Fw: We Made It

["Maryanne Stroud Gabbani" <gabbani@starnet.com.eg>]

Richard Hoath wrote the wonderful story about his experience on our 20 km ride and, due to Sam's age, opted not  to ride in the 50 km. When he heard there would be another 20 km at the same day as the race, he signed up again, but pulled Sam the night before because, although Sam had passed the vet check, he felt that there was something not quite right with him, and at 21+ years he wasn't taking any chances. Instead, Richard served me well as a course steward and was one of those reporting the use of Maktoum's spurs. Sam is fine, by the way, and when Richard rode him today he "was a monster and just ate up the 20 km". As you might see, despite press reports, feelings among the Egyptian riders and watchers of the spectacle are less than warm towards the Maktoum family. The spurs have been reported to the FEI by email with some scanned photos, but so far no one will tell me where to send the originals and/or the videotape.

 

Dear Maryanne

First of all thanks so much for all your efforts, and those of Mourad et al in organising the event and congratulations on how it went. Please pass this on to all those concerned.

I think that Egypt came out of this with immense credit, not just for the fact that one third of the finishers were inexperienced Egyptian horses and riders but the fact that, for me, it was the Egyptian riders who entered the event in the spirit in which it was meant and in the spirit in which all the e-mails and blurb and literature tell us it was meant. I thought the behaviour and attitude of the Sheikh and his obscenely large entourage was outrageous and disgusting and demonstrated everything that the sport should not be. For me it was not he who won the ride but Janie. And also Magdi and Sherif who withdrew their horses even when they had passed the vet check because they had the horses welfare at heart. For me they too were winners with honour. And Mohamed too who even though he was treated shamefully at the time check accepted the vetinary withdrawal with grace and dignity. What a contrast with the circus around his Highness.

I was especially disgusted by the way the prize ceremony was conducted before most of the riders had not finished and some had not even completed the third loop. That Janie should arrive back not to applause from fellow horseman but to the raucous din of a tacky tombola and the dangerous comings and goings of workman dismantling the stands and booths etc. is insulting. That the Sheikh had by then long since disappeared made it doubly so. It just showed the utter arrogance of extreme wealth. He couldn't give a damn about his horse. He just slid off at the end without even giving him/her a pat on tha neck and was swept away. At the farce called the 'awards ceremony' I noticed that there was not a horse in sight unlike in jumping when the horses get a rossette and accept the prize with the rider. I know the horses don't care but surely we should be celebrating the partnership of horse and rider here, not just massaging the ego of someone whose ego seems vast enough already.

I was desperately disappointed not to have been in the 20km but I really enjoyed being involved with the ride and supporting my friends from the club. I felt extremely proud of all of them and of being associated with people who really care about their horses.

On a technical level I while I think most things were done very professionally certain things should have been clarified. It says in the rules that water assistance is not permitted away from the prescribed watering areas unless this is agreed upon prior to the ride. Apparently no decision was made on this and some people were receiving water assistance througout the ride. Others were not. Similarly my understanding of the rules is that crops are not allowed and yet many riders were carrying them and some I noticed using them. I wrote this in my stewards report but was told that this was a 'grey area' It should not be.

You are probably tired of this now but I just have to repeat how proud I am of our riders. I know he didn't, but the Sheikh could have learnt a hell of a lot about sportsmanship, the true bond between horse and rider and about sheer guts from our riders and our horses.

Thanks again for everything

Richard

Maryanne Stroud Gabbani wrote:

It's over and the postmortems are beginning. On the whole I was pleased with
the show (emphasis on show) but I want everyone to pass the word that I was
REALLY PROUD of our Egyptian riders and horses. The FEI officials said our
horses and riders will be able to go up against any in the world, once
they've had the time for training.....and that qualifier is very important,
because time for training properly is exactly what we have not had. In terms
of facilities available to us as compared to those for our distinguished
guests, we really got the short end of the stick....and that is something
that won't happen again. I really would request that people who have
comments on the race please contact me as soon as possible either privately
or through the list membership on the www.egroups.com site (go to
sports:equestrian:endurance:RidersoftheDustyTombs to sign up). I will be
making an independent report on behalf of ride management to the FEI and I
need your input right away. Please pass this message on to our Pyramids
riders who don't have email.
Now I have to spend a little time on recuperation and catching up on all the
work that I didn't do while I was arranging this ride, but in a few days
I'll be back with some heat information, training information and so on. I
would like to see a way for us to get together (All the Egyptian riders who
are seriously interested in this, not just the SCC people or any exclusive
sort of group) to discuss issues and problems and make this a real
organising group.  We did well and I should have final results soon from the
FEI vets and ground jury.

Once again, I was really proud to be representing you all.

Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
Cairo, Egypt
gabbani@starnet.com.eg