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After two abbreviated seasons, the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ is set for a celebratory return in the heart of winter dressage in Wellington (USA).
The 2022 season will span six nations between March and July, when a series champion will be crowned. The uniquely formatted competition rewards both consistency and strategy, as teams may compete across Big and Small Tour events.
Team medals are decided after the Grand Prix (or Prix St. Georges for Small Tour combinations) and the Grand Prix Special (or Intermediate I) tests.
Back to the beginning
The Global Dressage Festival CDIO3* in Wellington (USA) will put the United States on home soil as Team USA seeks to reclaim the series for the first time since the first official title was awarded in 2016. That year, the country did win the series’ opening leg, setting them in good early standing.
This year’s American squad features a group of rising stars in Bianca Berktold (Imperial), Katie Duerrhammer (Quartett), Susan Dutta (Don Design DC) and Ben Ebeling (Indeed). Both Berktold and Duerrhammer will start in their first respective CDIO competitions, while Susan Dutta and Don Design are fresh off their Grand Prix Freestyle debut, in which they finished second to kick off their 2022 season. This pair has made the podium in their last four international starts.
The team’s youngest rider, Ebeling, 22, might be considered the veteran. Ebeling was the second alternate for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympic Games and made the Nations Cup team at CDIO5* Aachen in September. Those results came aboard the Belgian Warmblood Illuster van de Kampert; this time around, he will partner with the Danish bred Indeed, a newer mount that was developed by his father, Olympian Jan Ebeling (USA).
Duerrhammer, Dutta and Ebeling will compete at the Big Tour level, while Berktold will ride at the Small Tour level. The U.S. squad will be led for the first time by newly appointed Chef d’Equipe George Williams.
Canada and Germany have also fielded teams. The Canadian squad will consist of Beatrice Boucher (Summerwood’s Limei), Pia Fortmuller (Frieda), Megan Lane (Zodiac MW) and Evi Strasser (Déjà vu Tyme). Michael Klimke (Harmony’s Sanrino RHP), Christoph Koschel (Duenensee), Lars Ligus (Soccer City) and Frederic Wandres (Dolciario) will fly the flag for Germany.
Six legs
Wellington’s opening leg will be followed by the CDIO3* in Mariakalnok (HUN) and the CDIO5* in Compiégne (FRA), both in May.
CDIO5* competition will resume in June at Rotterdam (NED) and July at Aachen (GER). The series winner will be decided just a week later at Falsterbo’s (SWE) CDIO4*. Sweden has claimed the series title in three of the last five seasons.
Further details about the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ series can be found here.
The FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2021/2022 qualifying season came to an exciting conclusion at Motesice in Slovakia last Sunday where Freestyle victory secured a place at next month’s Final for former champion, Helen Langehanenberg, while Moldova’s Alisa Glinka was confirmed winner of the Central European League.
Only top spot would be enough to help Langehanenberg make the cut to the 35th showdown of the series that dates all the way back to 1986. The German rider, who won the FEI Dressage World Cup™ title with the great Damon Hill back in 2013, was lying ninth on the Western European League leaderboard with 33 points going into yesterday’s last-chance competition.
Compatriot, Frederic Wandres, was holding third place on the league table with 52 points, so she needed the maximum 20 cross-over points from the Central European series to overtake him and to clinch that last of three qualifying slots on offer to German riders.
Having steered the 14-year-old mare Annabelle to a narrow victory over Poland’s Katarzyna Milczarek in the Short Grand Prix, Langehanenberg put more distance between them when posting 77.905 in Sunday’s Freestyle. She will now fly her country’s flag alongside defending champion Isabell Werth and reigning Olympic and European champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl when the Final kicks off on their home turf in Leipzig (GER) in three weeks’ time.
Final standings
Saturday’s win in the last leg of the Western European League at ’s-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands boosted von Bredow-Werndl to pole position in the final standings while success in Slovakia saw Langehanenberg rocket up to second place ahead of Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour in third.
A total of nine athletes can qualify from this league but only a maximum of three from any country, so Wandres, who finished fourth, has missed out by an agonising single point.
Sweden’s Patrik Kittel, Denmark’s Nanna Skodberg Merrald and Spain’s Juan Matute Guimon fill the next three placings ahead of French rider Morgan Barbançon and The Netherlands’ Thamar Zweistra who finished in equal-eighth place. As Wandres cannot compete, tenth-placed Briton, Charlotte Fry, has made the cut.
Just two slots are available to athletes from the Central European League which kicked off in Minsk (BLR) in April 2021 with victory for the eventual league winner, Glinka. The 35-year-old athlete then went on to win three more rounds of the 19-leg series, at Zhashkiv (UKR) and Kunkiai (LTU) in May 2021 and in Kharkiv (UKR) in June partnering her super-consistent horse Aachen, and the impressive pair also posted two runner-up finishes during the season.
Katarzyna Milczarek finished eight points behind on the final leaderboard but showed just how competitive she is when putting former champion, Langehanenberg, under plenty of pressure over the weekend. The veteran Polish athlete who, with Ekwador, represented her country at the London 2012 Olympic Games posted a win with Guapo at this season’s fifth qualifier in Samorin (SVK), and last weekend’s second-place result with the 11-year-old stallion bought her ticket to the 2022 Final.
Across the globe
Meanwhile across the globe Ashley Holzer and Anna Buffini claimed the two qualifying spots on offer in the North American League.
Former Canadian Olympian Holzer, who took up American citizenship five years ago, posted a double of wins in Ocala, Florida (USA) in October and December 2021 and added further points in Wellington, Florida (USA) in January and February this year with her 15-year-old mare Havanna to top the league standings.
Buffini’s FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final ride is also a 15-year-old mare, FRH Davinia la Douce. Victory and a personal-best score at the last of the eight qualifying legs in Wellington earlier this month sealed second place in the North American rankings and has confirmed a slot for the 27-year-old amongst the total of 18 world-class Dressage athletes who will battle it out for the coveted series title at Leipzig Exhibition Centre from 6 to 10 April 2022.
Germany’s golden girls - the Olympic and European champions Jessica von-Bredow Werndl and her 15-year-old mare TSF Dalera BB - were the undisputed winners of today’s sixth and last qualifying leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2021/2022 Western European League at ’s-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands. Another outstanding performance from the pair who bagged two gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games last August and another three at the FEI European Championships the following month saw them awarded the winning score of 90.555 to leave the result beyond doubt when last to go.
The harmony between the dynamic duo was more palpable than ever today, the mare perhaps taking extra care of her dancing partner because this week the World No. 1 athlete announced that she is expecting her second baby to arrive in August. Last time out they also won on home ground at Neumünster despite a giddy moment from Dalera in extended canter. Today however the mare was the picture of calm and control. “I’ve never had this feeling with her before, it was like doing the test in there was the most normal thing in the world and it was so much fun to ride her!”, said von-Bredow Werndl who pinned defending series champion and compatriot Isabell Werth into runner-up spot ahead of Sweden’s Patrik Kittel in third.
Contrast
The busy atmosphere in the Brabanthallen at ’s-Hertogenbosch was in stark contrast to that experienced at many of the previous rounds of the series which were restricted due to pandemic regulations. The Dutch venue was buzzing so it was all-the-more pleasing for British veteran, Richard Davison, to find himself holding the lead with Bubblingh at the half-way stage.
The 17-year-old gelding is sometimes inclined to boil over due to tension, but today he really held it together to present a lovely steady picture during a pleasing Freestyle that clocked up a score of 77.205 that would prove plenty good enough for fifth place at the end of the day.
Kittel was the first to break the 80 percent barrier when fourth-last to go with the charming 10-year-old mare Forever Young HRH. He said this evening that he had no great expectations for her coming to the show “but she gave me the best feeling!”. With her big ears pricked and listening to his every prompt she seemed to grow through the test, showing lovely elevation and great power in passage before striding home to the strains of Billy Idol’s “Hot in the City”. When 82.500 went up on the board then his was the mark to beat, but Werth and DSP Quantaz posted 84.870 to dethrone the Swedish duo right away.
The 52-year-old German superstar is chasing her fourth consecutive FEI Dressage World Cup™ title and her sixth in total - her very first recorded exactly 30 years ago in Gothenburg, Sweden. She is very happy with the progress she is making with the 12-year-old stallion. “He felt very well today and it was a super test for him”, she said. When Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry and Dark Legend were awarded 82.325 then only von-Bredow Werndl could edge the reigning champion, and they succeeded with a masterclass in communication.
The Olympic and European champion might have expected a bigger score, but as she pointed out afterwards she doesn’t fret about that. “I decided a few years ago I don’t care too much about the score because I can’t influence it - the only thing I can influence is my riding and my performance and today Dalera was just incredible!”, she said. “Technically I think it was the best Freestyle I’ve ever ridden, it felt so effortless and so smooth, there was not a single second when I was not 100% sure that we were going to make it!”
Fully assured
So now she is fully assured of a place at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022 Final next month. It’s no easy job being German and booking one of the three places on offer to your country because defending champion Werth is automatically entitled to one of them, so a sub-plot of fierce competition is playing out in the background as the rest of the super-talented German contingent try to make the cut.
Today’s result boosted von-Bredow Werndl to the top of the Western European League rankings so now she has safely booked the second spot. However tomorrow will be a nervous day for Fredric Wandres who lies third in the rankings after a successful winter season.
Because Helen Langehanenberg, series champion with Damon Hill back in 2013, lines out at Motesice in Slovakia tomorrow and, should she win and collect those precious 20 qualifying points, then she will edge Wandres out of his chance of a tilt at the coveted title by just a single point. That’s all still to play out….
The win for Ireland’s Bertram Allen at the eighth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2021/2022 North American League in Ocala, Florida last weekend marked the last of the qualifiers that have taken place right across the globe over the past 12 months.
The last invitations to the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2022 which will take place in Leipzig, Germany from 6 to 10 April have now been sent out, so the countdown has already begun.
Despite some disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to cancellations in North Africa, China and South East Asia, a total of 11 leagues were completed. While Allen reigned supreme last Sunday it is his compatriot, Conor Swail, who swept to victory in the North American series bolstered by a hat-trick of wins - at Vancouver, Sacramento and Fort Worth - along with two runner-up placings.
Canada’s Tiffany Foster clinched second place while the USA’s Natalie Dean finished third ahead of Australia’s Rowan Willis in fourth place. A total of 19, including five extra athletes, are invited from this series which consisted of eight legs staged across Canada, Mexico and the USA.
Spectacular
The Central European League Final 2022 took place two weeks ago at the spectacular Tauron Arena in Krackow, Poland and this was a thrilling fight to the finish. There were three qualifying spots up for grabs, with Hungary’s Zoltan Czekus leading the standings going into the final showdown ahead of Lithuania’s Andrius Petrovas in second and Angelos Touloupis from Greece in third.
The athletes with the best five results from the eight-leg Northern Sub-League and the four-leg Southern Sub-League made the cut to the Final which was staged over three rounds of competition.
And it was a super-close contest to the very end, with Lithuania’s Petrovas coming out on top by a narrow one-point margin ahead of Hungary’s Czekus in second, while Polish veteran, Jaroslow Skrzycznski, pipped Greek athlete Touloupis for that third spot.
Earlier in February the two Arab Leagues were completed. Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Alsharbatly topped the Middle East Sub-League when collecting 60 points from six starts including victory at the opening leg of the eight-competition series on home ground in Riyadh in November. Syria’s Amre Hamcho finished a close second while the UAE’s Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi clinched third ahead of Jordan’s Ibrahim Hani Bisharat in fourth place.
A total of 51 athletes competed in the Middle East, but just seven Egyptian athletes contested the Arab League North African Sub-League in which Mouda Zeyada was clear winner when collecting points at four of the six legs. Abdelrahman Shousha finished second ahead of Mohammed Osama El Borai in third, and there are five slots available at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2022 to athletes from this region.
Definitive victory
In January Tegan Fitzsimon posted a definitive victory in the 2021/2022 New Zealand League. With four brilliant wins from five legs, the 31-year-old athlete collected a massive 90 points to claim her third series title.
At the exciting final in Hawera she clinched it with a double-clear with Windermere Cappuccino but was chased to the line by talented 20-year-old Sophie Scott who claimed second and third places. Scott finished third on the league table, behind Maurice Beatson in second.
Irishman Denis Lynch found himself topping the Western European League when it came to an early conclusion in London (GBR) in December. He competed in five of the six qualifiers, finishing with a total of 39 points which left him just ahead of Great Britain’s Harry Charles in second on 38.
Charles’ victory in London confirmed his arrival at the very top level of the sport as he brought a hugely successful year, that included his Olympic debut in Tokyo and victory for his country in the Challenge Cup at the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final 2021 in Barcelona (ESP), to a close. The 22-year-old Briton, who is quickly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with, finished ahead of Brazil’s Eduardo Pereira de Menezes in third while Swiss star and reigning European team gold medallist Martin Fuchs finished fourth on the WEL leaderboard.
December also saw the South American South League draw to a close. This was an all-Brazilian affair in which Flavio Grillo Araujo reigned supreme.
Runner-up spot at the second leg in São Paulo, and good results at both Rio de Janeiro and again at the last qualifier in São Paulo last December secured pole position in the series in which Stephan de Freitas Barcha and Daniel Cesar Khury finished second and third.
Across the globe
Meanwhile across the globe Lisa Williams and her bold, brave gelding Campbell topped the South African League standings - and not for the first time. The pairing whose long and fascinating journey to compete at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 in Tryon, USA was well-documented, posted wins on three of their five outings in the six-leg series including pole placings at Shongweni in June and September and in Kromdraai in October 2021.
The dynamic duo finished 21st at the last Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in 2019. Runner-up spot here went to Nicole Horwood, while Christopher van der Merwe and Ashlee Healy finished third and fourth.
Kazuteru Kitai came out on top in the Japan League which concluded in Miki in December. A total of 13 athletes lined out over the seven-leg series in which Jun Takada finished second and Ryuma Hirota finished third.
The Eurasian League Final took place in Moscow (RUS) last October where Uzbekistan’s Bekzod Kurbanov and Umid Kamilov clinched the top two places. Kurbanov will be the sole representative from this series in Leipzig in four weeks’ time.
The 2021/2022 Australian League was a brief three-leg tour that visited Werribee in March, Gatton in June and Caboolture last June. Both Thomas McDermott and Amber Fuller racked up 36 points apiece, but McDermott got the nod for the league title when final placings in all three competitions were taken into account. Third place here went to James Arkins and a total of 39 athletes competed in this series.
The FEI Tribunal has issued a Consent Award in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.
A horse trained by Elena Loseva (10015343/RUD), tested positive for the Banned Substance Meldonium following samples taken at the CEIYJ*120 Novotersky (RUS), 28 -30 May 2021.
Ms Loseva admitted the rule violation and accepted the consequences. In its final decision the FEI Tribunal disqualified the horse from the event and imposed an 18-month ineligibility period on Ms Loseva; the provisional suspension she already served shall be credited against the imposed ineligibility period. She was also fined CHF 5,000.
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 those 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.
**Specified Substances
The FEI introduced the concept of Specified Substances in 2016. Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other Prohibited Substances (i.e. whether Banned or Controlled). Rather, they are simply substances that are more likely to have been ingested by horses for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance, for example, through a contaminated food substance. Positive cases involving Specified Substances can be handled with a greater degree of flexibility within the structure of the FEI Regulations.
Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.
Bertram Allen (IRL) competes in the already-concluded Western European League, but that didn't stop him from journeying to Live Oak Stud in central Florida (USA) for the final North American League qualifier of the 2021-2022 season. He rode Harley vd Bisschop straight to the top of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Ocala, besting an 11-horse jump-off.
"He's 14 and an experienced horse," Allen said of his mount. "He loves the grass, and the ground here is fantastic."
A star-studded cast of athletes lined up for one last opportunity to earn NAL points toward qualification for the 2022 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Leipzig (GER). The field included points leader Conor Swail (IRL), defending event champion Daniel Coyle (IRL) and Hunter Holloway (USA), who took an NAL win in Las Vegas (USA).
Eleven advanced to Olaf Peterson's (GER) jump-off, which featured tight turns, long gallop lanes, and eye-catching fences, including one uniquely constructed 1.60m plank, designed to resemble a post and rail wood fence.
Each combination seemed to outpace the next. Defending European Champions Andre Thieme (GER) and DSP Chakaria took an early lead (39.01 seconds), until Coyle set a stiff standard with his mount, Legacy (38.03).
"I saw that Daniel was maybe over a second quicker than [Andre], which I didn't think was possible," Allen said. "So, I knew I had to give it everything, and it all came off and everything was actually very fast and well, and he really tried hard."
Allen saved best for last, setting himself apart with an early expedient turn and a furious gallop to the last. His winning time was 37.67 seconds.
"I think the main thing was to just stay [on the pace]," he said. "I maybe added one more [stride] to the double, and then we were very fast. I hoped we'd won it at the last."
Swail (IRL) finished fourth Sunday, but he ended the NAL season as points leader with 74 points, having won three World Cup events at Vancouver (CAN), Sacramento (USA) and Fort Worth (USA). Tiffany Foster (CAN) finished second with 59 points, with Natalie Dean (USA) third on 41 points.
Ocala competitors Coyle, Holloway, Rowan Willis (AUS), Kristen Vanderveen (USA), Margie Engle (USA) and Schuyler Riley (USA) also punched their tickets to Leipzig. The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final is set for 6-10 April 2022.
Due to the ongoing EHV-1 outbreak in the California region, the Organising Committee together with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) together have decided to cancel the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2022 USA qualifier in San Juan Capistrano from 10-15 May 2022.
This is the third qualifier in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series 2022, and is one of three North/Central America & Caribbean Division events in the series alongside Coapexpan (MEX) and Vancouver (CAN).
The FEI fully understands the difficult decision taken by the USEF and the Organising Committee in response to the ongoing biosecurity threat and is a reflection of the community’s firm commitment to equine health and welfare.
“For several weeks, the FEI has closely monitored the development of the EHV-1 outbreak in California and supports the decision to close down competition. Stopping movement of horses is key to prevent further spread of the virus”, FEI Veterinary Director Göran Akerström said.
A letter issued on 3 March by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) also calls on all participants and Equestrian Event Coordinators to exercise extreme caution for the next 28 days.
Information on the FEI’s Horse Health Requirements and Biosecurity protocols can be viewed on the FEI website.
Following the decision to remove all international equestrian events in Russia and Belarus from the FEI Calendar, the FEI Board today announced an Emergency Board Resolution to prohibit the participation of all Russian and Belarusian Athletes, Horses and Officials in international events.
Further to the recommendation of the IOC Executive Board on 28 February 2022, and in accordance with Article 20.3 of the FEI Statutes, the FEI Board agreed to:
The prohibition comes into effect as of midnight CET on Sunday, 6 March 2022 so that FEI Events already in progress, or about to start, are not unduly disrupted.
The resolution also prohibits, with immediate effect, the display of Russian and Belarusian flags, or their anthems played at, or in connection with, any FEI Events.
The FEI Board also condemned the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces and the support provided by the government of Belarus.
“It is regrettable that the FEI has needed to take such severe measures, but we need to ensure the safety, integrity and fairness of FEI Competitions during these difficult times,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.
“We sincerely hope that a peaceful solution can be found as soon as possible.”
Notes to Editors
Rules and Regulations
Article 20.3. of the FEI Statutes states:
In an Emergency Situation the Board may, by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes cast, pass Resolutions which are normally the prerogatives of the General Assembly. In such cases, the National Federations shall be notified promptly of these measures. If a majority of the National Federations eligible to vote, responding within thirty (30) days of the date of the notice, signifies its disapproval, the measure shall be rescinded if possible.
All FEI Rules & Regulations can be found here.
The FEI Executive Board met today to unanimously condemn the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces and agree on the ramifications to equestrian sport in Russia and Belarus.
In line with the IOC statement of 25 February 2022 urging International Sports Federations to relocate or cancel their sports events, the FEI Executive Board called on the FEI Secretary General to remove all international equestrian events in Russia and Belarus in the 2022 FEI Calendar in accordance with Articles 112.3 of the FEI General Regulations and 28.2 vi of the FEI Statutes.
In addition to removing all the Events from Russia and Belarus, the FEI Executive Board also unanimously agreed to freeze all FEI Solidarity and development activities and to cancel or relocate, where possible, FEI Courses for Officials scheduled to be held in Russia and Belarus in 2022.
The Executive Board requested that the FEI Board consider an Emergency Board Resolution addressing today’s recommendation by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board to prohibit the participation of all Russian and Belarusian Athletes and Officials. The FEI will continue to monitor the situation and decisions taken by the FEI Board will be communicated in the coming days.
During the meeting, the Executive Board also approved the allocation of a CHF 1 Million FEI Solidarity Relief Fund for the equestrian community in Ukraine. The FEI is liaising closely with the Ukrainian Federation and neighbouring countries to facilitate and coordinate logistical support as well as the financial aid.
FEI President and Chair of the FEI Solidarity Committee Ingmar De Vos (BEL) is currently in close contact with the National Federation of Ukraine and the equestrian community.
“We are deeply concerned for the welfare of all Ukrainians and the entire equestrian community in Ukraine,” the FEI President said. ”Their safety is very much our priority, and we are liaising closely with our key contacts in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to seek solutions to their most pressing needs.”
“Sport is a network which relies and thrives on team spirit and camaraderie and it is through these important friendships that we can offer support and make a difference to the people of Ukraine in these challenging times.”
The FEI has published the first section of a three-part Report following its investigation into the outbreak of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in Spain in February 2021. The outbreak resulted in the deaths of 18 horses in mainland Europe and confirmed related cases in 10 countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Qatar, Spain, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.
The FEI pledged to have a comprehensive and fully transparent investigation into every aspect of the outbreak and to make the full findings public. The investigation, which focused on venues where there were related cases, has shown that there were systemic failures in a number of areas and the published Report details those.
In order to make the Report as complete as possible, it has been broken down into three parts. The section of the Report published today, Part 1, provides a comprehensive and factual picture of the outbreak, including the series of events, causes, roles and responsibilities, and analysis. It evaluates what was done correctly and identifies where there were failings, and lessons learned.
Additionally, Part 1 covers accountability, lack of preparedness and measures that have already been taken to rectify that, including enhanced jurisdiction for the FEI and reinforced Rules. Blocking of sick and in-contact horses in the FEI Database to prevent further transmission, the importance of risk assessment, both pre- and post-outbreak, pre-event onsite regulatory checks and the creation of Emergency Response Units are also covered. Multiple external reports are included as Annexes.
The 39-page Report, plus 96 pages of Annexes, has been produced by FEI Veterinary Director Dr Göran Åkerström and Grania Willis, former FEI Communications Director and now Executive Consultant to the FEI. There has also been input from the FEI Veterinary Epidemiology Working Group and other veterinary experts, FEI President Ingmar De Vos and Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez and the FEI Veterinary and Legal Departments.
Part 2 of the Report, which will be published in advance of the FEI Sports Forum 2022 (25-26 April), covers the stringent measures implemented to allow Return to Competition following the six-week FEI-imposed lockdown on international sport in mainland Europe. This section of the Report will focus on the EHV-1 By-Laws and sanctioning system, and evaluate their effectiveness, plus the elements of these that were subsequently incorporated into the FEI Veterinary Regulations 2022 approved at the FEI Hybrid General Assembly in November 2021.
Part 3 of the Report, which will be presented at the FEI Sports Forum, will look at the way forward, including potential global vaccination protocols. Professor Lutz Goehring, a world-renowned specialist in equine infectious diseases and particularly EHV at the Gluck Equine Research Center, will present his findings on the benefits and drawbacks of vaccination, focusing on the scientific evidence of whether mandatory vaccination against EHV-1 is protective against outbreaks at FEI Events. This presentation will be included in Session 8: FEI Veterinary Regulations on Day 2 of the FEI Sports Forum (26 April).
“The Report into last year’s EHV-1 outbreak in Spain is a significant body of work which offers a forensic examination of all elements of the outbreak”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “The first part of the Report looks at what went wrong and what the FEI and our community did or could have done to minimise the impact and spread of the virus. It is clear that mistakes were made and we all need to learn from them so we ensure that we never have an outbreak of such devastating impact again.
“There has to be accountability and everyone – including the FEI – has to take their share of responsibility. As you can see in the text published today, individual accountabilities will need to be established by the FEI based on the contents of this Report prior to any further potential actions. The FEI Legal Department will make a thorough analysis and the findings of any resulting legal processes will be made public in due course.
“The significance of the investigation findings and the Report itself have been brought into sharper focus by the current outbreak in the United States, once again highlighting the fact that there will never be zero risk with EHV. What we must do at every Event and in every home barn is to ensure that correct biosecurity measures are in place for the safety of our horses. And we now have the tools to do that, provided we work together as a community to ensure enforcement and compliance.”
The FEI thoroughly assessed whether the investigation and resulting report should be outsourced or conducted internally. FEI Veterinary Director Dr Göran Åkerström explained the rationale: “Outsourcing to a third party would have required identifying and putting together a group of individuals with top-level expertise in veterinary epidemiology, and comprehensive knowledge of European Union and national legislation. The group would then have had to be fully briefed on every aspect of the outbreak before they could even begin their work.
“As the international governing body, the FEI was right at the centre of events and was already in possession of communications between all parties throughout the outbreak. Any third party would have been dependent on FEI Headquarters to get that information, which would have further delayed the investigation, production and eventual publication of the Report. So a decision was made internally that the investigation, collation of evidence and production of the Report would be done by FEI Headquarters.”
Part 1 of the Report into the outbreak of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in Spain in March 2021 is available here.
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