News From SWITZERLAND

Schweizerische Zuchtgenossenschaft für Arabische Pferde (SZAP)

Today White Turf belongs to the “Leading Events of the World”. Beside high quality racing with a number of international flat, trotting and skijoring races, visitors will be impressed by a fabulous mountain world and by the frozen lake of St.

Today White Turf belongs to the “Leading Events of the World”. Beside high quality racing with a number of international flat, trotting and skijoring races, visitors will be impressed by a fabulous mountain world and by the frozen lake of St. Moritz, where the race track on snow is placed. On the frozen lake, spectators are able to walk through a little village of white tents and palms where they may spend their time in little bars, fine restaurants or in art and fashion galleries. On February 3rd 2002, under the motto “Arabian Day”, the only International Arabian Horse race on snow in the world was held for the third time among three other flat races for thoroughbreds, two races for trotters and one skijoring race. The “Orbitex Gold Cup” was open for 4-year old and older Arabian horses with a distance over 1600m and a price money of CHF 25’000.-. A well-balanced field of 10 Arabian horses of good quality from France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland was entered. The organizer was very satisfied about the number of entries because during winter time a lot of the horses are out of training. More than 9000 spectators expected the start with big interest. Immediately after starting Tarrim El Parry took the lead in front of Sabina, the only mare in the field. Unfortunately the jockeys of the horses Tressor und Ayyub fell in the first turn and the horses Ainhoa Mangshah and Alrityv just behind them lost the rhythm for a moment. The field passed the finish line in the same order: Tarrim El Parry two lengths in front of Sabina and Paradox T. All three horses are by the same French sire Kesberoy. The stallion Paradox T was disqualified because his jockey didn’t weigh in correctly after the race. Therefore, the French stallion Alrityv took the third place. The winner Tarrim El Parry owned and trained by Regine Weissmeier from Germany could repeat his great win from two years ago. Second placed Sabina is owned by The Kossack Stud from the Netherlands and was the only horse trained in Switzerland by Franziska Aeschbacher from Nile Arabians. White Turf 2002 was again a great success for the Arabian horse racing scene in Switzerland and the organizer hopes to continue the unique tradition of Arabian snow racing in St. Moritz next year. After September 11th 2002, unfortunately the current sponsor announced to cancel his sponsoring engagement for 2002 and the Swiss Arabian Horse Racing Organization has to try its best to find hopefully a new sponsor for next year. Urs Aeschbacher IFAHR representative of Switzerland.

- , Posted on 03 February 2002