Latest news with #horseRiding
RNZ News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Horse riders excluded from shared path, told to use highway
NZ Equestrian Advocacy Network chairwoman Shelly Warwick says safety is strong argument for horse riders to be included in a plan for a new shared pathway being designed for walkers and cyclists. Photo: Supplied/ NZ Equestrian Advocacy Network Horse riders are struggling to rein in their anger after horses have been banned from a shared use pathway planned to run alongside a new highway between Ōtaki and Levin - and instead told to ride on the highway itself. Work has started on the new Ōtaki to north of Levin (Ō2NL) highway project, with site investigation work well underway, final designs being drawn up and construction planned to begin in spring. Along the length of the highway a wide shared use pathway is to be built for walkers and cyclists. The project has been billed as offering safer more efficient and resilient travel options. During consultation, NZTA told the community that horse riders would be able to ride on the highway, so did not need to be included in the shared pathway plan. But Equestrian Advocacy Network chairwoman Shelly Warwick says that is unsafe, and horse riders should be included in the plans for the shared path. Warwick told Midday Report they had been asking to be part of the shared user path group, alongside pedestrians and cyclists, since 2019. "New Zealand Equestrian Advocacy Network represented those groups at the Environment Court hearing last year, when we were told that we weren't in the scope due to cost, and NZTA told us that we could ride on the expressway itself, because legally we are a vehicle and we can use the expressway. "However, it's completely unsafe. It's ridiculous." While NZTA said the expressway would not be the only north-south option, Warwick said it would cut through rural Horowhenua - a community where riders live. Riders would also be able to use the old State Highway 1. But that was "completely impractical, when there's a very good, safe shared-use path going to be built that we could use," Warwick said. Directing riders towards the highways also created a risk to vehicles using the highway, she said, as the Road Code instructed drivers to slow down and stop if a horse seemed frightened. "Our position is how we're going to be kept safe, and how are police going to enforce those driver rules to drivers on the expressway if horses are using it?" NZTA said one of the objectives of the new Ōtaki to north of Levin (Ō2NL) highway was to enable walking and cycling between local communities, with a north-south shared user path. "During the design, planning and consenting of the project, we have engaged with the community, seeking feedback from residents, road users and representatives of local equestrian groups. Unlike with the Kāpiti expressway to the south, the Ō2NL highway alignment doesn't affect existing bridle path connections and routes, or equestrian facilities. "After hearing submissions from equestrians, the Environment Court accepted that the project was not required to better provide for equestrian users." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Times of Oman
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Times of Oman
Royal Cavalry riders qualify for World Endurance Championship
Paris: Horse riders Saleh bin Salim Al Balushi and Hussain bin Ali Al Farsi from the Royal Cavalry (RC) have qualified for the World Endurance Championship 2026, scheduled in Al Ula City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The two riders have qualified in the competition at the French Compiegne Horse -racing organised by the World Equestrian Federation for 160 kilometres. The race saw tough competitions and a wide participation of horse riders from different countries competing in six stages; the first for 32 kilometres, the second for 30 kilometres, the third for 28 kilometres, the fourth for 21 kilometres, the fifth for 28 kilometres and the sixth for 21 kilometres. Earlier two other horse riders; Mahmoud Al Foori and Hisham Al Farsi from the Royal Cavalry, have qualified for the upcoming World Endurance Championship, bringing the total number of RC horse riders qualifying for the World Endurance Championship 2026.
BreakingNews.ie
12-06-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Jockey Michael O'Sullivan (24) died of a severe traumatic brain injury, inquest hears
Cheltenham festival-winning jockey Michael O'Sullivan died of a severe traumatic brain injury, complicated by brain swelling with cerebral infarction, due to a horse riding accident, his inquest has heard. Cork Coroner's Court heard brief evidence on Thursday morning from Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, as to the cause of the death of the 24-year-old on February 16th last. Advertisement Dr Bolster carried out a postmortem on Mr O'Sullivan at Cork City Mortuary a day after his death. Mr O'Sullivan of Currabower, Lombardstown, Co Cork, died at Cork University Hospital after what his family previously described as a 'trojan battle' to recover from his injuries. Michael was airlifted to hospital on February 6th last following a serious last fence fall in Thurles, Co Tipperary. He was just days short of his 25th birthday when he passed away 10 days later. Sgt Aisling Murphy requested an adjournment of the inquest in to the death of the champion jockey to facilitate 'preparatory work.' Advertisement Cork City Coroner Philip Comyn said the inquest was being opened for the purpose of hearing medical evidence on the cause of death so that a death certificate could be issued to the family of the deceased. Inspector Justin Walsh from the Health and Safety Authority was present at the hearing. He confirmed that their investigation in to the death is yet to be completed. Solicitor Denis Linehan, who represents the O'Sullivan family, was also in attendance at the inquest. He will be on the record for the family going forward. A full hearing of the case will take place at a later date. Michael is survived by his parents William and Bernie, his brother Alan, his partner Charlotte, his grandmother Mary, uncles and aunts, his weigh room colleagues and the wider racing community and extended family and friends. Advertisement Michael shot to public attention two years ago when he won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham aboard Marine Nationale before going on to win the Fred Winter with Jazzy Matty. Huge crowds attended his funeral at St John the Baptist Church in Glantane, Co Cork, on February 19th. His father William told mourners. that Michael would want his loved ones to find joy in life in spite of his passing. Ireland Construction of Leinster House bike shed was halte... Read More He said that Michael had his heart set on beimg a jockey from an early age. He noted that even though Michael had managed to receive a honours degree in Agricultural Science they had it on 'good authority' that he read the Racing Post during lectures in UCD. Advertisement Meanwhile, Michael's brother Alan and his cousins David O'Sullivan and Sonny McCartan recently took part in the Cork City Marathon to raise funds for Brú Columbanus, a charity that offers free accommodation to families of seriously ill patients in Cork hospitals. They decided to raise funds for the site in Wilton in Cork as it was a 'safe haven' for the O'Sullivan family when Michael was in intensive care. Over €94,000 has been raised for the charity arising out of the fundraising appeal. Donations can still be made online.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Race Across the World leaves out mum Caroline's huge everyday life success
Race Across the World's winner Caroline is an eventer at horse riding competitions but that fact has missed the cut of the BBC show. The mum, 61, has raced across the world with her son Tom, 21, starting at the Great Wall of China and finishing in Kanyakumari in India. Along the way, the contestants have the chance to open up about their lives both the good and the bad. On-screen Caroline has spoken about giving up her career to become a mum and how Race Across the World has given her the chance to do something for herself. What hasn't make the cut of the BBC show is that Caroline is a successful eventer. Race Across the World is edited to fit eight one hour slots, plus a one hour reunion show. It would be impossible for them to capture absolutely everything in their everyday lives of those taking part. But horses and eventing is clearly something Caroline is very passionate about. In her everyday life, the Race Across the World winner has a number of achievements when it comes to horse riding. Just before filming the show, she won the 2024 British Eventing BE80 grassroots league when riding 14-year-old horse Really. Caroline has had Really for almost a year now, according to British Eventing. Since Race Across the World came to an end, the horse lover has returned to eventing and she has continued to make a success of it. This season, Caroline topped the British Eventing's BE90 March/April OBP League. While promoting Race Across the World, Caroline has spoken about her love of horse riding and eventing. In May, she told The Horse and Hound: "It's lovely to be back and I'm looking forward to the championship. Eventing has got a little bit of the challenge of Race Across the World because you have to be prepared, fit, determined and have an aim in mind. I'm glad to have eventing because otherwise I would have wanted to go straight back out and travel again.' Being a horse person, Caroline felt put her in good stead for taking part in Race Across the World. "Horsey people are generally quite grounded and extremely tough. You can put up with being dirty and grubby and you just get on with it, and that really helped because dignity goes out the window very, very quickly," she also told the publication. "You don't mind getting your hands dirty in both senses of the word. And I was quite fit, which was probably the biggest help for me in the long run." From competing in eventing to the race, Caroline revealed what spurred her onto the rollercoaster ride of the BBC show. She told Yahoo UK in May: "Do you know, I can't actually put my finger on it. It's just something I felt inside that actually just pushed me so strongly, and I couldn't resist it. I just had to do something for myself that didn't involve looking after other people and it involved me proving that I could be independent... "Tom said 'yes' apparently just to keep me quiet because I was already obsessed. I was determined to get on and I was just going to give it my all. I know it doesn't look like that at the beginning of the programme. I just had to do it and I don't know why. "I think because I had just been looking after other people for so long and had never had to make decisions or never been consulted that this was something that I could choose to do for myself." Yahoo UK approached Race Across the World representatives for further comment. Race Across the World's final is on at 9pm on Wednesday on BBC One.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Prince Andrew appears in high spirits as he enjoys horse ride around Windsor
Prince Andrew looked to be in high spirits as he joined his late mother's long-standing stud groom Terry Pendry for a horse ride around Windsor today. The King's younger brother, 65, beamed in excitement as he sported riding gear, including a helmet and gloves, along with a khaki jacket this afternoon. Alongside him was Mr Pendry, who rode with Queen Elizabeth for 28 years and was one of her most loved and trusted servants. On July 18, 2022, less than eight weeks before her death, she came down to the stables as usual to see her beloved horse Emma, bringing the steed a bag of carrots. There was, Mr Pendry has said, a quiet sense of finality to the 96-year-old's purpose, although nothing was said. The servant, who at one time looked after around 100 of the Royal Family 's horses and ponies, said: 'The very last time with her wasn't a ride, I walked. She was quite frail. 'She actually ended up being smaller than Queen Elizabeth [her mother], her last four years when she was quite poorly.' This afternoon, Mr Pendry sported a button-up shirt and tie along with a beige riding helmet as he joined Prince Andrew for the day out. Elsewhere, snaps from the day showed the royal at the wheel of a car, sporting a burgundy top. It comes amid a tumultuous time for Charles's brother, after Virginia Giuffre 's lawyer demanded an apology from Andrew in the wake of her death - after her family revealed she was prevented from seeing her children for months before she died. Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored in April, David Boies said the Prince had to take responsibility and even went on to request King Charles to intervene. 'I'd like to have him say, "I'm sorry", he sort of said that, but I'd like him to be more direct about that,' the acclaimed American attorney said defiantly on the talk show. 'I'd like him to say, even if he doesn't remember what happened, I think he needs to recognise that he had, he clearly had sex with young girls, with Jeffrey Epstein. 'I mean, he may not remember that it was Virginia, but he can't forget the event. And he needs to just come clean.' Virginia claimed Jeffrey Epstein and former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell kept her as a sex slave, flying her around the world for sex with powerful associates. She later accused the Duke of York of sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked to London. It led to him 'stepping back' from public life in 2019. He has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing. She then launched a civil lawsuit, alleging she was coerced into having sex with him. In 2022 the Duke agreed an out-of-court settlement – thought to be between £3 million and £12 million – despite denying he sexually abused her. The mother-of-three was found dead at her farm near Perth, Australia, on April 25, in what was believed to have been a suicide. Following her sudden death at the age of 41, Boies said: 'It's just a question of taking responsibility, accepting responsibility for what happened. Maybe he has a version of what happened, but he can't deny that he was with her. 'I mean, you've got the photograph, you've got the testimony from other people. Continuing to deny he didn't know her, he never met her, he had nothing to do with her. That's not productive. It's also not right. 'I think that he needs to take responsibility for what he did. Virginia was always more interested in fighting the sin than attacking the sinner, and I think that she would have accepted Prince Andrew taking responsibility, and would have recognised that. 'And I think that it's not too late. It's never too late… If he wants redemption, if he wants forgiveness, he's got to take responsibility for what happened. 'He came pretty close in that statement. It was a step in the right direction. And I think I hoped, and I think Virginia hoped, that he would take the next step as well. Andrew was pictured behind the wheel of a car from photos taken this afternoon, when he enjoyed a horse ride 'Unfortunately, for whatever reason, maybe his advisors, he didn't. But I think, as I say, it's not too late for him or for anyone'. MailOnline approached Prince Andrew's representatives for comment at the time. Karrie Louden, Giuffre's lawyer, told The Sun that the mother had showed 'no signs' of wanting to end her life. 'We've got big question marks over it. There's suicide, then there's misadventure', she said. Louden added that Virginia was planning the future, and looking forward to it just this time last week, and that 'things were positive'. 'The police were just very, very vague. I know that she's gone but I don't know. I'm not sure we'll ever know'. The Perth coroner confirmed their own investigation, but the report could take two years. Before she died, family members had expressed fears over her mental state. Her father Sky Roberts said his daughter was 'very depressed' and 'in really bad shape'. Speaking to People, Roberts explained his daughter had been grappling with the complexities of a restraining order her husband had taken out against her in February that prevented her from seeing her children aged 19, 16, and 15, until June. He claimed she had violated the order, which she denied. 'It's the worst pain in the world to not have access to your children,' Roberts said. 'Can you imagine the pain? I will tell you, all the physical (pain) will never amount to the pain of being separated from your children in that way.' Before she died, Virginia had been allegedly physically abused by her husband of 22 years, Robert Giuffre, the father of her three children, from whom she separated in 2023, Sky and sister-in-law Amanda said. Her husband has not responded to the allegations. Friends of the 41-year-old also said Giuffre was 'deeply upset' about being mocked over a picture she posted of herself in a hospital bed last month. She claimed she had been involved in a car crash that left her with only four days to live – but the accident was nothing more than a minor bump. A spokesman for Virginia said she had 'made a mistake' and had not intended to make the post public. But it led to claims that the episode had destroyed her credibility, with some of Andrew's supporters calling her a 'fantasist'. Emergency services received a report about a woman found unresponsive at a home in Neergabby, 12 miles north of Perth, at about 9.50pm local time on Friday. She was declared dead at the scene. 'She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking,' said her family's statement. Two weeks earlier, Virginia posted several photographs of her three 'beautiful babies', writing: 'I miss them so very much. I have been through hell and back in my 41 years but this is incredibly hurting me worse than anything else. Hurt me, abuse me but don't take my babies. My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens.' Following her death, Boies told Piers Morgan: 'She was an extraordinarily strong woman, ultimately brought down by years of abuse at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein and then later years of verbal abuse and attacks by [his] collaborators, but she accomplished a great deal without her courage and without her coming forward, Jeffrey Epstein would probably still be abusing young girls'.
