FEI endurance challenge
The Western Province Endurance Union recently hosted the South African International FEI Endurance Challenge, which included an international team competition over 120 km between South Africa, Namibia, France and Britain, as well as an individual FEI championship over 120 and 160 km.

The FEI champion over 120 km was Nicola Coetzee from the Northern Union on Armika Arat, who completed the distance in a time of 5:47:31. The heavyweight division was won by André O'Connell of Western Province on Om-Sura Thee Crown (6:22:20), while the Namibian rider, Chanté Nell on Hemhan Zahra (5:48:00), took top honours in the young riders division.

In the senior team competition, Namibia walked away with the laurels, followed by France and Britain, while the Namibian heavyweight team and South African young riders team finished in first place respectively.

A technical course demanding concentration the whole way through was how the new 160 km champion, Lani Pienaar, described the course. Lani and her horse Arkab Legato finished the ride in 9:37:44. Legato was judged to be in the best condition after the ride of all the horses competing, irrespective of the distance, thus taking the "best of the best conditioned" award.

Friesians strut their stuff
The Friesian Horse Breeders' Society was this year represented by Nicky Pienaar’s Adelprag Stud during the Nampo Harvest Day near Bothaville. Cheré Burger on Bertus B wowed onlookers during her three-gait performance. The proud breed also strutted their stuff during a traditional long-lines show, in which two of Bertus B's sons performed. Bertus B is one of the five physically largest Friesian stallions in the world, with a weight of 780 kg and a height of 1,79 m.

Groter rol vir Friesperdkruisings
In die nuwe boekstelsel van aantekening wat onlangs deur die Friesperdtelersgenootskap van Suid-Afrika aanvaar is, word nou vir die eerste keer voorsiening gemaak vir 'n Basisboek, wat ook as die Sportboek bekend sal staan.

Hierdie besluit is geneem weens die buitengewone geskiktheid van Friesperde vir benutting in kruisings. In die Basisboek kan kruisdiere opgeneem word, wat oor minstens 25% Friesbloed beskik. Om Friesperde met ander rasse te kruis, is reeds 'n aanvaarbare praktyk in veral Europese lande, waarvan die sogenaamde Arabo-Friese in Duitsland 'n goeie voorbeeld is. – Hennie Basson.

Gedragskode vir Nooitgedachtertelers
Die Nooitgedachter Perdetelersgenootskap het by sy onlangse algemene jaarvergadering, 'n gedragskode aanvaar ten opsigte van die hantering van perde. Volgens die kode aanvaar lede van die telersgenootksap verantwoordelikheid om hulle perde te alle tye na die beste van hulle vermoë te versorg en veilig te hou.

Die gedragskode is op die sogenaamde "vyf vryhede" vir perde gebaseer wat internasionaal aanvaar word, naamlik vryheid van honger, dors en wanvoeding; vryheid van fisiese en klimaatsongemak; vryheid van pyn, beserings en siekte; vryheid om sovêr moontlik normale perdegedrag te kan openbaar; en vryheid van angs en benoudheid.

Verder onderneem die gedragskode ook dat perde volgens die beginsel van drukverligting, en nie geweld nie, afgerig sal word. Tydens die AJV is Koof Snyman as president van die genootskap herkies, terwyl twee nuwe raadslede verkies is, naamlik Nigel Flanegan van Stutterheim en Johan Scheuder van Groblershoop. Die raad sien nou soos volg daar uit: Koof Snyman (president), Marinus van Dyk (onder-president), Braam Olivier, Izak Hofmeyr, Nigel Flanegan en Johan Scheuder.

Hoefslag vereer pioniers
Die verering van twee van Noordwes se baanbrekers op die gebied van onderskeidelik dierewelsyn en die perdebedryf, was van die hoogtepunte op die Hoefslagfees op Geyerspan, Lichtenburg in Mei vanjaar.

Die 77-jarige Lichtenburgse veearts, dr Louis van Wyk, is gehuldig vir sy lewe van toewyding tot die gesondheid van verskeie diersoorte, maar veral perde, in hierdie provinsie. Wyle Bach Hefer (in lewe van Potchefstroom) is postuum vereer as een van Noordwes se bekendste en mees merkwaardige perdeliefhebbers wat perdeplesier aan talle kinders verskaf het. Sy weduwee, Ina Hefer, het die sertifikaat in ontvangs geneem.

Nog 'n vereerde was die 76-jarige Pretoriase landboujoernalis, Jorrie Jordaan, wie vir byna 'n halfeeu in die landboujoernalisitiek betrokke was.

Dié jaarlikse fees is ook deur die geklap van perdehoewe, perderuiters in kleurvolle kostuums en vrolike musiek gekenmerk. Meer as 50 perde-items het die bykans 4 000 feesgangers in vervoering gehad. Daar was ook 'n groot perdeveiling waar 21 perde vir 'n totale omset van R546 000 van die hand gesit is. – Hennie Basson

Namibië kry ook Hoefslagfees
Dit is juis met die oog op die vestiging en uitbreiding van uitvoere na Afrikalande, soos Namibië, dat 'n Hoefslagfees op Saterdag, 31 Oktober, in Windhoek gehou sal word. Piet Botha, direkteur van National Horse & Livestock Promotions wat die Hoefslagfeeste organiseer, sê dat bande tussen perdeliefhebbers van die betrokke twee lande, sodoende verstewig kan word.

'n Aantal vertoners van verskillende perderasse wat op 30 Mei by Geyerspan te siene was, het reeds bevestig dat hulle hul perde ook by die Namibiese fees sal vertoon. 'n Groot fees word ook op Saterdag, 10 Oktober by die Bain’s Equestrian Park in Bloemfontein gehou.

Vir verdere navrae, kontak Piet by 082 920 7443 of Hennie by 072 273 6042 – Hennie Basson.

Percheronkrag steeds in Boland
Ofskoon Percheronperde al hoe gewilder in ander landstreke word, bly hierdie swaar trekperdras se magsbasis nog steeds in die Wes-Kaap. Nou het twee van die voorste nuwe stoeterye, naamlik Kilcairne en Gemini, 'n samewerkingspoging geloods om hulle ondernemings te stroomlyn. Beide stoeterye se teelmerries word by die Kilcairne-stoet by Hermon (buite Wellington) gehou, terwyl jong perde op 'n plaas naby Matjiesfontein in die Karoo uitgroei.

Volgens 'n mede-eienaar van die Gemini-stoet en voorsitter van die betrokke rasgenootskap, Johan van der Merwe, het hierdie ras nou finaal sy dormante tydperk agtergelaat. – Hennie Basson.

Olympic team disbanded
The German equestrian federation has disbanded its Olympic team and suspended a four-time Olympic champion, following a string of allegations involving doping and illegal medication. The move came one day after the nation's two major television channels broke off talks with the equestrian body on a new broadcast contract, pending an investigation of the allegations.

The federation dissolved the showjumping, dressage and three-day event teams and suspended top rider, Ludger Beerbaum, a four-time Olympic champion who admitted last weekend to using illegal practices. Olympic officials welcomed the decision.

Christian Ahlmann was among several riders caught in Beijing for using forbidden substances on his horse and banned for six months. Such breaches of medication regulations are not considered doping and draw shorter sanctions. – Associated Press

“Wit Boesman” word 80
Die legendariese kommandant Peter Stark, wat saam met pioniers soos Hans Wiese, Ernst Holtz en George Iwanowski die dressuurdissipline op die Afrika-kontinent gevestig het, het onlangs sy 80ste verjaardag gevier.

Ondanks swak gesondheid, het oom Peter die dag op sy plaas buite Ventersdorp met familie en perdevriende vanoor die hele land gedeel. Die voormalige hoof van die SA Nasionale Weermag, generaal Jannie Geldenhuys, 'n jarelange vriend van dié lewende legende, het hom beskryf as 'n unieke persoonlikheid.

Met sy deelsgeteelde Hanoveraner, Alarich, het hy nie net 'n woeste landskap deurkruis nie, maar twee jaar agtereenvolgens het hulle saam die individuele SA dressuurkampioenskappe verower. In 1971 is hierdie perd ook tot Perd van die Jaar bekroon. – Hennie Basson

Free State children shine
The Breed Promotional Committee of the SA Saddle Horses Breeders’ Society recently exhibited how children and all riders could benefit from different uses of the breed. The demonstrations took place on Saturday, 2 May 2009 at the Bloem Show.

Petro Botha of Stellenbosch gave a demonstration of riding a horse at five gaits, in a bitless bridle. A vaulting demonstration on Secret Swan, was given by a team from the Kimberley Equestrian Centre, under the guidance of Ilse de Villiers. The six participants were Monica and Minette Farrell, Demi de Villiers, Alexandra van As, Mildred and Charles Tsienyane.

The show jumping demonstration was given by owner, Belinda Henze, on Captain Nino, while five-year-old Son of Joy, gave a dressage demonstration with his owner, Corné Steyl of Bloemfontein.

The Department of Education now recog--nises most horse sports as a school league sport. Children can participate in dressage, showjumping, showing, saddle seat, endurance, reining and vaulting to gain school colours, as recognised in other sports.

Anyone interested in participating in any of these sports in which SA Saddle Horses are now also involved, can contact Lee Naudé at cell 071 613 0373.

Tallest horse in the world
Duke, a six-year-old shire horse, measuring 20,1 hands tall, may just be the tallest horse in the world. Owner, Sarah Ross from Kent, believes that a diet of herbal tea and Granny Smith apples caused him to grow two inches in one year. His closest rivals are Radar, an Canadian shire at 20,1, and Noddy, an Australian shire at just under 20,1 hands. – Telegraph UK.