and once I have become aware of my potentialities and qualities I set some achievable objectives.

Where do you train?

I train in Samorin, my hometown. I like to train in Samorin in a totally flat track; in order to run in some ride with more altitude difference, we have to move in the mountain in Slovakia.

We do this for expample for the Tordera ride, Castelsagrat and Fontainebleau. I prefer very technical tracks where you must manage the horse and follow a precise ride strategy.

This year I rode in Italy too, it was in San Vito al Tagliamento and of course in Valeggio sul Mincio.

And now here’s the most common question... what’s your dream?

My dream is to win a medal in a Championship and wave my country’s flag in the air as I stand on the podium!

I also dream of running the Tevis Cup one day, but from what I see in the pictures I believe it is still too soon for me and too dangerous.

Share with us one of your most beautiful moments so far I’m still very young but my drawer is already full of beautiful memories. I will never forget when in 2016 I ran my first 160 km ride.

It was the pre-ride of the World Endurance Championship in Samorin. I was at the start line astride Sagvar de Garbi.

At the end of the ride I found myself on the podium with the champion Maria Alvarez Ponton and my trainer Mario Hoffmann, two very important people for me.

Last question: your father encourages you to train and run sometimes...does he follow you by horse?

No, I don’t need him to encourage me, I know what I want and I sometimes don’t even have time for a coffee with my friends. School and horses are my bread and butter. My dad does ride with me but only at Christmas!

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Text and photos by Gudrun Waiditschka

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CEI Endurance at

Marbach Sponsored by the Boudheib Initiative, including the “Best Endurance Challenge Award”

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or the third time, the German “Breeding Society for Sporthorses of Arabian Descent” (ZSAA) organized several CEI and CEN rides at the National Stud in Marbach.

For the second time, these rides were sponsored by the Boudheib Initiative, including the “Best Endurance Challenge Award” for the fittest horse.

Fitness was needed, as Marbach is situated in the hilly landscape of the Swabian Alb in Southwest Germany, and the rides here are known to include steep hills, tough going and are thus technically demanding.

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olling hills, beautiful sunshine, temperatures around 20-25 °C and an experienced organising team - the conditions were just perfect. And yet, only few riders met at the National Stud of Marbach to tackle the scheduled rides (see box 1). Originally, two CEI 160 and 120 km rides were planned as well, but due to a lack of entries, these had to be scratched. So, this year, 90 km distance was the maximum to cover, but these 90 km are not as easy as one may think. The start at Marbach is at 640 m, the highest point to cross is 780 m, and there are a total of 2900 m in height to cover. With only few straights to “race”, but lots of hills and stony footing, the Marbach-rides are technically demanding - actually it is the most demanding CEI-ride in Germany. “Technically demanding” is also the key word for the Boudheib initiative and so it is not surprising that - for the second time - this event was able to offer the “Best Endurance Challenge Award”, or BECA in short, a special award for the horse with the best fitness according to the Boudheib protocol.

“We are happy to bring the Boudheib Initiative to Marbach National Stud, as this venue is not only known for its beautiful location and an Arabian horse breeding program, but also for good horsemanship”, explains Ahmed Al Samarraie, President of ZSAA and responsible organiser of the event.

Indeed, the German State Stud Marbach is known among Arabian horse breeders as the custodian of the historic Weil-Marbach breeding program, that celebrates its 200-year-anniversary this year. A broodmare band of 25 heads live on the studs premise and six chief sires are available also for public service. The stud itself is 500 years old, and the oldest of its kind in Germany. The old wood frame buildings “breath history”, and the stud has a very special ambience enjoyed by around 500.000 visitors each year.

At 7.00 a.m. the riders for the CEI 90 km set out on the 30-km-loop. After a hilly 10 km in the forest, they reached a high plateau, where, for the next 10 km, the landscape became mainly flat with open fields. Followed by a slight drop to the Crew Point, the track leads again through forest before it drops sharply to the height level of the start. Another hill, and the first loop was done. Belgian rider Freddy Meurens with Marushka Larzac came into the vet gate first, followed a few seconds later by Nicole Gall-Sinast and Samira.

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Ahmed Al Samarraje, the Organizer

Finish CEN* 70 km MDR Linna Bunger with Beagee and Celine Conz with Sandos Fire

For Samira, the 11-year-old mare, it was a home game, as she was born in this stud. Her ancestors are tailing back to the oldest damand sirelines in Arabian breeding world-wide, which are bred here in Marbach. And these Marbach-Arabians seem to have good endurance genes, as is proven by Sevinc, who has a very similar pedigree and was three-time German Champion and winner of no less than five CEI*** 160-km rides.

These horses come from the same genepool as the French “Elite” endurance sires Aziz de Gargassan, Taqui El Masan and Dahman.

Nicole and Samira were the first to set out on the second loop covering 20 km, followed by Swiss rider Angela Kunz with Mahatma a’Diamond, German Kathrin Steidle with Sedef and Belgium Freddy Meurens on fourth place, all only a few seconds apart.

Angela Kunz was the first to return to the central vetgate after a riding time of 1:22h, one

second later arrived Klaudia Al Samarraie with the Shagya-Arab stallion Tolstoj Al Samarra and Sedef with Kathrin Steidle in the saddle.

At the second gate, three horses out of five were eliminated.

Two more 20-km-loops had to be tackled, the last one leading to 780 m height in a rather steep climb. After a riding time of 6:06,37 Belgian rider Freddy Meurens crossed the finish line first with his Selle Francais mare Marushka Larzac, who actually carries more than 3/4 Arab blood. Second came Angela Kunz with Mahatma a`Diamonds from Switzerland, a 9-year-old purebred Arabian mare. Her sire is Branik by Arques Perspex, tailing to the leading French endurance sire Persik. Third place for Nicole Gall-Sinast with Samira, 20 seconds after the winner. The average speed of these three horses was 14,7 km/h, which clearly demonstrates the technical challenges of this ride.

1st place CEI* 90 km Maruschka Larzac with Freddy Meurens

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1st and 2nd place CEIJYR* 90 km Saiide al Samarra with Nayla Al Samarraie and Zarah 41 with Moira Al Sammaraie

1st place CEN* 90 km Sadek B with Conny Birmele

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he same distance was also covered by the Junior-riders and sisters Nayla and Moira Al Samarraie with their Shagya-Arabians Saiide Al Samarra and Zarah, both homebred mares by the Al Samarraie family. The girls actually wanted to start at the 120 km ride, but as it was scratched, they did the 90 km for Juniors and Young Riders instead. Zarah is a highly successful mare, having won in 2017 with Moira for the third year in a row the German Junior National Championships over 120 km, they also finished the European Championships 2017 with a 17th place as the best German participants.

Saiide Al Samarra, much younger, is not yet as successful as her stable mate, but here at Marbach she and her rider Nayla won by one second.

The second highest entries were received for the CEN 90 and 70 km rides. The 90-km-ride was at the same time the regional Championship of Baden-Württemberg. Winner over 90 km was Conny Birmele with her purebred Arabian Sadek B, bred at the Hungarian State Stud Bábolna. He had won an international ride over 80 km in April this year, and Conny Birmele, as winner of this ride can pride herself with the title of “Baden-Württemberg Champion 2017”. Actually, they had an average speed of 16.0 km/h and were thus much faster than the international riders. Second to her came Lisa Dahmen with Malagena, the latter had - at a young age - lost her right eye, but this doesn’t seem to bother her at all. Last year, the team won this ride here at Marbach.

The 70-km-ride was dominated by a group of three, who in the end showed a great finish to decide the winner among themselves. At the same time, they also decided the Junior Champion of the regional Championship of Baden-Württemberg (see results).

Just after the last rider crossed the finish line, a tremendous hail storm broke loose, with three tents “taking off”, and a thunderstorm causing a power outage of the area. Also affected was the Endurance Team Styria who was responsible for the results, and although they had a compressor in place, the power outage caused some hick-up in the computer.

Interesting - but not surprising - to note that with decreasing length of the rides, the breeds of horses became more varied: At the 90-kmrides, most horses were Arabians or Partbred Arabians of some sort, while at the lower categories, such as the 40, 50 and 70-km-rides,

1st CEN 50 km Artemis with Joanna Seelmann

all sorts of breeds could be seen.

The 90-km-rides were sponsored by the Boudheib initiative of Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. The Boudheib Initiative has been developed to ensure the welfare of the endurance horse. It is also an attempt to return endurance riding back to its traditional roots, as it honours the fittest horse, not necessarily the fastest and rewards good horsemanship and sportsmanship with horse welfare at its core. And so the vets, Juliette Mallison from Germany and Jean-Louis Leclerc from France were very happy about a completion rate of 73% during all the rides at Marbach, which speaks for itself.

The horses with the best fitness in each of the 90-km-rides were awarded the “Best Endurance Challenge Award (BECA)”, a special endurance saddle by Kieffer.

The winners were: Samira with Nicole Gall-Sinast (CEI 90 km) Zarah with Moira Al Samarraie (CEI-J-YR 90 km) Malagena with Lisa Dahman (CEN 90 km) With the prize giving ceremony in the big outdoor arena of the stud, a well-organised and happy event came to an end and it is hoped that events like this one, where horsemanship comes first, will succeed on the long run.

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1st place CEN* 40 km Malvito with Stephanie Schrumpf

Dangerous Development We almost got used to the fact, that UAE endurance rides with huge prizemoney invite riders and horses from around the world to come to Dubai. But now a new development has started, that appears to be even more dangerous to the European endurance scene: Prizemoney between 500.000 and 2 Million Euros are offered

by UAE-sponsor at European endurance rides such as Pisa and Euston Park - and many European top riders follow these invitations happily. Now, they finally have a chance to get some money back with their sport, which is expensive enough. And so, a total of 15 endurance riders from Germany alone entered at Pisa, just the weekend before Marbach, and thus preferred the sponsored event to the local one.

There are four CEI events scheduled for 2017 in Germany, but if local riders prefer to go abroad, rather than supporting their local rides, there might be less in the future. Other organisers in Europe have the same problem and think along the same line. Those, who support the richly sponsored events by their participation are probably not yet aware that they might be sawing the branch on which they are sitting, because once the sponsors stop supporting one specific event, the local rides will have closed down already.

bach

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THE BEGINNINGS OF

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he story of some passionate riders of l’Ecurie de Minuit is a very beautiful one. Christelle Mafille was initially a farrier based in the Parisian region who also managed an equestrian club and centre for equestrian tourism. Since 1992, she ran dozens of national and international rides, winning podium positions in CEI2* and CEI3* rides like, for example, Sangatte, Argentan where

she was twice winner, Le Pertre and Monpazier (2000 and 2010). This feisty little woman started organizing endurance rides in the year 2000 and founded the breeding center in 1996, Jessy de Minuit was born the following year. She is a DSA by Djebel de l’Ardus who was born at midnight ! Christelle tells us that this is something very frequent in her farm, in fact her last three foals were all born at midnight.

By Muriel Judic

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Ecurie de Minuit FROM THE PARISIAN REGION TO THE HEART OF FRANCE

Lignieres

Over the years, she passed down to her companion the passion for endurance riding and Sébastien starts running in 2006. Whereas her stable in Donnemarie-Dontilly was blocked by a very busy road, Christelle started looking for another more suitable location.

She found it in 2008 in Berry a region located

in the center of France, precisely in the commune of Maisonnais. «We had chosen this region because there were rides around here like Montluçon or Néris-les-Bains. We knew that many organizers of endurance rides were in the center of France... but those races don’t exist anymore!», declares the young lady.

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French Champion 2017 Marie Pierre Perotea with Qanai du Tipi and the silver medal Emilie Lambert with Ekstrem Fontnoire

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ut what is most important now is that today Sébastien and Christelle bought a 30 hectare property with a farm, paddocks and tracks for the horses. So they started serious training again and wanted to organize races of their own. The first edition took place in Maisonnais in 2009 and then in 2010, small trials and races for amateurs. The equestrian centre of Lignières is just a few km away.

It is a beautiful place with a nice racecourse and around ten horse stalls that do justice to our wonderful sport.

Long negotiations between l’Ecurie de Minuit and Lignières gently led this very nice racecourse to the discovery of endurance and successfully ended with the organization of an endurance ride in June 2012.

«At that time we just had a 20 and 30 km loop », recalls Christelle. «It was absolutely necessary to find some other way to create a 5 or 6 loop circuit, so there we were, striding along paths and tracks that had been abandoned through the years. We travelled and travelled...by 4 x4 and

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by horse, until we found what could have become a decent circuit».

The partnership with Lignières also brought to the organisation of a FEI CEI* and CEI2* (2014) and a CEI3* (2014).

In 2014 three week-ends of international rides have been proposed attracting around 280/300 riders, however shorter distances were proposed too. A lot of hard work eventually led to fantastic results.

A very big budget of 50/60.000 euros and the support of volunteers, around 50 to 60 people that included families and friends gave an important contribution too. « We have also been supported by a regional association», says Christelle delighted as she quotes L’avenir de Lignières. Locally, the racecourse of Lignières received support from the Département, the Région and the CRE, Centre Val de Loire.

After hosting the Championnat des As for young endurance riders in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and then the Championnats de France Masters d’endurance in 2017, L’Ecurie de Minuit becomes bigger and bigger and today applies for the European Championship 2019.

Bronze Medal French Championship Morgane Payen with Naelle du Fonpeyrol

This 180 hectare equestrian hub seems to be perfect for this role.

The venue is going to be decided very soon, it’s the only French proposal for this big event.

«Our ground could be defined as general-

Christelle Mafille

ly flat but you have to be careful and always watchful: in fact, in some parts are actually tough even for people who are walking!», declares Christelle.

People who win usually run at 22 or 23 km/h.

Team

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Sponsored by HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Festival Text by Luca Giannangeli Photo by Michele Ardu

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he Sardinia Endurance Festival 2017 took place from June 30 to July 2 in the beautiful Horse Country Resort in Arborea (Sardinia-Italy).

The organization of an equestrian event is very complicated when it comes to islands; logistics and horse transport are important matters that shouldn’t be underestimated, especially in the summer when plenty of tourists choose the beautiful beaches of Sardinia,the emerald island, as their holiday destination.

Furthermore, if we consider that other important rides with rich prize money are taking place at the same time in other Italian regions, things get even tougher for the organizing committee.

Reading the history of Arborea a very peculiar story caught my attention: it is the story of a local noblewoman named Eleonora d’Arborea.

The interesting aspect is that there is a sort of similitude between this lady and the endurance event organized in south west Sardinia.

Sardinia the

endurance festival 2017

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he story, on the border of legend, tells about Eleonora’s birth. When she was born an eagle flew over the family’s castle and stopped to rest on the highest tower. The soldiers tried to chase it away without success. The eagle just stood there observing childbirth. Suddenly,

when the midwife cried out for joy, the baby of Mariano IV de Bas-Serra d’Arborea was born and the eagle flew up in the sky giving a sharp cry of triumph.

The image of the beautiful eagle called to mind Giachino’s family and his staff. Their strength and effort fought against all odds and

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succeeded in gifting the world of endurance with an unforgettable, long and exciting sport week-end.

Eleonora di Arborea has something else in common with the Arab world of the event’s sponsor HH Sh. Mansoor from Abu Dhabi whose Festival’s Executive Director is Miss

Lara Sawaya, a woman of great strength and experience.

It seems in fact that Eleonora loved to train falcons and often took them on hunting trips.

Today falconry still remains an important cultural heritage of all Middle Eastern States.

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the race

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he Horse Country Resort was the general headquarters of the event, assisted by the C. I. Ala Birdi that greeted around 100 horses, ready to run one of the most awaited events of the year.

Focus was mainly on the international rides characterized by a rich prize money and prestigious invitations to the Abu Dhabi President Cup and to November’s Festival that will be held in Abu Dhabi like every year.

Four riders from the UAE finished among the top five in the 120-km ride, the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies CEI2*.

First and second place went to Alyazia Al Romaithi on Holoutaria and Alia Al Saboori on Shamberlain respectively, they crossed the finish line holding hands.

Third place winner and best condition was Isabella Bonetto from Italy with Ottello.

Three Italian flags fluttered on the podium of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahy-

First place CEI2* Carlo Carta with Franco

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an Endurance Cup CEI2*: Carlo Carta astride Franco, Graziano Branca on Legionario and Nicola Bussu on Peonia Di Barbagia.

Jonel Coetzee of Namibia on Quello Che Vuoi emerged as junior champion after winning the CEI2*YJ 120 km ride. He was the only one to complete the ride.

2nd place CEI2* Branca Graziono with Legionario

3rd place CEI2* Nicola Bussu with Peonia di Barbagia

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1°st and 2nd place CEI2* Ladies Alyazia Khalid Khalifa Al Romaithi with Holoutaria 37 and Alia Ahmad Mohd Al Saboori with Shamberlain

Isabella Bonetto and Ottello, first Italian rider in the Ladies CEI2* and best condition

L

eonardo Carro with Twice Nimroz win the CEI1* followed by Patricia Fekete with Nennere Mandra Edera and Kata Fefetene Wachtler with Quartu

by Veinard, both riders are from Hungary.

The spirit of this event was simply true endurance: smiles, respect and friendship. People simply loved to get together, enjoying the week-end and respectfully sharing opinions on the final rankings.

The Sardinia Endurance Festival passes the exam with flying colors!

See you in 2018

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1987

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Mr Giachino and the girls

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Friends

dinia

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Leonard Liesens coach of the Swedish team

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nother big goal to me was to create a real ‘team spirit’ Obviously the Team Bronze was like the ‘icing on the cake’ for the Swedish Team.

It was not my goal to go for a medal at the European. I started my duty as the coach of Sweden only in April.

I wanted to review the whole elite system. Like in any situation, a first study of the existing situation was mandatory to me. I was already able to pick a list of rider/horse combinations which could pretend to a better speed on the distance of 160 km. But these amazons – al-

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Team spirit and new policy for selections most all endurance riders in Sweden are females – didn’t really believe in their ability to perform better and faster.

A first gathering with the riders, followed by a couple of clinics in the spring were organized.

Some changes were introduced in the training program, in the management of the horses, and so on. Also a major change was brought to the selection system: no minimum speed – except the 14 km/h FEI threshold which was required to enter the long list.

All in all, we were able to reach a total of 15 horse/rider combinations qualified on 160 km.

While only 5 were qualified at the start of the season. So the new policy was working…

Another big goal to me was to create a real ‘team spirit’ among the girls. Helping each other, socializing, eating together, chatting and having fun… that’s also making part of a big group competing abroad.

I initiated the process during the various clinics we had in Sweden and later, during the selection process – even if the competitive spirit was always there. I had to cope also with the Swedish mentality, very different from our Belgian one.

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The best Swedish rider in the ranking, 10th place for SARA HENRIKSSON with ELOPOLDA

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ut I got to taste already the Scandinavian style during my 4 years with the Norwegian team. It goes without saying that I received a fantastic help from our team vet Mia Svensson in the process of rasping the sharp angles. Of course, to me, having the European Championship in my training field was an advantage. I know the trail and its traps. The trails in the Sonian forest are relatively easy, with various types of going, but with continuous ups and downs. Just an example… when using the canter training track (1.2km oval) during one hour, you accumulate 20km or so, but at the same time 400 meters of elevation difference. You don’t realize that but it’s there and it counts in the horse’s total energy expenditure! In my mind several were going too fast in the first loops and I was quite sure that soon or late the trail would take its toll. It did…

The instructions to my riders were simple. One – Sara – was asked to follow the French riders because her horse was able to cope with the speed that I was expecting from them (I was pretty sure that Jean-Philippe was going to be in the lead with the Spanish riders while the four others would cruise at a relatively lower speed).

Using this tactic, she was away from the inevitable pressure and stress of the leading group.

The four other riders (Emma, Jessica, Lena and Anneli) had instructions of cruising near 16 km/h in a compact group. The tactic showed to be a success. No one believed me, afterwards, when I said that I didn’t look at the team ranking until the end of the 4th loop. But that’s true. I was not interested in that. My goal was to complete a team (the last time Sweden completed a team was in 2005!). But my wife Caroll was agitated and smiling at me and making signs from the other side of the trotting area at the end of 4th loop. It let me decide to go and collect a team ranking. We were 4th, behind France, Italy and Spain. It then became necessary to watch the others trotting. When France lost 2 riders at the recheck, we were virtually Bronze with one hour ahead of Switzerland. The instructions to my girls remained the same… Sara was to keep her 10th place without taking any chance. The gang of 4 was to cruise altogether at 15..16 km/h and help each other to cross the finish line hand in hand to offer a good display of the new Swedish team. And we did it! 24 years since Sweden obtained the last Team Medal. I’m very proud of my girls. They rock!!! I make profit of these columns to thank all the people that supported and congratulated us, from Sweden, from Belgium and from anywhere in the world.

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The Royal Cavalry of the Sultanate of Oman and Sport EVO

CEI3* 3rd place Ali Hassan Yousaf Al Farsi with Khandjar du Boulve Florac (Fra)

Photo by Barbara Miller

FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENDURANCE RIDING

Comune di

Roccaraso

MANIFATTURE BURIONI Sottosella Linea Burioni Saddle Pad Burioni Line

Roccaraso Endurance Master

25 GIUGNO 2017

1° TROFEO TOPPE DEL TESORO AREMOGNA CEI 1*

Località Campetto degli Alpini Altopiano dell’Aremogna Altopiano delle Cinque Miglia Roccaraso L’Aquila- Italy Jacopo Di Matteo 389.4504088 Massimo Verna 339.2748523 sportendurance@gmail.com

R

occaraso is a town in the province of L’Aquila although it is quite far from it. It rises on the Cinquemiglia plateau, 1.250 meters above sea level.

It is a very popular location among the Italians because it is a renowned ski resort and when the snow melts, revealing beautiful green meadows, the plateau completely changes its appearance and becomes an area for several outdoor sports.

This year, Jacopo di Matteo, expert Italian rider, 2003 YR World Champion and 2001 Italian YR Champion, came up with the beautiful idea

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Incisione a puntasecca del Maestro Roberto di Jullo pittore in Roma e Pescocostanzo www.dijullo.it

of organizing a ride in Roccaraso.

Thanks to the support of a great endurance passionate like Giuseppe Verna and Giannicola Trilli who has easily and greatly got into the part, Sunday June 25th was a definitely positive day for Italian Endurance; Roccaraso (Aq) became the stage of a wonderful sports day and launched the first edition of the “Roccaraso Endurance Master”. The winning formula foreseen by the CEI1* and regional categories, valid for the 2017 Coppa Abruzzo, attracted athletes and many citizens who invaded the plateau driven by simple curiosity.

Roccaraso Endurance Master IN THE HEART OF THE APENNINES

Photo by Sport EVO press

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D

uring the event in Roccaraso, amazed common people asked the experts what was Endurance... something that seldom happens in an endurance ride.

This was probably the main goal achieved by the Organizing Committee and by those who believed in the event’s potentiality that, with a few improvements could host interesting and qualitative future CEI2*.

After vet checks, in a hot day, Damiano Clementi with Okarina du Panjshir won the inter-

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national 84 km CEI1*, followed by Antonio Franzese with Victor and Soraya Susco with Rigoletto by Zaimes.

Many interesting and high quality binomials showed up at the start line, amongst these are the pluri-medal athlete Costanza Laliscia and her teammates Carolina Tavassoli Asli, Chiara Marrama, Alfonso Striano, Lucrezia Accorroni, just to quote some of the riders that wore Italy’s colors.

See you next year for the 2018 edition...stay tuned to Sport Evo’s social pages.

1st CEI1* Damiano Clementi with Okarina du Panjshir

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O

nce again the heart of Brussels and its surrounding forest, turned into the stage of endurance...the kind of endurance that counts; right in the middle of summer, Belgium hosted many important events like the Senior European Championship and the World Championship for Young Horses sponsored by the H.H. Sh. Mansoor Festival.

Bad weather spoiled the party to all participants and heavy showers spared the European but not the World Championship.

BRUSSELS EQUESTRIAN ENDURANCE MASTERS 2017: A HUB OF GREAT EVENTS

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Photos by Chiara Gobbetti and Oreste Testa Text by Sabrina de Colli

SABRINA ARNOLD SHOW

ssels SPORT ENDURANCE EVO

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he venue can’t be compared to Euston Park or San Rossore, here vast spaces of green grass are particularly suitable for the setting up of comfortable vet gates; we were right in the city center and many people attended an endurance race for their first time, enchanted by it! Everything went smoothly...both expert binomials and strong horses can confirm it, or we could ask Sabrina Arnold, who was able to win both Championships and the other riders that just like her were able to succeed in this 2 day event.

Pierre Arnould and his team put all their effort in order to spread the culture of endurance around, and make it known to everybody.

He could have chosen a hidden track in the forest, as it usually happens and limit the view of these beautiful horses to just a few passionates only...but he didn’t.

The price to pay was probably walking on asphalt in the cooling area and a small vet gate, but in the end horses probably preferred the asphalt to mud!

The event in Brussels took place at the same time as the one in Euston Park where Sh. Mohammed offered 1 million euros and paid the participants to run. No comparison can obviously be made in terms of prize money but the great numbers in Brussels prove that the real value is still to wear one’s own nation’s t-shirt.

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The RIDES

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e often forget that the real athlete in endurance riding is the horse although the rider’s head and heart are equally important. Speaking of horses there is a particular one that struck everybody’s attention... it’s Tarzibus ridden by Sabrina Arnold from Germany.

They won individual gold medal leaving everybody gobsmacked. The horse impressed for its simple movement, its speed and fast recovery time (never above 1 minute and 25 seconds).

This 10 year old Purebred Arabian is a son of Zadie d’Espiens and Ouida la Majorie. In his career he ran four CEI3* 160 km rides and never stepped down from the podium. This year he won in Castelsagrat and Fontainebleau’s CEIO (2015). In 2016, after the elimination in San Rossore’s 120 km CEI2*, Tarzibus completely stopped competing.

The European Champion Sabrina Arnold

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Spanish individual silver and bronze medal Calandria Ph and Tonik de Becherel ridden

by Alex Luque Moral and Angel Soy Coll

T

wo Spanish riders with two famous horses won individual silver and bronze medal at the Senior European Championship: Calandria Ph (unkn) and Tonik de Becherel (Orman de Cardonne x Desna) ridden by Alex Luque Moral and Angel Soy Coll, respectively.

In 2015, 11 year old Calandria, became popular thanks to the European Championship in Samorin where he placed fourth with an av-

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erage speed of 22,10 km/h. In 2016, always in Samorin, he won second place and best condition title at the World Championship (23,60 km/h average speed). He is an excellent grey horse!

The 10 year old Tonik deserves a big round of applause, he was able to finish in third position at Tordera’s CEI3*, he was 15th at last year’s World Championship in Samorin and second in Rio Frio’s CEI3* (2015), Portugal.

Italian team silver medal Costanza Laliscia with Rok

Spain won Team gold medal thanks to the three best binomials in the ranking, two of them have been already mentioned above while the third one is Omar Blanco Rodrigo with Selif de la Nie (Nabath x Moukala bint Fata), a horse that boasts two important victories in 160km rides, Rio Frio in 2016 and this year in Madrid.

Italy and Sweden won Team second and third place, defeating France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Switzerland was capable of a brilliant 4th place and Bulgaria conquered a wonderful fifth place. The Italian Team led by Angela Origgi and made up by Luca Campagnoni with Kida (Or ibn Halim x Aisha Boscochiaro), 1st place in Vittorito’s CEI3* in 2017, Perrine Campanini with Vega du Clos (Monsieur Al Maury x Basta) and Costanza Laliscia with Rok (Karmah x Rose Aboud), 1st place in San Vito al Tagliamento (ITA) won a well deserved silver medal.

Spain remains unreachable and it has almost become a synonymous with UAE.

Italian team silver medal Luca Campagnoni with Kida

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Italian team silver medal Perrine Campanini with Vega du Clos

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weden was definitely this year’s great revelation with its 4 binomials in ranking positions. A round of applause to its Chef d’Equipe Leonard Liesens and his entire team made up of women only: Sara Henriksson with Elopolda (Orkow x El Siba), 1st place at the CEI2* in Glimakra, Anneli Ohlen with Min Pontijack (Gimmick x Tets Raggie) 2nd place in the CEI3* at Eleseneur, Lena Eriksson with Willy Wonka

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(Top Flyte x Walizka) 4th place in the CEI3* at Eleseneur and Emma Svanang with TS Coyote (Black Turbo x TS Cimadonna). Besides the European Championship, Brussels hosted the much awaited World Championship for 7 year old horses with 36 participating binomials.

Once again Sabrina Arnold managed to stand on the podium’s highest step thanks to an amazing Tammam la Lizonne (Mnjad Maram al Baida x Arhaba).

“Cavalor® supports my horses in delivering top performances.

Without Cavalor®, they would never be so healthy and fit.”

Joyce van den Berg

Endurix & Arti Matrix

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12th individual place for Barbara Lissarague with Ainhoa Arkiris and 4th team place

ĂŹThe amazing 5th place of the Bulgarian Team

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1st place CEI2* Sebastien Valerio with Gindastik

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he first one to cross the finish line before Sabrina was Paul France on Abhsik Coutillas (Persicko x Abhishah) but, unfortunately they were eliminated.

Elisabeth Hardy (Bel) with Adir Folie (Majestic de l’Orne x Jamila El Nefous) and the Portu-

guese Ana Barbas with Fuico won silver and bronze medal respectively.

The HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance CEIO Cup was held in Brussels too and it was won by the French Team redeeming the unlucky European Championship; Belgium won Team silver medal.

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Elisa Arnould and Vizir al Ondrel 11th place Ladies

1st and 2nd place CEIO** Ladies Merethe Neland with Paragon and Alyazia Khalid Khalifa Al Romaithi with Holoutaria

M

erethe Neland won the CEIO2* with Paragon followed by Alyazia Khalid Khalifa (Al Romaithi with Holoutaria Ultra Dugue x Siracusa) from the UAE. This strong mare won this year’s Ladies Cup in Sardinia. Bronze medal goes to

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SPORT ENDURANCE EVO

the French rider Virginie Atger with Quersane de Pins (Sadepers x Griotte des Pins). There’s something curious about the horse that comes from Estonia who is the son of Pergas x Madonna... since 2012 he has always won all his rides, except for one second place.

WEC YH Paul France with Abhsik Coutillas and Sabrina Arnold with Tammam La Lizonne; after the final vet-check Abhsik was eliminated

WEC YH 3rd place Ana Barbas with Fuico

2nd place WEC YH Elisabeth Hardy (Bel) with Adir Folie

SPORT ENDURANCE EVO

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Photo by Chiara Gobbetti

https://www.equi-bride.com/

Endurance and Trekking Saddles

Nicolas Whalen

European Championshiop Podium.tif

Pierre Arnould

Podium.tif

View all results on http://www.atrm-systems.fr

Sabrina and Tammam, world champion Young Horse

SPORT ENDURANCE EVO

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Welcome to x-bionic® sphere Spend your free moments enjoying sports and relax in the largest multifunctional resort, x-bionic® sphere in Šamorín.

Everyone can find their favourite sport discipline or leisure activity at the resort. X-BIONIC® HOTEL is part of the sports complex and offers 282 rooms which meet the expectations of even the most demanding clients, sports teams and families with children. Enjoy a workout on the three floors of x-bionic® power sphere, a gym that also fulfils the requirements of professional athletes. Swimmers can visit x-bionic® aquatic sphere which includes outdoor and indoor swimming pools, as well as water slides, massage jets and “wild water”. Running enthusiasts can make use of a professional athletic oval. x-bionic® sphere meets official international criteria.

If you prefer group sports, football, basketball and beach volleyball pitches are available to visitors. If interested, you can also train at the unique x-bionic® gymnastic sphere which hosts coaching sessions for young gymnastic talents. After a demanding day, switch off and relax at x-bionic® wellness sphere, featuring seven saunas and an outdoor plunge pool. Relax in the pleasant atmosphere of the tepidarium, three Jacuzzis and Kneipp bath. The resort also offers an exceptional gastronomic experience at restaurants APANI® and Golden Garden which host thematic gastronomic events featuring world-renowned chefs. Entertainment is available at the Legends’ Bar, which offers bowling and billiard, or the unique and inspiring Tuli® Cinema with its original design. Children and adults from

0 to 99 years of age can visit AdventureLand – a multi-functional and educative outdoor playground. Discover its amphitheatre for children, climbing frames, swings, obstacles, as well as stalls designed to enhance the development of motor skills and resourcefulness for toddlers. Special thematic animated events are available for children every weekend.

x-bionic® aquatic sphere

x-bionic® aquatic sphere is the ideal place for individuals, couples, families with children, active people, but also for professional athletes.

This is the place for maximum athletic performance and well-deserved relax. Our spa boasts 50 m outdoor Olympic-size swimming pool (during summer), 25 m indoor swimming pool, recreational pool with various water attractions, such as geysers, massage jets and “wild water”, and indoor and outdoor baby pools. Try one of our 2 year-round indoor water tube slides, 2 outdoor water tube slides and 2 outdoor water slides.

x-bionic® wellness sphere

Treat yourself with a small getaway from all the stress and recharge your batteries in our modern wellness centre. x-bionic® wellness sphere is the perfect place for leisure and relaxation. Choose from seven different saunas and an outdoor plunge pool. Relax in the pleasant atmosphere of the tepidarium, three Jacuzzis and a Kneipp bath. Visit our salt cave or Turkish spa with Hammam procedures. Your absolute comfort will be taken care of by our SPA certified therapists.

At x-bionic® wellness sphere, you will enjoy a perfect relaxation with peace and quiet.

x-bionic® power sphere

x-bionic® power sphere features the Gym with its huge premises over 1000 m2 on three floors, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment

by Technogym and Cybex. We were the first ones in Slovakia to introduce a SKILLMILL cardio machine for professional athletes. The Gym features various zones for functional training, cardio, stretching and weightlifting, equipped with Eleiko equipment and surfaces. x-bionic® power sphere also includes an outdoor professional athletic oval, which meets the standards of IAAF, with 8 running tracks and a small training oval with 4 tracks. Both offer high quality surface which helps reduce the burden on joints and helps avoid injuries.

X-BIONIC® HOTEL

X-BIONIC® HOTEL offers premium accommodation in 282 rooms which are part of x-bionic® private sphere and 12 luxury apartments which are part of x-bionic® strato sphere. These rooftop apartments represent the highest quality accommodation in our resort. x-bionic® private sphere offers accommodation of different categories.

All hotel rooms are spacious, tastefully decorated and equipped with the latest in room TV information technology. Each room has air conditioning and offers free Wi-Fi access. Parking is available to hotel guests free of charge.

x-bionic® flavour sphere 4 restaurants

x-bionic® sphere is home to four restaurants, each representing a different concept. Restaurant Olym-Pick offers delicious breakfast, as well as a wide range of main meals and drinks during the day.

Our guests can enjoy home-made pasta, pizza, Asian specialties and international cuisine. Lovers of healthy food can visit the restaurant’s fitness corner which offers healthy and balanced food adapted to various diets and a fresh salad bar. Restaurant APANI® offers healthy Japanese and Asian meals prepared by one of the biggest experts on Japanese cuisine, Alexander Illeš. Visitors can also enjoy the atmosphere of our equestrian themed restaurant, Farrier’s Steak House, which can pride itself with its stylish interior, an original Tuscan stove, or saddle shaped bar chairs. Red meat lovers will surely welcome the wide selection of perfectly made steaks from high quality meat. Our fourth restaurant, Golden Garden, focuses on haute cuisine and regularly hosts special presentations by renowned chefs from all over the world, which are often combined with tasting events.

2 bars

Beside restaurants, the resort also features two bars. X-Bar offers fresh cakes, desserts, tasty sandwiches, home-made lemonades, or excellent coffee during the day. This bar also serves as a reading room and offers a wide selection of books. At Legends’ Bar, you will find a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. You can play billiard or bowling, visit our cigar room or listen to live music over the weekends.

Tuli® Cinema

The resort is home to the stylish Tuli® Cinema where you can enjoy your favourite movie genre from comfortable Tuli bean bags. The up-to-date program is available at www.tulicinema.com

Other activities in the resort and the region

Visitors of the resort can take horse riding lessons at the Napoli Riding School or rent a bike or a scooter. Since x-bionic® sphere is situated at the international Vienna-Bratislava-Budapest cycling route, you don’t have to limit your cycling trip to the Danube dam. Go for a walk or a run in the surrounding nature, or make use of our athletic stadium.

You can also rent one of our four beach volleyball pitches, situated next to our outdoor swimming pool. The resort also offers an outdoor multifunctional playground, a gymnastic hall and a room used for organizing group exercises. You can choose from a wide range of massages and beauty procedures at our wellness centre, or visit our beauty salon.

Hotel Kormorán is situated near x-bionic® sphere and offers other

leisure activities, such as pétanque, water scooters, kayaks, canoe, boat rental, water bicycles, dragon ships, paintball, crossbow shooting, hovercraft, zorbing, aqua zorbing, or bubble football. Welten Báč, an 18-hole golf course is situated 7 km from the resort and the Slovakia Ring motorsport complex is only 21 km away. Here you can test your driving skills at the Skid Control School or sign up for a Safe Driving lesson.

The ideal location of the resort guarantees quick access from Bratislava (30 minutes), Vienna (60 minutes) and Budapest (120 minutes). Their international airports connect the resort with the rest of the world.

Covering a total area of more than 1 000 000 m2, the x-bionic® sphere offers professional conditions for 27 Olympic sport disciplines.

In the summer of 2016, x-bionic® sphere became the official Olympic training centre in Slovakia. The resort features one of the most modern and biggest Olympic equestrian centres, a state-of-the-art athletic stadium, the first-class X-BIONIC® HOTEL and premium congress facilities.

Find out more at www.xbionicsphere.com www.facebook.com/challengesamorin x-bionic® sphere Dubová 33/A, Šamorín

Slovakia

Camilla Malta - photo Barbara Miller

for the development of italian endurance riding

www.maltafratelli.com

www.mapei.com

www.sgcavalli.it

X-BIONIC® HOTEL X-BIONIC® HOTEL offers premium accommodation for up to 1 150 guests. At x-bionic® private sphere, all 282 hotel rooms are spacious, able to accommodate up to 4 guests, tastefully decorated and tailor-made to satisfy even the most demanding customers. x-bionic® strato sphere introduces the new era of luxury accommodation with pure design, noble materials and a new level of hospitality. Designated grand checkin area, luxury lounges, private elevator, exclusive living area with fireplace, all with 24/7 host service. Concept of 12 exclusive units – from studio to double junior suite with private terrace and built-in jacuzzi – are located on the top floor of 3 hotel buildings and offer beautiful view of the river Danube. x-bionic® sphere Dubová 33/A, Šamorín Slovakia www.x-bionicsphere.com www.facebook.com/xbionicsphere

4 different concepts of restaurants Wide selection of healthy food

Ideal conditions

for professional athletes and amateurs

More than

Offering high standard

area of resort

Professional conditions for

One of the

most modern Olympic equestrian centers in Europe

www.x-bionicsphere.com