Dato’ Abdul Hamid said that the Edaran Endurance Classic had a role to play in the run-up to the World Equestrian Championships that will be held in Terengganu in 2008. “We believe that endurance riders, both local and international, aiming to participate in the prestigious WEC 2008 will seek out opportunities in Malaysia to train and build up their endurance skills for the 2008 event.”

EAM Executive Secretary Major Yap, who is on the Ground Jury of this event, answered a few questions from Equestrian.Com.My about the significance of the event. He confirmed that it is one of five qualifiers for December’s Doha Asian Games. Two of the events have previously been held. Edaran Endurance Classic is the third. After Edaran there will be two more qualifiers left, in Kelantan in June and in Terengganu in August. He said the qualifier that was held in Mardi will not be taken into account as the distance had been shortened. He said that the best five riders and horses would be short-listed for the Doha Asian Games. Overseas results would also be taken into account, providing it was at 120 km or longer.

When asked about current standings after two events, Maj. Yap said that the EAM had the results of the first two events and would publish qualification standings “soon.”

PREVIOUS EDARAN ENDURANCE CLASSIC WINNERS:

2005 CEI*** 160 km	Shamsuddin Roni & Malin
2004 CEI** 120 km	Kpl Zulkefli Sa’ari & Kitya
2003 60 km	Datin Sharifah Lara Hussein & Elsi de l'Aigoual

Edaran Endurance Classic 2006
RIDE THE CLASSIC AGAIN!
Malaysia's premier and most anticipated endurance event is back! The Edaran Endurance Classic is back for its fourth year running after succeeding to catch the interest and attention of international riders in its 2005 event.

The event organized by Edaran Digital Systems Berhad has continued to gain recognition among endurance circles worldwide ever since it was inaugurated in 2003. In 2005, the Event was graced by World Endurance Championship's Gold Medalist HH Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan Al-Nahyan and his brother HH Sheikh Khaled Sultan who were here with the endurance riders of W'rsan Stables of Dubai.

Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 will be held at the grounds of ar-Raudhah Equine Centre, 40 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, from 5-7 May.

The Event this year will feature three competition rides and one non-competitive 15KM guided ride. The main competition ride will be the FEI-CEI 3 Star 120Km Ride, a distance in keeping with the standards of the World Endurance Championship.

A second ride category in the Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 is the 80km Ride, a ride category for endurance riders training for longer distances; while a third category yet, is the 40km Ride, a shorter training ride for newly initiated endurance riders.

A total of RM45,000 in prize money stands to be won.

Endurance Riding - Focus on Malaysia
The sport of endurance riding has taken on greater significance in light of Malaysia being given the prestigious honour by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body for equestrian sports, to host the next World Cup of Endurance Riding - the World Endurance Championship 2008 [WEC 2008]. Over the next three years, right up till WEC 2008 in August 2008 endurance riding and Malaysia will become the focus.

"We are tremendously excited by the fact that the WEC 2008 will be held in Malaysia. It is a milestone happening for our country and a major boost for the sport of endurance riding. Endurance riding in Malaysia is different from riding in Europe or the Middle East region; and it presents riders a unique set of challenges in terms of the terrain and weather. We believe that endurance riders, both local and international, aiming to participate in the prestigious WEC 2008 will seek out opportunities in Malaysia to train and build up their endurance skills for the 2008 Event. The Edaran Endurance Classic which has come to be recognized as one of the country's better organized endurance events is one such opportunity," said Dato' Abdul Hamid Mustapha, the Organising Chairman of Edaran Endurance Classic 2006.

"We hope that with the Edaran Endurance Classics, we shall be able to assist in the building up to WEC 2008 by providing the opportunities for Malaysian and international endurance riders to train and familiarize themselves and their horses with the riding conditions in Malaysia," added Dato' Hamid.

Sports Tourism
The Edaran Endurance Classic has raised some degree of international interest and awareness of endurance riding in Malaysia through the publicity of the event since the inaugural event in 2003.

"We believe that like most international sports, endurance riding has the potential to contribute to our country's tourism industry. It is a sport enjoyed by adventurous individuals who are inclined to travel to various ride venues to experience riding in different settings. Malaysia's successful bid to host the WEC 2008 speaks volumes for our country as a recognized venue for world sports events. We have to our country's credit, successfully hosted world sports events as Formula 1, Tour de Langkawi and the Commonwealth Games. This year alone, we have two major world equestrian events scheduled in Malaysia, namely the World Cup Show Jumping Final and the FEI General Assembly, both of which will be taking place over the next week. Such momentum is good for our tourism industry and we hope to be able to play our part in contributing to building up Malaysia as a preferred world sports events venue," said Dato' Hamid Mustapha.

Young Riders
In its continuing efforts to promote the sport of endurance riding among the younger generation, the Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 will feature a Young Riders Category - a non-competitive guided ride over a distance of 15km, within the grounds of ar-Raudhah Equine Centre.

"The sport of endurance riding is ideal as a sport to promote appreciation of the environment as well as the disciplines of respect and perseverance among our young people. We hope that many more young enthusiasts will join us this year to try out this healthy and noble sport," said Dato' Hamid.

Edaran Digital Systems Berhad and Endurance Riding
The Edaran Endurance Classic is an event organized and sponsored by Edaran Digital Systems Berhad, a company involved in the provision of systems integration services and smart technology solutions. The Company has chosen to champion the promotion and development of the sport of endurance riding in Malaysia because Edaran Digital Systems Berhad identifies and shares the core values and qualities of the sport, namely discipline, respect and perseverance. As a Company that believes in the corporate duty of contributing and giving back to the society, Edaran Digital System has chosen to do so through bringing this healthy and enjoyable sport to more Malaysians through the Edaran Endurance Classic events.

Pivotal Support of The Equestrian Fraternity
As in the previous years, the support and assistance of Malaysia's equestrian fraternity especially the Equestrian Association of Malaysia (EAM), the Malaysian Endurance Riders Society (MERS) Malaysian Equine Council (MEM) as well as the encouragement and support of the Ministry of Sports have been pivotal to the organization of the Edaran Endurance Classic.

"We want to especially thank the EAM, MERS and the MEM for providing us with the assistance and support without which we would not have been able to organize the event with a good degree of success over the last three years of its running. The support of the fraternity is crucial in a sport that requires us to follow the strict statutes and regulations of the FEI.. Indeed it is our hope that we will continue to receive the commitment of all these bodies so that together we can successfully and effectively build up the sport of endurance riding in Malaysia. We believe Malaysia's hosting of the WEC 2008 will give the sport the much needed push and impetus to bring it to a higher level of participation and sporting excellence in Malaysia," said Dato' Hamid Mustapha.

Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 - Programme
The Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 will begin with final registration of participants and veterinary check of the horses on Friday, 5 May.

The main competition ride, the 120KM will be flagged off the following day, Saturday, 6 May at 10.30 pm followed by the flag -off of the 80KM ride at 12 midnight. The participants of the 120KM ride category are expected to complete the ride by 10.00 am on Sunday, 7 May.

On 7 May, the 40KM will be flagged-off at 7.00am followed by the flag-off of the 15KM Young Riders' Category. The Prize Giving Ceremony will be at 4.30pm, after the vet gate closes.
Interested participants for all Ride Categories can contact:

The Secretariat,
Edaran Endurance Classic 2006.
Tel: 603-9206 7200 Fax: 603- 92843531
Contact: Jefri Taharin
You may also log onto our website at www.edaranendurance.com for more information.
_______________________________________________________________
Issued by:
Publicity and Promotions Desk
Edaran Endurance Classic 2006
Tel: 603 9206 7200 Fax: 603 9200 4629
Contact: Barbara Boey or Rohana Laksamana
_______________________________________________________________

Edaran Endurance Classic was initiated in 2003 as an annual endurance riding event that will eventually bring about a greater awareness of the sport and indeed a greater love for the sport among Malaysians. Organised by Edaran Digital Systems Berhad, a company involved in the business of information communications technology, Edaran Endurance Classic seeks to raise the status of the sport to a level where it can bring about sports excellence and recognition for our Malaysian equestrian sportsmen and equestrian industry both locally and in the international arena. Edaran Endurance Classic sees as well the far reaching benefits to our country in terms of placing Malaysia more significantly on the endurance world map. It is also Edaran Endurance Classic’s hope to see Malaysia ultimately featured as a preferred location for international endurance competitions.

Edaran Endurance Classic kicked off in 2003 at ar-Raudhah Equine Centre located 40 minutes outside of Kuala Lumpur in Kuang, Selangor. This first competition event was held at distances of 80Km and 60Km. After this first competition, Edaran Endurance Classic 2004 received CEI-FEI** certification for its 120Km competition, a commendable achievement after only one competition event at ar-Raudhah.

Edran Endurance Classic looks set to hold its annual competitions in ar-Raudhah given the interesting combination of undulating and hilly terrain, tropical wooded areas, water crossings, village settlements and agricultural estates that dot the surrounding areas of ar-Raudhah in Kuang.

Rar-Raudhah Equine Centre is located 40 minutes outside of Kuala Lumpur in Kuang, towards the north of Selangor. The Equine Centre is equipped with full stabling facilities with full time instructors for courses in Riding and Horse Management. Presently, ar-Raudhah Equine Centre is home to 28 horses and stables are available for lease. Horse owners may have their horses housed and cared for by the Equine Centre’s team of dedicated and experienced stable grooms. Ar-Raudhah is one of the few Equine Centres that have outdoor stabling facilities. The Equine Centre also offers full professional consultancy on choosing, testing and purchasing horses especially from overseas.

Ar-Raudhah Equine Centre is a member of the Equestrian Association of Malaysia (EAM) and has hosted EAM events such as its Show Jumping events over the recent years. Since the establishment , ar-Raudhah Equine Centre has produced promising endurance riders including Shu’aib Ishak and Sudin who have participated in edurance competitions both in Malaysia and abroad.

Endurance Riding became a feature at ar Raudhah after Edaran Digital System Berhad held their first Edaran Endurance Classic event there in 2003. After the first competition event, Edaran Endurance Classic 2004 achieved FEI-CEI recognition for its 120Km competition, a commendable achievement after only one competition event. With Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 next on the calendar, ar-Raudhah looks set to be the Event’s venue for many more competitions to come.