An interim report revealing the opinions of equestrians and the general public on the use of the horse in sport, and a proposed foundation for a new equine welfare strategy for the FEI, will be presented for discussion at a dedicated Session during the 2022 FEI Hybrid General Assembly in Cape Town (RSA).

The report will include the analysis of two separate surveys – one to a worldwide public and the other to the equestrian community – carried out by the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing (EEWB) Commission that was formed as an independent advisory body by the FEI in June 2022.

Chaired by internationally recognised animal behaviour and welfare scientist Professor Dr. Natalie Waran, the Commission is composed of 10 members who have been selected for their expertise in equine welfare, equitation science, ethics, education and public affairs. Their ultimate goal is to develop a strategy that will allow the FEI to address current and future concerns related to the use of horses in sport.

As part of their first phase of work, the Commission carried out a survey of equestrian stakeholders in August that attracted almost 28,000 responses including feedback from FEI affiliated athletes, horse owners and other FEI stakeholders. The public survey – conducted by market research company Savanta in 13 countries – sought the views of individuals who are not involved with or knowledgeable about horses in order to determine the general public’s perception of the use of horses in sport.

The EEWB Commission is basing the development of the proposed equine welfare strategy on information gathered from equestrian stakeholders within and outside the FEI, the general public, expert forums, the media and published research. In making early recommendations related to maintaining a Social Licence, the Commission will continue to seek expert, public and equestrian stakeholder input, as well as analysing existing FEI policy and practice to identify how it can be improved in relation to equine ethics and wellbeing, including evaluating the current FEI regulations related to horse welfare.

“Equestrian sport and the FEI’s role in the governance of horse sport has never been subject to as much scrutiny as it is today,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“As an organisation, the FEI needs to better understand what we can continue to do, and what needs to change in order to maintain the trust and confidence of the public. The time has come for us to focus not just on providing the best service to our community, but also on what we must do to be the best for equestrian sport.  

“This is why the FEI set up this Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission, to provide an independent study of our current social license to operate and to come up with a set of recommendations that are based on real feedback and unbiased data. We look forward to the first report they will provide to FEI members during the General Assembly week in Cape Town this month.”                                                               

The Session, which will be held on 12 November in Cape Town, is the first opportunity for the Commission to interact with National Federations, and the stakeholders with whom the FEI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

“We would like to thank all of those who took part in our surveys – your responses are extremely valuable and have provided us with a lot of information to help with identifying concerns and opportunities about horse use in sport,” Chair of the EEWB Commission Professor Dr. Natalie Waran said. “Our independent advice and recommendations regarding equine welfare will make good use of the feedback we have received”.

“Ensuring that horse sport maintains its social licence to operate requires all equestrians within and outside of the FEI to not only say they are committed, but to be seen to be committed – to proactively ensure that equine welfare is prioritised before any other agenda. There are many examples of good practice, but it’s important for all equestrians to recognise that there are always improvements that can be made especially with new knowledge available, and where public attitudes towards animal welfare are growing. To those who completed the surveys, the Commission has heard you loud and clear, and we are already making good use of this information to inform recommendations we make to the FEI.”

Following the 2022 FEI General Assembly, the Commission will continue to meet virtually and in-person. They will present a second report for discussion at the FEI Sports Forum in April 2023 before a final report will be submitted for approval at the FEI General Assembly 2023 in Mexico.

Summaries of the Commission’s meetings, including a recap of the teleconference meeting that will be held on 1 November, can be found here.

Two time Paralympian and World Championship medalist Rodolpho Riskalla from Brazil, has been elected to the newly created World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Athletes’ Council.

The WADA Athletes’ Council was created in May 2022 as part of widespread Governance reforms to “enhance athletes’ representation within WADA through the establishment of a 20-member Athlete Council, composed of athletes’ representatives chosen by athletes.” The Athletes’ Council, which replaces the 12-member WADA Athlete Committee, is also responsible for appointing athlete representatives to other WADA bodies.

The Athletes’ Council is structured into three groups, with Group 1 comprising five athletes appointed to their position by the Athletes’ Commissions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

Riskalla, whose nomination was put forward by the Athletes’ Committee of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), is one of only eight athletes to be elected to Group 2 from a stellar nomination pool of 34 candidates. Athletes who ran for election in this Group have competed at the international level within the last nine years, and were from the same sport as the International Federation Athlete Commission nominating them. Riskalla will hold this position for a three-year term beginning in 2023.

A further seven positions in Group 3 will be selected by the Athlete Council Appointment Panel to fill skills and diversity gaps. The Panel will be composed of two athletes from the new Council (one representative each from Groups 1 and 2) and one member of the WADA Nominations Committee.

“I would like to offer my congratulations to Rodolpho on his election to the WADA Athletes’ Council and I’m confident that he will be an excellent ambassador to represent the interests of the athletes,” FEI President and Member of the WADA Executive Committee Ingmar De Vos said.

“Rodolpho is fully committed to the core principles of WADA and eager to put his knowledge and experience of international sport to the service of the athlete community. His passion and courage apply to all facets of his life, and he has been an inspiration to many athletes in equestrian sport.

“We greatly value his enthusiasm and resolution to achieve his goals and fight for his principles and values, which includes a world where all athletes can participate in a doping-free sport environment.”

Riskalla became a Paralympian in late 2015 after contracting bacterial meningitis in the run up to the Olympic Games in Rio 2016, at which he had hoped to represent his country in Dressage.

He defied the odds and went on to ride at the Paralympic Games in Rio, just months after his illness cost him both legs below the knees and a loss of fingers, finishing in 10^th place individually.

His extraordinary story earned him the 2016 FEI Against all Odds award, and he was also named Para Equestrian Rider of the Year by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee in 2018, 2019 and 2021. Competing in Grade IV, he went on to secure two silver medals at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Tryon (USA) on his mount Warenne. He followed this with an individual silver in Grade IV at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020, and more recently a bronze medal at the Orifarm Healthcare FEI Para Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN) in August, with his beloved Don Henrico.

 Rodolpho Riskalla riding Don Henrico at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, for a silver medal in Individual Grade IV (© FEI/Liz Gregg)

Quick links:
Rodolpho’s a role model, FEI.org, 7 March 2019
Para Equestrian Digest, 14 April 2022

The FEI Board has approved a temporary exemption to the FEI Veterinary Regulations in response to the shortage of vaccines in Europe created by supply issues facing Boehringer Ingelheim, a key producer of equine influenza vaccinations.

At its meeting on Thursday, 8 September the FEI decided to extend the booster intervals from six to 12 months in combination with increased disease surveillance and a higher level of general biosecurity.

Currently, Article 1003 of the FEI Veterinary Regulations requires Equine Influenza boosters to be given in the six months (+21 days) leading up to a competition, but not within seven days of arrival at the Event.

With the worldwide temporary derogation approved by the FEI Board in effect from 1 October 2022 to 1 April 2023, horses will be eligible to compete at FEI Events with the most recent booster taken within a period of 12 months, but not within seven days of arrival at the Event. All other requirements of Article 1003 must be fulfilled during this period. 

In order to increase disease surveillance during the derogated period, Article 1029.7 of the FEI Veterinary Regulations that concerns the testing of febrile horses for EHV-1, is expanded to also include testing for Equine Influenza.

Caused by technology upgrades at one of its vaccine production facilities, Boehringer Ingelheim is currently experiencing supply delays for the Equine Influenza (EI) vaccine ProteqFlu® as well as the Equine Influenza and Tetanus vaccine ProteqFlu® (TE). The biopharmaceutical company is working on a number of measures to address these delays.

“In their review of the potential impact of the vaccine shortage, the FEI Epidemiology Group found that even a short interruption to vaccine supplies could have a significant impact on several types of sport, breeding and leisure horses,” FEI Veterinary Director Göran Akerström explained.

“However, the horses with the highest risk of developing a disease, including life threatening conditions, are horses aged 0-4 that do not yet have a strong immune defense against Equine Influenza. In particular, equine sectors with young horses, such as breeding and horseracing could face serious horse welfare problems if vaccines are not available to them. Old, retired horses could also be at a high risk.

“This is why the FEI Veterinary Epidemiology Working Group has advised that middle-aged equines, like FEI horses that are at least six years old and that have been vaccinated on a regular basis, are considered better protected because of a longer vaccination history. The Group was in agreement that a temporary extension of the booster intervals would not put the FEI population of horses in danger of developing disease, while making vaccines available to the more high risk equine groups in the short term. The equestrian community now needs to work together to mitigate a very challenging shortage of vaccines.

“The extension is only a temporary solution and only possible because FEI horses are well protected after having been vaccinated every six to 12 months, often for many years. We will revert back to the six month booster interval as soon as the vaccine availability is back to normal as we need to continue building on this collective immunity for the long term.”

The FEI Veterinary Department will monitor the situation and updates will be provided to the community and the public on a regular basis.

Quick link:
Equine Influenza Vaccines – FAQs about the current shortage

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.

In this case, the horse Full Option du Borget (FEI ID 106UY09/NED), ridden by Agustin Covarrubias (FEI ID 10032966/CHI), tested positive for the Banned Substance O-Desmethylvenlafaxine, a metabolite of Venlafaxine, following the analysis of the samples taken at the CSIYH1* incl. 8yo - Opglabbeek (BEL), 15-18.06.2022.

The athlete was able to trace the probable source of the Banned Substance in the horse’s system back to human cross-contamination caused by himself. He had been prescribed Venlafaxine by his doctor in May 2022 and had urinated in the box of the horse several times at the event, which was very likely to account for the positive sample.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal accepted the agreement reached between the FEI and the athlete, according to which the athlete had clearly established on a balance of probabilities, how the Banned Substance 0- Desmethylvenlafaxine entered the Horse’s system. Therefore, the period of ineligibility imposed on the athlete shall be eliminated. The athlete will also not incur any fines, however the results obtained at the event remain disqualified.

The full Decision is available here. 

Notes to Editors:

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are medications that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned (doping) Substances should never be found in the body of the horse and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.

 

 

The FEI and Top Partner Longines have created the #MyDreamJump Challenge, an exciting fan engagement activation giving equestrian fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to have their original design for an obstacle built by Longines for the Final of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ in Omaha (USA) in 2023.

The activation was created to give fans an insight into the elements that go into designing a challenging obstacle course for the horse and athlete, while giving them the opportunity to achieve the best possible result: a clear round within the set time.

“The FEI’s partnership with Longines has evolved and grown tremendously over the past decade, and this Challenge is just one example of the many creative initiatives that has kept our collaboration fresh and exciting,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus said.

“Athletes count on designers to create a course that tests the limits of their sporting relationship with their horse. And the #MyDreamJump challenge is a nod to the talent and mastery that takes place on the field-of-play when horse, athlete and course design come together in competition.

“We hope that our equestrian fans will get to see another side of the competition experience through this Challenge, and will use their artistic abilities to increase their connection to the sport. Given the diversity of equestrian fans around the world, we look forward to receiving a large array of designs and creative input reflecting the sport’s global appeal and reach.”

The #MyDreamJump Challenge follows the successful #HorseOClock initiative which was also created in conjunction with Top Partner Longines. In 2020, #HorseOClock was run on the FEI’s digital channels, giving fans the opportunity to answer equestrian related questions to determine the watch that matched their personality.

“Longines is proud of the strong partnership established with the FEI since 2013, which has made the brand a major player in the equestrian universe,” said Longines Vice President of Marketing Matthieu Baumgartner.

“The #MyDreamJump Challenge is the perfect opportunity to celebrate this major 10-year anniversary with our friends of the equestrian sports around the world and we are looking forward to receiving all the drawings.”

Submissions to the #MyDreamJump Challenge can be made from 1 September until 9 October at https://mydreamjump.fei.org/

A jury composed of Longines and FEI representatives, USA Jumping athletes Lillie Keenan and Brian Moggre, and world renowned Tokyo 2020 Olympic course designer Santiago Varela (ESP) will make a pre-selection of the designs. The shortlist will be announced on the FEI’s Instagram account (@fei_global) on 24 October.

A public voting phase will take place on FEI’s Instagram from 24 October to 13 November, and the winners of the Challenge will be announced on 21 November.

The shortlisted entry with the highest number of Instagram reactions will take first place in the ‘Global’ category. The winner will receive a Longines watch and a chance to be flown to the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Omaha (USA), which will take place from 4 to 8 April 2023, to see their obstacle design in person.

The winning designs for both the ‘Creativity’ and ‘Elegance’ categories will be selected by the jury, and the winners will receive a giveaway kit from Longines.

All participants will be entered in a draw to win one of five FEI.tv annual subscriptions.

Longines has been the FEI’s Top Partner since January 2013, following the agreement of a historic very long-term sponsorship deal that saw the Swiss watchmaker become the Official Top Partner, Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the FEI.

Since that time Longines has taken on a number of key FEI properties including title partnership of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League, the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ - North American League and the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Series. The FEI Awards Gala is also presented annually by Longines in different countries around the world.  

Jack D. Pemberton, well-known and greatly respected member of the Driving community, sadly passed away on 16 August 2022, at the age of 99.

© Horse Network

Throughout his career, Pemberton was an influential character who dedicated his time and energy to the development of equestrian sport in Canada, especially when it comes to Driving, where one of his first endeavours was the creation of the Carriage Association of America in 1960. Since 1968 he has been actively involved with of the FEI in various different roles such as Driving Judge and Chair of the FEI Driving Committee from 1995-2004. He was also a very much appreciated FEI Bureau member during the administration of former FEI President H.R.H. the Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbòn, and honorary member of the FEI Board since 2004.

Pemberton was awarded the prestigious Equine Canada Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 for his exceptional contribution and commitment to the Canadian Equestrian industry.

"The FEI Driving community lost a real Friend and horseman. Jack was an iconic person, not only for Driving, but for the whole equestrian sport. We will sadly miss him", Chair of the FEI Driving Committee Karoly Fugly said.

The FEI expresses its sincere condolences to Jack D. Pemberton’s family and friends, the Canadian Equestrian Federation (EC) and the global equestrian and driving communities.

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in the matter of FEI Official Veterinarian Mr Marc Juul H. Schelkens (FEI ID 10050129/BEL).

In November 2021, it was brought to the attention of the FEI that Mr Schelkens failed to implement the biosecurity measures as required by the FEI Veterinary Regulations and the EHV-1 By-Laws while officiating in his capacity as Veterinary Delegate at the Bonheiden and Lier (BEL) Events in the second half of 2021. Among others, at the Lier Event in November 2021, no rectal temperature check was performed on the horses at the Examination on Arrival and falsified rectal temperature data was inserted into the HorseApp by Mr Schelkens. At the Bonheiden Events, the temperature check was not performed rectally as required and was conducted during the Horse Inspection, enabling non-examined horses mixing with already examined horses, thus in breach of the FEI Veterinary Regulations and the EHV-1 By-Laws.  

Following the outbreak of the neurological form of EHV-1 in February 2021, to ensure a safe return to competition, the FEI Veterinary Regulations and the EHV-1 By-Laws require that at the start of an FEI Event, all participating horses must be examined upon arrival in a designated Examination on Arrival Area with registration of horses’ rectal temperatures via the FEI HorseApp.

In its Final decision, the FEI Tribunal suspended Mr Schelkens for a period of three years. The period of provisional suspension, which came into effect on 11 November 2021, is credited against this period of suspension, meaning he is ineligible to officiate until 10 November 2024. Mr Schelkens is also fined CHF 2,000 and asked to pay costs of CHF 1,000.

The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decision.

The full Decision is available here.  

That sport should benefit the community and be sustainable, were the main takeaways from the tree planting ceremony that took place at the FEI World Championships Forest on Tuesday.

Created in cooperation with the host city, the FEI World Championships Forest is just one of many green initiatives by the Organising Committee of the ECCO FEI World Championships 2022 in Herning (DEN), demonstrating that the world of sport can get serious about implementing sustainable ideas.

“The forest is a key component of the Organising Committee’s work around the three sustainability principles which aim to encourage affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption and production, and partnerships to achieve these goals,” External Business Consultant Jasper Steinhausen said.

“I believe there is a real need to redefine sustainability and not think of it in terms of minimising our negative impact. Rather, the goal is to maximise a positive impact. It’s about creating and not minimising. And if you frame the task of sustainability in a positive manner, it unleashes a whole new world of possibilities and opens people’s minds to see new opportunities and solutions.

“By showing the world that sports events can naturally take care of their emissions, we aim to inspire future event organisers to do the same and show our guests that there are many ways of being sustainable.”

With knowledge transfer a key component of the Herning2022 Organising Committee’s sustainability plan, they have themselves adopted initiatives from the hosts of the 2018 Ice Hockey World Championship also held in Herning.

One of these initiatives has been the creation of onsite housing for the 900 volunteers who will be working at the ECCO FEI World Championships in Herning in different areas of the Event operations.

The Organisers have used an existing building to create accommodation for these volunteers onsite, and have also made a dedicated camping ground for volunteers in order to reduce travel times and carbon emissions during the Event.

To help offset carbon emissions, Herning2022 also invited the 50 participating National Federations to support a windfarm project chosen by the Organising Committee and its partner First Climate.

As part of its commitment to sustainability and the organisation of sustainable equestrian events, the Fédération Equestre International (FEI) will also contribute to the plan by fully offsetting the FEI Delegation’s carbon emissions.

“If we all do just a little, then together we do a lot,” Sustainability Coordinator for the Herning2022 Organising Committee Clara Lier Koppelhus said.

“The ECCO FEI World Championships 2022 in Herning is a one-off event, and while many believe that we cannot achieve 100% sustainability, we have nevertheless worked on creating as many sustainable solutions as possible.

“We have really tried to focus all our efforts on changing mindsets and inspiring others to also include initiatives to promote an environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Our hope now is that other Events will pick up on some of the things we’ve learnt here in Herning and continue the work from where we leave off.

“It’s great that our suppliers and the partners that we are reaching out to, are listening to our ambitions and thoughts and are really open minded,” Koppelhus said from Solution Square, an area at the venue dedicated to Danish environmental technology and circular economy initiatives. “We really appreciate that everyone has been positive. We have not experienced one supplier, partner or sponsor that has been negative about these arrangements.”

The Organising Committee’s sustainability ambitions, which were clearly laid out in a letter of intent sent to suppliers, created the foundation for their collaboration with MCH Messecenter Herning, the complex where the World Championships are being held.

“We worked closely with MCH for them to improve their waste management system along with their supplier, and we’re now pleased to see that the solutions offered here are marketed towards companies across Denmark,” Koppelhus explained. “And when MCH were made aware of our sustainability goals and aims, our conversations changed. We were more open about asking for more sustainable ideas and everyone spoke openly about potential solutions.

In order to ensure sustainable consumption and production, the Organisers have opted to rent or borrow instead of buying new, and whenever possible to ensure that products and materials purchased for the event can be reused.

To maximise the value of the products needed for the Event, the Organisers have already found alternate uses for the rubber mats, dressage fences, and medal podiums following the end of the FEI World Championships. The majority of plants that have been used around the arena will be replanted in the FEI World Championships Forest located on the outskirts of the city of Herning which was planted in cooperation with the Herning Municipality.

When asked what lessons can be learned from the Herning2022 experience, Koppelhus stressed the importance of first having a clear plan of action.

“We didn't really know where to start when we first started this World Championship venture, but our sustainability plans became stronger as we started to work through our CO2 emission calculations,” Koppelhus explained.

“These calculations helped us get an idea of the biggest emission factors which helped us narrow down our activities and concentrate on the ones with the most impact, instead of trying to do a lot of things at once.

“We were also very clear in our philosophy, which was that we wanted to engage people, and not force any initiatives on them. We wanted to tell them and show them that it is possible to do something to help the environment. Small steps are better than doing nothing at all.  

“Lastly we always tried to be transparent in our communications around our sustainability initiatives so that people are aware of the challenges that exist in this type of planning. It is important to be open about these problems while taking the time to share insights into what has worked, because this is the only way that solutions can continue to be found.” 

Photos: FEI President Ingmar De Vos, members of the Danish Dressage Team Nanna Merrald Rasmussen, Carina Cassøe Krüth, Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour made the trip to the FEI World Championships forest on the outskirts of the city of Herning during a break in the schedule to plant some trees.

On Friday 5 August, FEI President Ingmar de Vos attended an online ceremony held by Migu, a subsidiary of telecom giant China Mobile, to celebrate the launch of Migu’s equestrian channel and the live-streaming of the FEI World Championships 2022 in China for the first time in history.

Migu, the rights-holding online live broadcasting partner for the Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympic Games, is a leading live broadcasting platform in China for comprehensive digital content especially in the sporting domain. As part of the strategic partnership with the FEI, Migu will live stream the FEI World Championships 2022 in Herning (DEN), Pratoni (ITA) and Verona (ITA) on the newly launched equestrian channel.

Alongside providing live content from the World Championships for the first time to a growing Chinese equestrian audience, part of the events will also feature Chinese commentary, while highlights programmes will be available On Demand.  

With China being one of the key equestrian markets for the future, the FEI has been actively developing its presence in recent years in order to introduce and promote the sport with the broader Chinese public through the creation of official accounts on Chinese social media channels, as well as hands-on development initiatives including the hiring of a Regional Solidarity Manager to develop training programmes for equestrian coaches, officials and vets.  

“We are convinced that our partnership with Migu will contribute in an important way to a successful expansion,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“We work closely with the Chinese Equestrian Association and we can see the equestrian community in China developing rapidly and embracing all things related to equestrian. From hosting top events, to developing a strong network of clubs and promoting horsemanship and the equestrian lifestyle, there is a real vitality to the Chinese equestrian landscape. And this year, with the livestream of the FEI World Championships for the first time in China and the launch of Migu’s equestrian channel – this is again another important milestone!

“This dynamic growth of the sport - and the engagement from the next generation of athletes and fans is so important for the global equestrian family. We are ecstatic to partner with Migu so that we can ride this wave together and keep on growing the sport around China with the live streaming of Top Sport and an array of content which will delight Chinese fans and equestrians.”

The equestrian channel on Migu currently features sections including FEI World Championships 2022, Latest Equestrian News, Equestrian Disciplines Explainers, Review of Tokyo 2020 and a specific section for the tutorial content produced by the Chinese three-time Olympic rider Alex Hua Tian.

“It has been a great honour for us to become the only partner of the FEI in China to live stream the FEI World Championships 2022. We also look forward to the full cooperation with the FEI and Mr. Alex Hua Tian. On 6 August, the FEI World Championships, held only every four years, will get under way and we will be there to mark the moment.  With the mission of ‘creating the ultimate experience of sports stories’, Migu Sports will rely on China Mobile’s 5G+ leading advantages to broadcast exciting events on Migu’s multi-platforms,” Mr. Yan Zhongwei Deputy General Manager of China Mobile Migu said.

“In the future, Migu will continue working with the FEI to exploit the unique combination of the FEI’s intriguing top equestrian events and China Mobile's extensive user base, leading technology and event operation experience, bringing more immersive, more professional and more diversified equestrian sports content and services to the audience, in order to develop equestrian sports in China, and to promote Chinese sportsmanship.”

Photo caption: Mr. YAN Zhongwei (Deputy General Manager of China Mobile Migu), Mr. YANG Xingyang (General Manager of Migu Sports), Hua Fan (FEI), Ingmar De Vos (FEI President), Mr. LUAN Shu (Host, equestrian and music industry celebrity) 

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) - www.fei.org
The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.
The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.
The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.

About China Mobile Migu
MIGU is a professional subsidiary set up by China Mobile to operate digital content for the mobile internet sector. It is committed to meeting the needs of the people for a better life through culture + technology. Established in 2014, MIGU has become a leading platform for brand all-scenario immersive experience and genuine digital content aggregation in China.
As a content aggregator and producer, MIGU has gathered over 40 million songs, 10.35 million videos, 1,200+ audio and video broadcasts, 9,000 Live Shows, 600,000+ books, 1,700+ online games, 2,346,000 episodes of animation and short videos, as well as a reserve of 49,000 hours of UHD content and 65,000 hours of VR content be stocked.
MIGU will continue to focus on the five major directions of UHD Video, Video Ringtone, Cloud Games, Cloud VR and AR, and delve into “5G+MSC”, “5G+Video Ringtone”, “5G+Cloud Games” and “5G+XR” to bring a brand new experience to users in the 5G era.

Over 4,500 equestrian stakeholders have participated in a survey designed to take the pulse of the community on topics relating to horse welfare and wellbeing, as well as specific concerns regarding the use of horses in sport.

Early survey results were discussed during the first in-person meeting of the newly formed Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission at the FEI Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI) on 3 and 4 August. While initially set up as the Social License to Operate Commission, the 10 members decided to change the name to better reflect the aims and mission of the group’s work at their inaugural meeting in June.

“We believe that this is the first time an international survey has been carried out to understand the perception of welfare standards in relation to the use of horses in sport,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“We cannot assume there is general acceptance of horse use in sport, and it’s important that we – the global governing body - proactively seek input from the community to gauge and to address any concerns they may have. Equestrian sport depends on the wellbeing of its horses, and the FEI has a duty to ensure high standards of welfare for the horses competing in each of our disciplines, and also to consider the impact that our sporting activities have on the environment. This is a role we understand and we are fully committed to.

“If our sport is to keep its social license, our community and the public need to believe and trust that our work is being carried out to the highest moral and ethical standards.

“While we have comprehensive systems and mechanisms in place to protect the welfare of the horse, we need to have our finger on the pulse so that we understand, and then clearly address, the priority concerns for different stakeholders, including the public.”

The Commission has initiated two surveys to help with their work. The equestrian stakeholder survey, available in English, French and Spanish, will run till 19 August and will draw on the views of FEI Athletes, Officials, Owners, Organising Committees, Grooms, National Federations and related associations (MOUs), as well as the wider equestrian sector stakeholders.

There will also be a public opinion survey that will be translated into several languages and conducted in 14 key global markets, using a specialist market research and data company.

The results of both surveys will be analysed, and the data considered alongside information from focus groups, the latest research in the area of equine wellbeing, and input from related industry bodies. These insights will help inform a ‘framework’ to guide the development of FEI regulations, policies and practices in the future, including but not limited to education initiatives, standard setting, engagement and enforcement.

“The significant number of responses we have already received is a good indication that the equestrian community is ready and willing to discuss issues related to the welfare of horses in sport,” Chair of the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission Professor Dr. Natalie Waran said.

“The equestrian community is complex and there are many different stakeholders with diverse points of view. We want to gather and understand these concerns and then consider what should be done to not only help improve equine wellbeing, but also address the understanding of horse use in sport around the world.  

“It is clear that equine welfare is important for those who are involved with horses at all levels as well as being of concern to members of the public. Improving welfare standards and practice requires a commitment from everyone within the equestrian community. These surveys are not just an opportunity for the Commission to understand global attitudes but also a chance for the general public to have their opinions heard and addressed.”

The Commission will work together over an initial period of 18-months, with an interim report to be presented at the FEI General Assembly in November 2022 in Cape Town (RSA), followed by a second report at the FEI Sports Forum in April 2023 and a final report/framework to be submitted for approval at the FEI General Assembly 2023 in Mexico.

Quick links
More information on the work and composition of the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission can be found on Inside.FEI.org.

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.
The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.
The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving. The number of international Para Equestrian events has almost tripled in 10 years.