Date: April 1997
Q: Pelvan - Love Over Gold

A: Hi everybody!

Just giving you an update on how Pelvan - Love over Gold is doing.

We participated in 2 rides already. One over 63 KM on March 30 where we ended up 6th position (we could have been in front, but as this was a qualification ride and the average speed was already at 15.5 KM/H, we decided to back-off a bit to avoid any risk).

The second ride over 81 KM (50 Miles) was last weekend. As ride manager I wanted to be in the field to have close contact with the checkpoints and pick-up complaints and things going on/things not running smoothly. We were however able to complete the ride with an average speed of 10.58 KM/H (which is very slow!) caused by all stops/questions and arrangements to be made.
Pelvan performed very well and finished in an excellent condition.

We are now preparing for the 96 KM ELDRIC-ride on April 27 in Denee in Belgium. This again will be a qualification ride towards the European Championships.

Keep your fingers crossed!

You will hear from me as soon as more news becomes available.

Greetings,
Desiree

Hot news! Love over Gold (studbookname Pelvan) completed another 100 KM ride yesterday (Sunday 27 April).
It was a tough ride in Denee - Belgium. A lot of steap climbs and difficult (rocky and slippery) ways down. But he did an excellent job! Our average speed was 14.2 KM/H. where the winner (also a Dutch rider) achieved 14.9 KM/H and finished just about 22 minutes ahead of us (and he did have a tough ride!). Nr. 2 finished 12 minutes before us and we had a race into the finish with 4 riders (2 Arabs, 1 German pony, 1 Teke). Because of "Fair play" the German pony and my Teke crossed the finishline together, riders holding hands. We let 1 Arab go (she completed 3rd position), but beat the other Arab (even while holding hands!!).

This takes us one step closer to participating in the European Championships on September 27 in Pratoni del Vivaro (near Rome) in Italy.

Next (and last official step), completing the 160 KM CEA in Ermelo on June 7, 1997. Keep your fingers crossed!

Greetings,
Desiree Hanen & Love over Gold (the golden Achal Teke)

June 1997

Sorry to tell you, folks, but during last Saturday's 160 KM/100 Miles
endurance ride in Ermelo (Netherlands) I decided to retire after passing
the 3rd veterinarian inspection. Love over Gold's metabolics were never as
good as they were on Saturday, but he missed the spirit. It might have been
caused by the heat (hot and humid) and the fact that we got lost already
early in the morning and searched for the right direction for almost an
hour. We couldn't get on speed, the trails seemed like chewing gum (deep,
deep sand). I don't know.
As nobody of the Dutch selection was further in the race (one retired after
20 KM/the other got pulled after 70 KM), I decided to give up as well and
will continue in the ELDRIC-circuit only for the rest of the year.
Sorry, no European Championships for my Achal Teke in Rome this year, but
we set our minds already on the World Equestrian Games in Ireland.
I will keep you informed.
Greetings,
Desiree

June 1997
Sorry folks, but Pelvan will be out of competition for the next couple of
weeks.
Nothing realy serious; he will be back, but the next 5 weeks will be
box-rest and 2x 15 minutes walk a day only. (Poor guy!)
The kick he got 6 weeks ago from another horse, caused an injury of the
bone. During the ride it showed after about 90 KM. down the trail. He
showed to be very tough and if I hadn't been riding him for so many KM's on
that day, the injury might have been irreversible if we had waited much
longer with a treatment. (It would most likely have showed too late if I
hadn't been riding him over such a distance on that day, as he hadn't gone
even slightly irregular during 3-hour rides on heavy trails).
His left front leg tendon had a hard time during the ride and therefore now
needs some rest too. Again nothing realy serious, but it needs some therapy
and a good rest.
He has been treated in Wassenaar/The Hague for about a week. Now he's home
again and a new scan/X-ray needs to be made in 5 weeks from now.
I don't mind how long it will take; the most important for me is, that he
is going to be completely fine and the veterinarian assured me, that he
will be.
I will keep you informed.
Greetings,
Desiree Hanen & Pelvan (alias Love over Gold)