TO FINISH FIRST, YOU FIRST HAVE TO FINISH
by Teddy Lancaster

Facts, Figures and Press:

FEI:

Code and Conduct: The first two rules:
1. In all equestrian sports, the horse must be considered paramount
2. The well-being of the horse shall be above the demands of breeders,
trainers, riders, owners, dealers, organizers, sponsors and officials.

UAE:

Gathering for Peace and Friendship:
“What we are going to witness here along with the whole world is the biggest ever
equestrian gathering at one single event -- The World Endurance Championship ‘98.
The hosting of this important event is an appreciation of UAE’s standing by the world
equestrian fraternity, represented by the Federation equestrian Internationale (FEI).”
Dhiyab bin Zayed Al Nahyan
President, Higher Organizing Committee

From Race Week, vol. 4, no. 17:

UAE becomes the centre of the equine world
“No amount of advertising dollar or budget could come close to the amount of
coverage and press that the World Endurance Championship has brought to the UAE and
those responsible for securing the event and those running it and organizing the massive
logistics, massive rewards are due.” editorial.

Why here, Why now? 7th FEI World Endurance Championships
“It all began in July 1997 when Ireland pulled out of the World Equestrian Games.
It was then that we saw an opportunity to approach the FEI with a view to hosting the
Endurance for the World Equestrian Games.” says Brain Dunn, Chief Steward of the
World Endurance Championship. Following the Irish withdrawal from the games the FEI
was in the process of choosing between Italy and Germany as potential venues for the
Endurance - there was no expectation whatsoever that there would be a bid from
elsewhere and certainly not one from the little known United Arab Emirates.
...so the UAE Federation unveiled their plans to host the World Endurance
Championship as it had never been run before, and in doing so return the sport to the
place of its natural heritage - the desert....the federation has constructed a
160km....landscaped track, built a virtual village in the desert that will meet and exceed the
needs of the competitors and crews whilst affording spectators and unprecedented degree
of intimacy with the sport, and installed state of the art facilities to ensure the well-being
of the horses.”
Unsung Heroes
Behind the scenes at the World Endurance Championships
“The construction of the new facilities for the race itself (had) been
well-publicized...Peden Bloodstock, Ltd., were charged with the responsibility of moving
nearly 200 horses to the UAE from some 40 different countries around the world - but the
responsibility for moving the people was handled directly by the UAE Racing and
Equestrian Federation...(who) turned “travel agent” and more than 1200 flights were
booked with over 10 airlines by a team of two people based at the Federation offices in
Abu Dhabi.”
“...Ghantoot (hosted) a full range of feedstuffs, minerals and vitamins.....
and a range of more than 30 different types of hay from around the world!”
“Horses from 12 barns and nine separate quarantine areas were provided
with six training trails...strict quarantine restrictions have been observed throughout and
the horses will only be brought together for the race itself.”
“The world’s media, some 300 representatives comprising TV reporters,
cameraman, filmmakers, reporters and photographers (were brought in) from around the
world...And with every new arrival yet another security pass has to be issued by the
Secretariat.”
“Just a quick glance behind the scenes revels a level of organization that
would send the fainthearted running screaming for the desert.”

The Starters:

Of the 165 “Official” entries on the start list, 162 actually started. Of these, 78 finished
for a completion rate of 48.15%. 84 horses did not finish, of these, 14 were retired and 70
eliminated. The vets were taking bets before the race and it was rumored they only
expected 15% to finish. But the vets were not tough, indeed very fair. It is a tribute to
this sport that so many did finish this course. A good percentage did indeed “endure.”

Prior to the event, almost every publication to be found had detailed stories and various
speculations regarding each team and each country. Stories were told about each nation
and of the many endurance events throughout Europe, the USA and the Middle East. A
delightful background on each of the competitors made you root for every competitor. It
is a long hard road to the World Endurance Championships. A feature article entitled
“Maybe Kanavy” told of the mother/daughter contenders while the Al Maktoum
father/son “team” of course, representing the host country, were pegged to give the USA,
who has never failed to take home the individual Gold, a genuine “run for their money”.
With $300,000 in prize money to be distributed among the top 20 finishers, this was
indeed a statement of fact.

The USA was aptly represented by the following riders:

Valerie Kanavy / High Winds Jedi opted to ride as an individual
Danielle Kanavy / Pieraz rode by invitation as reining World Champion
Shirley DelSarte / KJ Destination team rider
Darla Westlake / MC Rams Z team rider
Ona Lawrence / Raa Crusader team rider
Wendy Merendini / Fire Mt. Flikka team rider
Patti Pizzo / Savaq opted to ride as an individual

It was rumored (we all hate heresay) that three of our horses had major problems shortly
after arrival in the UAE. It turned out that most of the rumors were exaggerated. Jedi
had an old foot abcess that was slightly aggravated, Rams Z had a slight muscle pull after
shying at an unknown desert “mirage” and Sam, Patti’s horse did tie up one an early
training ride.

Nancy Elliot, Mike Tomlinson, two USA vets who attended to these horses and a vast
number of others from various nations, stayed on top of all problems, resolved most to the
best anyone could and helped afford our squad every opportunity to do their very best the
day of the race.

The Headquarters:

The event headquarters were smartly located at the Jazira Resort which is some 30 miles
between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A normally quite “country” location far from any sign of
civilization except for the main highway and the Ghantoot Racing grounds (location of the
stabling and the start of the ride), the Jazira hosted the secretariat (who issues badges, sold
souvenirs, and dealt with all of the organizational questions and problems.) A huge
outdoor tent was to one side where the FEI seminars, veterinary commission meetings,
and the ride briefing were held. Cell phones, more prevalent in the UAE than televisions,
could be rented here for a nominal 60 dirhams (about $17.00) per day.

To give credit where credit is due. the UAE did a great deal right. They have the money
to do it and I have no doubt that a similar event will take place in the near future.
Opportunity was presented to peoples and nations that has never before been offered.
They provided transportation, staff, facilities and amenities such as have never been seen
before for a like event. To that end, money does talk, right or wrong. Opportunities are
made with money and nothing else. They did it, and they did it to the better than anyone
else ever has.

Even with the best of events and plans, there are problems and mistakes. There were
shortcomings. Rules were bent, some for the betterment of the riders, staff and other
personnel involved. Some served an agenda for what I believe the UAE was trying to do:
make a world name for themselves in the sport of endurance riding. Riders whose horses
would not pass the initial vetting were enabled to lease UAE horses to ride. These horses
are not duly “nominated entries”, but, nonetheless, allowed each rider and opportunity to
partake in this once-in-a-lifetime event. The FEI vetting was the most congenial I have
ever witnessed. Even “marginal” horses were afforded the opportunity to start.

With almost 200 horses being shipped in from all corners of the globe, there are bound to
be problems: long delays at airports, long periods where horses were confined to standing
stalls on planes, all leading to extra-ordinary stresses. Most of which were unforeseeable,
unpreventable and sometimes irreversible to affect on the physical and mental well-being
of the horses. A fact of life...something for which there is little solution, just an
increasingly evident need to learn more about managing these situations.

Back at the ranch, so to speak, at the Jazira Hotel, headquarters for the WEC. Efficiency
was NOT a word to be used. Perhaps it is indicative of the culture or style of life of this
part of the world, perhaps it was the result of misinformation or lack of definitive
information or an unprepared or inadequate staffing. Badges which were required for
admission to various facilities before, and during the event were (and rightly so)
mandatory. I dare say a “good” processing time for your badge was two hours, for many
is was days. Back-tracking a bit, Visas are required to enter the UAE. Many, upon
arrival, found that their Visas were not at the airport as promised. This involved the
holding of passports by UAE immigration until the matter was straightened out. This was
not a minor issue. I was there nine days and got my passport back less than 12 hours
before my departing flight. I was not alone. A lovely lady by the name of Greta was
appointed to greet us at the airport; had it not been for her efforts, many of us would have
spent the night in immigration instead of being handing receipts for our passports and
being sent on our hotels for much needed sleep. We were given 24 to 48 hours to provide
a Visa, but this was also evidently ignored as it took much longer for most people to get
the necessary paperwork.

Souvenirs are what I call an absolute necessity - the “memories” are reinforced by having
these items to take home. The UAE had a wide variety, reasonably priced, but not readily
available. No fault of their own. Evidently, many were caught up in customs clearance.
But, to their credit, a beautiful color order book was provided and orders taken,
purportedly to be shipped without charge. A promo-type video was shown at the party
following the “closing ceremonies”, available free for the asking. The supply was quickly
used up and copies send to those to asked (again free of shipping charges).

The pitfalls were blatantly evident. Lack of information on a timely basis was rampant
and sometimes lacking altogether. Maps, particularly crew maps were non-existent until
the night before the event. The course; while seemingly adequately marked for the riders,
was not marked sufficiently for the crews. Crewing therefore became a monumental chore
and several infractions (like crewing in non-designated location and driving on the actual
trail) did occur according to reports I heard. But, to their credit, after dark, crews were
allowed to drive behind their riders on course in the interest of “safety”.

The Stabling -Ghantoot Racing Grounds:

The stabling and facilities were are marvel in themselves. They were conveniently located
about a mile away from the Jazira Resort (headquarters). About 40 nations, grouped by
continent of origin, were stabled in a securely controlled quarantine environment. At least
12 barns with 9 “quarantine” groups were spread out over a more than 500 acre complex
situated seemingly far into the desert, but built with the convenience of the nearby
highway and the conveniently located Jazira Resort.

I believe the UAE is to be commended in planning for and providing not only the facility
and management but the approval of all competing Federations to minimize health risks
before, during and after the event. Had this not been done, many horses would have had
lengthy quarantines upon returning to their respective countries. The USA horses would
have had a 90 day quarantine, with this system, with the USA it was reduce to three days.
I did not have access to the stables themselves, but the reports were excellent. Many said
their horses never had it so good. The downside was the limited hours of access. All
stables were off limits when the sun began to sink as this is when the possibility of
disease-spreading insects was most prevalent.. I did witness, however, the South African
and other countries being isolated even more stringently than most others. This, evidently,
was necessary.

The Virtual Village: The Main Vet Gate:

An entire village was built, yes BUILT, just for this event. Much of it was not finished
until the day of the event, some not finished at all. In view of the fact that the intention is
to make this a permanent site, I am sure that which was not completed for this event will
be in due time, with added improvements from the knowledge gained from the actual
running of the WEC 1998. It was and is an impressive site, situated out in the desert
MILES away from a main road (at least as we view a main road - about 6-8 miles of
driving across the desert on non-existent roads to reach the “village”.) The layout and
thought put into this layout was innovative. Picture a huge circle surrounded by a 7 foot
high stockade fence. Inside, in the middle, was the vetting area. At least a dozen trot-out
lanes with access from two sides were located dead center in plain view of a modest
covered grandstand. Surrounding these lanes was a circle of “entry” gates into the vet
area. This is where the pulse time was taken by swiping a card programmed for and
issued to each rider. These pulse timers each had a shaded hut with a computer swipe
terminal inside each one. Outside this circle was another circle of crew shelters, smartly
built far enough away to give ample room for the 175 starting horses, yet giving each crew
almost equal access to the vet area.

Each crewing shelter was assigned to a different country...allocated by lottery. Each
carried on its peak the flag of the nation assigned. Each shelter had HUGE cooling fans at
the back and a water supply to enable “misting” horses. Each had electricity and a
thatch-like hut behind every 3 to 4 crew shelters housed huge water tanks, giving an ample
and convenient supply of water to all. While the shelters seemed to be too small to house
an entire nations’ competitors, few needed more space than three horses needed at one
time. Nations having fewer riders and horses were quite amenable to “sharing” of their
designated “hut” to those who needed them.

Entry into the “village” was through similar huts..at least a dozen, all equipped with
computers and swipe card keyboards. It is here that riders could be greeted after
completing each of the 5 loops. On either side were tall towers which held the announcers
and served as communications headquarters for the organizers.

Located conveniently just inside or just outside the perimeter of the “village” were
dignitary tents (WITH air conditioning, carpets and overstuffed leather sofas and chairs),
the press tent (also with carpeting) with an amazing number of computers, fax machines,
copies, phones as well as the latest edition of all of the major newspapers carrying the
story of this event. Not far away were the food tents...several, each offering a different
style of food...all FREE.

The layout of the “village” included grandstand seating for spectators (not as many were
there as the caliber of the sport should warrant - probably due to the remoteness of the
site), and a huge screen for all to view the actual horses on course in the desert...all
relayed via helicopter. Of course, after dark, this was not used.

Food and drink was free to all and a great abundance and variety was available throughout
the event. At least two huge carpeted tents were conveniently located and open for the
duration of the event. The “local” food offered ranged from rice and meat buffet style to
yogurts, cereals and breads...all VERY palatable. Coffee, however, for me an absolute
necessity, was unavailable to the best of my knowledge. Next time I bring a thermos.

The “village” was so well-planned, it made me ask why it had not been done before (to my
knowledge it has not.) The amenities provided were for the most part convenient to
everyone and large enough to afford mobility without a great deal of confusion or
congestion. The aesthetics can be described from charming to a primitive splendor. Most
of what was needed was indeed available.

Race Day:

The started was schedule for 5:45 AM. Most opted for 2AM wake-ups calls at their
respective hotels in order to catch the “caravan” leaving for the vet-check instead of
witnessing the actual start. With the vet-check being an hour and a half drive across
seemingly uncharted desert with no roads and tons of tire-tracks, driving in the dark to
boot, this was the ONLY decision for most. We followed each other, winding around
scrub brush and deeper sand, through an endless cloud of dust to arrive at a lighted
splendor which could be seem for miles through the darkness. Most of us were going there
for the first time...across 6-8 miles of unmarked (other than tire tracks) desert in the pitch
black. To make matters worse, the desert sand is unlike what we knew here, It is
super-fine. With literally dozens of vehicles scampering across the desert at night, the dust
is so thick you cannot see where you are going. We all did our best and prayed that the
driver in the car we were following either knew where he was going or was following
someone who did. When we arrived, we were ready to seek out the port-a-potties, to
realize they had not yet arrived. When they did they were locked and on the back of
trucks. Until daylight, we had the cover of darkness, but by that time, everything was
ready.

Crews hurriedly unloaded their vehicles and were ushered by “military” to the outside of
the perimeter of the village under threat of forced towing. Many of us had not had the
opportunity to “scope out” the set-up and quickly assessed that all we needed was there
for us: water, fans, electricity, shelter, and food. The “village” quickly became crowded
with people anxiously awaiting the first horses to arrive. We knew, however, before they
came into sight: the helicopters with their camera crews were already sending images back
to the big screen in the center of the complex.

As the first horses arrived, they were met by capable crews with water buckets and
blankets (yes, it was cold in the early morning). Many walked right into the pulse gate.
Valerie and Jedi were first, right by their side was “Rashid” who was to stay “up front”
with Valerie until the 4th vet-check where he was eliminated.

In the vet gate itself, only the rider/owner/crew/Chef ‘d Equip and Team Vet are allowed
along with the horse and only two of these at anyone time. For those of us who wanted to
know how the other riders were doing, it was difficult at best. Many a horse was
presented by a crew member wearing a bib with the number of a different horse than the
one being presented. Undoubtedly, they were members of the same squad or nation, but
nonetheless, it made accurate observation impossibly unreliable. During the event itself,
many modern technologies were used to facilitate the flow of horses through the vet gates
and on and off trail. Unfortunately, these technologies were not set up to avail
competitors (or anyone else) of much needed information readily. No “leader” board was
in evidence, so we all had to rely on our eyes and ears to see who was where in the
standings. Timing was done with the use of “smart cards” scanned into a computer as
each rider arrived, entered the vet gate, and left again on trail. Not until the last legs of
the race, was this posted for the competing countries to see. Even the media was
throwing up their arms in the frustration of trying to keep track of who was where and
how each team was doing. To make matters worse, the system of timing with “smart
cards” broke down sometime about half way through the race causing major confusion
and errors that were eventually corrected; but, unfortunately, not until the end of the race.
It made planning and strategy for teams with close times impossible. The Belgium team
felt this cost them a medal and, had the timing errors been resolved before the last vet
check, may very well have given the USA the Gold.

The Competition:

With about 40 nations and over 175 horses, one would think that a world championship
event would create animosities, jealousies and the like. From what I heard and saw,
however, nothing could be construed as such. Nations helped each other; shared vets,
shared advice, shared equipment, shared knowledge and shared in the excitement of just
being there. In the official ride program were the words: “To Finish First, You Must First
Finish”. I daresay, although very true, most riders were there to be there, to finish was a
plus and anything more would be a dream come true.

In that light, the UAE made it all happen. In fact, after seeing many FEI events, I can
truthfully say that the caliber of vets and staff used at FEI rides or at least the increased
experience and knowledge of the vets used has improved dramatically. In fact, every
horse was given every possible chance at every vet check to be allowed to continue.
Second trot-outs, which were never given in many previous FEI rides, were allowed in all
the cases I witnessed. The reports of the vet hospital on grounds was excellent and
immediate attention and transportation to the one horse that was eventually put down was
far more than we usually see or have access to.

On to the statistics. After Vet checks one and two, the standings for teams were as
follows: These are computed from the first three members of a team. These are close
estimates, not exact figures as we had runners gathering times from various points all over
the vet-gate. Only Teams having three or more members arrive were computed. As the
day went on and more teams dropped out or dropped back, it was not necessary to keep
track of ALL the teams.

VC-1 VC-2
Time behind leaders
1. UAE 0 1. UAE 0
2. France 8:10 2. France 19:00
3. South Africa 22:50 3. South Africa 25:16
4. USA 32.55 4. New Zealand 1:05:00
5. Saudi Arabia 35:10 5. Saudi Arabia 1:57:00
6. Italy 47:10 6. Canada 2:08:00
7. Canada 53:10 7. USA 2:17:00
8. New Zealand 54:10 8. Poland 2:52:00
9. Australia 1:28:08 9. Portugal 3:06:00
10. Argentina 1:35:32 10. Switzerland 4:31:00
11. Switzerland 1:46:10 11. Great Britain 4:55:00
12. Spain 1:48:10
13. Japan 1:49:44
14. Brazil 1:52:20
15. Malta 2:10:14
16. Uruguay 2:52:10
17. Chile 3:03:15

Vet Check #3 is when Smartvision’s system stopped working and a manual system was
used. Much harder for us to get accurate information. But, it was very evident that the
UAE, France, South Africa and New Zealand had good positions and seemed to be
maintaining them. The USA Team dropped off the fast pace, but Valerie stayed in front
all day.

As it is with most such events, the last few vetchecks predict the outcome. Both the UAE
and France lost their third team members and hence were out of the running, leaving it to
the USA and New Zealand. But the USA was not without its disappointments. Ona
Lawrence on Raa Crusader arrived in seemingly good shape and were wisked right way to
the pulse gate. We were all shocked when he trotted out lame and no one was more
disappointed than Ona. Crusader has an excellent record having never been pulled from a
100 in his career. Imagine the extreme dismay at having this be the first. Upon closer
investigation, the problem was not serious, being attributed to a stone bruise (yes, there
ARE stones in the desert!). Ona was our second team member in along with Darla
Westlake. Now the burden of finishing was upon Shirley and Dusty.

From the very start the UAE had a strong lead with the French not far behind. Both lost
their third team member at the last vet check. Had this not happened, I doubt we would
have had the Silver. The Kiwi’s, in my opinion, hung in there, saving their horses, riding
close enough together that the USA was hard-pressed to make up the time difference.
When the 4th NZ horse left on the last loop, we had three horses left, one that had not yet
gone out on the last 12k loop.

Dusty had not been eating well and had diminished guts sounds. Although he started out
gang-busters and felt better than he ever had according to Shirley, at the third vet-check,
he was not showing his usual brightness and Shirley had opted to slow down. This was
both our saving grace and our demise, for the New Zealand Team had been riding
together as we were quite spread out at this point. Patty Pizzo, riding close to Shirley,
who had opted not to be placed on the team, rode out with Shirley for moral support.

Frantically, calculations were checked and rechecked. We knew there was a problem with
the timing when Smartvision crashed, but did not know for sure how much or if it would
be credited or, in fact, exactly which horses or teams it affected. There was conjecture,
most believing that the time would not be credited. We heard the Chef ‘d equip of the NZ
team being called to the central office and then the ground jury president. By that time I
knew that if Shirley, now on the last loop, could get in before 9:03:20, we would have the
gold. This information was relayed to our crew on trail and it was relayed back that
Shirley, indeed had a VERY good shot at making it, which she did, with about 8 minutes
to spare. BUT, then came the announcement that NZ would be given the time credit. That
placed their top three riders 17 minutes ahead of our remaining three.

The Finale:

As with almost everything else associated with this tiny, but mighty arab nation, the BC
judging was not on time. Many of us who were up late at the vet check did not want to
miss seeing this presentation the next morning. So, after another early wake-up call and
coffee via room service, many hopped into their vehicles for the drive to Ghantoot, only to
wait and wait. The press bus was there and plenty of spectators. Turns out that (as
reported by Steve Shaw) the vets who stayed late at the “virtual village” got lost in the
darkness trying to find their way back. Being of a nature most normal to endurance riding
enthusiasts, they adapted, pulled out a bottle of wine and decided to stay put until daylight
when they could see where they were going, hence the delay in the BC judging.

Tais, ridden by Christine Janzen of Canada, the only Canadian to finish, was the odds-on
favorite of many as was the UAE horse Abrock Theodore, presented by Meg Wade, but
ridden by Mohammed Ali Al Shafar finishing in a tie for 4th. But Tais did not make the
final cut. Three horses were left for evaluation. We watched the second place horse,
ridden by the Italian dentist, Faris Jabar, and the two UAE horses: Abrock Theodore and
the seventh place Cameo Zaire, ridden by Mussallem Al Amri. Cameo Zaire won the BC
at the Qatar World Cup in 1997 and is a nice moving smaller gray arabian.

Again, the nicest mover won, and Cameo Zaire was announced to be the Best Condition
horse later that evening. Although time and weight are not considered as it is in the USA,
this little horse carried a man for 100 miles and finished less than an hour behind the
winner.

That afternoon we were told that transportation to the ceremony, which was to be held at
the Zayed Sports Complex in Abu Dhabi, would be provided via shuttle busses from the
hotels. We were asked NOT to drive our own vehicles as over 30,000 spectators were
expected. Although some did try, it was only their endurance ingenuity that got them in at
all. For those of us who obeyed, we found ourselves confined to a jovially crowed bus that
ended up parked at the side of the highway for an hour, waiting for the rest to “catch up”.
While we waited, we were besieged by a myriad of cars filled with Arabs in white garbs.
They pulled up behind us and proceeded to invade our busses, laughing and handing our
ball caps with “Emirates Oil” on them. Some of the passengers exchanged souvenirs and
we all had a good laugh (after the initial startling invasion).

Upon arrival, we were ushered to one of the entrances and scanned by security devices,
and relieved of any obvious food we were carrying. When a “military” type man took my
water bottle, I almost fought back, forgetting I was not in the USA. He simply smiled,
saying I would not need it, we would be “provided for” inside. And that we were, IF we
could find room to maneuver. The stadium seating was more than crowded and we ended
up on the top row with no real seats, but a great view. Quickly, we discovered that the
30,000 plus attendance was made up of the local arab population. White garbs were
everywhere, all with smiles, paper planes and bic lighters which seem to be a favorite to
“flick” upon the slightest opportunity.

It was dark until all were seated, later than scheduled. Then came the spotlight and the
band that played the UAE National Anthem. Someone started speaking in Arabic with an
interpretation into English on occasion. The awards from the WEC were being presented
although we could see nothing from our perch. As it was announced that Valerie Kanavy
from the USA was the winner, the crowd “booed!” We are thinking: What is this? This is
supposed to be a ceremony! Seems that this is a young crowd, used to big sports events
and it is all too common for the opposing team to be booed, even if they are the winners,
just because they ARE the opposition. Many of us considered this impolite, to say the
least. To me, it was just another “tradition” which, although I don’t agree with, must
understand and put in it’s place.

The short presentation was followed by two hours of an incredible light show and display
of costume, tradition and song of the Arab lifestyle. To me it was overkill and repetitive.
But, it was spectacular. Big cloths were draped on the far side of the sports complex upon
which a myriad of technological lighting was projected. Images of the desert, the falcon,
the horse and the world were changed frequently as were the hundreds of children,
dressed in many different colors of costume, rushed on an off the field to shoe off their
well-rehursed choreography. A seemingly endless mass of colors passed before our eyes to
be highlighted with fireworks displayed on two big screens on either side of the main
stage. The images were transmitted from a helicopter that hovered far above the stadium,
giving us the view from the air.

Although we were all led to believe this was the “Closing Ceremony”, I doubt anyone
could say it was much of a celebration of the WEC. It was a display of the Arab life and
tradition, and for that alone, it was worth seeing.

After finding our busses we were all transported back to the Jazira Resort where the
REAL celebration took place. We were wined and dined with tons of free food and drink,
a sexy and very good singer and another big screen set up to display video clips from the
race itself. All of this took place around the huge pool in back of the resort hotel. It was
here, amongst friends and admirers of the sport of endurance riding, that the actual awards
were handed out. Beautiful belt buckles were presented to all who completed along with
a very nice small trophy which had the finish place engraved on it.

The evening was late to start and late (or should I say early?) to end, almost to daylight!
This was the last opportunity for many to say their good-byes to new and old friends as
many would leave for home the next day.