2008 WEC - The Race
I think that this event represented the maturity of our sport at the International level. It was a very tight race - a tightly contested race. I'm not sure how much more advantage can be gained in future events by 'getting better' at any aspect of competition. With more things being equal (training, nutrition, crewing, strategy) we are beginning to see the true brilliance and athletic ability of the horse and the skill and horsemanship of the rider prevail.
The winning horse probably had the best advantage in terms of race 'smarts' - Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton has been competing and training for years at the highest level, based out of Dubai (Emirates Stable owned by Shk. Mohamed bin Rashid al Maktoum and managed by Jaume Punti) in the winter, and competing in Europe during the summer. Experience, flawless crewing, calculated pacing, skilled riding - all part of the winning effort. And when applied to a brilliant athlete, trained and managed to peak fitness and health, a winning combination. This was as close to a well earned win as I have ever seen when all parts are weighed. Maria was asked at the press conference what problems she encountered during the race. She smiled - grateful and incredulous - and said 'really there were no problems, everything went perfectly'. Certainly the stars were aligned for Maria and Nobby, but it was a well earned victory. She did not falter, did not get lost, did not have tack problems, Nobby did not lose a shoe, and she had plenty of horse left for the final leg when she was challenged by the riders from Argentina and UAE.
And then there was the surprising and equally brilliant Silver medal performance by the Argentine rider Augustin Vita and his horse Baraka Ibn Al Tamah. Where the heck did they come from?? I saw Vita and Baraka as they burst out of the gate for the final 10km leg. A full gallop, the horse looked incredible, and they covered the final 10km at a speed of 28km/hr - that's over 17 miles an hour - at the end of a 100 mile ride... And the horse recovered from the sprint in 13 minutes! Vita certainly didn't have the experience that Maria Ponton had, nor the money and backing that many other riders had, but he had the youthful courage (I believe he is 17 years old), the smarts and the riding ability to guide a brilliant horse to a second place finish. It was a surprise, and another testimony to this sport that you can't always buy victory! I talked to Carle Larerra (the Argentine Chef d' Equipe) a little after the race. He had high praise for Vita and the horse, grinning and shaking his head. He also said that much of Vita's (and therefore Argentina's!) success could be attributed to the excellent horses produced in Argentina, and to the very well supported Young Riders program. Kids start riding early, it's very much a family affair, there are always well attended Young Rider divisions, and they are given support and encouragement and congratulations at every opportunity.
The Bronze individual medal and Gold team medal went to United Arab Emirates. The UAE was a very well oiled machine. They earned their medals. Sultan bin Suleyem rode a superb athlete, Tazoul El Parry, he rode a smart well paced ride, and deserves credit for the mental toughness required to place so well in this challenging night ride. You can have a top trained horse, a top crew, the best of the best, but you still have to ride the horse, guide the horse, every step of the way. All of the UAE riders did a fine job. But I was greatly disappointed that the entire team did not show up for the Prize Giving the day after the race. Suleyem was there, and Mohamed Ali Subose was there, and the trainer was there - but that was it. The other team member HH Shk Majid al Maktoum had already left, as did HH Shk Hamdan al Makoum, the other riders and crew. There was a big hole in the middle of the podium where the UAE team spirit should have been, in my opinion.
But Qatar and Bahrain made up for whatever lack of team spirit UAE demonstrated on the podium. The maroon and white of the very proud and enthusiastic Silver Medal Qatar team, and the brilliant red and white of the proud Bronze Medal Bahrain team led by Shk Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa- they were obviously proud to be there and proud to be part of the World Championship. I have to admit that Qatar and Bahrain's victories surprised many. The UAE has been the dominate Middle Eastern country in previous International competitions, but apparently Qatar and Bahrain have been also working diligently and preparing their horses and riders and obviously have serious aspirations to excel in Endurance.
And what about the others? Portugal made a very very fine showing, only 1:30:00 behind Bahrain for a team medal, they finished four out of six riders, and they did this out of the commitment, skill and horsemanship of each individual. There is little Federation support for Endurance in Portugal, these guys financed most of the expenses of coming to the WEC (beyond the major expense which was born by Malaysia) out of their own pockets. They were stunning in their pure white shirts, proud of their flag, and their effort. And without a doubt they were the life of the party. Rui shipped 100 liters of fine Portuguese wine with the horses. These guys were fun, they were tireless, they were genuine and charming, and tremendously disappointed to have missed a medal by so little. Several of their riders got lost on one of the loops adding precious time to the total, and this and that ...and they were soooooo close! Whenever I think of them, I smile.
Chile - they did not finish a single rider, they were also quite disappointed - but they were without a doubt the best dressed team in Terengganu. Everywhere they went they had matching polo shirts, red or blue or white, always sharp, beautiful women, handsome men, they may not have won a medal but they turned heads everywhere they went!
Uruguay - perhaps they were cursed with whispers - "the fastest horses.... topped ranked rider... a good shot at the gold... their type of course" - all of it true, but it was not to be. And several new countries on the scene - Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica - they have much to learn, and Endurance programs yet to build, but they have started - and we all know that once we start this sport we can't quit it!
France - I still don't know what happened to France, the most consistent medal winners of the past decade. I did hear a little muttering about the state of the sport, the fact that the flat track courses aren't real endurance... who knows, but this was not their race.
USA - a huge disappointment in results - only 2 finished, and while the two that did finish (Valerie Kanavy and Kathy Brunjes) deserve congratulations, neither of them performed to their potential. They lost precious time at the first vet gate when their over excited horses took close to 30 minutes to recover. They rode to the Chef's plan, and performed well for their team, but between losing one rider to a violent flu episode, and having two riders experience a lightening strike, panicked and bolting horses, injuries sustained by both riders and horses... it was not their race.
Canada - go Canada! They did not set any speed records, but they finished 4 riders and a full team. They had difficulties the entire way with shipping and quarantine issues, delays, extra expenses, etc. But they did it, eh? Italy - a fine showing, not fast enough to earn a medal, but they finished 3 team members and ran a good race. Spain - for the second year in a row the individual Gold Medal went to Spain!
So many personal victories, and dramas, and hopes and disappointments. But the overall the mood before, during, and after the race was good, it was exceptional. Very little blame went around, people accepted the challenge, dealt with the unique food and language of the host country, learned to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road, enjoyed the beautiful beach, tolerated the rains, they did their best, and they paid great respect to the Malaysian effort. Malaysia went out of their way to take care of the riders and horses, and everybody recognized and appreciated that. There was much festivity, new friends made, more experience gained, and already everyone is talking about the next one!
that's it for now (I think),
Steph
2008-11-14
Steph's Final 2. Malaysian Riders
Malaysia met one great challenge - it proved that it could host an exceptional World Championship event. The other major challenge was to qualify a field of riders to represent the country. FEI has previously allowed the host country to field a double squad if so desired, although 2008 would be the last year to do so. This meant that Malaysia could start 12 riders: 8 would be riding as individuals, 4 as part of the team. At the time of the FEI's final decision to grant Malaysia the 2008 WEC, following the November 2007 Sultan's Cup, there were no Malaysians qualified. The additional condition imposed on the event, was that riders must qualify with not just 1, but 2 successful sub 13:20 hour completions of a 160km ride on the same horse - one within 24 months of nominated entry (August 21 2008), and another within 12 months. And by the time the FEI decided on Malaysia as host (November 2007), there effectively remained only 8 months for 16 riders to complete 2 160km rides on the same horse.
There were plenty of willing riders, but only a handful of 100 mile horses, and only a handful of 100 mile rides. They needed horses, and they needed sub 13:20 ride completions. They were going to have go outside the country for both the horses, and the rides. This would require a coordinated effort, and would require funding. Under the auspices of the Malaysia National Sports Institute a committee was formed, a project was developed, and a goal of qualifying a field of Malaysian riders for the 2008 WEC was set. Raja Mahmood Raja Hussein, a member of the Malaysia National Federation, and chair of the Endurance discipline spearheaded the effort under the direction of Dato Dr. Ramlan Abdul Aziz. Also part of the team were Dr. Bashir Ahmad (project veterinarian) and Mohamad Din Mat (project manager). This team would eventually send riders to Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, USA, UAE and Australia, multiple times, to lease/purchase horses, and hopefully obtain 2 successful completions. Trip by trip, month by month, mile by mile... by June there were five riders that had qualified including His Majesty, Tuanku Mizan. Horses were purchased and imported, several more rides were scheduled in Malaysia for local horses and horses that had been imported earlier, and by the August 21 deadline, 16 riders had fully qualified for the WEC! This is a fairly amazing accomplishment and I'm sure many of the adventures these travelers encountered will be told for years to come.
Malaysia has been on a very steep learning curve during the past several years. I doubt if there are many riders that have more than 1000 miles of experience, and in this sport, experience is essential! The travels that they made this summer exposed them to many different venues, and riders, and styles and every place they went they learned something. I was particularly impressed with Tuanku Mizan and the Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable. They made several trips to Dubai and Abu Dhabi during the 'quest for qualification', and were able to watch the UAE stables in action - fast efficient crewing, intense competition, HRH's, GPS, state of the art equipment. They watched and learned and brought a lot of what the observed back home with them. I rode with the RTES in Melaka this past spring and was amazed at their efficiency. I have also been impressed, and moved, by Tuanku's concern for the horse. He is a good rider, and a compassionate horseman. His concern for and sensitivity to the horse is obvious and I have seen him pull out of events of his own accord, if the horse was not doing well. His ego and ambition are secondary to his concern for the horse. He has my utmost respect, and I think it is qualities such as this that make him such a loved and revered King.
I truly wish Malaysia had completed more riders at the WEC. With only 2 out of 12 finishing there was a lot of disappointment. I felt like I knew every rider, they were my friends and I wished them well. And I was particularly hoping that Tuanku Mizan would finish. He finally opted to ride Ibrahim instead of Pharoah the Appaloosa which was having some back soreness. Ibrahim was the horse that he qualified with in UAE, a horse of Shk Mohamed al Maktoum's stable managed by Jauma Punti. A very good horse, fully capable of a solid completion. But for whatever reason the horse did not have a good day, they retired him at gate 5 - low gut sounds, and not eating well.
A tremendous effort on everybody's part, and plenty of reason to celebrate considering the massive scope of the event. And they are already planning for Kentucky, 2010! Now they have more horses, more riders, more experience and that super drive to succeed that comes with an 'almost did it' experience. Pick yourself back up and try again.
more later-
Steph
There were plenty of willing riders, but only a handful of 100 mile horses, and only a handful of 100 mile rides. They needed horses, and they needed sub 13:20 ride completions. They were going to have go outside the country for both the horses, and the rides. This would require a coordinated effort, and would require funding. Under the auspices of the Malaysia National Sports Institute a committee was formed, a project was developed, and a goal of qualifying a field of Malaysian riders for the 2008 WEC was set. Raja Mahmood Raja Hussein, a member of the Malaysia National Federation, and chair of the Endurance discipline spearheaded the effort under the direction of Dato Dr. Ramlan Abdul Aziz. Also part of the team were Dr. Bashir Ahmad (project veterinarian) and Mohamad Din Mat (project manager). This team would eventually send riders to Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, USA, UAE and Australia, multiple times, to lease/purchase horses, and hopefully obtain 2 successful completions. Trip by trip, month by month, mile by mile... by June there were five riders that had qualified including His Majesty, Tuanku Mizan. Horses were purchased and imported, several more rides were scheduled in Malaysia for local horses and horses that had been imported earlier, and by the August 21 deadline, 16 riders had fully qualified for the WEC! This is a fairly amazing accomplishment and I'm sure many of the adventures these travelers encountered will be told for years to come.
Malaysia has been on a very steep learning curve during the past several years. I doubt if there are many riders that have more than 1000 miles of experience, and in this sport, experience is essential! The travels that they made this summer exposed them to many different venues, and riders, and styles and every place they went they learned something. I was particularly impressed with Tuanku Mizan and the Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable. They made several trips to Dubai and Abu Dhabi during the 'quest for qualification', and were able to watch the UAE stables in action - fast efficient crewing, intense competition, HRH's, GPS, state of the art equipment. They watched and learned and brought a lot of what the observed back home with them. I rode with the RTES in Melaka this past spring and was amazed at their efficiency. I have also been impressed, and moved, by Tuanku's concern for the horse. He is a good rider, and a compassionate horseman. His concern for and sensitivity to the horse is obvious and I have seen him pull out of events of his own accord, if the horse was not doing well. His ego and ambition are secondary to his concern for the horse. He has my utmost respect, and I think it is qualities such as this that make him such a loved and revered King.
I truly wish Malaysia had completed more riders at the WEC. With only 2 out of 12 finishing there was a lot of disappointment. I felt like I knew every rider, they were my friends and I wished them well. And I was particularly hoping that Tuanku Mizan would finish. He finally opted to ride Ibrahim instead of Pharoah the Appaloosa which was having some back soreness. Ibrahim was the horse that he qualified with in UAE, a horse of Shk Mohamed al Maktoum's stable managed by Jauma Punti. A very good horse, fully capable of a solid completion. But for whatever reason the horse did not have a good day, they retired him at gate 5 - low gut sounds, and not eating well.
A tremendous effort on everybody's part, and plenty of reason to celebrate considering the massive scope of the event. And they are already planning for Kentucky, 2010! Now they have more horses, more riders, more experience and that super drive to succeed that comes with an 'almost did it' experience. Pick yourself back up and try again.
more later-
Steph
Stephs Final 1. Malaysia's WEC
The WEC - Final - Hosting a World Championship
The 2008 WEC has definitely topped all of the other WEC's in terms of quality of organization and grandeur.
In terms of the actual race, I think Malaysia' WEC has also set a new standard. The statistics this event was on par with previous FEI World Endurance Championships. The completion rate was 38% (Aachen 2006 was 40%, Dubai 2004 was 36%), the winning time was surprisingly fast - 8:48 at 18.16km/hr (Aachen was just under 10 hours at 15.96km). But what makes these race statistics so remarkable were the results, relative to the expectations and the fears. And, of the greatest significance, there were no horses requiring serious treatment. The biggest concern that the FEI had regarding the final determination to sanction a WEC in the tropics was that the combination of speed and heat and humidity could prove overly harmful to the horse - that if this event resulted in any horse fatalities or in an abundance of over stressed horses it would cancel all of the progress that Endurance has made over the past years in gaining a valid place in the world of FEI - of International equestrian sports.
In fact, this event may well have clinched the validity and acceptance of Endurance in the world of FEI sport. The results proved that Endurance has matured as a sport in terms of 1. the ability of the rider to race responsibly, 2. the athleticism of the horse in it's ability to perform and remain healthy, and 3. the management and oversight of the FEI in it's capacity to govern the sport at the highest level - in a manner which provides for fair competition and most importantly protects the horse.
By any standards this event was a tremendous success. I asked Ian Williams (FEI director for non-Olympic sports ) for a quick evaluation after the race. He didn't hesitate: "stunning" "superlative" "impressive" ! He commented that the venue, the organization, the effort and achievement was amazing, an absolute success. And it was.
This event also represented a landmark in publicity for Endurance. This was the first time that ESPN provided live coverage of Endurance. And they managed to make it exciting! By filming the first 2 hours (daylight) and the final 2 hours (also daylight) they were able to capture the drama of Endurance competition -(the excitement of the start, the emotion of the finish) and to avoid the hours of tedium (enduring) from the 25 mile mark to the 75 mile mark, where the real work is done, the battle for time and placement is primarily fought, but for the spectator it all looks rather tedious!
In terms of organization - it was the result of a very committed and competent team, and an abundance of people and resources. The interior Sports Ministry of Malaysia, the State of Terengganu, the military, the Mounted Police, the Royal Foundation of Terengganu (Tuanku/Sultan Mizan foundation), the Malaysian Equestrian Federation... this list goes on. I don't know what the final budget was for the event. When I asked Dato' Salleh - Chair of the WEC Organizing Committee what the budget was he smiled in that very Malaysian way (gracious yet revealing little :) and said 'a bit'. I heard the number one hundred million ringets tossed around by a few (that's about 30 million USD) - and I could believe it. I also 'heard' that ESPN alone cost close to 9 million...
It was an exceptionally run equestrian event, but it was also much more. It was a Malaysian Happening - a display of National pride; Malaysia welcoming the world in their very gracious and competent way. The small things, the little touches were everywhere. Things that require an attention to detail, and a true desire to make everybody feel welcome and well looked after. A taste of the art, beauty and spirituality of Asia - the serenity, the hospitality, the culture of revering one's guest. All of this was embodied in many different ways.
And the attention to detail, and ability to communicate was outstanding. A little pocket sized information booklet was given to everybody and contained almost all of the information the various riders, teams, chefs, etc would need to know about: dining, accommodation, transportation, logistics, several pages with complete track information including ride time from point to point at various speeds, crew points, water points, start times, distances, etc etc. There was a bulletin board in a central location for announcements and notices, the offices were always open, and willing to answer questions. Press, transportation, drivers, logistics, stewards - everybody that was involved with the organization had a brightly colored tshirt - it was easy to find a person to ask a question of, and easy to eventually identify the person that could best answer your question. And there was constant air of politeness. If people were tired or short tempered they didn't show.
Malaysian people have a milder culture than those of the western world - less anxious and energized, much slower in movement and softer in language, quicker to smile, perhaps less confrontational and more deferential, but they also 'get it'. They understand how the rest of the world functions, and they seem to be masters at making things happen.
And I still marvel at the love and reverence that Malaysians have for their King. I think that Tuanku Mizan is very special, even among Kings, with a very special wife and family. He is young, sporting, quick to smile, easy to talk to. His people absolutely adore him, and perhaps this has also contributed to the total success of the 2008 WEC. For many of the WEC force, their dedication to excellence goes beyond just doing their job, to doing it out of love for their King. I think that's a hard thing for most of us to understand - to have a person, as a symbol of uncomplicated allegiance and reverence. Beyond the politics, beyond the scope of life's daily grind. More like a movie star in some ways, a John Wayne. Or a religious figure. But with a deep history, centuries. It still surprised me at times to be having a conversion with 'regular folks' and have them make a reference to 'my King' with a look in their eyes that spoke of a depth of love and respect that we rarely see in other cultures.
I really can't say enough about the effort that went into this event, and the practically perfect result. I have watched from the beginning, and have been involved at some level with the core group of Malaysians that set the whole thing in motion to begin with. A clever and persistent group.
more later-
Steph
The 2008 WEC has definitely topped all of the other WEC's in terms of quality of organization and grandeur.
In terms of the actual race, I think Malaysia' WEC has also set a new standard. The statistics this event was on par with previous FEI World Endurance Championships. The completion rate was 38% (Aachen 2006 was 40%, Dubai 2004 was 36%), the winning time was surprisingly fast - 8:48 at 18.16km/hr (Aachen was just under 10 hours at 15.96km). But what makes these race statistics so remarkable were the results, relative to the expectations and the fears. And, of the greatest significance, there were no horses requiring serious treatment. The biggest concern that the FEI had regarding the final determination to sanction a WEC in the tropics was that the combination of speed and heat and humidity could prove overly harmful to the horse - that if this event resulted in any horse fatalities or in an abundance of over stressed horses it would cancel all of the progress that Endurance has made over the past years in gaining a valid place in the world of FEI - of International equestrian sports.
In fact, this event may well have clinched the validity and acceptance of Endurance in the world of FEI sport. The results proved that Endurance has matured as a sport in terms of 1. the ability of the rider to race responsibly, 2. the athleticism of the horse in it's ability to perform and remain healthy, and 3. the management and oversight of the FEI in it's capacity to govern the sport at the highest level - in a manner which provides for fair competition and most importantly protects the horse.
By any standards this event was a tremendous success. I asked Ian Williams (FEI director for non-Olympic sports ) for a quick evaluation after the race. He didn't hesitate: "stunning" "superlative" "impressive" ! He commented that the venue, the organization, the effort and achievement was amazing, an absolute success. And it was.
This event also represented a landmark in publicity for Endurance. This was the first time that ESPN provided live coverage of Endurance. And they managed to make it exciting! By filming the first 2 hours (daylight) and the final 2 hours (also daylight) they were able to capture the drama of Endurance competition -(the excitement of the start, the emotion of the finish) and to avoid the hours of tedium (enduring) from the 25 mile mark to the 75 mile mark, where the real work is done, the battle for time and placement is primarily fought, but for the spectator it all looks rather tedious!
In terms of organization - it was the result of a very committed and competent team, and an abundance of people and resources. The interior Sports Ministry of Malaysia, the State of Terengganu, the military, the Mounted Police, the Royal Foundation of Terengganu (Tuanku/Sultan Mizan foundation), the Malaysian Equestrian Federation... this list goes on. I don't know what the final budget was for the event. When I asked Dato' Salleh - Chair of the WEC Organizing Committee what the budget was he smiled in that very Malaysian way (gracious yet revealing little :) and said 'a bit'. I heard the number one hundred million ringets tossed around by a few (that's about 30 million USD) - and I could believe it. I also 'heard' that ESPN alone cost close to 9 million...
It was an exceptionally run equestrian event, but it was also much more. It was a Malaysian Happening - a display of National pride; Malaysia welcoming the world in their very gracious and competent way. The small things, the little touches were everywhere. Things that require an attention to detail, and a true desire to make everybody feel welcome and well looked after. A taste of the art, beauty and spirituality of Asia - the serenity, the hospitality, the culture of revering one's guest. All of this was embodied in many different ways.
And the attention to detail, and ability to communicate was outstanding. A little pocket sized information booklet was given to everybody and contained almost all of the information the various riders, teams, chefs, etc would need to know about: dining, accommodation, transportation, logistics, several pages with complete track information including ride time from point to point at various speeds, crew points, water points, start times, distances, etc etc. There was a bulletin board in a central location for announcements and notices, the offices were always open, and willing to answer questions. Press, transportation, drivers, logistics, stewards - everybody that was involved with the organization had a brightly colored tshirt - it was easy to find a person to ask a question of, and easy to eventually identify the person that could best answer your question. And there was constant air of politeness. If people were tired or short tempered they didn't show.
Malaysian people have a milder culture than those of the western world - less anxious and energized, much slower in movement and softer in language, quicker to smile, perhaps less confrontational and more deferential, but they also 'get it'. They understand how the rest of the world functions, and they seem to be masters at making things happen.
And I still marvel at the love and reverence that Malaysians have for their King. I think that Tuanku Mizan is very special, even among Kings, with a very special wife and family. He is young, sporting, quick to smile, easy to talk to. His people absolutely adore him, and perhaps this has also contributed to the total success of the 2008 WEC. For many of the WEC force, their dedication to excellence goes beyond just doing their job, to doing it out of love for their King. I think that's a hard thing for most of us to understand - to have a person, as a symbol of uncomplicated allegiance and reverence. Beyond the politics, beyond the scope of life's daily grind. More like a movie star in some ways, a John Wayne. Or a religious figure. But with a deep history, centuries. It still surprised me at times to be having a conversion with 'regular folks' and have them make a reference to 'my King' with a look in their eyes that spoke of a depth of love and respect that we rarely see in other cultures.
I really can't say enough about the effort that went into this event, and the practically perfect result. I have watched from the beginning, and have been involved at some level with the core group of Malaysians that set the whole thing in motion to begin with. A clever and persistent group.
more later-
Steph
2008-11-13
Steph's final story (almost). Part III
Malaysia (pre) Story, Part III
Preparing for the Sultans Cup - the Test -
During the year leading up to the 2007 Sultan's Cup there would be more events - and new events - held in Malaysia, and with each event came the question 'how will this help us prepare for the WEC - and the Sultan's Cup?'. The Royal Kedah International was a new ride, in the northern sultanate of Kedah - a celebration of the Sultan's 80th birthday. A gala event, with invitations handed out to all of the riders who attended the 2006 Sultan's Cup. So there would be foreign riders, and there would also be a bit of a test regarding horses, shipping and acclimation. Peter Toft was to import several horses into Malaysia 3 weeks before the event. The horses were already purchased by Malaysian riders - they would stay in Malaysia, but the test would be to observe how well they ran with only 3 weeks time in the country. The result was mixed. The horses spent most of their 'acclimation' period traveling - into Malaysia, to Ar Raudah, then north to Qedah. Two of the horses finished the 120km (though at a slow pace) in excellent form, two rider options (horses weren't eating well - weren't happy), one lameness and one metabolic (colic). In addition to the horse test, was a timing test - a new system using the swipe card (bar code) technology. Edaran Digital Systems, Tansri Tajudin's company, was the host - the OC - for this event. They did all the arrangements, FEI officials, etc - and they also tested a timing system that they were developing. It worked fairly well, though there were some rider/official/communication issues, and a few glitches in out times.
There were additional events held in Terengganu as well - to fine tune the venue and trail. In May the YDSM-PENN ride was held - another test of the venue, and a first opportunity for the new show director to see what Endurance was all about. Earlier this year the OC hired Azrin Zudhi to be the 2008 WEC (and 2007 Sultans Cup) show director. Azrin is a Malay woman married to a German national, educated in London, with ten years experience in England in the world of business and finance. Also an equestrienne - from the world of dressage and jumping. She came back to Malaysia to live and start a new career, and through contacts and associates - and having the right skills for the job - was eventually hired as the show director of the 2006 FEI World Cup Jumping Final. She learned about importing horses, about coordinating an equestrian event - and about building a team of dependable, hard-working people. Many of these people also signed on to help her with the Endurance event.. yet another huge challenge.
Azrin was hired in time to attend the FEI World Forum in Paris (March) where she started meeting the people - the players - and learning about the FEI, and the intensity of our sport. Her first real dive into Endurance was the YDSM-PENN event. She came as an observer, along with a few of her World Cup team members. An eye opener I'm sure! There's nothing neat and tidy about Endurance - and it goes on and on and through the night - and the complications of the sport are quite a logistical challenge.
This event was also to be a test of another bar code (swipe card) timing system - one that was developed for Al Wathba stables and the Emirates International Endurance Village (Abu Dhabi). The technicians and developers came (Tony and Charbel) with software and bare bones equipment, the rest was purchased for the event and would remain in Terengganu. The system worked very well, definitely a successful test.
The next event - Edaran Endurance Classic 2007 'Menuju WEC 2008' (towards WEC 2008) was scheduled for July and it would also be held in Terengganu. Another test of the trail and the venue. This race would see the fastest 160km finish time ever achieved in Malaysia - 10:45, 14.3 km/hr.
And during the entire season, the OC (with a new chair, Dato Salleh and new 'show' direcor Azrin Zhudi) would be in full gear. They would be closely involved in each Malaysian event, observing foreign events (they travelled to Compiegne France, and Idaho USA to observe championship level events) and putting the Sultans Cup event together.
The purpose of the Sultans Cup as a test was to bring in foreign riders AND foreign horses, simulate the shipping, quarantine, stabling and competition environment to be expected at a WEC, and see if top horses and riders could safely compete. The FEI permitted the OC to invite riders of their choosing. Given the importance of the results (less then 40% completion would nix the WEC in Malaysia) the OC wanted the ability to invite horses and riders with proven records, and riders who they felt were committed to a fair trial. There were some who were strongly - and vocally - opposed to holding a WEC in Malaysia. And there were some who felt that Malaysia would be a true endurance challenge - a technical challenge - and very much in keeping with the spirit of the sport. The choice of who to invite would be up to the OC - not the individual Federations. And the 40% completion criteria would apply only to invited foreign riders. Others (locals or special invitations) could compete as well - but the test was for the importation of foreign horses.
- more later, the ride-
Steph
Steph's final story (almost). Part VI
Malaysia (pre) Story, Part VI
From the moment the rain began to fall, to the moment that Rui (the rider from Portugal) got his completion nod from the vets to be the 8th completion (marking the 40% completion goal), to the moment when everybody realized that not just 40% of the riders would complete, but more like 70%, ... the words I kept hearing were 'amazing', 'unbelievable', 'incredible'.
It seemed that with the torrent - with the craziness of the rain, the lake that was once a crewing area, the rivers that were once trails - came a settling of the nerves, and tension turned to laughter. Unbelievable! And the rain was warm, and it almost didn't matter how wet one got because it was warm, and stayed warm, and as soon as you got dry you'd just get wet again anyway. The riders came in off the first loop blinking and dripping and laughing. HRH Mizan arrived and his attendant met him with an umbrella - he laughed and declined. Crews began pouring buckets of water over sopping wet horses to cool them and get the pulse lowered for presentation to the vet - that seemed funny. And the buckets of water, lined up in the crewing area... they looked silly too. Harumi san met Hasume san with 2 big fluffy towels to dry him off while the rain was pouring all around - they both laughed at that too.
And so the night went. The lead changed off and on during the night, some riders got off trail, some sped up, some slowed down. In the dark and the never ending rain it was hard to tell who was on the trail with you. Some rode with bright headlamps, others didn't and were virtually invisible to other competitors. The pace was steady, and horses were coming in and pulsing down very quickly. They were staying fairly cool with the constant rain pulling the heat off their skin. The riders were in good spirits, but the wet tack and clothing started causing a few rubs - a new experience to be so totally soaking wet for so long.
Crews were getting sleepy. waiting and waiting with the rain, and the dark. It was almost impossible to go out on the trail to meet rides at the crew points - deep deep mud, a real likelihood of getting stuck - and a hazard for the horses on the course. This venue is not conducive to on-trail crewing, and only a few checkpoints are even remotely accommodating to the zillions of rigs and people that one often sees at crewpoints during the WEC's. There has been talk of eliminating crewing points - allowing for people to send stuff out with authorized staff, or only allowing crews to go out in authorized rigs. we'll see - safety is most important - and with 7 phases, 6 vetchecks and long holds, perhaps crewing on the trail, or at checkpoints isn't even necessary.
While the riders rode and the crews waited, all the OC stuff was still going full bore. A DJ was positioned on the walkway above the ingate - keeping everybody entertained, and amused with his music choices - plenty of 'who'll stop the rain' and the 'umbrella song' and all sorts of obscure music that matched the mood. The GPS tracking guys were hopping. The units were working fine, but the data pipe wasn't big enough and their software kept crashing. They were able to view the tracking points manually at times (such as when a rider was perhaps lost?) or questions arose about riders off course. But the original plan of projecting the riders positions on a big screen didn't work. Tony and Charbel with their timing system were also hopping - printing off vetgate status for crews and press and the curious. Updating the system as riders came through with vetgate times (recovery times) - they did a very good job. When we need ride status info, it was there. The system ran smoothly. The live video guys from Germany were filming and filming. Again, the data pipe at the venue was too small, so the 'real time' video broadcast was reduced to archive clips - downloaded when possible, but the filming never stopped. The vets never stopped - standing in their stations, riders coming and go. waiting for riders to come, talking with each other, laughing at the rain. resting with chin on chest. The in timers never stopped - though I did see a few fall back in their chairs now and again. The officials worked the night through.
I really don't think anybody expected such an unbelievable event, such an unbelievable outcome. It really did feel other-worldly at times. Dato Salleh (chair of the WEC OC) said that his grandfather was a 'medicine man' (the Malaysian equivalent) and his powers were strong. Salleh said he was going to look for a medicine man for this event - he'd ask for perfect weather and good luck. I'm not sure if he was joking or not, but perhaps he did ask, and did get the perfect weather (and a little magic) - just not what anybody anticipated.
Two USA riders (Crandell and Brunjes) finished in 5th and 6th place - galloping in together, looking fantastic. The USA was back! Four USA starters and 3 finishers, and 2 in the top ten - finishing with the world's best.
After Rui finished, the 8th completion, after it was final - the 2008 WEC would be held in Malaysia, the DJ got into the festivities and the music cranked up a notch, Malaysians were dancing (by now it was morning and the sun was shining), everybody was grinning. Salleh grabbed a flag and he and a few others from the OC did a victory lap around the cooling area - laughing, running with the flag streaming behind - it was a great moment!
And the riders kept coming in, and kept completing. The first Malaysian rider finished to great fanfare, and a flag to ride in with, and cheering. He and several other finished in CoC time - great spirits, horses looked good. Magic.
HRH Mizan finished along beside Australian Paul Brown who was riding one of the Royal Stables horses - they didn't arrive in CoC time, but they completed, proudly, and with horses looking great.
That night there was a wonderful dinner and prize giving ceremony at the Terengganu State House - delicious food, a festive atmosphere, all finishers being recognized and applauded (not just the winners). Traditional music before and during dinner, and after dinner and prize giving we were treated to a fantastic world fusion band - Shajara, who came from Bali - they had celtic singer and fiddle, asian drums, trumpet, the long pipe played by the Australian aborgines - dithery-do? - it was an incredible mix of world sounds and very talented musicians. They played their last set and people started heading home - buses taking most people back to the hotels, a handful of us hung around a little more - and Azrin came up to me saying - you need to stay! the Crown Prince (the King's younger brother) just called, he wants to come hear some of the music because he heard it was so good. The band came back, and started playing again - this time the room was mostly empty, some tables were cleared to make room for a little dancing, the caterers were taking down decorations from the high ceiling walled and huge room, lights were going out, decorations, chairs, tables hauled out, and the band kept playing and we danced a little and listened to the music and enjoyed it immensely. magic.
Steph
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