MacGuinness lines up for Ireland in Endurance test at World Championships

Tom MacGuinness will represent Ireland in Butheeb (UAE) tomorrow for the FEI Endurance World Championship.

This is the fourth world championships that Tom has completed in and the 46th time he has represented Ireland at FEI level.

His horse Horseware Fontana – an Arab from Uruguay – has completed 1300km in training for this event.

The heat will be a factor, with temperatures expected to be higher than 30C tomorrow, and this will affect the horses from Europe but MacGuinness is bidding for a positive finish.

“It’s my fourth World Championships and I’m really looking forward to it,” MacGuinness said.

“It’ll be a bit warmer than normal, 34C instead of the usual 28C but the horse is great, he’s well prepared and I’m hopeful that we can finish in the top 25.”

129 combinations, representing 37 nations ready to challenge for the 2022 individual and team world titles on Saturday 25 February 2023.

The 18^th edition of the FEI Endurance World Championship sees 63 female and 66 male athletes entered, and an equally impressive diversity in age range of the participants with 55 years separating youngest and first time World Championship competitor, 18-year-old Constanza Pacheco Diaz (ARG) from Canada’s 73-year old Robert Gielen, who will be taking part in his fourth World Championship.

Tom MacGuinness and Horseware Fontana will compete at the FEI Endurance World Championship this weekend

Alongside the 160 km track which will be run over 6 loops and has been prepared to the highest standard, proper hydration and temperature control have also been optimised with multiple water points throughout the ride for the competitors to rehydrate and cool off, serviced by many of the volunteers and staff that have dedicated their time and expertise to supporting the event.

In addition, the Organising Committee will also be implementing a number of actionable sustainable initiatives in a bid to set a new benchmark for future Endurance events and showcase UAE’s commitment to innovation in sustainable ecology in line with their pledge for carbon neutrality by 2050.

“We are excited to see so many athletes and nations confirmed for this important Championship,” said FEI President Ingmar De Vos.

“Sustainable thinking is absolutely key to event planning today, and I am delighted the World Championship in Butheeb has set its sights on becoming a point of reference for environmental sustainability at Endurance rides in the future.

“Thanks to the concerted efforts of the Organising Committee in Butheeb and the UAE Equestrian National Federation, we will have a fantastic backdrop for our sport with all the necessary infrastructures and requirements to ensure our athletes and our horses can perform at their very best, with safety and welfare a priority throughout.”