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The FEI

Federation Equestre Internationale News

28 November 2002


- Executive Board approved changes to Eventing format for 2004 Olympic Games in Athens
- FEI to revamp its website for 2003
- meeting of the medication sub-committee
- Golden Years Trophy
- Highlights of the Global Dressage Forum
- Aachen Horse Academy (AHA)
- In Memoriam


IOC Executive Board approved changes to Eventing format for 2004 Olympic Games in Athens

During its meeting in Mexico on 26 November, the IOC Executive Board studied the proposal which was developed by the FEI to counter the IOC Programme commission's recommendation to exclude Eventing from the Olympic programme. The FEI proposes to implement a shorter Olympic format along the lines of the existing CIC format.

The IOC Executive Board accepted FEI's proposal for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. According to IOC statement, the decision on the future of all discipline/events as part of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and onwards will be communicated after the next meeting of the IOC Executive Board in February 2003.

The FEI President HRH the Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón, presently in Mexico to attend the IOC session as IOC member commented: "I believe that the efforts of the FEI to respond with concrete proposals to the concerns of the IOC Programme Commission have been appreciated by the IOC Executive Board. I would like also to emphasise once more the tremendous support of all Equestrian National Federations around the world."


FEI To Revamp It's Website In 2003


The FEI is currently working on a completely new website to be launched in the first semester of 2003.

Federations and individuals wishing to contribute with ideas and proposals can send their comments in terms of contents, architecture, navigation and design to m.faienza@horsespor.org by 10 December 2002.


Meeting Of The FEI Medication Sub-committee

A meeting of the FEI Medication sub-Committee took place on November 15th at LAB, the central laboratory for the MCP programme. Items of interest included:

Herbal medication: The recent positive test results for valerian were discussed and it was agreed that warnings would be issued via the Bulletin and FEI website, to warn riders for the use of herbal products containing valerian. An explanatory brochure on testing issues will be included in all FEI passports at short notice. The brochure explains the procedure of testing in a user-friendly way and give recommendations to riders with regard to stable management and treatment of competition horses. Research Consortium: The recently initiated research group would be starting research on four products very soon; the aim was to study the excretion times for these substances. WEG 2002: The testing results of the WEG were reviewed. A total of 54 horses had been tested, with only 1 positive test result (valerian). EU matters: The recent EU decisions on the use of medication in horses were discussed. Since the EU labels horses as animals involved in the human food chain, many products are officially not permitted in treatment of horses, which has led to great concern in EU veterinary organisations.


Golden Years Trophy

The Final of the 2002 Golden Years Trophy was organised in Wiener Neustadt from 18 to 20 October 2002.

The winner of the 2002 International Golden Years Trophy - Junior is Wim Vos (NED) on Dublin V following a jump-off against Marianne Kistler (SUI), Tomaso Conti (ITA) and Sarah Vanoni (ITA).

The winner of the 2002 Young Riders Tropy is Kristien Peeters (BEL) on My Lord, who was in the lead of the rankings before the Final.

The FEI would like to thank Nicole Dekuyper, Secretary General of the Golden Years Trophy for a tremendous efforts in organising and coordinating the Series.


Global Dressage Forum

The second Global Dressage Forum took place on October 21-22 at the Academy of the Bartels Family in the South of Holland. There were many highlights, including a most exciting evaluation of Jerez Dressage competition. The World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses developed a programme, including presentations of the world's finest young horses by the studbooks of Hannover, KWPN and Oldenburg. For many representatives, coming from 30 countries, the presentation of the educational program of
the German Federation "from pony rider to Grand Prix", was really impressive and gave food for thought to countries planning their own activities to promote the sport in the future.

After Joep Bartels and David Hunt, the newly elected President of the International Trainers Club, opened the Forum, the USA based trainer Robert Dover started with a clinic in which he explained his thoughts about the discussion on riding deep or riding high. "The frame of the horse has to be adjustable", Robert told, which means that a rider
should be able to change the position of the head at any time, always starting from behind, riding the horse with legs and seat forward. It must be possible for the rider at all time to immediately adapt the position of the head to the anatomy of the horse, his age, the stage of training and the specific situation. In the second clinic, by Ernst
Hoyos, a former rider of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, a lot of working from the ground was shown. Ernst was assisted by Lisa Wilcox, who recently was very successful with the American team in Jerez.

The first evening was reserved for the evaluation of Jerez 2002, with 6 tests were presented on a big screen with the points per movement and per judge produced at the moment that a movement was exercised. Then, a trainers' panel asked questions and made remarks, which were answered by the Jerez judges in an open manner. There were lively discussions between the trainers, chaired by David Hunt and the judges, chaired by Mariette Withages.

On Tuesday morning October 22 the World Breeding Federation presented a very interesting explanation on the breeding of top dressage horses. German veterinarian Dr Gerd Heuschmann, from Warendorf made a presentation about the possible backgrounds of back and leg injuries of young horses. Very impressing were the demonstrations by the world's best young horses, including several world champions. Hannover presented Wyoming and Dreseman, KWPN Rousseau and Broere Jazz, and Oldenburg the champions Don Davidoff and Rubels.

Last part of the Global Dressage Forum was the presentation of the systematic approach of the German Federation, which educates riders from pony level to Grand Prix. It is certainly no coincidence that over 50 % of the German team riders come from the young riders teams, including such famous names as Nicole Uphoff, Isabel Werth and Ulla Salzgeber. National pony trainer Cornelia Endres and junior trainer Hans Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen introduced several of their pupils to the Forum and showed how the system works in practice. Johan Hinnemann, as always a darling of the crowd, demonstrated the last difficult part of bringing a young rider to Grand Prix level with his pupil Marlies van Baalen. Warendorf's Christoph Hess was the overall presentator of this item and gave explanation about the backgrounds and details of this highly educational item.

Based on a questionnaire, filled in by most of the participants, the decision has already been made by the International Dressage Trainers Club and the Academy, that the third Global Dressage Forum will take place in September/October 2003.


Aachen Horse Academy (AHA)

Established in May 2002 as an independent foundation, AHA aims at the relationship of horse and man as a fundamental dimension of civilisation and culture

The primary purpose of the Aachen Horse Academy foundation is to support and promote an international, interdisciplinary approach to understanding the history of the horse in society. Simultaneously, it is to provide an educational forum for all those who wish to reinforce their passion for horses and horse related activities with solid
knowledge and comprehensive facts. The objective of the Academy is to gather under one roof varied enterprises and research projects focussing on the past, present and future of the horse and horsemanship in art and culture.

In its meeting of 7 November 2002 the FEI Executive Board agreed to active cooperation between the FEI and AHA on matters of common interest. Two FEI representatives would be appointed as members of 1) the AHA Kuratorium and 2) the AHA Scientific Advisory Council, an Internet link would be established between the FEI and AHA; and
international AHA events would be published in the FEI Calendar.


In Memoriam

Mr Jose Gamarra Zorrilla (BOL), a well known international judge, passed away on 11 June aged 78. As a former President of the Bolivian National Federation, the Bolivian Olympic Committee and the Los Sargentos equestrian club, he took part in the organisation of such major sports events as the Bolivarian and the Odesur Games.

Mr Kurt Baettig (SUI), international judge in Jumping passed away on 27 November, aged 55. Very active and appreciated within the Swiss Equestrian Federation and worldwide, he became member of the national Jumping committee in the seventies and was elected member of the federation's executive board from 1992 to 1996. For many years, he officiated as National Jury President.

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