Guatemala will host the 4th Edition of the Magdalena Endurance Challenge on 24th of April 2010. Magdalena is a giant sugar mill in La Gomera, Escuintla. This event is the most challenging endurance event in Guatemala. According to Fernando Paiz, President of Jinetes de Aventura Endurance (Endurance Adventure Riders) and President of the Organizing Committee of this international competition, the race will be very exciting and very tough.
The race will demand a lot of technical expertise from the riders and horses because it will be held at night, to reduce the effect of the extreme heat of the coast area where Magdalena is located. The route of the competition will go through roads and paths of tropical forest, sugar plantation, rivers and irrigation channels.
The President of the Organizing Committee expressed his excitement and satisfaction that Sugar Mill Magdalena is opening their doors for the fourth year in a row to provide their adventurous terrain for one of the most important competitions of the year. Family Leal, the owners of the Sugar mill have been of tremendous help to support the logistics for such a complex event. The event is called: Magdalena Endurance Challenge, in their honour.This event will is a classifying event for the FEI World Endurance Championship held in Kentucky USA, this year.
International Participation
Renowned and very tough international competitors have confirmed their participation for Guatemala's Magdalena Challenge 4ht Edition, from Costa Rica and Mexico.
There will be a panel of certified international FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale), judges from Uruguay, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico and Guatemala. The judges will have a lot of work to do, aside from the competition that will be held over a two day period - because the race is at night, they will also hold a workshop for judges and veterinarians. No easy riding for the judges. The content of the workshop and the details of the illustrious international lecturers will be published in a follow up article.
The Guatemalan team will be represented by its best riders for this qualifying competition for the FEI World Endurance Championship to be held in Kentucky USA, later this year. Fernando Paiz Larrave from Guatemala has already obtained his qualification for Kentucky 2010, so he will not be competing.
Because the Central American games 2010, for the category of Endurance, were cancelled, the Guatemalan endurance riders that have already qualified to participate at the Central American games can be compensated in a way. This international competition is a good opportunity to evaluate their progress and skills compared to their previous performances and against the international competitors.
Special feature of this race
The race is scheduled at night. The date was set to have a full moon to improve the visibility for riders and especially the horses in this new variation. The riders and horses will face very harsh challenges of severe humidity and heat up to 40 degree Celsius. The performance of the horses is affected by the humidity factor as well as the heat.
This is only the fourth time that an Endurance race will be held at night. It will also provide the riders and horses a new way to experiment nature and race conditions under a full moon and hopefully without clouds and rain.
The event will be held according to the rules, regulations and standards of the Fédération Equestre Internationale. The race will be held in four categories, from 40 kilometres' to 160 kilometres', it has been approved as a qualifying event by the FEI - Fédération Equestre Internationale, the world authority on equestrian events.
Information about Sugar Mill Magdalena
This sugar mill provides sugar for 13% of the internal market in Guatemala. This represents 39% of its production. 61% of the production is exported. 81% of the Molasses production is converted to alcohol in a nearby alcohol plant. This provides 43 MW of electricity for the national market of electric energy.
The Sugar Mill Magdalena has been supporting the national sports and especially this important equestrian event of endurance, for four consecutive years. They have provided roads in the sugarcane fields, the plantation and other areas. The roads have been improved especially for the equestrian events. The Sugar Mill has build physical infrastructure like temporary stables and resting places for the horses and riders, veterinarians, places for compulsory halt for veterinary inspection, vet gates, spectators and international and national judges. They are also providing vital logistical support for the complete realization of the event in the field to reach optimal conditions for the participants of Guatemala, Mexico and Costa Rica. The sugar Mill Magdalena is providing all radio communication facilities for this event that is covering 160 kilometres'. Different activities have to be coordinated simultaneously in this huge 160 kilometer area. The logistical challenges are enormous in the severe tropical climate and geographical conditions. Water, feeding and cooling stations have to be provided for the horses. The competing riders also need some comfort too to overcome the extreme weather conditions and physical challenges of this race, so do the judges.
Sponsors of the event
Official Sponsors and collaborators so far (this list will be updated continuously):
Platinum Sponsor: Ingenio Magdalena
Other very important sponsors: Grupo MAG, Olympic Committee of Guatemala, Guatemala's National Equestrian Association,Sanucasa, Máxima Travel, Licorera Nacional, The Guatemala Times.
Pictures: Ignacio de Wit
