Classic Eventing Nation

Friday Video from SmartPak: The $300 Thoroughbred Who Wowed the Eventing World

By on Nov 20, 2020 6:52 pm -

However our differences of opinion may divide us, one thing that universally unites the eventing world is a good underdog story – particularly when that underdog story involves a cheap-as-chips ex-racehorse who goes on to become a world beater.

That’s exactly what happened when Australia’s Rebel Morrow joined forces with Oaklea Groover, who was on his way to slaughter following the discovery of blood clots in his skull. Rebel stepped in, paid the owners what they’d have made in meat money, and began an extraordinary journey with the horse who would become her Athens Olympics partner.

In this episode of the Thoroughbred Network’s show, you’ll get to know the Aussie rider, whose based at Shane Rose’s Bimbadeen Park and learn the whole story behind Oaklea Groover’s exceptional career. Plus, she shares her insights on sourcing and retraining your own Thoroughbred so you can create your horse of a lifetime, too. A whole lot of heart for a diminutive sum – we might not be betting folk, but we do like those odds.

Go Eventing!

Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship: Bryanna Tanase is Pursuing Para-Equestrian Dreams

By on Nov 20, 2020 3:00 pm -

We recently featured the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship, a new fund established to provide opportunity and mentorship to young riders from diverse backgrounds get a leg up with their riding. We are thrilled that the Optimum Youth team and the applicants for the first award have agreed to share some of the essays submitted here on EN. If you or someone you know are eligible for the next round of this scholarship, you can view more information and download an application for the next round (deadline: January 15, 2021) here. You can read the first winner, Milan Berry’s, essay here.

Photo courtesy of Bryanna Tanase.

My name is Bryanna Tanase and I am a 22-year-old paraequestrian and graduate student from Tarpon Springs, FL. I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 11 months of age and as a result rely on a wheelchair for all my daily mobility and require assistance with most daily tasks. However, I like to focus on my capabilities rather than my disability, and horses help me do just that.

My love of riding and horses started with a trip to a farm in preschool, where I became infatuated with a palomino pony, and has continued since then. Throughout my childhood, I only had small interactions with horses like pony rides at the zoo and piggybacking on vacation trail rides with my family because riding was inaccessible for me. So, I spent the majority of my younger years learning as much as I could about horses through books and movies and asking my parents for a pony every chance I had. It was during this time that my 10 or 11-year-old self discovered dressage and paradressage through YouTube videos of Charlotte Dujardin, Laura Graves, Roxanne Trunnel, Rebecca Hart, and other well-known paraequestrian and able-bodied riders.

I fell in love with the sport and knew it was something I had to pursue, and achieve the highest level of distinction in. It wasn’t until my parents enrolled me in the therapeutic riding program at Quantum Leap Farm in April of 2016 that I was finally able to learn to ride and be around horses on a regular basis. I was 17 years old, so I waited 14 years for this day. I progressed and gained so much skill and confidence in the program that I took my first independent ride in December 2016 and have been riding independently since then. In addition to riding, I have also had the opportunity to be actively involved in the care of horses and building a bond with the horse I ride. I am engaged in the equestrian community through my social media like Instagram and Facebook and am advocating for greater inclusion of paraequestrians in the media and equestrian sport at large through writing articles for outlets like US Equestrian and Kerrits Equestrian Apparel for their diversity and inclusivity projects respectively.

My future goals are to enter my first dressage show and begin proper dressage training with a dressage trainer, and my ultimate goal is to qualify for the US Paraequestrian Team and ride for the US in the Paralympics. I have made some progress toward these goals by working on 20 meter circles and other dressage movements with my trainers at Quantum. I have connected with dressage and paradressage riders and trainers across the country to gain a better understanding of the sport and build a connection with them so we can lean on each other, such as USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist and Silver Paradressage Coach Lisa Hellmer and paradressage riders Laurietta Oakleaf and Alyssa Cleland. Furthermore, in January 2020, I received my national Grade 1 paradressage classification at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival and had the opportunity to watch international riders compete.

I have also been working to find a dressage trainer locally because I feel like I am missing a lot in terms of technical skill that I do not get in a typical therapeutic riding session. I think having a combination of both therapeutic riding and dressage training lessons will be beneficial for me because they will both serve different purposes. The dressage training rides will be for building on the basics I am familiar with and for learning new skills in a stepwise fashion, and the therapeutic rides will be for continued strengthening and revision. I have also recently found another therapeutic riding center called Emerald M with a dressage trainer onsite, am filling out the paperwork to become a rider there, and I am super excited to see how everything goes.

I have overcome many challenges to become the equestrian I am today. The first is because of my physical health which also turns into a logistical problem. Many people in the equestrian industry are very wary of taking on students with a disability because of the liability involved. I cannot tell you how many times I have been turned away from facilities and told to go somewhere else despite my enthusiasm and want to learn because it is clear that the trainer and owner believe I would be too much of a headache to handle. If the attitude of the facility staff is not an issue, another roadblock comes in the form of the accessibility of the facility itself. The main issue is that many stables in my area do not have a safe way for me to mount and dismount, but sometimes the accessibility can be so poor that I cannot get to the barn aisles to see the horses. Even if I suggest a solution to these issues that would not be too much of a hassle to implement, I am met with unwillingness to accommodate.

Additionally, if we overcome the first two obstacles, there may not be a safe horse in the barn for me to ride. Sometimes, no matter how much the barn staff wants to help, there is no prudent way for me to ride and be engaged in the culture at a barn, so I have to give up on the opportunity and try to find something else.

I would like to branch out from therapeutic riding centers to experience an able-bodied dressage barn, but I cannot do that without support from the staff there. I firmly believe that the barn should be a safe place where everyone is welcome, and that there should not be separation between able bodied and paraequestrian riders. We should be able to share our love of horses together in harmony. Thankfully, because of the wonderful people at Quantum Leap Farm and Emerald M, I can ride despite this adversity.

I have also overcome the social challenge of convincing my parents to let me pursue my athletic ambitions, after many disagreements, I won a battle well fought and they now see that pursuing my equestrian dreams is something I am passionate about. My parents are a huge part of my support team and I am so glad we can work together towards my goals. I am so grateful for all they have done for me and I know I would not be able to achieve all that I have without their help. The encouragement and advice I receive from them is really motivating. I am the only equestrian in my family, and I am so proud to be one.

EN’s Got Talent: Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach Z

By on Nov 20, 2020 12:00 pm -

Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach Z. Photo by Karrie Dash.

It was a bit of happenstance that brought Ema Klugman to the United Kingdom during Thanksgiving break in 2017. Ema, who is Australian by citizenship, traveled to England to meet up with her mother, who was giving a presentation as a part of her travels working for the World Bank. With some extra time on their hands, Ema’s mother made a few calls and set up a few horses to go and look at. “Why not?” she and Ema mused as they set off into the countryside. These are, of course, famous last words.

Upon arriving at Pennie Cornish’s yard, the first horse Ema tried that day was a “gangly, unruly mare” that, despite her inexperience, exuded talent. Ema compared the feeling she had on her first ride aboard the 5-year-old Zangersheide to that of riding RF Scandalous, the ride of Marilyn Little, whom Ema had worked for for several years.

“Having had the opportunity to ride several quality horses, including ‘Kitty’, at Marilyn’s, I kind of knew what that quality felt like, and it’s what I felt on this mare,” Ema recalled. “And she wasn’t even the horse we were originally supposed to try. She was also the first horse we tried on that trip, and I felt like I needed to go and try others because you aren’t supposed to go with the first one!”

And so Ema and her mother went through the motions, venturing to try a few other horses but eventually returning to Pennie’s yard to have another look at the mare, who would later become known as Bronte Beach Z.

“I sent videos of her to (longtime mentor Packy McGaughan) and Marilyn, and they both immediately told me to buy her,” Ema explained. “They both had such a great eye for horses, so I trusted their instincts.”

In rather accidental fashion, Ema found herself with a new talent to add to her growing string. As a young professional, Ema recognizes the importance of continuing to produce talent. She’s amassed a healthy amount of experience aboard her trusted veteran partner, Bendigo, but this mare added some additional depth to her program.

Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

While competing in the CCI4*S at Great Meadow International earlier this summer, Ema and Bendigo turned in one of the quickest rides across the country on a track that only saw five pairs complete inside the time. The smooth, efficient ride prompted another of Ema’s mentors, Karen O’Connor, to send a text: “You need to make every horse from now on feel like Bendigo on cross country.”

It’s advice Ema took to heart as she embarked on Bronte Beach Z’s training journey. Of course, the two horses presented their own individual style that required some adaptation from Ema. Bronte, for one, is a little spookier than her stablemate. “She spun my mum off once during the early going,” she laughed. “And initially she was so spooky at shows that I could hardly get her to focus on anything. On her first cross country course, her legs were everywhere and she was looking at everything, so I actually fell off at that first show.”

As is often the case, it wouldn’t be until the fences got a bit larger that Bronte began to show more interest in her career. “Once she started going Prelim, the jumps were more interesting and she had to think more,” Ema observed.

Ema says it’s a privilege to sit on a horse with so much natural ability. Bendigo, who is 18 this year, was the horse with whom Ema has experienced most of her firsts: first FEI, first Advanced, first chance to be named to a training list for Australia. But Bendigo was a horse that used his heart to make up for what he lacked in natural ability, forming a strong partnership with his rider that enabled them to continue moving up the levels. This new mare has taught Ema how to ride proper dressage and how to harness natural scope and ability. She credits work with her dressage coach, Hilary Moore Herbert, as instrumental in the progress she has made with the mare. The pair recently won the CCI3*L at Virginia Horse Trials on their dressage score.

Waving to her adoring fans. Photo by Linda Fountain.

Ema also credits her selection to Australia’s Generation NEXT squad as highly influential in her career. The Generation NEXT Squad is a newer tier of Australia’s high performance program that specially caters to younger riders. The program approaches its education with individual performance plans and virtual meetings while assisting the riders with everything from specific training to nutrition and veterinary care.

“We have team calls and usually there will be an expert from the industry on to help us,” Ema explained. “We’ve covered topics like sport psychology, riding quick on cross country, getting a horse ready to show jump on the third day, et cetera.”

Top of mind from this program is the concept of concrete goal setting and using these performance indicators to mark a rider’s progression. “We really don’t do enough concrete goal setting,” Ema observed. “We’ll go to a show and hope we do well – but what does that actually mean? You have to look at your averages and also understand how to do a good evaluation after each competition.”

A self-proclaimed “nerd” when it comes to studying her sport, Ema says having this practice of concrete goal setting has informed her riding and helped her better understand her strengths and weaknesses. And as she continues to produce her talented mare up the levels, she’s feeling confident that the support from her network and the Generation NEXT program will help her continue to build on the success she’s already had. After the loss of Packy earlier this year, Ema says her journey with this special mare is all the more meaningful. “I carry his wisdom with me always and often have his voice in my head,” she reflected. “It is really special that he told me to buy this mare!”

Ema created an accessible syndicate program for Bronte Beach Z, for which there are still a handful of opportunities to get involved. You can learn more about the Bronte Beach Z Syndicate here.

Preview the 66 Horses Available in the 2020 Goresbridge ‘Go for Gold’ Select Event Horse Sale

By on Nov 20, 2020 9:00 am -

Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography (taken pre-COVID).

Horse shoppers this season find themselves with a myriad of options for selecting their next horse; perhaps a silver lining of the coronavirus pandemic is the addition of some virtual auction formats that allow for distance bidding. This year’s edition of the Goresbridge ‘Go for Gold’ Select Event Horse Sale in Ireland has done just that, creating a hybrid sale model that will allow for bidding to take place remotely.

The ability to pivot is the name of the game in 2020 and the hardworking Goresbridge team, which typically leaves no stone unturned when it comes to presenting these top-caliber horses to prospective buyers, has outdone themselves with more options for remote buyers and an extensive online catalog.

This year’s Goresbridge auction will be open for potential buyers to view and bid on horses in person, but the team has also introduced online and phone bidding this year. If you haven’t experienced an auction yet, this year may just be the year to do it! You can view more details on this year’s Goresbridge sale here. The selection process for these horses is no easy task – we detailed the background of this sale and the selection process in this article last year.

Lot 3, an unnamed half-brother to Trendy Fernhill.

Looking to the catalog, there are a total of 66 horses presented, the majority of which are 3-year-olds. A mix of 42 3-year-olds, 21 4-year-olds, 1 5-year-old, and 2 6-year-old horses are available for viewing. How does the catalog break down?

Several reputable eventing sires are well-represented this year. OBOS Quality (Quick Star x Reischdame, by Domino) has the most in the catalog with six horses, followed by Ramiro B (Calvani x Lilly, by Wendekreis) and Emperor Augustus (Fusaichi Pegasus x Hishi Nile, by A.P. Indy), who each have five of their progeny in the catalog.

Featuring among the prospects for sale this year are a half-brother to Jenny Caras’ Tryon CCI4*S winner Trendy Fernhill, owned by Elyse Eisenberg as well as several with relation to top horses such as Ashdale Cruise Master (Oliver Townend), November Night (Ciaran Glenn), OBOS O’Reilly (Will Coleman), Ballaghmor Class (Oliver Townend), Ringwood Sky Boy (Tim Price), and Cooley Stormwater (Liz Halliday-Sharp) – and many more.

Each lot for sale this year has a full pedigree, conformation photos, and performance videos available in the user-friendly online portal. You must register to place a bid online or by phone. Bidding starts at €3,000.00 for each horse and the auction will run Monday, December 7 and Tuesday, December 8.

Friday News & Notes

By on Nov 20, 2020 12:03 am -

Steve Teichman. Photo courtesy of USA Eventing FB.

After nearly 30 years of service to USA Eventing, Steve Teichman has officially retired as the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Farrier. Join us as we thank him for his service over the years and his invaluable contribution to medals won, and to wish him a very well deserved retirement!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Grand Oaks H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Southern Arizona Eventing Association H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Live Scores] [Show Photographer]

Major International Events:

Portugal Winter Tour Week 1/Barroca d’Alva: [Website] [Start Lists]

News From Around the Globe:

The USEA has a new program named the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) and since the announcement last month, this new program has gained widespread interest from members all over the country. The USEA website now has an interscholastic homepage that includes guidelines, a scoring template for event organizers, an IEL application form, and a list of interscholastic teams that are already registered for 2021. Interested in joining up? Read more on how to get in on this hot new program. [How To Sign Up for the USEA IEL]

If your equestrian life has been turned upside down by 2020 and various restrictions, well, you’re not alone. Getting back into a schedule and a program can be hard, and taking fitness for both horse and rider seriously is important. Slow and steady wins the race, according to the amazing Lucinda Green. She recommends at least a month to six weeks of slow work, hacking and hills prevalent. [Lucinda Green’s Top Tips For Getting Back in the Saddle After Lockdown]

If you’re watching The Crown, you’ll be delighted to see we’ve reached the time of Diana as well as Princess Anne. You’ll be less delighted to notice that in the exhaustive research for this highly detailed series, they seem to have completely mixed up show jumping and eventing. In fact, they filmed “Badminton” where Anne placed 6th in 1979 at Hickstead, and even featured some of the classic show jump feats. How dare they! [The Crown Mixes Up Eventing and Show Jumping]

Equestrian sport is often painted in the public eye with the stain of cruelty and abuse. It only takes a brief Google or social media search to find horrifying videos and blaring headlines. We all live within this landscape. As equestrians and lovers of horse sport, we must dodge the moguls of public opinion and avoid the landmines of hyperbole. [The Perils of a Shifting Landscape]

Thursday Video: Ditches with David O’Connor

By on Nov 19, 2020 4:30 pm -

To watch this video, click the image.

Who’s up for a throwback of sorts? The USEA shared this helpful video from Eventing Training Online and David O’Connor that was first published after an ICP clinic held in 2013. If you’ve ever struggled with your ditches on cross country (I’m raising my hand over here), this video is a must-watch.

“Ditches is the one thing that can end a horse’s cross country career if it’s not done well at the beginning,” David explains. “I’m a big believer that a brave horse is the one that walks up to a six foot ditch, looks in it, and pops across, not the one that runs at it.”

The most important rider responsibility, David says, is direction. David helps a rider with a horse who has taken offense to a small ditch by asking her to ride a parallel line to the ditch rather than pointing him at it, allowing the horse to see and understand the question. This is a tip that often comes up in clinics, and David explains why: “If he’s pointed at it, that’s where I’m going to want him to go. I don’t want him to be pointed at it, they will see it…Pick a line four or five feet away, then move closer to it to get them comfortable with it instead of just pointing him at it.”

Other tips from this session with David:

  • For spooky horses, try a rail over the ditch
  • Don’t get frustrated when things don’t go to plan, the focus should be on the horse’s education
  • When jumping a combination, jump the “out” jump first, then put the combination together – this teaches the horse to hunt that final element

Eventing Training Online recently underwent a rebrand and now offers a subscription that gives members access to all sorts of training videos from top riders all over the country. Particularly in the times of COVID, remote training and online resources have seen a significant uptick. You can check out the new Eventing Training website here.

Volunteer Nation: These Two Events Need Help This Weekend

By on Nov 19, 2020 3:00 pm -

Hard at work volunteering at Morven Park. Photo via Morven Park.

Only a handful of recognized events remain on the 2020 eventing calendar, which means there are still a few opportunities to get out and volunteer.

We’ve compiled some resources on volunteering with COVID-19 regulations in mind. We’ll reference this list each week in Volunteer Nation, so take a few moments to familiarize yourself with what’s new and different.

COVID-19 Resources for Eventers
Volunteers Adapt to the New Normal
Volunteers Weigh In on New COVID-19 Protocols

As always, you can earn merit points when you donate your time through the USEA’s Volunteer Incentive Program. Registering to volunteer through EventingVolunteers.com makes it easy and seamless to both find a job and shift as well as learn what your role will entail.

Event: Grand Oaks H.T.
Dates: Thursday, November 19 through Sunday, November 22
Address: 3000 Marion County Road, Weirsdale, FL, 32195
Positions Available: Dressage In-Gate, Dressage Scribe, SJ In-Gate, SJ Jump Crew, SJ Scribe, XC Finish Timer, XC Jump Judge, XC Start Timer

Event: Southern Arizona Fall H.T.
Dates: Thursday, November 19 through Sunday, November 22
Address: 11300 South Houghton Road, Tucson AZ 85747
Positions Available: Event Prep – General, Temperature/Waiver Checker, Dressage Steward, Event Prep – XC, Health Steward, SJ In-Gate, SJ Out-Gate, Dressage Bit Check, Dressage Score Runner, Dressage Warm-up, Event Takedown – Dressage, SJ Steward, XC Crew, XC Jump Judge, XC Score Runner, Event Takedown – XC

Area VI: Twin Rivers Photo Gallery + a Bright Future for Fresno County Horse Park

By on Nov 19, 2020 12:00 pm -

Twin Rivers Intermediate division winners Maddy Mazzola and So Cool. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

When the Fresno County Horse Park had to cancel  their traditional end of the season event because of the pandemic, the Baxter Family stepped up to run it at Twin Rivers. The event, which took place Nov. 13-15 in Paso Robles, California, was well attended and competitors enjoyed bright blue skies and a happy last hurrah for Area VI’s 2020 eventing calendar.

We’re glad to hear that Fresno County Horse Park has a bright future, as Terry Hilst has purchased the property from John Marshall. Terry will run all of the Horse Trials as scheduled in 2021, Covid willing. She has stepped up to continue the Horse Trials that began as RamTap over 50 years ago. During his eight year stewardship, John Marshall poured his heart and soul into improving the property and event for the riders of Area VI. It is wonderful that all of the investment in energy, time and money will compound for the future.

As for Twin Rivers, we catch of a glimpse of the weekend’s action through the lens of Sherry Stewart, who explains, “My daughter had wanted to show her new horse so I was able to go for my first outing since March. I did find time to shoot the Intermediate division between granddaughter duties, fence judging and meal producing in this Covid time of no spectators.”

Maddy Mazzola and So Cool. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

The 18-horse division was won by Maddy Mazzola and her own So Cool, who held the top spot from start to finish.

Helen Bouscaren and Irish Pop. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Helen Bouscaren was second with Alliston Equestrian’s Irish Pop.

James Alliston and Czechers. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

James Alliston was third with Alliston Equestrian’s Czechers. You can view full results here.

Many thanks to Sherry for the gorgeous photos!

 

Thursday News & Notes

By on Nov 19, 2020 12:03 am -

Ellie Wood Baxter, age 100. Photo by Elizabeth King.

In my neck of the woods, Ellie Wood Baxter is a legend. Actually, she’s a legend everywhere, but she also happens to live about five minutes from me, and she’s always been a part of the local horse scene for me. Ellie Wood won the 1936 Maclay Finals, and competed from the 1920s through the 1960s, and fox hunted until just a few years ago with the Farmington Hunt Club. This photo is from this week, where at age 100 she’s still going for rides, and happily lecturing people on correct lower leg position. An inspiration to us all!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Grand Oaks H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Southern Arizona Eventing Association H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Live Scores] [Show Photographer]

Major International Events:

Portugal Winter Tour Week 1/Barroca d’Alva: [Website] [Start Lists]

News From Around the Globe:

Body image issues can affect women and girls in any sport environment – including and maybe especially equestrian sports. We all have a role to play in breaking down these barriers, but Equestrian Canada is taking a more active role. Offering resources on mental health and specific guides to effectively coaching female athletes, they’re showing their dedication to taking down body image stigmas that we all feel. [Body Positivity Resources for Equestrian Athletes]

Ema Klugman has been making the most of her spot on the Australian High Performance Eventing Generation NEXT Squad, despite the disruption of 2020. Using online resources and coaching from Will Enzinger, as well as securing funding through the program to work on her weaknesses in dressage, Ema was able to secure her first FEI win in the CCI3*L at Virginia a few weeks ago. A big bonus to the program is the new workshops with Chris Burton, which Ema says have been incredibly helpful. [Ema Klugman Making the NEXT Move]

What happens when a horse show dad enters the world of Fox Hunting? Coming from the world of show hunters where expensive warmbloods in perfect braids and early mornings and long days are normal, this horse show dad was pleasantly surprised to find that arrival at 10:30 was appropriate, and mimosas were normal pre-ride beverages. Read on for a delightfully tongue in cheek exposé of a different discipline. [Tally Ho]

Best of the Blogs: When Discussing Diversity, Bring Your Anxieties To The Table

Best of Blogs Part II: Displaced by COVID: What I Learned When I Left My Life and My Horse Behind

Video: Laura Collett reviews her 2020 Pau 5* win on London 52 in a new feature video for H&C TV. Here’s the trailer, and you can watch the full version here.

French Links, Frangibles & More: What’s Being Voted on at the 2020 FEI General Assembly

By on Nov 18, 2020 3:00 pm -

The 2020 FEI General Assembly, originally scheduled to be hosted by the National Federation of South Africa, will this year be solemnly devoid of glitzy galas heaped to the rafters with all-you-can-eat shrimp and horse-shaped ice sculptures, followed by late-night hotel bar brawls over obscure fine-print rule changes (can’t we just agree to disagree about French link snaffles?). Thanks, Coronavirus! It’s still taking place though, albeit virtually, and we can still follow along with all the scintillating administrative action.

It’s not exactly thrills-and-spills cross country, but nonetheless we have the opportunity to follow the FEI General Assembly in real time via live stream. And, on second thought, you just never know what sort of madness the FEI thinktank will cook up when you gather them up from all round the world and stuff them into a Zoom chat together (who can forget their proposed rebranding of eventing to “equestrian triathlon,” “equestrathon” or “tri-equathlon” in 2015) …

… so it’s best to keep a close eye on their proceedings. We appreciate that they make that easy via transparent coverage, including a live stream of the sessions and rolling online updates.

Some sessions of the 2020 General Assembly, moved online due to the pandemic, are already underway: Regional Group, Continental Associations and Board meetings have been taking place since Nov. 13. Anti-doping and Rules meetings take place on Saturday, Nov. 21 — you can see what Eventing Rules changes will be voted upon here, and I’ve squandered X amount of hours of my life that I’ll never get back synopsizing them for you below:

501.3.4 World Individual and Team Championships: The maximum number of Athletes per National Federation is limited five if the World Championships are combined with other Championships or six combinations when the Eventing World Championships are held separately from the other disciplines.

505.3.1 Distribution (Prizemoney): The total amount of money published in the schedule must be distributed; BUT organizers have some new flexibility with regard to allocation.

511 Requirements for Promotion: The requirement for transfer and maintenance of status will be included in a separate document dedicated to the Education system and removed from the FEI Eventing Rules.

513.1 Short Format (CCIs-S and CCIOs-S), 513.2 Long Format (CCIs-L and CCIOsL), 513.3 CCI 1*-Intro (Unified Level), 513.5 Championships & Games, 513.5.1 Championships and Games: Further to the update of the Veterinary rules in regard to veterinary officials educations/eligibility a number of revisions have been proposed.

515.3.1 General Duties: The TD is now responsible for an event’s Serious Incident Management Plan.

515.4.1 Course Designer & 515.4.1 Cross Country & 515.4.2 Jumping: The Course Designer role during cross country is to work with the Technical Delegate and Ground Jury to deal with judging queries, sanctions, reviewing of course/fences during XC in case of repetitive falls or weather situations. The Course Designers are responsible to ensure that all frangible technologies are fitted in accordance to the rules and guidelines.

520.1 Athletes not yet categorised at the level of the Competition: Qualification requirements for less experienced riders to participate at higher level events will be strengthened, to be implemented after the Olympic Games deadline for qualification of July 1, 2021.

523.3 Examination after a fall & 524.3.2 Cross Country – Finishing Area: Clarification that an athlete leaving the venue without seeing a doctor or without having his horse checked by the vet is considered a specific eventing sanction.

525.2 Warnings and Penalties (Dangerous riding): Clarification that in case of Dangerous riding the sanction is either 25 penalties or elimination.

526.1 Definition (abuse of Horse): A serious case of Dangerous Riding should be sanctioned by a Yellow Warning Card and added to the list of Abuse of Horse.

538.1.1 Protective Headgear (Dress) & 538.2.1 Civilian (Dressage Test) & 538.2.2 Members and employees of military establishments and national studs: While riding anywhere on the show grounds, the use of a properly fastened Protective Headgear is mandatory. See rule for details and exceptions.

538.2.1 Civilian (Dress) & 538.4.1 Civilian (Dress): Athletes shall wear the official clothing of their NF.

539.1.2 Permitted (Training and exercising saddlery), 539.1.4 Forbidden (Training and exercising saddlery), 539.2.2 Permitted (Dressage test),539.2.3 Forbidden (Dressage test), 539.3.2 Forbidden (Cross Country and Jumping test saddlery) & Annex A 1.4 Illegal bits & 1.5 Permitted Mouthpieces: 

  • Blinkers are not allowed for the cross country; for show jumping, jumping rules apply
  • Further to the Eventing Rules update last year including a differentiated list of bits allowed for Eventing compared to Dressage, the following needs to be clarified:
    • Leather bits and leather-covered bits are permitted
    • Leather-like material for bridles for dressage are permitted
    • Throat lashes are compulsory for cross country
    • Sliding Hanging Cheek mouthpieces are not allowed; clarification that the bit cannot slide vertically and that the rein must be able to move freely in the ring of the bit
    • A bit may have a curved port; the height of the deviation is but the width is not. In order to clarify this, the proposal is to line with the Dressage rules and use the same wording.
    • Clarification of what type of mouthpiece/cheekpiece can be used for a Briddoon when a double bridle is used

544.1.2 Scoring Flying Change: The Eventing Committee had agreed to review the rule proposal on a yearly basis. Now that the dressage tests have been modified, it should be easier to judge the flying change and therefore it should not be necessary to review a video.

547.2.4 Frangible/Deformable Obstacles: The introduction of mandatory frangible devices to higher level events will be extended across all levels for 2021. All open oxers, open corners, verticals or near verticals with open rails, top rail on triple bars and gates where the rail dimensions and weight fit the acceptable parameters of an FEI approved frangible device, must be fitted with frangible devices.

547.2.5 Water Crossings: Each cross-country course must have at least one obstacle related to water.

547.2.7 Ground Lines: Ground lines must be used on fences at all levels.

547.5.2 Obstacles with Alternatives: An alternative obstacle must be sited in such a way that the horse/ rider must make a new attempt/approach after a refusal or run out.’

Annex A 1.2 & 1. 5 (Dressage bits): The ‘French link’ snaffle is allowed.

Annex D – Medical Services Explanation: Recommendations for Medical services at FEI Eventing Events including specific requirements for the cross country test should be considered as guidelines for two years before being implemented as mandatory.

Annex H.1.2 – International Pony Events and Qualification: CCIP2-S results should also count as a qualification for Championships.

The big event, the Ordinary General Assembly Board Meeting, will take place on Monday, Nov. 23, from 12 to 4:30 p.m. CET (6 to 10:30 a.m. EST) and will be available to watch live here. A summary of the key discussions from the two sessions on Anti-Doping and Rules on Nov. 21 will be published here. Wrap-ups, including resolutions and main decisions from the FEI Board meetings, will be published on Inside.FEI.org the following day and can be found here. All information on the FEI General Assembly, including the program, is available on the GA 2020 hub.

 

See you there (or not!)