This page will update with reports of World Championship for Young Horses 2018.
New updates are at the bottom of the page.
26.7.2018 - World Championship for Young Horses 2018, Samorin
Approved schedule has been published for 2018 World Championship for Young Horses that takes place in Samorin Slovakia. Our national federation agreed to put our entry to the event but sadly they won't be able to help us with the traveling costs or with the entry fees even thought it is championship event. It will require extra effort but of course we are still going as it is rare opportunity to participate in the event like this. Marja is going with our mare Jiicee Superstar which is born in Finland, is our own bred and trained from the day one. She has proved to be quite gifted in endurance even though her race as trotter may not be as well suited to endurance as arabian might be. The following month we continue to train and make all the preparations for the up coming event.
10.8.2018 - Blood tests
The organiser requires all the horses to have tested for equine infectious anemia so we ordered that test from the veterinary. At the same time we took the usual blood tests to check the overall health of Jiicee Superstar. The E.I.A returned negative as expected and we were also happy to see that all the blood tests values was exactly where they should be. Thus far everything is going as planned.
12.9.2018 - Getting ready
Last month has been busy in getting ready for the competition. Lot of basic maintenance for the car and trailer, getting new stuff for the race and just overall preparations for the upcoming travel and the race it self. Jiicee has undergone finalising training and we did training competition of CEN 40km that went really well. Both the rider and the horse has had and will continue to have lot of physical maintenance. Lot of work but things are advancing steadily.
19.9.2018 - All the little things
This week at Saturday we start our travel to the Samorin. It is around 2000 km overall for which we have planned two overnight stops. Last maintenances to the car and trailer and also for all the incredible amount of other stuff that is needed for the travels and for the race it self. For now everything looks good but this last week will be stressful no-doubt.
22.9.2018 - Off we go!
Everything is now packed and we are as ready as we can be. Now we start our long travel towards Samorin. First stop will be at Ecuries JPF which is great as it is familiar site for us and our horse. Fist leg is only around 600 km so we start quite easy. Next day will be around 700 km and last day will be also around 600 km. Not easy but quite doable. Let's go!
25.9.2018 - Here at last
Traveling went really well. First we went inside France and stopped at Ecuries JPF. It was nice to be in familiar surroundings. Then we continued at 6 am towards Italy. Going through the Alps is quite annoying with over hundred tunnels and endless bridges but it went without problems. Next stop was near Venice in Veneto Endurance Team Stables which was also great. Third day we traveled through Austria which also includes some tunnels and bridges. The concrete roads was somewhat irritating for the horse with constant thumps but overall Austria was quite nice. From Austria we came to Slovak which included the first rush hour that we encountered and last 25 km took over 50 minutes. Luckily the route inside Slovak was very short and we arrived to X-Bionic Sphere as planned. First veterinary check was right in the gates. There was no problems and everything was ready in the venue. So nice to come here when all is ready and waiting for us from the first day open. Jiicee looks really good after the travel, as if there has not been any travel at all for her. Now we continue to prepare us and the horse for the upcoming race.
27.9.2018 - Days in Samorin
The competition center X-Bionic Sphere is quite amazing complex including everything horseman or horsewoman would even thing of needing: hotel, waterpark, race track, multiple arenas etc etc etc. Being here from the Monday has given us and the horse lot of time to get used to the surroundings and all the quirks. Today is the last easy day and starting from tomorrow everything goes by tight schedule. For now everything looks great and we have enjoyed our stay so far!
5.10.2018 - Recap
The race was really well organised and everything worked quite smoothly. However the crew points was quite closely to each other (around 4 km for riders) thus there was not lot of time to drive from the point to another. But we managed and was able to reach almost all the points in time (we missed one). The race went very well and according to our plan if not including the missed crew point and miscalculating the heart rate before the vet gate 3 that caused us to lose around 5 minutes. Our overall plan was to make result for Finland, us and for our horse. Last vet check gave perfect readings so we are really happy to know that we didn't push to the limit and there is more in reserve! We have really high hopes for the future of Jiicee Superstar.
After the race we had the rest of the day just for resting and we headed home first thing in the next morning. We were happy to stay the night again near Venice in Veneto Endurance Team Stables. Even though traffic and droving in Italy during dusk is quite stressful. Next morning we started again towards France and it was again really nice to stay in familiar Ecuries JPF for the night. Next morning we finally headed home. After the travel Jiicee was not as nearly exhausted as we were. Now we just start to orient to the regular schedule. Just few races left in this year but even after this exhausting trip we are still eager towards the next challenges!
