Horse Riding Spain News

BBC Children in Need

"The Unex Masters" is one of only five international showjumping events held in the UK each year, and "The Unex Masters" is held at the Unex Towerlands Equestrian Centre in Essex. This is the premier UK equestrian centre with international outdoor and indoor arenas and was the venue where the BBC filmed the now infamous "Only fools on horses". During the course of "The Unex Masters" competition it has become traditional that substancial amounts of money are raised for the BBC Children in Need Appeal,and in 2007 this was over 5300 pounds . Rancho Huerta del Batán is happy and proud to be working in partnership with the Unex Towerlands Equestrian Centre in playing a significant role in assisting in the raising of charity money for the Children in Need 2008 Appeal. Everybody will be able to support and participate...and further information will appear on this page and on the website of the hosts of The "Unex Masters", the Unex Towerlands Equestrian Centre www.unextowerlands.info .

SACAB 2008 took place from Thursday 27th of March until Sunday 30th of March 2008.

The following article appeared in the 3rd-9th of April 2008 edition of "The Euro Weekly News"

"COIN HOSTS FIFTH EDITION OF HORSE FAIR
Coin has once again hosted the SACAB horse festival, which brought more than 15.000 people to the town to see the best of the equine world. The fifth edition of SACAB, which is held every year in the town, included horse shows and competitions, and saw 350 horses from some of the best breeders in Andalucia.

The horse fair was once again set up at the Cantarranas industrial estate on the outskirts of Coin, and the shows were held in a large tent with capacity for 2.500 people. Every day was packed with visitors of all ages who came to admire the magnificent animals.

The mayor of Coin, Gabriel Clavijo, presided over the inauguration, joined by member of the Junta de Andalucia and Coin Town Hall. The mayor announced that the local Town Hall has reached an agreement with the Council of Employment to hold a course for professional horse breeders in the town, which he said would be an important step towards making Coin the Andalucian centre of equine excellence."

1st Spanish National Championship for "Doma Alta Escuela" or "High School Dressage" to be held in Coin

From 27th - 28th of October 2007 the first National Championship for Spain will be held in Coin. The first posters announcing the competition were presented on 1st February of this year at FITUR (annual International Tourism Fair in Madrid). Gabriel Jesus Clavijo, mayor of Coin, presided over the event, supported by José Luis de la Escalera, representing ANCCE (National Breeder's organisation for the Purebred Spanish Horse), Joaquin Fernandez, vice-president of the Spanish High School Association and Jose Fuentes representing the Royal Equestrian Federation of Spain, and Francisco Acedo, President of the Andalucian Equestrian Federation.

What is Alta Escuela or High School Dressage ?
"High School is dressage taken to its maximum expression. This maximum expression not only consists of the execution of more difficult and remarkably spectacular exercises, but rather, it is the attainment of the purpose of Dressage as a whole and all its intrinsic qualities. This definition is common to all the disciplines of dressage, but in Spanish High School Dressage there is an additional identity: the perpetuation of the artistic and cultural traditions of Spanish equitation. Spanish High School consists of collecting the horse in a way that maintains an ascending line of impulsion only possible by means of an acute descend of the croup, flexing the joints of the hind quarters and lightening and elevating the whole of the forehand, contact, gesture and expression. All the intrinsic qualities of the Spanish Horse, in addition to its character and brilliance of movement, are particularly gifted for this equestrian discipline."
By Mercedes González

SACAB - National Breeder's Show of Purebred Spanish Horses in Coín

Coin annually hosts one of the largest horse breeder shows in Spain for the P.R.E. (Purebred Spanish Horse) Horse in the early Spring. Hundreds of horses and the best breeders from all over Spain converge on the town where national showing classes and competitions take place. A spectacular evening horse show is presented each night in addition to trade stands and breeders information desks. The event is now on a par with the famous SICAB event in Seville !

SACAB 2008 will take place from Thursday 27th of March until Sunday 30th of March 2008.

New European regulations for the transportation of equines

On 5th of January 2005, (CE) regulation nº1/2005 came into effect. Due to this new law directives 64/432/CCE, 93/119/CE and (CE) regulation nº 1255/97 have been changed. Changes include for example (taking effect 1/8/2008).

• Journeys over 65 km can only be done by authorised transport companies and only grooms or drivers who have obtained a "certificate of aptitude" may be employed in a road vehicle dedicated to transport of domestic equines.
• Inclination of loading and unloading ramps must not exceed 20º angle. If the slope exceeds 10º the ramps must be equipped with a system, e.g. side bars, to guarantee the equines can ascend and descend without any risk or difficulty.
• When loading or unloading operations last more than 4 hours , there must be appropriate facilities available for stabling, feeding and watering of the equines off the transport without having to tie-them up and such operations must be supervised by an authorised vet.
• Unhandled equines must not be transported in groups of more than 4 and must not be taken on "long journeys".

The Association for Olympic sports of Spain has confirmed the amount of aid for 2007 within the preparation for the Olympic Games to be held in Bejin in 2008. Spain's national dressage team earned a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and bronze at the 2005 European Championships. € 17.000 is to be given to each member of the Team as a scholarship plus € 187.250 for special technical preparation for both disciplines of dressage and show jumping. The Royal Equestrian Federation of Spain has invested € 344.250 in the form of Aid. There is also € 60.000 available for the owners of dressage horses dedicated to the Olympic circuit.

FEI World Equestrian Games 2006