Tag Archives: Olympic Games

Ready Steady Tokyo Equestrian Test Event Boasts World-Class Startlist

Michael Jung. (FEI / Arnd Bronkhurst)

Next month’s Ready Steady Tokyo equestrian test event, which runs from 12-14 August, boasts a truly world-class field, including reigning Olympic champion and multi-medalled German athlete Michael Jung. The 17 athletes from four nations – Japan, Germany, Australia, and Great Britain – have between them amassed an incredible tally of 74 medals at Olympic, world, and continental Games and Championships.

Jung (37), the first and so far only Eventing athlete to have held the world, Olympic, and European titles at the same time, has won 20 medals of which 12 are gold, including back-to-back Olympic titles and a team gold in London 2012. He is joined by triple Olympic team gold medallist Andrew Hoy (AUS), all four of Japan’s Asian Games 2018 gold medal team among an 11-strong Japanese squad, and five-time Olympian William Fox-Pitt (GBR), who has no fewer than 23 medals to his name.

The strength of the host nation has been increasingly underlined recently, with Japan taking team and individual gold at the Asian Games in Jakarta (INA), and the team finishing fourth and just out of the medals at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 in Tryon (USA) last September. And the successes have continued unabated this season, with the team winning the Olympic Groups F and G qualifier at Saumur (FRA) in June, while Japanese athletes have claimed no less than three CCI4* wins.

Kazuma Tomoto (36) topped the leaderboard at the CCI4* events in Chatsworth (GBR) and Ballindenisk (IRL) this spring, while Yoshiaki Oiwa (43) took individual honours in the Polish CCI4* at Strzegom at the end of last month with Bart L, the 13-year-old gelding he steered to double gold at the Asian Games. The Dutch-bred was previously ridden by Frenchman Matthieu Lemoine rode to team gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. So the writing is clearly on the wall – Japan is on a medal march in Tokyo next year!

Cross country course designer Derek Di Grazia (USA) has built a special track for the test event and, while athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Federations (NFs) will have the chance to assess the undulations of the terrain at Sea Forest, Di Grazia will be giving nothing away about his Olympic course for next year’s Games.

“We have a truly star-studded cast for our Ready Steady Tokyo test event next month, when some of the world’s most decorated Eventing athletes and their equine partners will have the opportunity to trial our two fabulous venues and, at the same time, provide a taster of the level of equestrian action that will be on offer at the Games next year,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “I can’t remember a time when we had such a high caliber of athletes and horses for the Olympic test event, so it’s going to be really special.

“Equestrian brings together sporting prowess and horsemanship and we are excited that a whole new global audience will have the chance to witness the unique collaboration between horse and human which creates a cocktail of drama and pure magic.”

The test event, which will trial logistics, results, timing and data handling, footing, transport between the two venues, along with multiple other key factors that are crucial for the smooth running of next year’s Games, is a CCI 3* Eventing competition that provides the opportunity to test both equestrian venues – Equestrian Park at Baji Koen and the new Sea Forest cross country venue.

Baji Koen, site of the Olympic equestrian events at the 1964 Tokyo Games, has undergone extensive refurbishment, funded independently by the Japan Racing Association, and will provide an extraordinary legacy for Tokyo inhabitants, along with the park that will be created out of the reclaimed land at Sea Forest, which hosts equestrian cross country, rowing, and canoe sprint.

The full list of starters for the Ready Steady Tokyo equestrian test event are available here.

The test event also provides the opportunity for NOCs and NFs to take part in the official Observers Programme, which includes a session on climate mitigation protocols aimed at minimising the effects of heat and humidity. The FEI is also conducting a study on participants at the test event (human and equine) with the goal of further boosting current research on optimising performance in a challenging climate. Full details of the Observers Programme are available here.

Videos explaining the Tokyo 2020 Olympic formats for Jumping and Dressage, which were trialled at the Future Champions event in Hagen (GER) last month, are available on FEI YouTube here. The Eventing format, which has been run at events in Poland, Ireland, New Zealand, and Italy, will be used at the last leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ in Boekelo (NED) in October, when the final team slot on the Tokyo 2020 startlist will be allocated.

Media contacts:

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

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

Russia Takes Tokyo 2020 Ticket at Exciting Olympic Qualifier in Moscow

Elena Sidneva and Fuhur. (Photo: Maxima Stables)

Russia will be represented by a Dressage team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after claiming the single spot on offer at the Group C Dressage qualifier staged at Maxima Park in Moscow (RUS). Group C covers Central & Eastern Europe and Central Asia, embracing a total of 29 National Federations from FEI Regional Groups l, ll, and lll, and the hosts pinned Belarus into runner-up spot in an exciting contest.

“It was the first time I performed in my motherland; usually I perform in Europe where sometimes I am the only participant under the flag of Russia at the event. Here I feel great support and at the same time all of us feel a big responsibility in this tournament. I fully concentrated on my performance, and each of us did everything for the sake of this victory today!” said Russia’s Tatyana Kosterina.

And the talented team from Belarus were gracious in defeat. “We are not rivals; we are all friends here. Of course, the Russian team is very strong. I think that we also managed to perform our best. We have a very young team,” said Hanna Karasiova.

The Russians were looking good from the outset as Chef d’Equipe Anatoly Isachkin pointed out at Thursday’s team announcement. “Our riders are all fairly experienced; three of them constantly perform and live in Europe – Elena Sidneva, Tatyana Kosterina, and Evgenija Davydova. They have all been showing good results and we are optimistic – we want to win and to finally get a team to the Olympic Games!” They succeeded in doing just that when filling four of the top-five places.

Svetlana Evschik, Chef d’Equipe for Belarus, said during the teams announcement press conference that “the absolute leader of our team is Anna Karasiova and her horse Zodiac. There was a short period when she did not perform but nevertheless, she showed good results in Nizhny Novgorod World Cup leg and we hope that the same will happen now. The second strong rider of our team is Olga Safronova – a rather young rider; last year she made her debut in the Grand Prix – she doesn’t have much experience in the Grand Prix, but her horse is very interesting and bright, and represented our country at the World Cup Final in Paris. Volha Ihumentsava competed at the European Championship but her horse was injured a year ago and in April 2019 it just took its first start after recovering. The fourth rider is a young athlete who can still compete in the U-25 category – Anastasiya Dudkova,” she explained.

It was Dudkova (22) and her easy-moving 11-year-old Trakehner gelding, Hofman, who were pathfinders for Belarus, posting a score of 61.043 before Karasiova (35) and her gelding Zodiak lived up to their billing when putting the leading score of 69.804 on the board at the halfway stage. Ihumentsava (34) and the Hannoverian Ed Khardy earned a mark of 63.543 and then Safronova (27) and the impressive Sandro D’Amour rounded up the Belarus effort with 65.370.

Davydova (35), who along with Kosterina and Sidneva was a member of the Russian team that finished tenth at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 in Tryon, USA, threw down the Russian challenge with a highly competitive score of 69.022 from her dark-bay KWPN mare, Awakening. And when Kosterina (41) backed that up with 69.087 from her mare Diavolessa VA, then the hosts were already looking very confident.

The Swedish spectators fell in love with Regina Isachkina’s (48) fabulous black stallion, Sun of May Life, at this year’s FEI Dressage World Cup Final in Gothenburg (SWE) where they finished 15th. And although the pair didn’t show the same level of harmony here, their score of 67.022 had already secured that treasured Tokyo qualifying slot even before Sidneva (54) entered the ring.

Last to go, this lady whose career highlights include the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, three FEI World Equestrian Games, five FEI Dressage World Cup Finals, and six European Championships produced an effortless performance from the 10-year-old gelding Fuhur who, with the utmost composure, presented fabulous passage, piaffe, and tempi changes to top the individual scoreboard with 72.022.

The final team scoreline showed Russia on a total of 210.130 and Belarus with 198.717.

Full result here (please scroll down).

by Louise Parkes

From Baborówko to Tokyo 2020

Baborówko, 25th of May 2019 — The Polish team will have the chance to fight as a team at the Olympic Games for the first time since Athens in 2004. The team, along with their trainer Marcin Konarski, in the following squad: Mariusz Kleniuk and Winona, Joanna Pawlak and Fantastic Frieda, Paweł Spisak and Banderas, and Paweł Warszawski with Aristo A-Z, have qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The Polish team was truly in great shape in Baborówko, taking the lead after the first day in the CCIO4*-L class, that doubled as an Olympic qualifier.

Polish athletes had to compete against teams from Russia and Belarus, which became incomplete after cross-country. Nevertheless, the Polish team could not allow themselves to lose their focus, because Mariusz Kleniuk has retired from finishing his cross-country course with Winona. That meant that the rest of the riders from the team had to complete the showjumping trial.

And they carried it through extremely well. The leaderboard was dominated by the white and red flag in the final classification of the CCIO4*-L class. Paweł Spisak (POL) with Banderas took home the first place, second went to the world champion and a two-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Jung (GER) with Fischerchipmunk FRH, and Jan Kamiński (POL) was third with Jard. Further places were taken by Joanna Pawlak (POL) with Fantastic Frieda (fourth) and Paweł Warszawski with Aristo A-Z (fifth).

In the CCI4*-S, for the prize of the patron of the event, Mr Roman Roszkiewicz, with the collective prize pool of 325 000 PLN, Andreas Dibowski (GER) finished on the winning position with Corrida FRH, taking home the 100 000 PLN cash prize. Second place went to Andreas Ostholt (GER) with Corvette 31, and Peter Thomsen (GER) with Horseware Nobleman were third.

Jan Kamiński has kept his lead after cross-country to win the CCI3*-S class for the prize of Kuhn Maszyny Rolnicze aboard Senior. Nadine Marzahl (GER) was second with Vally K, and Merle Wewer (GER) with Captain Hero- third.

The CCI2*-S class has ended. First place went to Vanessa Bolting with Ready To Go W, second was taken by Leoni Kuhlmann (GER) with Hidalgo 179, and Jullia Gillmaier (POL) and Red Sunrise 2 took home the third place.

All trials of the CCIYH2*-S class for six-year-old horses, for the prize of Kunowo Stables, have also ended. Miroslav Prihoda Jr (CZE) was the best with the Polish-bred Eldorado, second position went to Sabrina Labes (GER) with Sparta’s Prince, and Rebecca-Juana Gerken (GER) finished third riding Fame 227.

More information can be found at www.festiwal.baborowko.pl/eng.

China, Thailand, and Poland Secure Tokyo 2020 Eventing Team Slots

Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro in Saumur. (Ouest Image)

China, Thailand, and Poland secured their equestrian team tickets to next summer’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at special Eventing qualifiers held in Saumur (FRA) and Baborówko (POL) over the weekend.

This will be a first-ever Olympic Eventing team slot for China and Thailand, although both have had individual starters at previous Olympics. The two nations finished second and third at the FEI designated Olympic qualifier held in Saumur (FRA) for Olympic Groups F and G, which covers Africa and the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. Hong Kong finished fourth when only one of their three starters went through to the final Jumping phase.

Japan, already assured of a starting place on home ground next summer, were fractionally behind China after Saturday’s Pierre Michelet designed cross country test, but regained the lead they had established in the Dressage arena to take top spot by 6.1 penalties ahead of the Chinese. Team China, led by double Olympian Alex Hua Tian who finished eighth in Rio 2016, held on for second place and a Tokyo ticket ahead of Thailand, also now with a place logged on the 2020 startlist.

Hua Tian, who made his Olympic debut at the age of 18 at Beijing 2008, was bidding for individual success with the talented Don Geniro, but four faults in Jumping handed victory to the 1993 European champion, Frenchman Jean Lou Bigot with Aktion De Belheme.

Double Polish win on home soil

Pawel Spisak, already a four-time Olympian, led his team to victory on home turf at Baborówko to book Poland a place at next year’s Games. Riding his Rio 2016 horse Banderas, the 37-year-old also claimed the individual honours ahead of two-time Olympic champion, Germany’s Michael Jung with Fischerchipmunk FRH.

Both Belarus and Russia also fielded teams at Baborówko, venue for the Olympic Group C qualifier covering Africa and the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. However, when just two of the Belarussians and one Russian completed all three phases, the Poles were left untroubled at the top.

Great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand are already gearing up for Tokyo, having secured Olympic qualification at last year’s FEI World Equestrian Games™. Japan, as host nation, is automatically qualified, but the win in Saumur shows that the home side will be right in the mix next summer.

While three team slots were nailed over the weekend, there are still spaces available for five more teams to make up the full quota of 15 Eventing teams for Tokyo. An additional 20 individual places are up for grabs via the FEI Olympic rankings to fill the overall quota of 65 starters.

Remaining opportunities for nations to qualify Eventing teams for Tokyo are at the Pan-American Games in Lima (PER) at the beginning of August and the FEI European Eventing Championships in Luhmühlen (GER) at the end of August, both of which have two slots available. Additionally, the highest ranked nation at the end of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ series 2019, which winds up at Boekelo (NED) in mid-October, will also book their ticket for next year’s Games.

The FEI system allows nations from each of the FEI Olympic Groups two opportunities to qualify, either at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 or at their designated regional qualifier. The FEI Olympic Groups for the Olympic qualification process are based on seven geographical regions: A – North Western Europe; B – South Western Europe; C – Central & Eastern Europe, Central Asia; D – North America; E – Central & South America; F – Africa & Middle East; G – South East Asia, Oceania.

FEI Media Contact:

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

The Olympic Future of China, Thailand, and Hong Kong Will Be Set in Saumur

Picture copyright Les Garennes.

This weekend, at the international competition of eventing « Saumur Complet » during the CCI 3*L, countries from group G play their team qualifications for the next Olympic Games of Tokyo in 2020. After the first test (dressage), one of the three tests of eventing, China started well. Second after Japan, country that is automatically qualified as it is the « host-country », China get ahead of Thailand and Hong Kong. On the individual side, at the first place of the temporary ranking after dressage, we can find Alex Hua Tian… a Chinese athlete! Reaction of one of the coaches of the Chinese team, the French Pascale Boutet:

« This weekend’s challenge is huge. We have three countries, China, Thailand, and Hong Kong, and only two places for qualification at the next Olympic Games! In terms of sport experiences, those three countries are really young, and they all have recently decided to be active in eventing. The last 2018 World Equestrian Games had qualified Australia and New Zealand; Japan was automatically qualified; from then, the qualification process of the G group (Oceania and South-East Asia), only two places were still at stake. Those three countries have decided to take the opportunity, predicting that it might be easier to be qualified to the Olympic Games in eventing then in show jumping (explained by the fact that there are fewer countries competing in eventing than in show jumping). »

« I’ve worked with China for ten years, and everything got faster a few months ago. We had to put in place a viable project that plan to create a Chinese team training in Europe. Meanwhile, the stables had to stay in China as horses living in China cannot leave the country and the Chinese riders do not have a long-term visa. Thus, in Europe, China has three stables: in France, at my home, in Belgium, and another one in Holland with Martin Lips. The leader in this team is Alex Hua Tian, a Sino-British athlete, living in England. For the stables where I have the responsibilities, horses were bought in December; it is really recent. It is only the third competition, here in Saumur, for those combinations. In France, I train the horses, the riders train in China, and they come back in Europe a few days before each competition. Today’s results, in dressage, are encouraging; we are particularly proud! »

« If China qualifies its team for Tokyo’s Olympic Games, then we will have to qualify individually the athletes that will compose the Chinese Olympic team. Those individual qualifications are done at the CCI 4*L level; our riders do not have experience at this top level; the challenge will be higher than qualifying the team this weekend. But in the Chinese culture, we go for it; we trust coaches and horses! Yesterday (Wednesday 22th of May), we have done the course inspection; they were impressed as they do not have the experience at this level, but they will go for it! As they will do at the 4*L level, if they succeed to qualify a team. We will have then to qualify three athletes; it will be another huge challenge, as there is a big level difference between 3* and 4*. The stable based in Holland from a longer time than the one in France, has few experiences at the 4* level, but the athletes of the horses based in the French one haven’t any experiences. »

So let’s see what will happen Saturday morning, from 10 am, for the CCI 3*L cross-country test. The gap between the results after the dressage test is small. Thus, the competition between the three countries is going to be thrilling. China has only 19 points (89,2) ahead of Thailand (108,2) and 25 points from Hong Kong (114,9), meaning nothing when we know that a refusal in cross country is already 20 points!

JULIETTE FEYTOUT
Relations médias & influenceurs
M. : +33 (0)7 50 39 37 40
juliette@blizko-communication.com

From Baborówko to Tokyo 2020

Photo: Oliver Townend.

Baborówko, November 26, 2018 — FEI General Assembly in Bahrain has announced that an eventing qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will be held during Equestrian Festival Baborówko 2019 in Baborówko, Poland. For athletes from C group, that includes countries from Central and East Europe, it is one of the two opportunities to qualify for the Olympics.

“Such a decision from the FEI is a great honour for us, validating the high level of the organisation of shows in Baborówko,” says Henryk Święcicki jr, the director of Equestrian Festival Baborówko. For the athletes from C group, another opportunity to qualify for the Olympics are the European Championships in Lumuehlen in August 2019.

The qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be played out in Baborówko as the CCI4*-L class. In the cross-country trial for this class, the athletes will have to finish a 6000m distance in the course of 10 minutes, overcoming almost 40 fences.

Within the team classification of the CCI4*-L class during Baborówko Equestrian Festival, the athletes will compete for the individual qualification to the Olympics, and the right to compete will only be granted to the best team.

Once again we will have the opportunity to witness the best athletes compete not only for the Olympic qualification. Thanks to the support of the Patron of the event, Mr. Roman Roszkiewicz, the prize money at Baborówko Equestrian Festival will once again reach ca. 100 000 EUR.

From the 23rd to the 26th of May 2019, at Equestrian Festival Baborówko, apart from the CCI4*-L class, athletes will also compete in the CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S classes, and the CCIYH2*-S class for young horses. The organisers are preparing an additional programme for the audiences, and as every year, admission is free.

Eventing is one of the three equestrian Olympic disciplines (along with dressage and showjumping), which the audience will have the opportunity to watch at Japan’s capital. The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will take place from the 24th of July until the 9th of August 2020.

More information on: www.festiwal.baborowko.pl.

FEI General Assembly Votes in Favour of Olympic and Paralympic Rule Changes

Aki Murasato, Executive Director of International Relations with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee. (Richard Juilliart/FEI)

Tokyo (JPN), 22 November 2016 – The FEI General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly in favour of the proposed format changes for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020, which will now go to the IOC Executive Board for final approval in 2017.

Under the new proposals, the number of athletes in national teams will be reduced to three, and the drop score, which previously allowed for a team’s worst score to be discarded, will be removed. The use of a reserve combination for teams will remain in place, but will be even more important and will be a key element in ensuring horse welfare.

A total of 11 of National Federations, out of 107 represented, voted against the proposal – Albania, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, Monaco, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Romania and Switzerland.

Voting on the proposed sport-specific changes to the three individual Olympic disciplines – Jumping, Dressage and Eventing – was unanimously in favour.

The vote on the Paralympic formats saw one National Federation – Great Britain – against the proposed changes.

“This was a really important vote for the future of our sport if we are to increase universality in accordance with the recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said after the vote.

“We need to increase the number of participating nations at the Olympic Games but within our existing quota of 200. Reducing team members to three per nation was probably the only way to boost the number of flags. Of course this now has to be approved by the IOC, but it opens the door to countries that previously could only see the Olympics as a distant dream.

“There were some National Federations that didn’t agree with the proposal, but that’s all part of the democratic process. Now we need to work together to make this a success.”

The proposed changes are detailed below:

Jumping

  • Teams of three horse/athlete combinations per nation, plus one reserve combination, no drop score
  • 20 teams (60 horse/athlete combinations)
  • 15 slots for nations not qualified with a team (maximum one horse/athlete combination per nation)
  • Individual event will now take place before Team event
  • Cut-off score: the exact cut-off and resulting penalty will be finalised in the Olympic Regulations
  • The exact penalty for any horse/athlete combination that is eliminated, or does not complete their round for any reason, will be finalised in the Olympic Regulations

Dressage

  • Teams of three horse/athlete combinations per nation, no drop score
  • Each directly qualified team may bring a reserve rider/horse combination, or horse only
  • One individual per nation not represented by a qualified team (no composite teams)
  • Determine Team medals solely through results of Grand Prix Special (no longer a combination of Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special scores)
  • Introduce new “heat system” (including “lucky losers”) for Grand Prix: 18 individuals to qualify from Grand Prix to Grand Prix Freestyle (best two from each of the 6 heats, plus the next 6 with the best overall results)
  • 8 top teams (24 starters) from Grand Prix to qualify for Grand Prix Special
  • Introduce new system for starting order in Grand Prix
  • Conduct Grand Prix Special to music

Eventing

  • Teams of three horse/athlete combinations per nation, no drop score
  • One reserve combination per team will be allowed. The reserve combination is an important element of the proposal in order to preserve horse welfare. If a reserve combination is substituted, it will incur a penalty for the team. The exact penalty will be finalised in the Olympic Regulations
  • Maximum of two individuals per nation not represented by a team
  • Order of tests to remain unchanged (1st Dressage; 2nd Cross Country; 3rd Jumping Team; 4th Jumping Individual)
  • Olympic Eventing to take place over three days (Dressage test reduced to one day)
  • Technical level of the three tests to be defined as the “Olympic level”: Dressage and Jumping 4*; Cross Country: 10-minute optimum time, 45 jumping efforts, and 3* technical difficulty
  • Qualification of athletes/horses to be achieved on the same Cross Country technical level to ensure implementation of the recommendations of the FEI Independent Audit in Eventing
  • For the purpose of the Team classification only: any horse/athlete combinations not completing a test can continue to the next test if accepted as fit to compete at the relevant Horse Inspection
  • For the purpose of the Team classification only: penalties for the non-completion of a test for any reason, Dressage =100 points, Cross Country = 150, Jumping = 100
  • Rules for the Individual event remain unchanged

Para-Equestrian Dressage

  • Teams of three horse/athlete combinations per nation, no drop score
  • Each directly qualified team is entitled to bring four horse/athlete combinations, of which three will have to be declared to compete on the team after the Individual Championships test, in which all four will compete as Individuals.
  • Maximum of two individuals per nation not represented by a team (no composite teams)
  • Determine Team medals solely through results of Team test (no longer a combination of Team and Individual test scores)
  • Top 8 per grade from the Individual test to qualify for the Freestyle test
  • Order of tests: Individual Championship test, Team test, Freestyle
  • Team test to be set to music

FEI President Focuses on Unique Qualities of Equestrian Sport at FEI General Assembly

FEI President Ingmar De Vos opened the FEI General Assembly in the Japanese capital Tokyo, delivering the keynote address to almost 300 delegates and focusing on the unique qualities of equestrian sport.

“We all agree that we have the greatest sport on earth and this is for many reasons,” the FEI President said. “We excel when it comes to gender equality, but what makes our sport so great is the unique bond between human and animal, between man and horse. But it is this same unique value which makes our sport vulnerable.

“With the growth of our sport grows also our responsibility to continuously ensure the welfare of our athletes in order to safeguard the integrity of the sport at all times.

“We need to insist on a strict application of our rules. They need to be transparent, clear and not open for interpretation. We need to be irreproachable in our stance and our outlook. These are big challenges.

“There are organisations – increasing in number – that are of the opinion that horses should not be competed or even ridden!

“We need to show them – and the world – that we are not only dedicated to horse welfare but that we are the leaders in that domain. And we also need to educate – to show just how much we do and how committed the equestrian community is to horse welfare. Ignorance creates fear. So we need to show that a true partnership is about trust and respect so that we can bridge that gap and bring people closer to our sport.”

During a packed morning agenda, delegates voted on a number of important issues, including the Olympic and Paralympic format change proposals (see FEI press release here), formats for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 and other sport specific matters. Full details of the main decisions made at the FEI General Assembly 2016 are here.

The afternoon featured a series of presentations, including an update on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games from Aki Murasato, Executive Director of International Relations with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee.

Mark Bellissimo, creator of the Tryon International Equestrian Center, also addressed delegates, providing an update on the venue that was earlier this month announced as the host for the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018.

Speaking directly to the FEI President, Mark Bellissimo said: “We want to let you know that we appreciate how important this event is to the FEI, and how important it is both for us as organisers and the community that we work within. We will do our best not to let you down.”

Nai Yue Ho (SIN), outgoing Chair of FEI Regional Group VIII, who was celebrating his birthday, was made an Honorary Bureau Member of the FEI. And prior to closing remarks, the FEI President thanked the Japan Equestrian Federation (JEF) for their hospitality, commenting on the fact that it had been 25 years since the FEI General Assembly had been held in Tokyo, and in the same hotel. He then made a presentation to Tsunekazu Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee and Vice-President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, and to JEF Secretary General Dr Yasuhiko Haruta, who also collected a special plaque on behalf of JEF President Dr Genshitsu Sen.

In his closing address, the FEI President said: “This was a very important General Assembly. We took crucial decisions for the future of our sport and I understand that not everybody was happy, but we followed a very democratic process and in the end there was a clear majority. There are no winners or losers in this debate. These new formats give us a huge responsibility and failure is not an option, so we need to work together with all our stakeholders to prepare for Tokyo 2020.”

Timeline for finalisation of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic formats:

February 2017 – FEI proposals go to the IOC Executive Board
May 2017 – IOC Programme Commission make recommendations to the IOC Executive Board
July 2017 – IOC Executive Board decides on events and quotas
November 2017 – FEI General Assembly in Montevideo (URU) finalises the proposal for qualification procedures (quota distribution and eligibility)

FEI Media Contacts:

At FEI General Assembly, Tokyo:

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

At FEI headquarters, Lausanne (SUI):

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

Team USA Olympians to Be Honored at Central Park Horse Show

The United States Show Jumping team of Lucy Davis, Kent Farrington, McLain Ward, and Beezie Madden won the Team Silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Photo copyright Shannon Brinkman.

New York, NY – September 18, 2016 – The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will hold a special ceremony on Friday evening, September 23, to honor the equestrian Olympians from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show is held September 21-25, 2016, at Wollman Rink in Manhattan.

The Rolex Central Park Horse Show congratulates the United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Equestrian Team on a successful Olympic Games.

The U.S. Show Jumping team will be recognized for their Team Silver medal. Team members McLain Ward and Kent Farrington will represent the team, which also included Beezie Madden, Lucy Davis, reserve rider Laura Kraut, and Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland.

The U.S. Dressage team, led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover, won the Team Bronze medal with riders Steffen Peters, Laura Graves, Kasey Perry-Glass, and Allison Brock, along with reserve Shelly Francis.

From the U.S. Eventing team, Phillip Dutton rode Mighty Nice to the Individual Bronze medal in Rio. Also on the Eventing team were Lauren Kieffer, Boyd Martin, and Clark Montgomery, with Maya Black as the reserve rider and David O’Connor as Chef d’Equipe.

This Olympic ceremony is part of a special Friday night at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show, which will feature the $216,000 FEI Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Rolex, a performance by Frederik the Great: The World’s Most Handsome Horse, and the Junior/Amateur 1.20m Jumper class.

The $216,000 FEI Grand Prix CSI 3*, presented by Rolex, and Friday night ceremonies will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network on Sunday, September 25, from 9-10:30 p.m. EST

Want to see high-flying jumpers, dancing dressage horses, stunning Arabians, and elegant hunters? Tickets are selling fast! To get yours, go to http://bit.ly/29LwkkD.

The official hotel is the JW Marriot Essex House and special rates are available for a limited time at http://bit.ly/1qV3FBt. In the “Please Select Guest Type” box, select “Attendee” when making a reservation.

About Rolex Central Park Horse Show
Launched in September 2014, Rolex Central Park Horse Show is the first-ever outdoor, multi-day equestrian sporting event in New York City, showcasing some of the best show jumpers and dressage riders in the world as they vie for top prizes against a backdrop of skyscrapers in one of the world’s most iconic venues. As the event founder, Mark Bellissimo is the CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions and International Equestrian Group LLC; Managing Partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEF), Tryon Equestrian Partners and Colorado Equestrian Partners; and Publisher of The Chronicle of The Horse magazine. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will feature five days of multi-discipline equestrian sport and performances, ranging from Arabians and Dressage to Hunters and Show Jumping. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will also host the second annual U.S. Open in the following categories: Jumpers; Dressage; Hunters; U25 Jumpers; and Arabians. For more information, visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/CPhorseshow and follow @cphorseshow on Twitter and Instagram.

Neue Schule Ambassadors Help Bring Home the Bronze Medal

Laura Graves and Verdades (Photo courtesy of Susan J Stickle)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (September 6, 2016) — The United States Dressage Team rode its way to a spot on the medal-winning podium at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All four team members used Neue Schule bits to help bring home the Bronze. Neue Schule Ambassadors Laura Graves, Steffen Peters, and Allison Brock teamed up with Kasey Perry-Glass to win the USA its first Olympic dressage medal since 2004.

Neue Schule Ambassador Laura Graves’ personal best score of 80.644 percent in the Grand Prix on her own Verdades, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding, cinched the United States’ claim on the Team Bronze medal. Then, in the Grand Prix Freestyle, she finished just under the individual medalists with a jaw-dropping 85.196 percent to place fourth. Graves relies on Neue Schule bits to keep “Diddy” comfortable in the bridle after an accident as a youngster left him with a broken jaw.

Olympic veteran and Neue Schule Ambassador Steffen Peters competed on Four Winds Farm’s Legolas 92, a 14-year-old Westphalian gelding. With solid rides throughout the competition, Peters created depth on the team in his fourth Olympic Games and qualified to compete in the Olympic Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle.

Olympic first-timers, Neue Schule Ambassador Allison Brock and Rosevelt, a 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Claudine and Fritz Kundrun, served as the team’s lead-off pair during both days of the team competition. Their impressive rides in the team competitions also qualified them to show in the individual Grand Prix Freestyle.

Neue Schule, the Official Bit of the United States Equestrian Federation, has been supporting top riders in multiple disciplines for many years and is thrilled to have been a part of the Bronze-winning 2016 U.S. Olympic Dressage Team. The Neue Schule Ambassadors are prime examples of the success that can be achieved through effective communication between horse and rider with the help of Neue Schule bits. With thoughtful and innovative bit designs tailored to the horses’ comfort, Neue Schule helps riders achieve soft and effective communication with their horses.

Neue Schule bits can be found in tack stores and at horse shows across the U.S., including top competition venues like the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and the Colorado Horse Park. To find which bit is best for your horse, go to www.BitByBitUSA.com for descriptions and educational YouTube videos. For advanced bitting knowledge, educational opportunities are also available through the Neue Schule Bitting Academy, an online bitting school. The Academy teaches individuals about bitting history, design, and functionality thorough beginner, intermediate, and advanced online courses.

To learn more about Neue Schule bits and Metlar Premium Performance Saddlery, their North American distributor, visit www.BitByBitUSA.com. You can also like Neue Schule on Facebook or follow the company on Instagram.

Contact: Ginny Pagano
Metlar – Neue Schule Bits
631-252-5574
ginny@metlar-us.com

FEI President Celebrates Top Equestrian Sport and Clean Games at Rio 2016

Lausanne (SUI), 27 August 2016 – FEI President Ingmar De Vos had double cause for celebration after confirmation that all human and equine samples taken during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games had returned negative.

“Keeping our sport clean is a central part of our daily work at the FEI, but to have back-to-back clean Games in London and Rio is something for any sport to be proud of, especially as we were testing for more substances than ever before,” the FEI President said. “And that’s on top of absolutely brilliant equestrian sport in Rio, so we really have something to celebrate!”

A total of 60 equine samples – 30% of the 200 competing horses – were tested during the Games. The samples were sent to the FEI’s Central Laboratory in Newmarket (GBR), one of the five FEI Approved Laboratories worldwide, with the final batch of results returned to FEI Headquarters.

Human testing, which is conducted by the IOC during the Olympic Games, also returned 100% negatives for the equestrian athletes that were sampled.

“The sport in Rio was just incredible,” Ingmar De Vos said. “Two Olympic champions not only successfully defended their London 2012 titles, but they did it on the same horse, which is a fantastic achievement. Germany’s Michael Jung won with Sam in Eventing, and the British combination of Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro topped an all-female podium in Dressage, just as they had four years ago in front of their home crowd. And the IOC President Thomas Bach was there to see them do it.

“Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat was also bidding to do the same, but he hit the first fence in the jump-off for gold with his 2012 winner Nino des Buissonnets to finish fourth and out of the medals.

“So we finished the Games with a six-way battle against the clock and Britain’s Nick Skelton, became the oldest Olympic Jumping champion in history at the age of 58, taking gold with Big Star. Both Big Star and Nick Skelton have to overcome serious injury problems, so it shows that strength of character and determination really are key to winning at the highest level, no matter what the sport.

“And our team competitions were just as thrilling. France took team gold in both Eventing and Jumping. The Eventing team win was the first gold of the 2016 Games for France, and the winning French Jumping team included Philippe Rozier, son of Marcel Rozier, who was on the gold-medal team in Montreal 1976, so there were lots of very proud French supporters!

“Germany has always been the team to beat in Dressage. They had 12 Olympic team golds coming into Rio, although the British had claimed the title in London, but things were back to normal this time with Germany out in front, and by a distance!

“We owe a huge debt of thanks to the Rio 2016 organising committee. They were working in very challenging circumstances, but they produced a fabulous venue that provided the perfect stage for our equestrian events, and which will be ideal for the Paralympics as well.

“We couldn’t have asked for more exciting sport and now to have confirmation that clean sport and fair play have also come out as winners is the icing on the cake! I couldn’t be happier!”

Equine Testing

Equine testing was conducted by the FEI at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games under the FEI Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs). Samples were tested for more substances than ever before.

All individual medallists’ horses were tested, plus all fourth-placed horses. Additionally, at least one horse was tested from medal-winning and fourth-placed teams. Random testing was also carried out, with horses being picked by computerised selection, and there was also targeted testing.

Human Testing

For human testing across the Games, all top four finishers, plus two other athletes selected at random, were tested by the IOC, along with other individuals selected at random.

FEI Clean Sport

The FEI’s Clean Sport campaign, started in 2010, is part of an ongoing educational outreach programme designed to simplify the FEI anti-doping regulations, which are based on World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) principles.

This online communication campaign, which is available in eight languages (English, French, Chinese, German, Arabic, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese), is aimed at athletes, grooms, team and personal veterinarians, and other support personnel and includes key information on prohibited substances, the Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations, the testing process, and all related resources.

http://inside.fei.org/fei/cleansport

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FEI Media Contacts:

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

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