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FEI

Olympic Champion Steve Guerdat Features on First Day of FEI Sports Forum

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Steve Guerdat (SUI), centre, with Wayne Channon (GBR), rapporteur, and fellow panelist Cesar Hirsch (VEN). (FEI/Richard Juilliart)

Lausanne (SUI), 4 April 2016 – “Being open and transparent is vital to us as we are discussing matters which have the intention to, and most probably will, affect the future of our sport,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said in his opening address at the fifth edition of the FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne (SUI). “By coming together to share experiences and to discuss the future, we are showing our strength and unity as a sport and our willingness to lead and not be led.”

The two-day Forum has attracted a record number of 320 delegates, with representatives from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Federations, the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), stakeholders, sponsors, riders, trainers, media, volunteers, guests and FEI staff almost filling the auditorium at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Business School, which has hosted the Sports Forum for the past four years.

IMD Professor Stéphane Garelli, the day’s first speaker, referenced the increasing impact of sport on the global economy. “When you look at sport, you are speaking of something that is joyful and happy. You have the privilege in sport and the FEI to bring happiness to people.”

The opening day was dedicated to FEI Officials, their career pathway, remuneration and education, with the sessions providing the opportunity to debate key questions related to the involvement of the National Federations, costs, calendar and geographical spread, standards and strategy.

“The Officials are a group of people that play an important role in our sport and without whom our sport would not be possible. Our officials are in the frontline when it comes to preserving integrity and ensuring that a level playing field is maintained,” Ingmar de Vos said.

The first session debated the optimal career pathway for FEI Officials, promotion, demotion, and sanctions. There was also debate on ways to measure the quality of officiating and whether there should be an age limit of FEI Officials.

Vicki Glynn, Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Federation, supported the removal of the age limit for FEI Officials. “Legally it is age discrimination. The age limit must be removed. We are one of only two organisations that retain age limits for officials. We should put a more effective evaluation process in place and like many countries do when renewing drivers’ licenses, you need to have an eye sight test, medical test.”

Delegates raised the importance of educational support from the FEI to increase the level of understanding of the sport amongst officials, and the correct application of FEI rules.  There was general consensus that training and education are key to the development and understanding of the sport.

“People need to learn to follow procedures; judges need to learn that, but one thing we cannot miss is the horsemanship these people should have,” Olympic Champion Steve Guerdat (SUI) said. “Yes we need rules, the rules are black and white, but we must not forget we have a horse in our sport, a living animal, and the officials must understand the importance of horsemanship.”

Education was the focus of the second session, giving delegates the opportunity to raise questions on the involvement of National Federations in educating officials, balancing costs without impacting quality, and focusing on standards and education strategy.

Maarten van der Heijden, Secretary General of the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation, called for standardised education material, and underlined the willingness of the Federation to share its own material for use by the FEI and other National Federations for education purposes.

“The riders want to have good judges so we can stay on a level playing field and look after our horses; we want clean sport and we want good judges,” Steve Guerdat said. “Unfortunately we need to find money and I understand it’s very expensive. On my point I would have absolutely no problem giving away part of the prize money, but I’m sure I’m one of the few riders.

“There’s a lot of pressure on those people; they have big decisions to take. We could maybe help them by creating a kind of panel to help them take the big decisions. It shouldn’t only be the steward and judges. Maybe have a vet, a rider, an independent person for the panel.”

Fellow panellist Rocio Echeverri also commented on the remuneration debate. “I really don’t believe that someone who does it on a voluntary basis is more or less professional. As an official, I’m 100 per cent committed whether I get paid or not. Getting more money doesn’t make us better officials. It’s about ethics. Payment does not make a better official in my opinion.”

“We don’t want to sacrifice quality to get quantity, or sacrifice quality for expense, quality is an investment,” said Wayne Channon, who was the only person to voice the view that all judges should be appointed by the FEI. Other delegates spoke in favour of retaining the split between Organising Committee and FEI appointments, stating that payment should come from whichever body appointed the Officials.

There was also concern expressed by a number of delegates for both the less developed nations and the non-Olympic disciplines. “Don’t forget the smaller disciplines that are less professionalised and with less prize money. These athletes deserve well educated officials too,” Maarten van der Heijden said.

FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez closed the first day’s sessions with a summary of the discussions on evaluation, age limit, mentoring, rotations, professionalism, subsidising education courses and remuneration with the help of the three rapporteurs.

“We can learn from other sports,” Sabrina Ibáñez said. “The conclusions will be brought to the Bureau and a task force will be created to look at the individual issues. We will come up with some concrete measures to present to you.”

After the session, the Secretary General commented on the positive feedback on the new way of running the Sports Forum. “We are genuinely committed to integrating members of our community and giving them a starring role in the discussions so that they could lead the debate as moderators and panelists. It was extremely well received by all the delegates as they felt they were an integral part of a direct dialogue.”

The detailed programme for the FEI Sports Forum 2016 is available to view and download here.

The FEI online platform is open for continued discussions on all topics raised at the FEI Sports Forum here.

The first session on Officials career pathway was led by moderator Sandra Wiedmer, Secretary General of the Swiss National Federation, with a panel made up of Teodor Sheytanov, Secretary General of the Bulgarian National Federation, Mariette Withages (BEL), former International FEI O-Judge, Marisol Casado (ESP), IOC Member and President of the International Triathlon Union, Hope Hand (USA), FEI Para-Equestrian Committee Member, with Reining Committee Member Pierre Ouellet (ITA) acting as rapporteur.

The second session, which focused Officials education, was moderated by Sally Ike (USA), with a panel of FEI Steward General Dressage Jacques van Daele (BEL), FEI Reining Committee member Raymond Grether (NED), FEI Executive Board Member & Athlete Committee Chair Maria Gretzer (SWE), and Peter Kallings (SWE), FEI List Group Member and FEI Testing Veterinarian. Harald Muller (GER), FEI Education & Standards Director, acted as rapporteur.

The third session, which focused on Officials appointments and remuneration, was moderated by FEI Jumping Committee member Stephan Ellenbruch (GER). The panel was made up of Peter Bollen (BEL), Jumping Committee Member, Rocio Echeverri (CRC), Endurance Committee member, Cesar Hirsch (VEN), FEI Nomination Committee Member and Swiss star Steve Guerdat (SUI). International Dressage Riders Club Secretary General Wayne Channon (GBR) was rapporteur.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 787 506 142

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

FEI

FEI Sports Forum 2016 Live on FEI TV

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Lausanne (SUI), 1 April 2016 – The FEI Sports Forum 2016, which will be held at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne (SUI) on 4 and 5 April, will be live-streamed free of charge on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform.

This year’s Sports Forum turns the spotlight onto the career pathway, education, appointment and remuneration of FEI Officials on the first day, and then the Olympic and FEI World Equestrian Games™ competition formats and Eventing rules revisions take centre stage on day two.

Timetable of live-streaming sessions:

4 April
Morning session 09.00-13.15 CET
Afternoon session 14.15-18.00 CET

5 April
Morning session 09.00-13.15 CET
Afternoon session 14.30-16.30 CET

Users who do not have an FEI TV login will need to register to view the FEI Sports Forum.

The detailed programme for the FEI Sports Forum 2016 is available to view and download here.

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Shannon Gibbons
Manager Press Relations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Community/Charity, Driving, Endurance Riding, Para-Equestrian, Vaulting, Western/Reining

FEI Sports Forum Turns Focus to Future of Para-Equestrian Dressage and Non-Olympic Sports

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Ingmar De Vos, FEI President, closed the FEI Sports Forum 2015 today at the IMD in Lausanne (SUI) thanking all participants, including the International Olympic Committee, National Federations, FEI stakeholders, Organisers and athletes, and the FEI Technical Committees for all their work in preparing the proposals that were heard over the two-day session. (FEI/Germain Arias-Schreiber)

Lausanne (SUI), 28 April 2015 – The final afternoon of the two-day FEI Sports Forum focused on Para-Equestrian Dressage and non-Olympic sports, with the session being opened by Trond Asmyr, FEI Director, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage.

The decision to limit Freestyle to the top third of athletes in each Para-Equestrian grade at Games and Championships was well received by National Federations. This will be implemented for the first time at a Paralympic Games at Rio 2016. The proposal to implement a change to the drop score system for team results from 1 January 2017 was equally well received.

Key areas from the inaugural Para-Equestrian Dressage Forum in Essen (GER) last month, which was attended by para-equestrian experts and athletes from 22 countries, were also highlighted, including re-naming the grades, recruiting new and young riders, pushing for more combined Para-Equestrian Dressage and able bodied Dressage events, and the potential for an FEI World Cup™ series with sponsor support.

“Maintaining the focus on Para-Equestrian Dressage is our top priority,” explained Trond Asmyr. “A record-breaking 33 nations and 100 riders and horses competed for Para-Equestrian Dressage medals at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014, which was a major breakthrough.

“The Paralympic Games are now the second largest multi-sport event in the world, and next year we will be celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Para-Equestrian Dressage in the Paralympic Movement at the Rio 2016 Games. The FEI is wholeheartedly committed to growing Para-Equestrian Dressage and creating more opportunities for our athletes to compete at the top-level.”

Proposals for Driving, Endurance, Vaulting, Reining

The Technical Committees for Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining made several proposals for consideration at today’s Sports Forum specifically on Championships formats, and with spectator experience at the forefront.

The proposals, which can be referenced in full here, include:

  • Driving four-in-hand: shorter dressage test for individuals; for teams (all in one day): dressage, pas-de-deux and cones relay, or combined marathon; pure cone event for individual drivers
  • Endurance: change from one-day 160km format to a two-day 100km-per-day format, with a controlled start on the second day; maximum of four combinations per National Federation, and only highest placed three to count for team classification; countries starting with less than three combinations only eligible for individual classifications
  • Vaulting: introduce “Nations Format” team classification (composition – one Individual Female, one Individual Male and one Squad); recreating the atmosphere of Vaulting at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 by consulting with event organisers on lighting, music and spectator engagement
  • Reining: maximum number of athletes at Championships: 100; individuals in the Final to choose own music

National Federations flagged the need to safeguard horse welfare and respect rest periods, following the proposal of the two-day, 100km-per-day Endurance format. There was also support from National Federations to introduce the Nations Format in Vaulting and several of the innovations proposed for Driving were backed by delegates.

The session concluded with a Reining Round Table focusing on the revision of the competition and Championships format, pattern classification and a presentation of Para-Reining competitions (CPERIs).

FEI Athlete Committee inaugural meeting

The first FEI Athletes’ Committee meeting since the FEI Athlete Representative elections last year was also held at FEI Headquarters today.

“Athletes play a vital role in the way equestrian sport is developing and appealing to wider audiences, thanks to their experience, passion and knowledge of the sport,” said Maria Gretzer, Chair of the FEI Athlete Committee. “Our first session was a great success, and we’ll be covering athlete career management and athlete involvement in FEI Championships and Games at our next meeting.”

FEI President closes Sports Forum 2015

FEI President Ingmar De Vos brought the 2015 edition of the FEI Sports Forum to a close, thanking all participants, including the International Olympic Committee, National Federations, FEI stakeholders including athletes and Organisers, and the FEI Technical Committees for all their work in preparing the proposals.

“The Technical Committees have put forward strong and sometimes quite provocative proposals, but it’s been done deliberately to make you think,” he said. “The debate that I’ve heard here over the last two days has been very good and there’s been some real out of the box thinking, but nothing has been decided yet. The Sports Forum is a phase in a very transparent decision making process where the ideas of the Committees can be tested against the ideas of our members and our stakeholders.

“The Committees now have a very clear idea of what they have to do on some of the key areas that have been discussed, and they will finalise the proposals before they go out to the National Federations and then to the General Assembly.

“There are also several other areas that need to be further explored, and the FEI will be conducting a survey with National Federations for deeper discussion.

“We know the World Equestrian Games should be shorter and we absolutely need to control the costs and the number of athletes, so that Organising Committees can establish a realistic budget. And we know that we need to be very clear on the more detailed requirements. But one of the most important conclusions from the Forum is that there is a future for the World Equestrian Games and it’s a bright future, as long as we address the issues that have been brought to the table.

“I am confident about the place of equestrian in the Olympic programme. All International Federations need to understand they will be judged on different parameters than in the past. We are living in a more competitive world than ever before and all sports are trying to get the best out of that world. We need to take our responsibility seriously. We will continue to work very closely with the IOC and go to them with our proposals within the set deadlines.”

After thanking delegates for their valuable contributions to the decision making process, the FEI President urged everyone, including those who were unable to attend the Sports Forum, to continue the debate on the dedicated FEI online platform here.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Community/Charity, Show Jumping

FEI Sports Forum Debates the Future of Jumping

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The panellists of the Jumping Session at the FEI Sports Forum 2015. Pictured from left to right are: Stephan Ellenbruch, FEI Jumping Committee member; John Roche, FEI Director Jumping; John Madden, FEI Jumping Committee chair; and Richard Nicoll, FEI Sports Forum Moderator. Photo FEI/Germain Arias-Schreiber.

Lausanne (SUI), 28 April 2015 – Proposed changes to the Jumping qualification and competition formats for the Olympic and FEI World Equestrian Games™ as well as the Event Classification and CSI Invitation Systems were the main topics of discussion at the lengthy session that followed the morning’s Extraordinary General Assembly at the FEI Sports Forum 2015.

John Madden, Chair of the FEI Jumping Committee, made a detailed presentation inviting participants to embrace change. “We must always strive to strengthen our position on the Olympic programme,” he said. “We are here today to do just that. Much thought and consideration has already gone into these proposals. Not everyone is going to like what we propose here, but we have no choice but to change. But I want to emphasise that the only agreement that’s been reached is that we need to strengthen our position in the Olympic programme, everything else is up for discussion and that’s the purpose of today’s session and the ongoing debate.”

Olympic proposals

Madden outlined the proposed qualification and competition formats for the individual and team events at the Olympic Games, highlighting the similarities between the proposed team final and the hugely successful Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Final.

The full proposal for Olympic qualification and competition formats is available on the FEI website here.

The increase in nations represented while maintaining the current quota, heightened level of competition, and a compact competition format were highlighted as the advantages of the proposal.

The possibility of running cost effective regional qualifiers, quarantine issues, questions whether there would be enough nations that could field an Olympic level team and whether quality could be compromised due to participation of some less experienced nations were some of the concerns that had been expressed during the preparation of the proposal by the FEI Jumping Committee.

FEI World Equestrian Games™ formats

John Madden then presented the proposed qualification and competition formats for the FEI World Equestrian Games™, emphasising the advantages of making competitions more media friendly and manageable for the Organising Committee, better sport and shortened, more horse-welfare friendly formats. He also highlighted the fact that the World Equestrian Games™ team championship would serve as that year’s FEI Nations Cup™ Final, meaning that horses would not have to jump in two demanding events at the end of the outdoor season.

Madden acknowledged that the proposals could have some drawbacks as well as positive aspects, including the fact that running the individual competition first could have repercussions on the team competition as athletes might choose not to compete.

While teams of three and no drop score puts pressure on all three athletes, Madden pointed out that there was the same pressure as with four horses, and that being one of only three counting scores would mean an even greater premium on protecting horse welfare. And while some delegates felt that teams of three could potentially create less drama if a team’s first athlete had a bad score, it could also serve to heighten the dramatic elements of the competition.

The detailed proposal is available on the FEI website here.

Event Classification and CSI Invitation Systems

A short update on the Event Classification System, including the potential creation of a new category of 6* events, and a presentation on the CSI Invitation System followed the Olympic and FEI World Equestrian Games™ proposals.

The implementation of a CSI Invitation System, which would be easy to understand and manage and which had a high degree of transparency, was being studied. This new system could lead to modifications to the Longines Rankings rules, but John Madden clarified that the discussions at the Sports Forum were only a starting point, and that the Jumping Committee would take the necessary time to further work on the system.

Lively discussion

A lively discussion followed, with input from National Federation delegates from Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Greece, Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the USA, as well as representatives of Regional Groups IV and IX, the European Equestrian Federation, International Jumping Riders Club, Longines Global Champions Tour and Furusiyya.

The main points raised were the proposals on the number of competitors per team – three as opposed to four – removal of the drop score, and holding the individual competition before the team event at the Olympic and FEI World Equestrian Games™. The possible negative impact a smaller number of team members could have on horse owners from the leading equestrian nations was also mentioned.

John Madden responded to all the questions and addressed the concerns raised. He explained that the proposals were a basis for discussion and all the points made at the Sports Forum would be taken onboard. He stressed that once clear guidance of when and how reserve combinations could be slotted in was received from the IOC, the proposals would be reviewed by the Jumping Committee and further feedback would be sought from all stakeholders.

Delegates were also urged to continue the discussions online at the dedicated FEI online platform here.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Community/Charity

IOC Sports Director Speaks on Olympic Agenda 2020 at FEI Sports Forum

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IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell (far right) pictured with the chairmen of FEI Olympic disciplines (from left): Frank Kemperman, Dressage; Giuseppe Della Chiesa, Eventing; and John Madden, Jumping. Photo: FEI/Germain Arias-Schreiber.

Lausanne (SUI), 27 April 2015 – The second of the morning sessions at the FEI Sports Forum was dedicated to Olympic Agenda 2020, with IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell addressing delegates on Agenda 2020 and its relevance to the FEI.

The IOC Sports Director likened the process that the FEI is currently undergoing with its review of formats for the Olympic disciplines, to the process that the IOC has gone through with Agenda 2020. “It’s timely that we could join you while you’re focusing on the evolution of your sport, as we are on a similar pathway that the IOC and the Olympic movement have been on for the past 18 months,” he said in his opening remarks.

“The reasons you’re going through this process are similar to the reasons why we’ve gone through the process of Agenda 2020. We need to embrace change and be a driver of change, not a passenger, and we are moving forward with a completely holistic review of the IOC and the Olympic Movement.

“We have a fantastic relationship with the FEI. It’s a constructive and very open one, and it’s a relationship based on partnership, with an open and constructive dialogue.”

Kit McConnell addressed the key elements of Olympic Agenda 2020, highlighting four areas: maximizing engagement of the youth audience; achieving gender equality and promotion of women’s sport; increasing universality; and increasing the popularity and value of the Olympic Games.

On gender equality, the IOC Sports Director stressed that the IOC is working with International Federations to achieve 50% female participation in the Olympic Games and to stimulate women’s participation and involvement in sports by creating more participation opportunities at the Olympic Games. This involves encouraging the inclusion of mixed-gender team events and aiming for an equal gender balance across the Games as a whole.

“The FEI has been fully compliant with this for many years, but your International Federation is in a fairly unique position,” he said, before informing delegates that the numbers for equestrian in London were 122 men and 77 women. Across all sports at the 2012 Games, there was 44.4% female participation, with a goal of 46.1% for Rio 2016.

“Equestrian was an outstanding success in terms of ticketing at London 2012, with over 98% of all tickets sold across the three disciplines,” he said.

Strong media coverage of equestrian across all platforms at London 2012 also featured in the presentation. In broadcast, Jumping was well ahead of the other two disciplines in terms of hours of coverage, but Dressage was the most popular discipline online and in print media coverage.

He stressed that it is equally important for the IOC to embrace its traditions and history as it is for each of the sports in the Olympic Programme, and to look at how to embrace those traditions and make them a strength. He spoke of the unique nature of equestrian sport with the combination of horse and man, the passionate global community and the diversity between the disciplines. He also referred to the iconic locations used for equestrian sport.

“Not every sport can go to the places you can go to, where you can showcase your sport and the host, and engage spectators. It’s very valuable and very special for the sport.”

Winding up his presentation, Kit McConnell said: “The IOC values our partnership with FEI and its stakeholders and we are committed to a close working relationship with FEI.”

FEI President Ingmar De Vos was next to take to the lectern. “We are really excited by the reforms and recommendations of the Olympic Agenda 2020,” he said, “and see it as an invitation to continue a process that the FEI had already set in motion prior to the Agenda 2020 reform process.”

The FEI President spoke of gender equality in equestrian sports as “one of the key assets of our sport and a value which we are very proud of”. He also referred to the FEI’s proactive stance regarding the involvement of the Federation in delivering the Olympic Games, creating a new position within the FEI for a Director of Games & Championships which was filled by Tim Hadaway, Equestrian Sports Manager at the London Olympic Games.

“By doing this we recognised the need for more involvement and support from the International Federation to the Organising Committee in order to deliver the Games the best way possible, and this before the Olympic Agenda 2020 was established. I sincerely believe that the International Federations need to take their responsibility because in the end it’s our sport, and while the responsibility of the Organising Committee ends after the event, we need to go on and preserve our legacy.”

The FEI President then spoke about the guiding principles of the evolution of the Olympic Programme. Alongside gender equality, he highlighted increasing Games popularity and value, maximising engagement of the youth audience and increasing universality.

“I believe this is a very clear message from the IOC to the International Federations about what they have to focus on and I am happy to say that we share these principles. This is also what we have identified and one of the main reasons that we are here together at the FEI Sports Forum.”

Referring to the IOC Sports Director’s presentation around television, internet and press figures for equestrian sport, the FEI President said: “He made it very clear to us that these will be, more than ever before, the parameters on which sports will be evaluated for the future Olympic Programmes. We need to understand that these are also the parameters that become more and more important in our own sport.”

On the potential revision of formats, the FEI President talked on the two general proposals across the three Olympic disciplines: making a clear differentiation between team and individual competitions and the proposed removal of the drop score to fulfil the universality and excellence elements of Agenda 2020.

“I want to reiterate that the values of our sport are paramount in all these discussions and it’s not about changing for the sake of change,” he said. “We have our traditions, our values and our identity, but this does not mean we have to be conservative. It’s about finding the right balance and implementing the right changes without losing the essence of our sport. We need to ask ourselves, is equestrian sport too complicated for television viewers and spectators with no equestrian background? Is it global enough? Are competition formats simple to understand and exciting enough to encourage new fans?

“If our ultimate goal is modern horse sport for the modern era, then we need to address all these questions.”

In the question and answer session that followed, the issues of social media, universality, risk, International Federation groupings and revenue distribution from the Games were all debated, prior to the discipline specific sessions later in the day.

The FEI online platform is open for continued discussions on all topics raised at the FEI Sports Forum here.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Community/Charity, Dressage, Eventing/H.T.

FEI Sports Forum 2015: Dressage and Eventing Sessions Discuss Proposed Format Changes

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Frank Kemperman, Chair of the FEI Dressage Committee, addressed the FEI Sports Forum 2015 today at the IMD in Lausanne (SUI) (FEI/Germain Arias-Schreiber)

Lausanne (SUI), 27 April 2015 – The Chairs of the Dressage and Eventing Committees, Frank Kemperman and Giuseppe della Chiesa presented the proposed format changes for their individual disciplines in the two afternoon sessions at the FEI Sports Forum.

Frank Kemperman, Chair of the FEI Dressage Committee, opened the session dedicated to the future of the discipline by emphasising the fact that Dressage is in a good position, especially thanks to the Freestyle, but there were strong signals from the IOC that change is needed, particularly the sport’s appeal to the media. Kemperman outlined the discipline’s goal to be one of the main equestrian sports and highlighted the necessity to unify formats at the Olympic Games and main championships, to attract new spectators, sponsors and generate increased media interest while maintaining the core value of Dressage, the well trained horse.

“We need to come up with a single format for Olympic Games, World Equestrian Games and Championships so that the public can more easily understand our sport,” Kemperman said. “Most importantly, we have to be open to innovation and learn how to make it better. There is a young public out there and we need them, they have iPhones and iPads and they follow everything ‘in the moment’ online – that’s their world, and we must be part of it,” he said.

Repucom Survey

A survey conducted in the autumn of 2014 by Repucom, which specialises in market research, media evaluation and commercial auditing, found that:

  • New and shorter formats are crucial, as are commentary and graphics on television
  • Key events should be actively used to attract new audiences
  • Modernisation and increased freedom of dress code and music should be actively considered
  • Human interest stories in media would broaden interest
  • Modernisation should be handled carefully in order to retain the core dressage fans

The Repucom survey also established that 86% of those surveyed are attracted to Dressage by its beauty, the relationship between horse and rider, the horse itself, as well as the sport’s grace, elegance, aesthetics and fun, with only 24% interested because of concepts including discipline, control and training.

Proposed change to Olympic Games format

Proposed changes to the Olympic Games format, which can be read in full here, were detailed for consideration by the Forum. They included teams of three or potentially two combinations, shorter tests, Pas-de-Deux or Pas-De-Trois.

The positives of these proposals were considered to be a larger number of nations, which would increase universality, and separate individual and team competitions. The removal of the drop score would increase drama and entertainment and contribute towards more unpredictable results.

The negative aspects would include a possible decrease in the level of excellence as top nations may bring fewer participants, and significant consequences for the team if a horse was eliminated or disqualified.

The proposal was also that formats for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ and European Championships should match the Olympic Games format.

Greater interaction and explanations on the sport, social media, use of music during tests other than the Freestyle, length of tests, formats, quotas, open scoring, a redefined dress code, lifestyle stories, higher prize money, more attractive prize giving ceremonies and the involvement of young riders, were outlined as likely to have a positive impact on the attractiveness of the discipline.

Discussion

The presentation was followed by a lengthy discussion, with representatives of the Dressage riders, trainers and organisers’ clubs, the National Federations of Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States, as well as the European Equestrian Federation, making contributions.

The main topics raised during the discussion were judging, dropping of highest and lowest scores for each movement, open versus running scores at major events, change in dress code and the increased use of social media. Protecting the welfare of the horse at all times was highlighted, and the creation of a video handbook was also discussed.

Evolution of Eventing

The evolution of Eventing was the focal point of today’s second afternoon session.

Charles Barnett, former Chief Executive of Ascot Racecourse, opened the session with an overview of key findings from his independent review of Eventing in the context of the Olympic Games, covering safety, risk management and widening the appeal of the sport from an on-site spectator and television viewer perspective.

Barnett’s final research project, which will thoroughly review the safety aspects of the sport through detailed analysis from FEI competitions and National Federations, will be delivered to the FEI in November of this year.

Giuseppe della Chiesa, Chair of the FEI Eventing Committee, then took the stand to open the session focusing on the future of Eventing.

“Eventing is not new to change,” he said. “We have already undergone major changes relatively recently to accommodate the Olympic challenges of cost, space and complexity. As with the other Olympic disciplines, we are now proposing new ideas to meet the Agenda 2020 objectives. We need to explore ideas and be prepared to adapt if the time comes that we need to change.”

Several proposals were laid out for Eventing, with the principle of harmonising with the proposals for Jumping and Dressage in order to develop a coherent Olympic Equestrian programme. The detailed proposals are available here.

The positive aspects of the proposals were highlighted from the perspective of the IOC’s core values of universality, excellence and spectator engagement, including more country flags for teams and emphasis on the value of Team effort; shorter competitions with more exciting and open results; no extra competition days; improved qualification structure, culminating in the “Olympic dream” being more easily accessible to smaller nations.

The adverse aspects of these proposals were also made clear: less flags for Individuals; increased cost of Cross Country with courses for two levels; best riders potentially not competing in Team competition; Team members not starting if previous teammates have failed to finish.

Further points raised in this session included separating the FEI Classics 4* circuit (individuals) from Olympic and Championship circuit (teams), and increasing qualification requirements for participation on the 4* FEI Classics (individual) circuit.

Reviewing Cross Country penalties (refusals; knocking obstacle flags) and saddlery (Cross Country bits) was also raised, alongside considering the development of indoor arena Eventing, and looking closely at whether Eventing needs a globally recognisable descriptor to ensure the sport is easily understood by a mainstream audience.

Several discussions followed the Eventing session, with the Eventing Rider’s Association and the Australian, British, Dutch, German and Irish Equestrian Federations focusing on the strength of the Cross Country phase for audience impact, the need for consistent 3* or 4* Eventing, the team/individual split and the importance of underlining the FEI’s “Olympic” equestrian athletes.

The FEI Eventing Committee highlighted that all points raised during the FEI Sports Forum 2015 will be further discussed in Open Forums taking place during 2015 at the Pan American Games in Toronto (CAN), at the Olympic Groups F&G meeting at Boekolo (NED) and at the FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle in Scotland (GBR).

Delegates at today’s Eventing session were urged to continue the discussions online at the dedicated FEI online platform here.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Community/Charity

FEI Votes to Change Statutes to Allow for Presidential Remuneration

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The FEI today voted unanimously to modify the FEI statutes to allow the FEI President to receive remuneration. (FEI/Germain Arias-Schreiber)

Lausanne (SUI), 28 April 2015 – The FEI today voted unanimously to modify the organisation’s Statutes to allow the FEI President to receive remuneration. The amendment to the Statutes opens up the possibility for remuneration, but the final decision still rests with the FEI Bureau, which will discuss the issue at its in-person meeting in June.

The vote was taken at an Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA) held during the FEI Sports Forum at IMD in Lausanne (SUI). A total of 59 National Federations were on-site to register their votes and there were 27 powers of attorney, giving a total of 86 valid votes. The required quorum is 67, half of the 133 National Federations plus one.

FEI President Ingmar De Vos, who opened the second day of the Sports Forum, excused himself from the EGA and handed over to FEI 1st Vice President John Madden (USA) to chair the meeting. FEI 2nd Vice President Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa (BRN) and FEI Secretary General Sabrina Zeender also presided.

Dr Claude Nordmann of the Swiss National Federation spoke briefly after the vote, calling for a study to be conducted on salaried positions and commenting that the contents of the study would also be useful for other International Federations.

The EGA also voted unanimously to a number of proposed changes to the Internal Regulations of the FEI, including the addition of the President to list of signatories to official documents.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Community/Charity, World Equestrian Games

FEI Sports Forum 2015 Opens with Discussion on Future of World Equestrian Games

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Tim Hadaway, FEI Director of Games and Championships, addressing the FEI Sports Forum 2016 held at the IMD business school in Lausanne. Photo: FEI/Germain Arias-Schreiber.

Lausanne (SUI), 27 April 2015 – The FEI President Ingmar De Vos welcomed 270 delegates representing the International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Federations (NFs), riders’, trainers’, and organisers’ clubs, sponsors, experts, media, guests and FEI staff to the fourth FEI Sports Forum which opened this morning at the prestigious business school IMD in Lausanne (SUI).

“We are all here because we care about our sport,” De Vos said in his opening address. “We need to be open and honest about the challenges we are facing as a sport but more than that we need to be proactive and brave enough to consider changes that will address these challenges. I remember a quote from IOC President Thomas Bach who said ‘change or be changed.’

“So it is absolutely not about change for the sake of change and by no means is there any desire to lose or replace the values and traditions of our sport. But we need to be open-minded to look at changes that can improve our sport and its legacy for the generations to come. What should be changed and how is why we are here today and I am grateful to each and everyone one of you for taking the time to participate in this Sports Forum,” he said.

Professor James Henderson, Dean of Programmes and Innovation at IMD, welcomed participants to the renowned school. “It is a great honour to host you at the wonderful institution that is the IMD,” he said. He outlined the school’s mission of educating the world’s leaders to lead transformation journeys in times of turbulence and support others to embrace change in a spirit of dialogue, openness and transparency. Professor Henderson emphasised the importance of innovation and change and wished the delegates open, inspired and pioneering discussion.

FEI World Equestrian Games™ take centre stage

The Forum’s first session was dedicated to the FEI World Equestrian Games™, with the objective of turning the microscope on the FEI’s flagship event and outlining potential changes to the FEI disciplines and competition formats in order to increase the interest of future bid cities, the public, media and broadcasters.

Tim Hadaway, FEI Director of Games and Championships, highlighted the magnitude of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy which were the biggest in the event’s 25-year history, with 74 nations represented, a record 28% increase on previous editions. Over 25,000 individuals including 900-plus athletes, 3,000 volunteers, 1,750 media and 250 officials were accredited and more than 1,000 horses competed at five venues spread across the Normandy region of France.

Highlighting the economic impact on the region, Hadaway detailed that 46,300 hotel nights had been booked through the Organising Committee and 103,500 meals were served to the accredited population. The event had also enjoyed record ticket sales with almost 575,000 tickets sold.

The event had also achieved substantial media coverage with more than 24,000 media mentions in France, 3,173 hours of global broadcast coverage, a total television audience of 330 million, and 5.5 million views on the FEI YouTube channel reached during the Games. The Games were also hugely successful on social media.

The total budget for the Games was €79.6 million, with an economic impact in Normandy estimated at €190 million and €368 million for France. The Organising Committee is expected to announce what Hadaway termed “a significant surplus” shortly.

Despite these positive developments, which had made the Games successful overall, the FEI acknowledged that some aspects of the event did not go well.

A thorough debriefing process involving numerous stakeholders had identified that holding the Games over multiple venues had resulted in complex logistics and had led to increased cost. Other problems included delays in publication of key information and issues with IT systems, transport, security, and delays in issuing of ministry paperwork on departure of horses. Insufficient amenities and services, along with cross country day traffic problems, had resulted in a level of frustration for some spectators.

The FEI has acknowledged that the FEI World Equestrian Games™ had evolved into a huge logistical and financial challenge and that, despite the many positives, the excellent sport and enjoyable atmosphere, the multiple venues had amplified complexity and stretched financial and human resources, occasionally resulting in the loss of the original concept of uniting the equestrian family.

The thorough debriefing conducted after the Games has resulted in many detailed operational recommendations, knowledge transfer programmes and increased levels of liaison between the Organising Committee and the FEI throughout the planning stages of the event. A greater definition of requirements and technical specifications is underway in order to achieve a successful and sustainable event which is attractive for future bidders.

Appetite for change

Matthew Wilson from The Sports Consultancy (TSC) presented the outcome of a detailed strategic review of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ put in place by the FEI prior to Normandy. The TSC had conducted a proactive review to understand how this flagship event could be re-aligned to meet its original objectives and to help equestrian sport continue to grow.

The outcome of this consultation process was clear: 97% of consultees were in agreement that the Games should remain as the pinnacle of the equestrian calendar, and 83% of consultees wanted to maintain all eight disciplines at the Games. It had become clear, however, that there was a strong appetite for change. The FEI’s main challenge was to ensure that the event could be delivered sustainably and continue to thrive.

A key finding of the TSC study was that the budget of the 2014 edition was considered by many as exceptionally large, and required extensive investment from the public sector. Only very few nations could afford to host such an expensive and complex event.

The following key conclusions from the TSC study were highlighted:

  • Reduction in the size of the competitor field.
  • Reduction in length of the event, nine to 10 days including two weekends was deemed the optimal length. The current format was deemed too long to sustain media and spectator interest.
  • Re-design of the competition formats and schedule to encourage a more compact foot print.
  • Development and implementation of industry leading sport presentation concepts that deliver to the non-equestrian fan needs.

Wilson concluded by outlining the clear strategic objectives the FEI should use as guidance through the proposed changes. The Games must remain differentiated from other FEI events and remain a pinnacle of the equestrian calendar; it must help grow the sport and assist with delivering the global appeal required for Olympic status; the budget for hosting the Games needs to be as attractive as possible to hosts and carry a lower financial and delivery risk; the public sector investment must be achievable for a greater number of prospective hosts through delivery of a significantly improved return on investment; the Games must be commercially effective for the FEI; and the Games must be accessible for and attractive to spectators both on venue and via broadcast to increase the stakeholder experience.

Ratings are king

Stefan Kürten from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), a professional association working on behalf of European public service broadcasters, addressed the Forum. The FEI and EBU have been partners since 1989 and the cooperation was recently extended through to 2022.

Kürten spoke about the challenges currently faced by sports in public broadcasting, including fierce competition between sports events, less airtime for sport on generalist channels, strong fragmentation of the TV market, increasing calendar conflicts, and the duration of sport events versus entertainment programmes. Sport was expensive compared to other programmes but remained strong when there was emotion, national interest and when it was broadcast live. The number of thematic channels was exploding, resulting in less sport on generalist channels, but ratings are always king, Kürten said.

The key to increased airtime on public television, which was an essential component of a successful sponsor package, was a high quality television production, telling stories, meeting the broadcasters’ needs, and a requirement for strict timetable discipline and focus.

These points were also emphasised by Uli Lacher, Owner & Founder Lacher Consulting; and Welf Konieczny and Gert Hermann representing the German public broadcasters, WDR and ARD/ZDF

Question time

In the following question and answer session between the panel and delegates, there was input from the Danish, New Zealand, United States, Australian, Austrian, British, and French Equestrian Federations and the riders’ representatives, with discussion on ticket sales, opening and closing ceremonies, compulsory qualifying elements, live television coverage and the optimum number of athletes and the optimal duration for the event.

FEI Director of Games and Championships Tim Hadaway concluded the session by explaining that the fruitful discussion had set the scene for the remainder of the Forum. All the proposals made at the Forum would be looked at closely, further consultation work would be conducted and the finalised proposals would be submitted to the vote of the General Assembly in November.

The FEI online platform is open for continued discussions on all topics raised at the FEI Sports Forum here.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

FEI, Vaulting, World Equestrian Games

Normandy Update and Evolution of Vaulting at FEI Sports Forum

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Laurent Cellier, Sports Director for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014, updated delegates at the Sports Forum on progress in Normandy. (Germain Arias-Schreiber/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 29 April 2014 – The Organising Committee of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 (23 August to 7 September) and the FEI marked the 116-day countdown to the FEI’s flagship event today in the afternoon session of the FEI Sports Forum 2014.

Two members of the Organising Committee – Laurent Cellier (FRA), Sports Director, and Pauline Laidi (FRA), Head of Services to National Federations – gave delegates a detailed update on the event preparations covering the timetable, competition venues, veterinary services, logistics, accreditations, entries, communications and key dates.

“Normandy, the land of horses and horsemen and women, will soon be welcoming 1,000 riders and horses and over 500,000 spectators for 15 days of top equestrian sport at the world’s biggest equestrian event,” Cellier said.

Underlining the scale of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, which is being organised with public and private funding totalling €75.6 million, Cellier continued: “We will create an incredible legacy with these Games, which will last for at least the next 15 years, thanks to our close working relationship with the FEI, our 100-strong Organising Committee and over 3,000 volunteers supporting us at our five competition venues.”

Vaulting round table

The popularity of Vaulting on digital media, the revision of competition formats, introduction of new tests and protecting horse welfare were the focal points of the Vaulting round table, the final session of the FEI Sports Forum 2014.

The FEI Vaulting Technical Committee proposed the introduction of a new Junior level – CVIJ3* – designed to raise the standard for young athletes looking ahead to Senior competition. The new level would test Junior vaulters with three technical exercises to be performed in front of the surcingle.

“The proposed introduction of a CVIJ3*, which will be presented to our National Federations for further feedback, would help our Junior athletes to progress more easily to Senior level”, explained Emma Seeley (USA), Chair of the Vaulting Committee and round table panellist. “The level of our Junior athletes has progressed to such a high standard that we have very gifted athletes around the world, who are ready for this challenge.”

At Senior level, the introduction of a new CVIO4* format was proposed in which the team competition would take place at the end of the event as a grand finale, ensuring an exciting build-up for spectators. Chefs d’Equipe would declare their teams only after the performances of their individual, squad and pas-de-deux athletes, adding to the excitement of the final competition.

The welfare of Vaulting horses was also discussed in the context of increasingly sophisticated tests being performed by athletes. The Vaulting Committee opened a discussion on a more specific rule descriptor relating to the back pad used on Vaulting horses (currently described in Article 719.2.9) to ensure equipment with the latest back and muscle protection is used on Vaulting horses.

“The Vaulting Committee will be closely monitoring the evolution of back pads, surcingles and handles being used in Vaulting, and assessing whether new and improved technology could actually encourage vaulters to increase the difficulty of their exercises,” explained Bettina de Rham, FEI Director Driving, Reining & Vaulting. “It is essential that new technology used in back pads and Vaulting grips evolves positively for the horse.”

The panelists for the Vaulting Round Table also included Erich Breiter, Vice-Chair Vaulting Technical Committee (AUT); and Vaulting Committee members Gaby Benz (ITA); Ulla Ramge (GER), and John Eccles (GBR).

An online discussion platform to continue the debate on all topics discussed at the FEI Sports Forum 2014 is available here: http://sportsforum.fei.org/.

Media Contacts:

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 – interviews & editorial content: presse@normandie2014.com
+33 (0)1 47 72 81 41
+33 (0)6 83 00 83 83

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 Media Operations (including accreditation, accommodation, transport, on-site media services): media.operations@normandie2014.com
+33 2 31 84 02 97

FEI Media Contacts:

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

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
Email: malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 133

Endurance Riding, FEI

Far-reaching Initiatives Announced at Endurance Round Table

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FEI Director of Endurance Ian Williams addresses the session dedicated to the discipline during the FEI Sports Forum 2014. (c) Germain Arias Schreiber/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 29 April 2014 – The FEI today announced bold steps that will ensure improved protection of the welfare of horses in Endurance events, proposing unprecedented athlete penalties for equine injuries, extended rest periods and increased accountability. The moves were fully supported by delegates attending today’s Endurance round table on the second day of the FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne (SUI).

“The welfare of the horse is not just a veterinary issue; it’s an issue for all those who work in the sport,” FEI 1st Vice President John McEwen and chair of the FEI Veterinary Committee said.

Proposed rule changes relating to officials’ accountability and responsibility, increased protection of horses through athlete penalty points and extended rest periods, appointment of Independent Governance Advisors (IGA) and improved conflict of interest regulations received wide support from attendees.

There was also wide support for the new FEI Endurance Codex, which the Endurance Committee has produced to cover Endurance officials, and separately Endurance athletes and registered trainers. The Codex, which defines responsibility, accountability and sanctions for those in breach of the Codex, already exists for FEI Veterinarians.

The rules changes will be circulated to National Federations for final review prior to going before the FEI Bureau at its in-person meeting on 9-10 June for approval and immediate implementation.

During the debate session that followed, there was a call for information about injuries at national events to be included in the Global Endurance Injuries Study (GEIS), which was backed by Dr Tim Parkin of Glasgow University, who was commissioned by the FEI to set up the study.

“The FEI has done a great job of demonstrating what can be done with data that is currently available from FEI events and it is clearly going in the right direction,” he said. “Adding in data from national events is only going to improve that situation. The new regulations have an impact that is really beneficial to the welfare of the horse.”

Roly Owers, Chief Executive of World Horse Welfare, also voiced his support for the GEIS and improved monitoring. “The need to make evidence based decisions is so important for equine welfare and I fully support the FEI’s injury surveillance programme,” he said. “Notwithstanding the limitations on data from national competitions, I would urge National Federations to provide data to the GEIS and for the FEI to use all its influence to make that happen.”

Andrew Finding, chair of the Endurance Strategic Planning Group (ESPG) which was tasked with producing a long-term plan for the discipline, expressed his appreciation for the support of the Group’s recommendations. “I would like to express on behalf of myself and my colleagues on the ESPG our gratitude for the support and the determined effort made by the FEI to put in place our recommendations,” he said. “You should be applauded for that work, and we are grateful for the diligence you have applied.”

Brian Sheahan, chair of the Endurance Committee, voiced the opinions of everyone attending the session. “To protect the welfare of the horse, we need to know that we’re doing the right thing,” he said. “I would like to see increased completion rates, reduced injuries and illness in the horse, and better course design. To maintain the integrity of our sport, we need a reduction in doping, improved compliance by athletes and trainers and improved rule enforcement by officials. This sport should demonstrate the highest standards of sportsmanship in a fair and equal competition. And may the best combination of horse and athlete win.”

John McEwen complimented the Endurance Committee on its work. “The Endurance Committee has worked tirelessly to produce functional regulatory structure which will take the sport forward and I am pleased that the regulatory changes and the implementation of those changes is working towards achieving the targets set by the ESPG.

“The Task Force will be extremely useful in helping implement the work done by the Endurance Committee and the Department. The processes that we have put in place will create, and do create, an enormous workload upon the departments responsible, but in my opinion the work is absolutely essential and very worthwhile.”

Panellists for the Endurance round table were John McEwen, FEI 1st Vice President and Chair of the Endurance Committee; Brian Sheahan, Chair of the Endurance Committee; Committee members Dr Khalid Ahmed Hasan (BRN), Jaume Punti Dachs (ESP) and John Robertson (GBR); and Ian Williams, FEI Director Endurance.

An online discussion platform to continue the debate on all topics discussed at the FEI Sports Forum 2014 is available here: http://sportsforum.fei.org/.

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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