FEI News

• Dressage Committee met in Schorfling/Attersee (AUT)
• Eventing Committee Meeting
• SOCOG equestrian press officer in Lausanne
• ORIS meeting in Madrid
• In Memoriam
• Erratum FEI Press News 12/00

DRESSAGE COMMITTEE MET IN SCHORFLING/ATTERSEE (AUT)

The Dressage Committee held its annual meeting in Schorfling/Attersee from 2 to 4 May 2000. The main issues discussed were the following:

WORLD CUP

The Western European League calendar was approved. Nine events instead of the usual eight:

• 13 -15 October CDI-W Düsseldorf
• 09 - 12 November CDI-W Berlin
• 30 Nov. - 3 December CDI-W Amsterdam
• 01 - 03 December CDI-W Stockholm
• 07 - 10 December CDI-W Geneva
• 26 - 30 December CDI-W Mechelen
• 15 -18 February CDI-W Neumünster
• 01 - 04 March CDI-W Paris
• 15 - 18 March CDI-W 's-Hertogenbosch

World Cup Rules

The National Federation hosting the World Cup Final will be permitted one extra non-qualified participant in the Final only where that National Federation has no other qualified riders.

Article 480.6 and Art 484.5 - Modification for 2000 on a one-year trial basis:

• "Riders from the Western European League taking part in CDI-Ws in the Central European League may also obtain points for their own League. However, except at one event where they may gain 100% of the points, Western European riders will receive 50% of the points as mentioned under Art 480.6.1 (in case of participation at several Central European events, the event where the best result was achieved will count 100%)."

Article 484.3 Rule change:

• "At least 10 countries (including eight Western European nations with two riders each) with a minimum of 20 riders including the top ten on the point standing list after 1 January of each year , must be invited for the World Cup CDI-Ws."

The Committee proposed that the minimum amount of prize money to be offered in World Cup events in the Western European League (in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Kür competitions) be increased to CHF 50 000.

WORLD BREEDING CHAMPIONSHIP

The Committee accepted a proposal that a Young Horse Freestyle Test be developed, to be implemented in 2001.

DRESSAGE CHALLENGE

The age of competitors eligible to compete in the Challenge competition has been extended to include 15 year olds.

A new level has been introduced and the Challenge will now consist of three levels: a Prix St Georges level, an A level (advanced), and a B level (novice).

RULES AND REGULATIONS

The Committee accepted a proposal that a team of eight Official International Judges be appointed as members of the Ground Jury at Championship events, with the team of eight judges being rotated between the Grand Prix, the Grand Prix Special, the Grand Prix Kür and the Consolation Grand Prix.

The Foreign Judge will be required to be identified in all schedules.

The Committee agreed that FEI judges who have not judged at an international event for more than three years would be removed from the list of FEI judges.

Fly hoods will be permitted to be worn by horses but only in extreme cases and at the discretion of the President of the Ground Jury.

Article 448.2 The Committee agreed that for all Championship events (excluding the Olympic Games) a reserve rider may also be named in the definite entries (previously only a reserve horse was named)

Article 434.3.2 "In the case of equality of points in a Free-Style Test, the higher artistic marks will decide on the better placing." (as in World Cup Final)

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA FOR WEG 2002

The Committee decided that the Qualification Criteria for the 2002 World Equestrian Games would be 65% (subject to review and possible revision after the introduction of the new Grand Prix test in 2001) i.e. 65% or higher, attributed in a Grand Prix by any of the FEI Official International Dressage Judges of a nationality other than that of the rider, at two CDIs-/CDI-Ws (one for non-European and non-North American riders) from 1 January 2001 until the date for nominated entries.

EVENTING COMMMITTEE MEETING

The Eventing Committee held its 1st meeting of the year after the very successful CCI**** Badminton (GBR). This meeting was presided over by the newly elected Chairman, Wayne Roycroft (AUS).

The meeting was primarily focused on the report of the International Eventing Safety Committee. The Chairman of this Committee, Lord Hartington made a formal presentation covering the background of many of the Safety Committee's recommendations. The Eventing Committee subsequently decided later in their meeting on how to follow-up on the recommendations; one important decision was to produce a rider Passport for all International riders.

The British Equestrian Federation together with the British Horse Trials Association were also invited to present their research programmes initiated by Great Britain on Cross Country safety.

The Committee had some intense discussions and agreed to implement a series of additional rule changes for 1 January 2001, in view of the safety issues in the sport.

Qualification criteria for participation in CCIs will be tightened and the requirements for horses and riders will be different.

A rider will now have complete 2 CCI events with one clear round to qualify for a higher level CCI within a five year period.

Horses will now have to complete a minimum of 1 CCI and 1 CIC with one clear round at one event, and a minimum of 40 penalties in the other event to qualify for a higher level within a 3 year period.

A fall of the horse on the steeplechase or the Cross Country course will entail compulsory withdrawal of the rider. The 2nd fall of a rider will result in elimination.

The definition of refusal has been reviewed. A refusal will now be immediately counted when the horse stops in front of an obstacle. A jump from a standstill will now count as a refusal.

An additional decision made by the Committee included nominating an FEI technical advisor for Eventing for the Olympic Games in Athens, Mr Giuseppe della Chiesa (ITA), member of the Eventing Committee.

SOCOG EQUESTRIAN PRESS OFFICER IN LAUSANNE

On 5 May 2000, Lucia Montanarella, Press Officer for the equestrian competitions of the Sydney Olympic Games, paid a visit to the FEI Secretariat in Lausanne to meet with the FEI Manager of Communications Muriel Faienza. Lucia will be based in Sydney as of beginning of June.

Among the items discussed were the following:

• Regular update on the preparation for the equestrian competitions of the Games for the FEI Press News and website.
• Special information section will be open on the FEI website, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Availability of day-to-day news during the Games on for the accredited and worldwide press. Technical aspect of update of the website Games.
• Lucia has several meetings scheduled with different SOCOG departments during the month of June and regular updates will be published.

ORIS MEETING IN MADRID

Representatives of the International Olympic Committee, the Sydney Organisers (SOCOG), IBM and the FEI met in Madrid (ESP) last week for a five-day session to test the ORIS (Olympic Results and Information System) programme that was started three years ago. Simulations of the calculation and transmission of results, start lists, information on competitors etc to the World News Press Center were tested, as well as display of information on the scoreboards.

The Technical Delegates appointed for the Olympic Games, Jennifer Millar Eventing) and Mariette Whitages (Dressage) participated in the meeting. >From the FEI Secretariat, Max E. Ammann and Catrin Norinder attended.

IN MEMORIAM

Major Derek Allhusen (GBR)

Major Derek Allhusen (GBR), one of the most successful Eventing riders in the fifties and sixties, died at the end of April, aged 86. His greatest success came in 1968, at the Mexico Olympic Games when, at the age of 54, he won the individual silver medal and the gold team medal. His mount was Lochinvar, who also carried Major Allhusen between 1965 and 1969 to two team gold medals and one team silver medal and one individual bronze medal in three European Championships. On Laurien, Major Allhusen won one individual bronze, one team gold and one team silver medal at the 1957 and 1959 European Championships.

Major Allhusen served in World War II with the 9th Lancers. He then became a farmer and horse breeder in Norfolk. Lauriestone, who carried Richard Meade (GBR) to the two gold medals in the 1972 Olympic Games, was bred by Major Allhusen.

>From 1987 to 1988, Major Allhusen was President of the British Horse Society.

Mariane Gilchrist (AUS)

Marinae Gilchrist, the Australian Jumping rider, who competed in the 1980 World Cup Final in Baltimore and the 1980 Alternate Olympic Games in Rotterdam, died recently following a riding accident. She was 56 years old.

On Goldray, Mrs Gilchrist won the Australian League of the World Cup Jumping title twice. AFter her retirement from active show jumping, she had been a riding instructor at the Victorian Racing Apprentice Jockey Programme.

Muriel Faienza
FEI Communications
Federation Equestre Internationale
PO. Box 157, 1000 Lausanne 5
Switzerland
++ 41 (21) 310 47 47
++ 41 (21) 310 47 60
m.faienza@horsesport.org
http://www.horsesport.org

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