2010 World Endurance Championship - Part III

Tuesday October 5 2010

Two loops left: loop 5 is 21.1 km; loop 6 is 18 km. Maria Alvarez and Nobby leave in first place onto loop 5. The first 7 riders leave within 3 minutes of each other, including USA's Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam. USA's Deborah Reich and DJB Juniper are in 18th, 41 minutes behind first place. There is a 3 hour difference now, between first place and Chikako Nishiyama, the last Japanese rider left of their group of 5 who started.

Argentina's Christian Petersen and RP Sebastopol had moved up steadily all day, from 36th to 29th to 15th to 12th place leaving on loop 5.

Argentinean Mercedes Tapia and Ras Senor had pulled end of loop 4 because of lameness, but Mercedes was proud of the 8-year-old she rode for clients Clara Leonor and Juan Ithuralde. He'd had a rough van ride from Florida - after the long flight from Argentina - and arrived in Kentucky a bit laminitic. He's a talented youngster with plenty of years ahead of him. And Mercedes loved the ride. "It was beautiful! I realize now what I missed last year (at the muddy Kentucky Cup) in the cold gray rain!"


At this time of day, around 5 PM with the leaders starting to arrive off loop 5, and the slowest riders still on loop 3, Vicky the secretary was getting hammered with requests for vet gate results. Her tent corner was the most popular place at the venue. Imagine a continuous crush of 15 people and 30 hands in your face, "Can I have vet gate 3? vet gate 4? vet gate 5? Individuals? Teams? Eliminations?" and Vicky clicking "print" on her computer and retrieving printed piles of papers and stapling them and handing them out fast as she could. She never had time for a break after noon. I think somebody brought her a bottle of water to drink. Someone finally helped her start stapling papers together. I think she ran out of paper at some point, also.


Indian Mustafa Tehrani and AF Big Bucks had slowed their pace, from 20 and 19 km/h on the first three loops, to 12.6 on loop 5. A little tightness had developed in his horse's shoulder after their earlier crash, and after that, Mustafa could no longer push him as fast. "I had to take a calculated position, and just finish," he said later. It was a bit disappointing, because he'd had high hopes to be in the top ten. They left on loop 5 in 29th place, over an hour behind the leaders.

Nevertheless, Mustafa was another who was enjoying himself. "I was having fun, all the way," he said later. "I was laughing, joking when I was riding; I was never nervous, I was never tense. I could see many riders, tense on their face; they wouldn't even give a smile to the photographers. I enjoyed that ride. It was beautiful, and I think God blessed every endurance rider in that we didn't have rain and we didn't have hot weather. It was perfect weather."

The Netherlands' Carmen Romer and Tuff Enuff FA had also slowed down. Carmen had pushed the mare through loop 4 where she was still in 12th place, but the tumble they'd had, and the extra effort to catch up and stay up near the front, were taking their toll, and the mare was running out of steam. They left on loop 5 in 20th place, 49 minutes behind Maria and Nobby.


First to pulse down after arriving off loop five was Spain's Maria Alvarez and Nobby (in 3 minutes 15 seconds). A decent crowd had gathered around the trotting lanes to watch Nobby and the other front running horses trot out. A lot of breath-holding was going on, a lot of intense gazes and furrowed brows.

Nobby trotted along freely beside handler Stephane Chazel, looking as smooth and even as he had all day. He didn't look at all like he'd covered 142 km (88 miles), all at over 20 km/h (12.4 mi/h).

The former World Champions would be leaving first onto the last loop, just seconds ahead of American Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam. Amazing to watch this obviously highly talented 9-year-old gelding who was running with the Big Dogs - this was only Ssamiam's second hundred mile ride! Heather and Jeremy Reynolds had gotten Ssamiam from Jan Worthington, who had gotten him from the same man Jan got her horse Golden Lightning. Jan gave Ssamiam up because he shied terribly and was rough to ride. "Heather knew all this when she bought him!" Jan said.


The final loop 6:
A crowd lined the lane leading onto the course from the out timer. The first ten horses and riders all got a rousing cheer as they set off, Maria Alvarez and Nobby leading the way at a hand gallop.

Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam set out less than a minute after them. Another minute later was Shaikh Majid on Kangoo D'Aurabelle, followed 7 seconds later by

France's Jean-Philippe Frances on Hanaba du Bois.

A minute later: Shaikh Mohammed and Ciel Oriental, 17 seconds ahead of his son Shaikh Hamdan and SAS Alexis, who was 7 seconds ahead of Qatar's Faleh Nasser Bughenaim on Amir. This pair had also advanced in placement steadily all day, from 30th to 12th to 7th.

The small crowd then moved to the finish line to join the sizeable crowd already gathering and jostling for the best viewing spots. The winner was expected in just over a half hour. As riders coming off loop 5 approached the in timers, the crowd gave them big cheers, but all eyes were focused straight up the lane, from where the winner could come.

Who would it be? It was a bit intriguing. Maria Alvarez and her husband Jaume Punti-Dachs train horses for Shaikh Mohammed. Could she and Nobby beat her boss? Would she? There were rumors later that Jaume had spoken with Shaikh Mohammed about that very question, should the situation arise: should Maria hold back and let the Shaikh, Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, win? The answer (rumored) was that Shaikh Mohammed said, This is a competition, let the best horse win.

But who would it be? Would Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam catch Maria and Nobby? Could Jean-Philippe Frances make up 4 minutes and catch them both? Would Shaikh Mohammed and his sons finish 1-2-3? Would it be a horse race, decided in the final sprint?


And the first cry came up, "Here they come!" Elbows flew and bodies shoved to get the first glimpse of the winner: a solo horse and rider - Spain's Maria Alvarez Ponton and Nobby! Keeping with the tradition in the UAE of the winner crossing the finish line holding their country's flag, someone lobbed a Spanish flag at Maria as she cantered in. She wasn't expecting it and her hand fluttered to her face to protect it as the flag shot past her nose. But Nobby cantered on without missing a beat, and Maria lifted her hand in salute, then pointed at her horse, as they cantered under the finish line by the packed, cheering press of people, cheering for the repeat World Endurance Champions.

Maria said later it was a tough ride for Nobby, much harder than his win in Malaysia in 2008. "He was pressured the whole ride. I thought it was too fast, but, at the end, he was really strong." The winning time for the hundred miles was 7:35.44.


Less than a minute later, Shaikh Mohammed and Ciel Oriental crossed the finish line in second to rousing cheers, followed 17 seconds later by his son Shaikh Hamdan on SAS Alexis.


And then we waited. One minute... two minutes... where was Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam? Just over 3 minutes behind third place here came Heather and Ssamaim... along with Jean-Philippe Frances and Hanaba du Bois! A hundred yards out they started the race, sprinting for the finish line, asking for everything their horses had left.

Heather and Ssamiam arrived first by two lengths - fourth place for the USA!

Then came the big blow. Ssamiam was lame in the hind end in the final trot out. Eliminated. Jean-Philippe Frances and Hanaba du Bois were fourth. Heather and Ssamiam were off the results sheet.

Why did she do it? Many people asked afterwards. Why race for fourth place? Because it was worth the chance of medalling - now that the US had no shot at a team medal, or another chance at an individual one. If one of the top three finishers were eliminated, Heather and Ssamaim and the USA had a chance at a medal. And she did it because she's a top competitor. Heather and Ssamiam gave it their all, and just came up short at the finish - less than 5 minutes, and a "mild but consistent" lameness, behind double World Endurance Champions Maria Alvarez and Nobby. That's not a bad thing for a young talented horse to have on his record.


And no whining, no pointing fingers, nothing but praise from Heather afterwards. She's a top competitor with class. "I am proud as hell of what Sam did today. I really feel that the hind end lameness is due to his lack of 100 mile experience and that he has one hell of a bright future as a world class endurance horse. Sam is only 9 years old so I can look forward to many future World Championships with him in mind."

I stayed at the finish line, so I missed the trot outs of the top five finishers. The final trot out, and completion, of second place Shaikh Mohammed's horse Ciel Oriental, has come to be highly controversial. Apparently a video of the final trot out of this horse was on the USEF website, then it was taken off shortly thereafter.

What is clear is the horse was asked for three trot outs. The first two were by a handler who the horse appeared to be mad at or afraid of, because he would not trot straight. I did see this from Ciel Oriental at two vet gates - head in the air, ears pinned, keeping his hind end out away from the handler, sometimes breaking into a canter. Some have said this is "hazing," which is not allowed in the rules, but I expect the exact definition of hazing is open to interpretation, and I have seen this in other Championship rides, and other National rides, not just this one. I have also seen consistently lame horses passed as "fit to continue," at vet gates and at the finish. I did not see any of the finisher's horses trot out here at the WEC, so I have no opinion either way.

Ciel Oriental's third trot out was done by Shaikh Mohammed's son Shaihk Hamdan, and the horse trotted out straight and not upset, as can be seen on this blog and video from Canadian Trisha Dowling, which is inconclusive as to soundness from this angle.

All I talked to agreed that, sadly, Heather Reynolds' horse Ssamiam was lame in his final trot out.

Three other horses vetted out lame at the finish: Qatar's Mazayha ridden by Mohammed Tahous Al-Nuaimi, Belgium's Alicia D Havenne Ewalraid ridden by Dominique Evrard, and New Zealand's Jenny Chandler on Lace and Fineness.

New Zealand's Northwinds Bradley McGregor, ridden by Debbie Worsfold had been eliminated at vet gate 1; and that left only Alison Higgins on her horse Twynham El Omar.

They almost didn't make it, but it wasn't the horse who had an injury. It was Alison. During the 4th hold, her horse stepped on her thumb when she moved his food dish. "It almost sliced her thumb off," said Madonna Harris, the Kiwi Chef d'Equipe. "She passed out for two minutes. Later we wrapped her hand up, stuck her back on her horse, and sent her out!" Alison was 30 minutes late on her out time, and she had to ride the rest of the race with one hand. She ended up (bravely) finishing in 26th place.


Penny Toft and the ever-steady Don were the only Australians to finish, in 44th place. Matthew Sample and Tarrangower Crecendo had pulled at vet gate 5 for lameness, and Norbert Radny and West Coast Acheron had had been pulled at vet gate 3, for metabolics.


The Netherlands' Carmen Romer and Tuff Enuff FA finished 19th. They'd hoped for a higher finish, but Carmen's father Lei was still all smiles afterwards.


Another great result of this year's World Endurance Championship was Germany. Germany finished all five of their riders, garnering Germany their first ever medal - Team Bronze (behind the UAE and France) - in a World Endurance Championship. Gabriela Forster and Priceless Gold finished 15th, Sabrina Arnold and Beau Ox 16th, Belinda Hitzler and Shagar 17th, Melanie Arnold and Shaika Bint Kheoma 22nd, and Petra Hattab and Prince Sharif 27th (as individuals).

Deborah Reich and DJB Juniper were the USA's lone finishers, in 18th place.


France not only won Team Silver, but 4th place Jean-Philippe Frances' great mare Hanaba du Bois won Best Condition the next morning. It had to be a pleasing result, though France's Chef d'Equipe Jean Louis LeClerc, and Jean-Philippe himself, were disappointed they did not have an individual Podium finish.

It was Jean Louis LeClerc's last ride; after the WEC he is being removed as French Chef.


And last to finish but not the least, was happy Japanese rider Chikako Nishiyama on Dameon PJ - Japan's lone finisher in Japan's first team appearance at a World Endurance Championship. It's been a short time since Japan started on an endurance quest, and with highly limited resources and horses. In 2007 Mr Seiichi Hasumi organized, with the help of Americans Steph and John Teeter of Endurance.net, and Tevis veterans Hal and Ann Hall, their first international 100-mile ride. After failing to qualify himself for this year's WEC, Mr Hasumi served as Chef D'Equipe for the Japan team, and supplied 4 of the 5 horses ridden. Japan came from a long way, and they have a long way to go, but Nishiyama's finish showed they are on their way on their quest to compete with the world's best. And that's what it's all about, isn't it?

2010 World Endurance Championship - Part II

Monday October 4 2010

And leading the galloping pack into vet gate two was...Lithuanian rider Alisija Zabavska-Granger and Merlin! Shaikh Mohammed was just behind them, with over a dozen coming in right on his tail. Maria Alvarez and Nobby weren't even in the first dozen horses.


Right in the fray were Americans Meg Sleeper and Syrocco Harmony, Deborah Reich and DJB Juniper, Lindsay Graham and Monk, and Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam. German Gabriella Forster was up there on 12-year-old Priceless Gold (this pair finished 8th in the 2007 European Championship in Portugal, and former World Champion Valerie Kanavy rode him to an 18th place finish in the 2009 European Championship in Italy). Shaikh Nasser of Bahrain on Khandela des Vialette (a 12-year-old mare who had won the 160-km CEIO in Compiegne, France in 2009 at 20.194 km/h) was up close.

But it's the vet gate where many things change. It was this vet gate where Merlin was eliminated for lameness. Sure it was disappointing, but Alisija later said, "I had a blast riding with the Shaikhs. Merlin was at 100%. Ed did a great job training him. But... s**t happens! I never enjoyed the race so much before!"


It was this vet gate where Shaikh Hamdan and SAS Alexis moved to first place and Shaikh Majid into third; Maria Alvarez and Nobby stayed in second place, though they arrived a minute behind the first arrivals. Shaikh Mohammed dropped all the way back to 14th place because of a miscalculation by those crewing his horse - Ciel Oriental's pulse was not down to criteria 64 beats per minute when he entered the vet gate. The handler had to rush the horse out of the vet box and back around into the crewing area, make sure the pulse was down, and re-enter the vet gate. Instead of taking, say, 1 minute 11 seconds to pulse down like he did at the first vet gate, it took 5 minutes 23 seconds to record the horse as officially down. That put him four minutes behind Shaikh Hamdan leaving onto loop 3. A few other horses had to represent because they blew the pulse, too, including Churinga Kagebee ridden by Ali Mohammed Al Muhairi.

Jean-Philippe Frances and Hanaba du Bois moved into fifth place, from 16th on the first loop. The top 5 horses all pulsed down in under 2 minutes, after travelling the loop at over 20 km/h.

About this time I got a phone call from Steph, saying to stick around the venue and forget about taking pictures - the FEI website showing the positions of the riders crashed, and Hillary Bachman of Sport Horse International (who I never did get to see at the WEC) and I of Endurance.net were the only two keeping the world up to date for a while. So much of my afternoon consisted of badly typed messages (don't you hate it when your iPhone guesses at what you are trying to say? I tried to type "Hanaba du Bois" and it came out once as "Habana du bois" then "Banaba du Boise") to Ridecamp, while trying to watch everything (impossible in a spread out venue) and keep my iPhone charged (not possible without a plug!).


While the vet checks looked like absolute chaos of humanity swarming horses, especially with big groups of horses arriving together, they were actually well-oiled machines, waves of people quietly as possible dumping water on horses and checking the pulse as one person slowly walked the horses toward the vet gate. When you had a horse like Nobby, who pulsed down in 1 minute 5 seconds (the first vet gate) or 1 minute 2 seconds (!!) (the second vet gate), it was just one continuous smooth walk from the in-timer to the vet ring.

Ras Senor, the grey gelding of Argentine rider Mercedes Tapia lost a shoe out on loop two, as did the USA's Lindsay Graham and Monk, when he was stepped on from behind. Jeremy Reynolds, husband of Heather, replaced Monk's shoe during the 40 minute hold.

Heather's horse Ssamiam, and Monk are barefoot horses. But, seeing the awful condition of the slick and muddy course last year, to be safe it was decided to wear a specially designed shoe with mud nails - good for the dry grass and good for mud, if it happened again on the course this year. You can see the special shoes on Monk's feet in Chris Martin's FEIRedhorse blog.

5 more horses were eliminated at gate 2, making a total of 11 horses so far.


Loop 3 was a short 21.3 kilometers. Shaikh Mohammed and Ciel Oriental again arrived first, but would leave on loop 4 in 6th place because it took his horse 2 minutes 38 seconds to pulse down. Nobby again pulsed down fast, in 1 minute 3 seconds, which moved him into first place. On every following loop, Maria and Nobby arrived after other riders and horses (except the finish), but because of Nobby's phenomenal pulsing down, they left in first place. Shaikh Hamdan and SAS Alexis were in second, Shaikh Majid and Kangoo d'Aurabelle in third, Shaikh Dalmook of the UAE on Rukban Kikruhu Mmn in fourth, and France's Jean-Phhilippe Frances and Hanaba du Bois remained in 5th.

Vet gate 3 was a shocker for the American team: both Lindsay Graham and Monk, and Jan Worthington and Golden Lightning were pulled - Monk for metabolics (he had an inverted CRI - higher pulse after trotting out than before), and Golden Lightning for lameness. He had a slight lameness trotting out the first time, but when he had to represent before going out on loop 3, it wasn't so slight.

The day after the ride, Jan Worthington was still a bit stunned and rather devastated. It was only Leon's second pull (the first being at the finish of the World Endurance Championship in Malaysia, after a lightning bolt knocked him and Jan to the ground on the second loop). "I didn't notice anything out on the trail; he just trotted out lame."

Afterward, Chris Martin, owner of Monk, was ever grateful for the fantastic opportunity to be on the US team with the horse he loves and believes in so much. That Monk made the US team was the cake; everything else was the icing on the cake. "We really did accomplish what we intended to do." Monk was looking good the next morning, "fantastic and ready to go again." Chris still believes in his horse and is looking ahead down the trail. "This has been quite a ride," he said.

With Lindsay Graham riding as an individual, this still left the American team in contention.

Six more horses were eliminated at gate 3, including Argentina's Agustin Vita, whose 12-year-old gelding Baraka Ibn Al Tamah had garnered a surprise second place finish in the 2008 World Endurance Championship in Malaysia.

It had slowly warmed up during the day, but loop 4 could have been officially called warm and muggy. Clouds and a breeze at the venue kept things cool, but out on course it was hot. A big change for Australia's Matthew Sample from last year's Kentucky Cup pre-ride, when he got hypothermia in the freezing rain. Matthew was riding 14-year-old Tarrangower Crecendo, a Tom Quilty winner. This was actually his second string horse, who moved up to first when his first stringer got a hoof abscess a few weeks before this ride. "He's a lovely horse to ride," Matthew said. He got off and ran alongside Tarrangower Crecendo a lot on this loop.


Australian Penny Toft and Don were still going, though they slowed down considerably (from 19 km/h to 15 km/h) on this loop. "We went too fast the first two loops, but I just couldn't hold him back!" Now, especially with the heat, Don was getting a bit tired.


Dutch rider Carmen Romer and Tuff Enuff FA were still pushing hard at 19.3 km/h, neither of them having (so far) shown any ill effects from their fall on the first loop. It was a bittersweet time for Carmen at this ride. "You know my horse that you rode?" she asked me under their crewing tent when I stopped by to say hi. I had visited the Dutch endurance team in 2007 and went for a ride on Carmen's nice half Arabian, half Akhal-teke, Eddie R. "He just..." Her words choked off and tears began rolling down her face. "He died..." They had gotten a call a few days ago while they were here in Kentucky. Eddie R had broken his leg. Nothing they could do. She wiped her tears away and turned her attention back to the horse she was riding here.


It was yet another big blow to the Americans when Meg Sleeper's Syrocco Harmony was eliminated for metabolics. That meant the US Team was no longer in contention. Only Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam, in 7th place, and Deborah Reich and DJB Juniper in 11th, remained on course.


With 120 km (75 miles) now completed, Maria Alvarez and Nobby remained in first after the 27.2-km loop 4 (Nobby pulsed down in 1 minute 27 seconds); Jean-Philippe Frances and Hanaba du Bois second; Shaikh Majid and Kangoo D'Aurabelle third; Shaikh Hamdan and SAS Alexis in fourth; Shaikh Mohammed and Ciel Oriental in fifth.


German Gabriella Forster and Priceless Gold remained only 22 minutes behind the leaders in 14th position, with the rest of the German team (Belinda Hitzler and Shagar, the Arnold sisters Melanie on Shaika Bint Kheoma, and Sabrina on Beau Ox) and the individual rider Petra Hattab on Prince Sharif, still going steadily.

A total of 10 horses were eliminated at gate 4, including Portugal's Ana Margarida Costa on Gozlane du Somail, and Belgium's Maritza Pereira on Lima du Barthas for "Under Weight." Spot check weighing was done of random riders throughout the day, and these two riders were no longer carrying the minimum of 75 kilograms. Maritza Pereira was apparently 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) underweight. She had been sick and throwing up for days before the ride, so perhaps she had lost the weight out on the loops, but she was finished nonetheless.

To be continued...

2010 World Endurance Championship - Part I

Sunday October 3 2010

"Some days you're the windshield, and some days you're the bug. Today, we were the bug..."

So said Ed Kidd, after his horse Merlin, ridden by Lithuanian rider Alisija Zabavska-Granger, was pulled from the World Endurance Championship after the second vet gate for lameness.

There were more windshields than bugs at this year's Championship - the 55% finish rate was the highest ever for an Endurance Championship at the World Equestrian Games - and there were some shocking results after the day had ended, both good and bad.


The start took place under partly cloudy skies and with a chill breeze lifting the participating nations' flags above the head of spectators lining the starting line. It was expected to reach the 70's with a slight chance of rain during the day.

Cheers broke out as the field took off at 7:30 AM, with Maria Alvarez Ponton and Nobby, several UAE riders, and Uruguay's Paula Fort on Campanina waving her arm in a happy salute, leading the way. The start was smooth and mostly orderly aside from a few sidestepping and head tossing equines. DJB Boomer, the mount of Namibian rider Olivia Matthaei was a bit spunky, thinking he'd try swimming upstream once or twice, before he got lined out with the rest of the Namibian team, Kordula Voigts on DC Macproof, and Anna Wucher on DJB K D Fantasia.

Canadian Ruth Sturley's mount RBF Super Sport was so Super Excited, Ruth was having a bit of trouble getting out onto the course. Announcer Ian Williams kept saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet. Quiet please" - which made the spectators cheer - "Please be quiet. Ladies and gentlemen. Please" - which brought on more cheering. Ruth eventually made it out under the starting line.

A pile of us photographers and videographers were escorted to two vans - which were already full - that we crammed into, and were taken out on course to a place to catch the riders coming by in the middle of the 32.5-km first loop.


As expected, leading the field of 100 starters, was a group of 4 UAE riders, including Shaikh Mohammed and his sons Shaikh Majid and Shaikh Hamdan, followed closely by Maria Alvarez and Nobby, all averaging over 21 km/h (13 mph). The first two dozen riders were tightly packed together. Also packed in with the frontrunners were Dutch rider Carmen Romer on Tuff Enuff FA, Shaikh Nasser of Bahrain on Khandela des Vialette, Lithuanian Alisija Zabavska-Granger on Merlin, and US riders Meg Sleeper on Syrocco Harmony, Lindsay Graham and Monk, Deborah Reich on DJB Juniper, and Heather Reynolds and Ssamiam.


Pacing a little further back were French riders Jean-Philippe Frances on Hanaba du Bois, and Cecile Miletto Mosti on Easy Fontnoire. The French riders had a look of intense concentration, while Jan Worthington smiled and waved as she went by on a perky and fluidly moving Golden Lightning.


As the riders continued to complete their first loop (Shaikh Mohammed first, Maria Alvarez second, Shaikh Hamdan third), we moved on to the next spot on the 39.9-km second loop for photos, the lovely Castleton Lyons farm, a (renamed) farm that began back in 1793 and was once was the home of great thoroughbreds, standardbreds, and saddlebreds. In 1908, the farm, then owned by James R Keene, possessed "the greatest lot of (Thoroughbred) race horses ever owned by one man." It made you think, as you looked out over the miles of white-fenced paddocks of the Kentucky Bluegrass (which was brown from lack of rain the past 3 months), of how what great hooves had trod where we were just standing.


Endurance ride manager Emmett Ross had to get permission from a lot of private land owners to allow the ride to cross their properties. Emmett is no stranger to every facet of the sport of endurance, having done everything from FEI equestrian sports manager, trainer, coach, chef d'equipe, and rider (including a 3-time top ten Tevis finisher). On this farm, the riders zig-zagged between their paddocks, right up the driveway to the mansion where a brunch was happening on the balcony, where the guests could cheer for the riders, and on through an ivy-covered arch.


Cantering first past the barn and across one of the spacious paddocks were again Sheikh Mohammed and his sons, and Maria Alvarez on Nobby. They were averaging 20 km/h on this loop; Maria said later "I thought it was too fast," but she had to keep up with them. All the horses appeared to be handling it well.


Cantering around the corner in 8th place, just minutes behind the leaders was a great big smile followed by Alisija Zabavska-Granger on Merlin. Merlin had his eyes set on those leaders and he had a load of confidence backing him - he'd finished 49 of his 57 completions in the top ten. Nobody had told him this World Endurance Championship was different from any other race. As owner Ed Kidd said at the previous day's vet in, "He's been through all this before."


Four of the Americans were close together, with Jan Worthington and Golden Lightning just a few minutes back of them.


Possibly the other happiest person with the biggest smile of the day was Indian rider Mustafa Tehrani. He had, as he said after the ride, nothing less than a goal of standing on the Podium with his "great horse", AF Big Bucks, a former racehorse owned by Pam Weidel. All was going well and according to plan until he and his horse had a bad fall later in loop 2 in a creek, 5 miles before the vet gate. "Both of his legs went right into the water and I flipped over completely!" he said later. "The whole horse flipped over me. I was under the water, and the horse's hind leg hit my hand. I was lucky that I am alive!" The horse ran off but was caught by someone shortly; Mustafa remounted and continued along the trail. The horse was sound at his trot out and came away in 17th place, though afterwards Mustafa would say he could feel a little tightness developing in AF Big Bucks' shoulder as the day went on.


A little further back than expected was Dutch rider Carmen Romer... but it was good to see her. One of the Dutch photographers had gotten a call while we were setting up positions at this farm, that Carmen had fallen off her horse. He'd kicked out at another horse behind him, tripped and fell to his nose. Carmen tumbled off while Tuff Enuff FA kept on going with the group he was in. A steward caught him and got the horse back to Carmen; she remounted and continued on the trail. She and Tuff Enuff FA still came away from vet gate 2 in 12th place, giving no hint of their spill as they cantered by us on the farm.


Jean-Philippe Frances and Hanaba du Bois were moving comfortably along (his horse in a side pull, instead of a bit). They'd left vet gate 1 in 16th place, and would leave vet gate 2 in 5th place, while holding almost the exact same speed, of just over 20 km/h. This outstanding 15-year-old mare won the European Championship in Portugal in 2007, and this year won the 160 km ride in Compiegne, France, averaging 20.049 km/h. This pair was certainly one of the favorites of the ride. They rode as individuals.


In fact the entire French team was strong (as usual). Virginie Atger on Azim du Florival, and Cecile Miletto Mosti on Easy Fontnoire were pacing together. Azim du Florival, a young 8 years old, had finished all 5 of his European races, including winning the 160-km Rambouillet, France in June of this year. Easy Fontnoire, also 8, traces back to the great French (Russian bred) stallion Persik, and had completed all 8 of his races with his best finish a 3rd place at Compiegne CEIO in May.


Australians Penny Toft on Don, and Matthew Sample on Tom Quilty winner Tarrangower Crecendo were riding together around 30th position, averaging 19.5 km/h. Further back in the pack, riding together were 3 of the Canadians, Elroy Karius on Apache Eclypse (a 3000+ mile horse who got 2nd and BC on the Carolina 100 in November of last year), his wife Gail Jewell on NL Temptation (a 2000+ mile horse who had finished 40 of his 41 starts, and completed 7 of 7 100-milers including a win in the same Carolina 100), and Bob Gielen on FC Galaxy (a 2000+ mile horse who last won and BC'd the 75 mile Canadian Championship).

The two vans were supposed to honk for us before we all left, and we (me, Genie Stewart-Spears and Shelley Deal) told two other photographers, "Don't forget us!", and maybe that all happened, but about the time we heard a van honk and we came running, we three (troublemakers?) were left alone on this beautiful horse farm with a big brunch party going on. Genie luckily had the phone number of one of the drivers, who had to come back and pick us up. We were quite tempted to knock on the front door and ask for badly needed cappuchinos, which I was sure they were serving, but the van showed up just in time before I embarrassed us all.

It didn't matter anyway that we'd missed our van and wasted time, as our group of press were turned away from the next private farm (the owner apparently changed their minds about us coming on the property and photographing there) - so we returned to the venue in time to see the front runners arrive into Vet Gate 2.

To be continued...

(Many, many photos at http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2010WEC/

World Endurance Championship Vet In Day

Thursday September 30 2010

One of the great things about a World Endurance Championship is that there are so many people you will get to see and visit with once again from around the world.

One of the bad things about a World Endurance Championship is that there are so many people you want to see and visit with once again from around the world that you simply don't have the time to see them all.


A good little crowd had gathered around the vetting ring in an outdoor arena Saturday morning, as, one by one, the countries arrived in alphabetical order to vet in their horses. A good time to look at some handsome horseflesh, and greet long lost friends. Even Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum - the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and endurance racing competitor - was waiting around the vetting ring before and after his two horses passed inspection, chatting with people, watching horses, and without his usual retinue. He looked like just another endurance rider with a stable pass around his neck, hanging out with other endurance riders and grooms with stable passes around their necks


All the horses I saw were well behaved and calm, and plenty of people were enjoying themselves with smiles on their faces. The German girls looked spiffy in their black tights with yellow stars on them; the Great Britain men looked dapper in suits and ties as did the ladies in their waistcoats.


The lone rider representing India was Mustafa Tehrani, who would be riding Pam Weidel's horse AF Big Bucks. When the horse passed the vet inspection, that made Mustafa the first Indian rider to get to the World Endurance Championship. AF Big Bucks was a former racehorse who was unhappy at his job, and one that Pam had her eye on for two years before she could get him. The 11-year-old gelding has over 1000 AERC miles to his name, but only one 100-miler, the FITS Pioneer in March of this year. He and Mustafa finished 5th in 8:12.01, and here they were, qualified for the World Endurance Championship.


Alisija Zabavska-Granger, representing Lithuania, would be riding Ed Kidd's horse Merlin. Merlin's got over 3000 AERC miles in 10 seasons of competition, and has completed 7 100-milers. Alisija finished 9th on him in March in the 100-mile FITS Pioneer, and second on him in the 50-mile Endure for the Cure in July. Ed was quite enjoying himself, and Merlin sauntered around unconcerned by anything. "He's done all this before," Ed said, clearly smitten by his horse.


The American team's horses all looked good, and when they all passed the vet in, a cheer went up around the ring. Deborah Reich and her horse DJB Juniper had bumped up to the team when Ellyn Rapp's SA Belshazzar came up lame. Ellyn and her extra horse Berjo Smokey were now the US Team's alternates. It had to be a disappointment after making it this far - but Ellyn and her twin sister Eryn looked like they were enjoying the experience.


Kiwi Madonna Harris is the chef d'equipe of the New Zealand team of three who came to ride. Madonna was fresh off participating in the 1000-km Mongol Derby, where she finished 3rd (and which I never had time to ask her about).


Kiwi Trevor Copland came with American Charisse Glenn to crew for the Japan team of 5 riders - the first Japanese team to participate in the World Endurance Championship. Ayame Sasaki was possibly the youngest rider in this year's WEC. At 18 years of age, she would be riding Fausto BL - a half brother (through the sire LV Cartell) to Joyce Sousa's iron horse LV Integrity, the 6400+ mile horse with 26 of 29 100-mile finishes, and 2 Tevis buckles. Four of the five Japan horses are owned by Mr Seiichi Hasumi, the man who has finished Tevis 7 times (in a row!!), and the man who is responsible for starting endurance riding in Japan. Mr Hasumi had bad luck and didn't qualify himself for riding in the WEC, but he is playing the roll of chef d'equipe for the team. It should be mentioned that the Japan Equestrian Federation contributed nothing to the endurance team; Mr Hasumi and the team members and a printing company Toppan worked to get the Japan team to Kentucky.


Carmen Romer was the lone entry from the Netherlands, riding Tuff Enuff FA owned by JD Fountain. He got to know Carmen through Valerie Kanavy - Carmen rode Valerie's King Ali Gold (anybody heard of him?) to a third place and BC in the 50-mile Gallop on the Greenway in January, and she won the 100-mile Canadian Championships and got BC on Valerie's Destiny Gold in July. Carmen's just 25, but, "She's the best rider!" JD said of her. Carmen has competed in endurance all around the world, and was the Dutch Champion in 1996 and 1997. She and Tuff Enuff FA finished second in the 100-mile Goethe Challenge in December of 2009 to qualify for the World Endurance Championship. Carmen's enthusiastic father Lei – crew extraordinaire and biggest fan of his daughter - would be crewing for her.


Spanish Maria Alvarez Ponton and her horse Nobby - reigning World Endurance Champions - vetted in, and then Maria was there for the UAE as they vetted in - she and her husband Jaume Punti train horses for the Shaikh Mohammed in Spain, England and Dubai. Afterwards she got on one of Shaikh Mohammed's horses and took him for a warm up ride on the course, and later got on Nobby with the Spanish team, and took him for a spin. It's all in a hard day's work for a World and European Champion, who, it is worth noting, gave birth to a daughter 7 weeks previously!


A number of horses were out on the training course in the afternoon, getting their last works in before tomorrow's race. Some teams went out as a group: Bahrain, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Brazil, Japan, France; others went out individually.


Penny Toft was one of the three riders representing Australia. She'd be riding Don, a 14-year-old "station-bred" - half Arabian, half...something, could be Cob, draft, standardbred. One might say he has a coarse head, but he had a nice shine to his fit endurance body.

This is what Penny said of Don, when I visited the Tofts and rode with them in Australia in 2007: "He sets his head, and he goes, crazy fast; he’s got one pace, flat out. When you come to an intersection, he’ll throw on the brakes and buck and kick up. You get on him and he pisses off, no standing around and waiting. He whizzes around corners on 2 legs; he puts his head down like a vacuum cleaner to go under trees and he doesn’t slow down. You have to duck fast! You can’t make him drink if he doesn’t want to, but when he does want to, he drinks like a camel."

He's gotten a bit more controllable over the years with more experience, but he can still be a challenge to ride. Before Penny took Don out for his final warm up ride on the course, Peter Toft took him to the arena to lunge him first. We watched Don leap and bolt and gallop and play around Peter in circles. "When he's on the track, he's totally focused," Penny said, "but out here is where he shows off his personality. I hope I stay on him today... " Penny's always had a soft spot for this horse, and I could see that Peter Toft does too, the way he let Don do what he wanted, and didn't get after him.

Don isn't really a people horse - he likes to do his job, but don't be doing any hugging on him or petting his head. "Don't touch his face, and don't touch this spot on his withers when you're crewing him," said American Ann Hall, who would help crew along with the Tofts' daughter Alexandra, "or you'll end up in one of those water buckets!"

Alexandra and Penny came to ride the WEC pre-ride last year, and both withdrew their horses after the first loop because of the dangerous footing on the course, and because Alexandra was suffering from hypothermia.

The weather was good - in the high low 80's, with tomorrow looking to be even cooler. A front moved through the night before and dropped some rain on the course, which could only help with the footing on course.


Opening ceremonies in the evening were an extravaganza of music: Wynonna Judd, orchestra, choirs, opera singers; horses: champion Saddlebreds under saddle and pulling carriages (including one driven by William Shatner), Standardbreds racing, Thoroughbreds racing (including one carrying former jockey Chris McCarron); trick riders, Stacy Westfall, ballet dancers, ballet dancers and a dancing horse and rider, and of course the parade of participating nations. Jan Worthington deservedly got to walk in the front row of the Americans (all disciplines walked together), waving little American flags.

Unfortunately, the incredible opera singers were probably lost on most of this crowd, and the 3-hour Opening Ceremonies were about an hour too long, as by the end, half the stadium was empty. Competitors and grooms and crews were already tucked in bed for their short sleep before tomorrow's 7:30 AM start of the World Endurance Championship.