This year the organising committee Enduro Cheval raises a new challenge by organising, with
the support of the Township of Rambouillet, for the third consecutive year its by now
renowned 160km International Endurance Ride on 7th June 2008 but also, for the first time,
two 90km rides two days earlier: a Selection Ride for the Young Horses World Championship
for 7 year olds and a selection ride for Uzes Young Horses national Finals for 6 year olds.
In the morning of 5th June, the idyllic Rambouillet racetrack will witness the early morning
start of the 6 and 7 year olds; some of them future endurance champions. The 90km ride is
divided into three loops, the first and second of them identical taking the horses into the Vaux
de Cernay, each time with a return to the racetrack for strict veterinary controls to ensure the
perfect condition of the participating horses. The final fast loop in the direction of
Clairefontaine will bring the horses back for an exciting finish scheduled around 14h.
Two days later the elite of the world?s endurance riders will be gathered on the starting line of
the International Endurance Ride over 160km, organised with the support and patronage of
the Kingdom of Bahrain. Among other distinguished competitors, Rambouillet has this year
the honour and pleasure to welcome a team of riders from as far as the Sultanate of Oman.
On the home front, several riders on the French Endurance Team longlist will attempt to secure
their tickets to the World Championship ride of Malaysia under the watchful eye of Team
Selector Jean Louis Leclerc and his staff. In effect, given the ideal profile of the ride with its
good yet testing going, Rambouillet is yet again a key selection ride for the future French
team.
The 160km ride is composed of 6 loops, each of which can be embarked upon only after the
expert team of international endurance veterinarians has given their green light with regard to
the horses? physical condition (recovery heart rate, trot up, state of hydration, etc.) after the
preceding loop.
The ride will start from the Rambouillet racetrack on 7th June 2008 at 5h30 in the morning for
a 1st loop of 30km which will take the competitors through the forest in the direction of the
Vaux de Cernay, with a return to the racetrack around 7h00 for the fastest.
The next loop of
35km will lead to the magnificent park of the Château Ecole Hériot at Boissière-Ecole where
the first horses and riders are expected around 9h30. The short and fast 3rd loop of 23km to St
Lucien will continue to spread out the field of competitors, arrivals at the Ecole Hériot vet-
gate will stretch between 10h20 and 12h30. The 4th loop of 31km which brings the
competitors back to Rambouillet racetrack will see the leading riders arrive around 13h45
while the slowest will only be back at 17h30.
Follows a 5th loop towards St Benoit and a final
6th 20km loop which will require a last effort of both horses and riders.
The thrilling finish of the winners can be cheered at the racetrack already around 16h00, while
those who have chosen the minimum pace of 12km/h will only have completed the ride
around 22h.
In addition to the French team, the organisers look forward to welcoming in Rambouillet
riders from other Endurance Nations, for an exciting test of the form and state of preparation
for Malaysia of their best horses and riders.
