Australasian Endurance Forum Attracts Multi-National Attendance

Lausanne (SUI), 8 June 2011 – Over 150 delegates representing nine different nationalities are attending the Australasian FEI Endurance Conference and Forum, which began in Brisbane (AUS) today.

Delegates from Australia, Canada, France, Great Britain, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand, the UAE and the USA are taking part in three days of lectures and discussion sessions across a wide range of topics relating to international Endurance.

This is the first time the world forum has been held outside Europe and guest speakers have travelled from Canada, America, the UAE, Malaysia and Switzerland, and from across Australia.

The members of the FEI Endurance Technical Committee who are in attendance will also meet during the Forum and attend the Australian Endurance Festival taking place this weekend featuring FEI competitions at 1*, 2* and 3* level.

The conference organisers state that the primary goal of the three-day meeting is to achieve the aspirations of the FEI Code of Conduct, which states: “The FEI urges all involved with the sport to attain the highest levels of education in their areas of expertise.”

As well as a debate on the future of international competitions in Africa, Asia and Australia, the conference will also discuss:

•    implementation of the new rules and implications of the new star rating for treatment veterinarians
•    improving the understanding of the roles of officials
•    changes to the Veterinary Regulations with regard to medication control
•    examination of horses during competition especially metabolics and lameness
•    issues relating to the treatment of horses at endurance rides
•    improved nutrition and training methods for endurance horses and issues related to rider safety

“This conference and forum has given representatives from the regional nations a unique opportunity to meet together and exchange views with other nations from both within the region but also from much further afield,” FEI Director of Non-Olympic Sports Ian Williams said.

Further information on the conference, including a full list of speakers, plus details of the Endurance Festival can be found here.

Endurance became an FEI discipline in 1982. It is now the fastest growing of all the FEI disciplines and is second only to Jumping in competitor numbers.

In 2010 alone there were 799 CEIs (Concours d’Endurance International), with 706 taking place in 2009 and 467 in 2008.

CEIs are divided into four different star levels as follows:
1*: All rides are between 80 – 119 km in one day
2*: All rides are between 120 – 139 km in one day or 70 – 89 km over two days
3*: All rides are between 140 – 160 km in one day, or 90 – 100 km over two days, or 70 – 80 km over 3 days or more.
4*: Senior Championships of a minimum of 160 km in one day; Junior and Young Rider Championships of a minimum of 120 km and maximum of 130 km in one day.

Read more about Endurance on the FEI website here.

FEI Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

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