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Double Olympic team gold medallist and five-time Olympian Ingrid Klimke was announced as winner of the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete award 2019 at the FEI Awards Gala presented by Longines in Moscow (RUS) tonight.
The glittering gala awards ceremony, which took place in the splendid surrounds of the Kremlin State Palace in the Russian capital, was attended by more than 400 distinguished guests, including top sporting legends, National Federations, FEI partners and stakeholders.
Tonight’s award is the latest in a series of accolades for German Eventing legend Klimke, who was also nominated for the Best Athlete honour in 2015 and 2017. Klimke received the award from Peden Bloodstock’s Managing Director Martin Atock.
In September, the 51-year-old successfully defended her title at the Longines FEI Eventing European Championships on home turf in Luhmühlen with SAP Hale Bob OLD, becoming only the second person in European history to win back-to-back titles on the same horse. Klimke’s stunning performance in Luhmühlen also led Germany to team gold.
Klimke is the third German female to win the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete award, following in the footsteps of six-time Dressage Olympic gold medallist Isabell Werth in 2017 and FEI World Equestrian Games™ Jumping champion Simone Blum in 2018.
“I’m really proud that after Isabell Werth and Simone Blum, I’m now winning,” Klimke said. “It’s three women from Germany from three different disciplines. I’m very proud to be here and to win the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete Award.”
The evening saw Semmieke Rothenberger also flying the flag high for Germany when she took home this year’s Longines FEI Rising Star Award. The 20-year-old has won 22 FEI European Championship medals ranging from ponies category through to Young Riders.
“To win the Longines FEI Rising Star Award it’s really special for me as it sums up this year perfectly,” Rothenberger said. “What makes it really special is that my brother has won it before. So now we’ve got two people in this family who’ve won the Rising Star award. That just makes me very, very happy. My future goal, after following in the footsteps of my brother, is to compete in the Olympic Games. Now that’s a very big goal but it would be a nice thing to work towards.”
Rothenberger received her award from Longines Vice President of Marketing Matthieu Baumgartner. “This award celebrates youth, talent, determination and the stars of tomorrow,” Baumgartner said. “The work ethic and drive that you see in rising stars like Semmieke is closely aligned with our brand values and one of the main reasons why Longines supports this award. We are proud to be part of this journey in such a talented young athlete’s life.”
The Cavalor FEI Best Groom Award was presented to Madeleine Broek (NED) in recognition of her tireless efforts behind the scenes for Dutch Olympian and Jumping star Marc Houtzager. The award, presented by Cavalor’s Founder and Managing Director Peter Bollen, is given each year to grooms who work behind the scenes providing the best possible care for their equine athletes.
“It’s not really a job but a way of living and you get so much back from the horse, so that’s why it will never be a boring day or a boring week,” Broek said. “Winning the Cavalor FEI Best Groom Award means a lot to me because you feel really appreciated for everything you do. It’s a lot of work and I feel really appreciated.”
This year’s FEI Solidarity Award went to Uno Yxklinten (SWE), the Educational Leader of the first Farriers’ training programme in Zambia, set up with the aim of increasing the know-how of farriers in order to improve the well-being of horses in the African country.
Presented by Russian National Federation President Marina Sechina, the award is given each year to an equestrian development project or an individual or organisation that has demonstrated skill, dedication and energy in expanding equestrian sport. “Winning the FEI Solidarity Award 2019 is of course something big,” Yxklinten said. “I’m humbled and I’m so happy that we actually got this prize. It makes a difference in Zambia for many people.”
Taking the FEI Against All Odds Award was Zhenqiang Li (CHN) who started riding at the age of 27 and became a professional athlete just two years later. He was the first Chinese equestrian athlete to obtain the minimum eligibility requirements for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Sadly, in 2009, his horse Jumpy passed away from cancer leaving Zhenqiang without his beloved equine partner and in financial trouble. Zhenqiang recovered from those difficult times, setting up an equestrian centre in Guangzhou.
“I hope that other Chinese riders will now follow the title of this award, Against All Odds, to work together to overcome the challenges of developing Chinese equestrianism,” Li said. “Thank you to the FEI for supporting the sport in China and for all the people who voted for me at home and abroad. Your support and encouragement will inspire other Chinese riders to reach their goals.”
FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez presented the award to Li’s children Yaofeng Li and Zuxian Li who were in the Russian capital on their father’s behalf. Zhenqiang Li competed with his son Yoafeng Li, a former Youth Olympic Games athlete, to earn China’s qualification earlier this year for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The FEI Against All Odds Award is for someone who has pursued their equestrian ambitions despite a physical handicap or extremely difficult personal circumstances.
“Each year we receive a high calibre of nominees for the FEI Awards,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “Our winners this evening are perfect examples of the excellence, commitment, dedication and courage that are required in equestrian sport.
“When my predecessor HRH Princess Haya introduced these awards 11 years ago, our hope was to celebrate not just sporting achievement but also the unsung champions of our sport. This evening’s winners have inspired everyone at tonight’s gala here in Moscow as well as a new generation of athletes who need heroes to emulate.”
For the second year running, Paralympic gold medalist Natasha Baker (GBR) and Dressage ace Juan Matute Guimon (ESP) took to the stage to emcee the Awards ceremony.
The winners of the five awards were decided by combining 50% of a public vote and 50% of the judges’ vote for the final result. There were 130,000 online votes cast this year for the nominees.
Photo caption: The winners of the FEI Awards 2019 (left to right): Ingrid Klimke, Uno Yxklinten, Madeleine Broek, Semmieke Rothenberger, Zuxian Li and Yaofeng Li
Notes to Editors:
Full information on the FEI Awards 2019 and past winners are available here.
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The FEI President welcomed the new members to the final in-person Board meeting of the FEI General Assembly 2019 here in Moscow. After congratulating Jack Huang, Regional Group VIII Chair, who was elected as the new FEI Vice President, Ingmar De Vos welcomed two new Board members, Marina Sechina, the newly elected Chair of FEI Regional Group EEA, and Sami Al Duhami (KSA), the new Chair of FEI Regional Group VII, who was unable to attend the General Assembly.
The Board then made the final decisions of the FEI General Assembly 2019.
Nayla Stössel (SUI), who was elected to the FEI Nominations Committee during today’s General Assembly, was elected as Chair of the Committee by the FEI Board.
The Board approved Rules for the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Rules 2020 and the EEF Jumping Nations Cup Series and Rules 2020. Final approval of the Global Champions League Rules 2020 was postponed until the Board has further clarification in a number of areas.
As the rules for qualification to the Youth Olympic Games 2022 in Dakar (SEN) need to be adapted, a proposal will be put forward to the Board in December and then forwarded to the IOC for approval. Similarly, a decision on rescheduling the Pan-American Endurance Championships, which were due to be held in Chile but were postponed due to civil unrest in the country, and allocation of the FEI Endurance and Reining World Championships 2022, will be taken at the FEI Board’s teleconference next month.
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, Vaulting and Reining.
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.
Discussions on the proposed Rules revisions for Endurance, the future of Reining as an FEI discipline and a general Rules session were the key focus for debate at the FEI General Assembly in Moscow (RUS) today.
FEI Vice President Mark Samuel, who has acted as FEI Board liaison on the Endurance Temporary Committee (ETC) charged with a full review of the discipline’s Rules, was moderator for the dedicated Endurance session and was uncompromising in his message to delegates on the critical importance of the ETC’s work and tomorrow’s vote.
“This journey has been a sacred trust”, he said in his opening. “The status quo was clearly unacceptable. It is the time now for action rather than more words. Our partner, the horse is counting on us.”
Along with the feedback received as part of the consultation process, there was further input from National Federations at yesterday’s Regional Group meetings. As a result, the ETC made additional revisions to the proposed Rules which will be voted on at the General Assembly tomorrow, and these were explained in detail by Committee Chair Dr Sarah Coombs.
She too stressed the importance of horse welfare and the level playing field: “The welfare of the horse is our number one priority: not competition, not commercial or business interests and not administrative convenience. Every one of us is bound by the Code of Conduct for the welfare of the horse. This requires that we respect the horse during and outside competition, above all else.
“The use of illicit drugs is an abuse of the welfare of the horse. Clean Sport is a fundamental aspect of the contract to participate in FEI competitions. Where the use of banned substances and controlled medication and in particular the widespread use of nerve desensitisation has come into our sport it must be rigorously dealt with.”
Multiple topics were raised on the proposed amendments during the session, which was allowed to exceed its allotted three-hour slot to allow for all points of view to be aired. Minimum athlete weight, qualifications, ride distances, novice rides, rotation of Officials, change of trainers and the date of implementation should the Rules be approved were all debated at length.
Tomorrow’s vote on the overall approval of the Endurance Rules, which will include the date of implementation in 2020, and with the option to vote on individual provisions separately, will only be taken once the additional proposed amendments have been voted on.
The day’s sessions opened with debate on the Future of Reining. Discussion focused on a new Cooperation Agreement between the FEI and the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) as well as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) aimed at ensuring the sustainable growth of the discipline over the next four years if it remains in the FEI. The Agreement sets out the parameters of the partnership regarding jurisdiction of events, the implementation of suitable controls by the NRHA to monitor whether an event is international or national, and the consequences of any material breach.
The FEI Board has approved the terms of the four-year Agreement, which was signed by the NRHA on 13 November, but countersignature by the FEI is pending approval by the General Assembly.
FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez opened the session by providing delegates with an overview of the situation since termination of the original FEI/NRHA Cooperation Agreement in November 2018, followed by an explanation of a potential four-year roadmap for the discipline by Sven Friesecke, Chair of the FEI Reining Committee.
Feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive for keeping Reining in the FEI Family and this also resonated in the comments from the floor during this morning’s debate.
At tomorrow’s Extraordinary General Assembly, National Federations will be asked to vote on maintaining Reining as an FEI discipline, based on the Agreement with the NRHA and the KPIs, and also vote on retaining the discipline in the FEI Statutes. If tomorrow’s vote is favourable, the FEI will also reach out to the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) to agree terms for a cooperation.
The afternoon also included a general session on periodical Rules revisions, which would see Rules amendments changed to a four-year cycle, the General Regulations, the Sports Rules of the other disciplines not included in the dedicated sessions, and the Veterinary Regulations.
The planned full revision of the sports Rules for Jumping, Dressage and Para Dressage, which was scheduled next year, will be postponed to 2021, after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Delegates were advised that, following feedback from National Federations involved in the FEI Nations Cup™ series, the proposed revisions to Articles 103 (Official International Events) and 108 (Titles of Competitions) of the FEI General Regulations have been withdrawn by the FEI.
Proposed amendments to Article 140 of the FEI General Regulations, the mandatory requirement for protective headgear to be worn while riding anywhere on the show grounds, were also discussed. This will be voted on separately at the General Assembly tomorrow, with a choice of implementation on 1 January 2020 or a potential postponement until 1 January 2021 in order to allow for education and for manufacturers to produce sufficient quantities of protective headgear.
Delegates were updated on a merged proposal for amendments to Chapter IX in the Veterinary Regulations on pony measuring. This combines aspects of the first proposal sent to National Federations and stakeholders on 8 July, including the three-year transition period, with aspects of the 22 October 2019 proposal such as the Lifetime FEI Measurement Certificate for ponies that measured in during 2017, 2018 and 2019. This will be voted on as part of the Veterinary Regulations tomorrow.
All presentations from today’s sessions are published on Inside.FEI.org.
Photo caption: The dedicated Endurance Rules session attracted a full house and generated constructive dialogue in Moscow (RUS) this afternoon during the FEI General Assembly 2019. (FEI/Liz Gregg)
Notes to Editors
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, Vaulting and Reining.
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.
For the second year in a row, Belgium’s Pieter Devos and his 14-year-old gelding, Apart, came out on top at the super-competitive fifth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League in Stuttgart, Germany today where defending series champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, had to settle for second ahead of last week’s winner, Great Britain’s Scott Brash, in third.
As always, German course designer Christa Jung didn’t make it easy for the 39 starters in the first round, but the quality of the field ensured an 11-horse jump-off against the clock that had the crowd sitting on the edges of their seats.
“In my opinion this was the toughest leg of the series so far. They always build big here, it’s always technical and tough, but because of the big arena and the very good ground horses jump well”, Devos said this evening. And he’s delighted that, now lying second on the League table with 40 points already on the board, he looks well set for the Longines Final 2020 in Las Vegas, USA next April. “I’ve done three qualifiers with three different horses, I’m almost there and I’m very happy!” he added.
Ireland’s Richard Howley and Chinook led the way in the jump-off with a fast round in 45.56 seconds but leaving a fence on the floor. Third into the ring, Guerdat was clear but a little slower when breaking the beam with Venard de Cerisy in 45.87, and Brash challenged that with a strong run with Hello Senator but was a little off the pace when crossing the line in 46.05 seconds.
It was clear Guerdat’s leading time could be beaten when Spain’s Eduardo Alvarez Aznar and Rokfeller de Pleville Bois Margot galloped through the finish in 45.20 seconds, however leaving an element of the double on the floor. But as Devos set off off he wasn’t convinced he would be the man to do it, and when Apart lost his footing on the turn after the wall three from home, he reckoned his chance was definitely gone.
“I saw Steve’s ride on the the screen and I thought this would not be my day because he was very fast! And then after my slip after the wall I thought I wouldn’t be quick enough, but when I rode over the finish line I was - so I’m very, very happy!”, he said after posting what turned out to be the winning time of 45.35.
But the excitement lasted to the very end, with the penultimate partnership of Philip Weishaupt and Che Fantastica producing a breathtaking round that drove the home crowd into a frenzy of excitement. Way up on time coming to the last, the German partnership stormed home in 43.63 seconds, but an awkward jump at the last saw the pole fall for four faults which left them in fifth place at the end of the day, just behind Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer and Cortney Cox whose double-clear in 46.25 slotted them into fourth.
“I need to try to do better and leave the poles up in the jump-off next time!”, Weishaupt joked afterwards. “For four or five months I had not so many clear rounds so I really wanted to do it today. Maybe I went a little too wild at the last one and should have given the mare a chance to jump it, but I’m still happy with her, she jumped great!” he said.
Runner-up Guerdat congratulated Devos on his winning performance - “Pieter did a great job!” he said. Talking about his own result he said, “I’m happy to be second as I did not have the jump-off I expected on the last line. My horse responded too well after the wall and turning back to the skinny oxer, and I planned eight (strides) to the last but I changed my mind and I ended up with 10! There were other riders faster than me but they had an unlucky one down so I was lucky today to finish second, but I’m very happy with my horse”.
Devos was delighted with Apart. “I think he must like the arena here, and the Stuttgart crowd! He felt amazing here last year and again this year he was super!”, he pointed out. And he was very pleased when awarded a brand new Mercedes-Benz as his winner’s prize. “My wife needs a new car so she’ll very happy!” he said.
World No. 1 and three-time Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ champion, Guerdat, still leads the Western European League table going into the sixth of the 14 qualifiers in Madrid (ESP) in two weeks’ time, with Devos in second and Brash in third. The British rider has now accumulated 35 points, and with something in the region of 40 normally sufficient to secure one of the top-18 places that will make the cut to the Final, also looks well on the road to the bright lights of the Las Vegas where the 2020 champion will be crowned.
Result here
Standings here
Watch highlights here
Despite recording a World Cup victory just a week prior in Thermal (USA), Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) and Bennys Legacy came to Las Vegas’ South Point Arena (USA) with some unanswered questions. The duo had never before competed indoors, but the smaller venue proved no problem for them, as they recorded a second straight World Cup victory.
They topped the $100,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Las Vegas via a two-horse jump-off and were the only double-clear performers on the evening, crossing the timers of Leopoldo Palacios’ (VEN) shortened course in 37.68 seconds. Andrew Ramsay (USA) and Stranger were faster, but a rail put them in second; they finished on 4 faults in 35.90 seconds. In a unique result, Sarah Segal (USA) and Uma O’Neill (NZL) finished in adjoint third, as both riders recorded a single time fault in the first round with identical times of 73.39 seconds.
“Tonight, I mainly learned that he was super indoors,” Sternlicht said of her still-new mount, having only debuted with the 11-year-old gelding in September. “I really had no idea how he would be! In some ways, I found him easier to ride inside. He’s a horse that goes exactly the way I like to ride: strong and aggressive. I like to help and support the horse, and he leans on me as a rider in that capacity.”
Knowing there were just two clear rounds and having to return first in the jump-off, Sternlicht approached the shortened course with a nothing-to-lose mentality while being wary of the quick challenge that followed her.
“I think Andrew has the fastest horse in the class, probably the fastest horse in FEI this week,” Sternlicht said. “I knew that if I didn’t stick to my plan, it might be costly. I think my jump-off round showed the quality of my horse. I think, personally, there are a few things I want to work on, but I couldn’t be happier with the way he jumped, and I’m happy that I stuck to my plan.”
The win moved Sternlicht into third in the east coast sub league standings of the North American League with 46 points. Brian Moggre (USA) leads those standings with 56 points, while Beezie Madden (USA) is second with 49 points. The top six from these standings at the end of the 2019/2020 season will advance to the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final, which will also take place in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center in April.
“World Cup Finals are 100 percent on my radar,” Sternlicht said. “I am planning already. [My trainer McLain Ward] is a big planner, and we had a meeting and planned out my schedule for the next five months. I plan on being here and look forward to coming back!”
On the west coast, Karl Cook (USA) maintains his lead in the standings with 49 points, followed by Ashlee Bond (ISR) with 39 points and Will Simpson (USA) with 34 points.
The North American League continues in Guadalajara (MEX) on 25 January 2020.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl was “over the moon” with delight after winning the third leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League on home ground at Stuttgart (GER) today. Riding the 12-year-old Trakehner mare TSF Dalera BB with which she claimed team gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 in Tryon (USA) and individual Freestyle bronze at this summer’s European Championships in Rotterdam (NED), she produced a breathtaking performance to pin defending triple-champions Isabell Werth and Weihegold into second place.
The host nation completely dominated the line-up with Helen Langehanenberg, Dorothee Schneider and Benjamin Werndl finishing third, fourth and fifth. For von Bredow-Werndl this was a very special result. “It’s like Christmas coming early!” she said this evening.
Werth, winner with Emilio at the second leg of the series in Lyon (FRA) two weeks ago, looked set to march to victory once again after topping yesterday’s Grand Prix in which today’s winner had to settle for second place. But a couple of blips saw the legendary lady trailing her team-mate who set a massive target-score of 88.440 when second-last to go.
The Freestyle began with Ireland’s Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K putting 80.755 on the board, and this pair, who got the worst of the draw after finishing an uncharacteristic 11th in the Grand Prix, were still out in front with just five of the 15 starters - all of them German - left to compete.
Helen Langehanenberg demoted the Irish duo with a brilliant performance from her 17-year-old stallion Damsey FRH who danced up the centreline with foot-perfect tempi-changes to post 83.735. And when Dorothee Schneider and DSP Sammy Davis Jr slotted in close behind with 83.395 and Benjamin Werndl and Daily Mirror scored 80.900 then it was 2013 series champion Langehanenberg who was still in command with just two left to run.
But Benjamin’s sister, 33-year-old Jessica, turned the class on it’s head with a technically brilliant performance from Dalera that also sparkled.
“She gave me a feeling I’ve never had before! In Rotterdam she was already amazing but today it felt even lighter and easier. Every piaffe was amazing, every transition every passage and pirouette, every half-pass…..I’m so excited about our future now!” she said.
As Werth set off with her last-to-go ride however it seemed only a matter of form that she would overtake her compatriot’s score. But Weihegold’s test wasn’t clean, and despite a confident one-handed passage to finish, their mark of 87.240 would only be good enough for runner-up spot. “I had super piaffe/passage but had two little mistakes. I maybe risked too much - Jessica deserves to win tonight”, said the five-time champion who is chasing down four titles in a row.
“Stuttgart is one of the toughest qualifiers for the World Cup so it feels like winning at Aachen or at a Championship! I couldn’t be more happy, I knew this was possible but it’s still like a dream come true!” said von Bredow-Werndl. She’s aiming for the series Final in Las Vegas, USA next April but not with today’s winning ride. “I want to take Zaire to Las Vegas, and I’m trying to prepare Dalera for the Olympics next summer. Tokyo is already for sure somewhere in my head, and I would be delighted to be part of Team Germany there”, she pointed out.
The top nine on the Western European League will qualify for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2020 Final, and after the first three qualifiers the leading four on the league table are all Germans - von Bredow-Werndl and Frederic Wandres sharing pole position followed by Langehanenberg in third and Benjamin Werndl in fourth place. The next leg will take place in Madrid (ESP) in two weeks’ time.
Result here
WEL Standings here
Watch highlights here
FEI President Ingmar De Vos opened the first in-person meeting of the FEI Board at the FEI General Assembly 2019 in Moscow (RUS) with a vote of thanks to outgoing Board members and a particular vote of thanks to the Russian hosts.
The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, posted a personal message on the Kremlin website welcoming the FEI President and delegates of the FEI General Assembly to the Russian capital for the first time.
Persons whose terms of office have come to an end and who were personally thanked by the FEI President for their distinguished service include FEI Vice President H.E. Sheikh Khalid (BRN) and Chair of FEI Regional Group VII from 2006 to 2019, Sadyr Mamytov (KGZ), who has chaired Regional Group EEA from 2015 to 2019, Medical Committee Chair Dr Peter Whitehead (GBR) from 2009 to 2019), and FEI Tribunal Chair Henrik Arle (FIN) from 2011 to 2019. Betty Wates (JAM), who has chaired the FEI Nominations Committee since 2015, has also completed her four-year term.
The FEI Board, the body responsible for the general direction of the FEI and for all relevant matters not consigned to the General Assembly, held its meeting at the Hyatt Regency Moscow Petrovsky Park, venue for the full FEI General Assembly 2019.
Details of the main decisions and talking points at the meeting are available here.
Photo caption: The FEI Board held its in-person meeting today in Moscow (RUS). FEI Liz/Gregg
Notes to Editors
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, Vaulting and Reining.
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.
Host cities for the FEI World Championships 2022 and other major events up to 2023/2024 were allocated today by the FEI Board at its in-person meeting in the Russian capital Moscow.
FEI World Championships in four disciplines: Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting will be staged in Herning (DEN) in August 2022. The Danish city, which runs a qualifier for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ annually, previously hosted a multi-discipline equestrian event in 2013 when it staged the FEI European Championships for Jumping, Dressage and Para-Dressage.
Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA), venue for the Eventing discipline at the Rome 1960 Olympic Games, will host FEI World Championships for Eventing and Driving in September 2022. The Italian venue, located 35 kilometres south of Rome, is no stranger to hosting high-level equestrian events and FEI Championships. It was the site for the cross country competition at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 1998 and hosted the FEI World Driving Championships for Singles in 2006 and 2010.
“When we opened the process for the FEI World Championships 2022 to single and multi-discipline bids, our intention was to have events that were more manageable and sustainable at proven venues,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said. “By allocating these multi-discipline Championships to Herning and Pratoni del Vivaro we’re working with hosts that already have the necessary experience and required infrastructure in place to organise world-class equestrian championships.
“We received some truly excellent bids and unfortunately we don’t have enough FEI World Championships to allocate to everyone, but we very much hope that these excellent organisers will bid again in the future to host championships at their venues.”
The World Championships 2022 in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines of Jumping, Eventing, Dressage and Para Dressage, will serve as qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The FEI Board agreed unanimously that any decision on the FEI World Championships in Endurance and Reining should be postponed pending the outcome of discussions about both disciplines on 18 November and voting on 19 November.
The FEI Board also allocated FEI World Cup™ Finals for 2022 to 2024, with Leipzig (GER) once again hosting four FEI World Cup™ Finals under one roof from 6-10 April 2022. The German city previously hosted the same four disciplines – Jumping, Dressage, Driving and Vaulting – in 2011.
The FEI World Cup™ Finals for Jumping and Dressage will return to Omaha (USA) in 2023 (12-16 April), and the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2024 for Jumping and Dressage were allocated to Riyadh (KSA). Dates for the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2024 in Riyadh will be confirmed. Bordeaux (FRA) will host the FEI Driving World Cup™ Finals in both 2023 (2-5 February) and 2024 (1-4 February).
The bidding process for the FEI Vaulting World Cup™ Finals 2023 and 2024 will be reopened.
In addition, the Board allocated qualifiers for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ series, FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Youth 2020 and FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2020, FEI Jumping Ponies Trophy™ 2020 qualifiers and Finals and other Championships.
The list of key allocations is below (a complete list will be included in the detailed report of today’s in-person FEI Board meeting):
FEI World Championships 2022
Multi-discipline
FEI World Cup™ Finals
2022
2023
2024
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, Vaulting and Reining.
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.
A Canadian Jumping athlete who tested positive for a prohibited substance at the Pan-American Games in Lima (PER) in August this year has been provisionally suspended by the FEI.
A sample taken from athlete Nicole Walker, who was a member of the fourth-placed Canadian team and also finished fourth with Falco Van Spieveld in the individual final, has tested positive for Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, which is a prohibited substance under the FEI’s Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA). The sample was taken on 7 August, the day of the team final in Lima.
The athlete has the option to request a preliminary hearing before the FEI Tribunal to apply for the lifting of the Provisional Suspension.
Disqualification of the athlete is a separate proceedings that is part of the results management process dealt with by Panam Sports, the organiser of the Pan-American Games. The athlete has exercised her right to request a hearing before the Panam Sports Disciplinary Commission.
Once the Disciplinary Commission has made a decision on the disqualification of the athlete, and team Canada’s final placing, the FEI will be in a position to make any necessary reallocation of the Olympic quota place.
Details on this case can be found here.
In order to maintain the integrity of the ongoing legal process, the FEI will not comment further on this case at this time.
Notes to Editors:
Tokyo 2020 Olympic quota places were available to the three best ranked teams from Groups D (North America) and/or E (Central & South America) at the Pan-American Games 2019, excluding the teams already qualified. The three teams that earned qualification in Lima were Brazil, Mexico and Canada.
Under Article 11.4 of the Panam Sports Anti-Doping Rules, an anti-doping violation by a member of a team (outside team sports) also leads to disqualification of the result obtained by the team in that competition.
Under the terms of Article 10.2.2 of the Panam Sports Anti-Doping Rules, responsibility for results management in terms of sanctions beyond the event itself shall be referred to the applicable International Federation. This means that any period of ineligibility would be imposed by the FEI.
The saying “it’s never over until the fat lady sings” rang loud and true at today’s fourth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League in Verona, Italy where Great Britain’s Scott Brash posted a spectacular last-to-go victory with Hello M’Lady.
It seemed as if Ireland’s Darragh Kenny was about to provide the perfect post-competition headline for the competition staged in the “City of Love” when setting a super-fast target with the 10-year-old Romeo in the 16-horse jump-off. It was fast and furious from the outset, and when this pair galloped down the final line and stopped the clock on 36.06 seconds there really didn’t seem to be any room for improvement on that.
But Brash, team gold medallist at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is the king of cool.
“I was fortunate enough to be at the end so I could see how fast I had to go. Darragh had done a really good round, he was very, very fast so I had to take all the risks today - M’Lady was really fantastic and I’m delighted with her!” he said with great satisfaction afterwards.
He described Uliano Vezzani’s first-round track as “tough and delicate”, the angled oxer at fence eight and the line from the vertical white planks at nine to the double at fence 10 claiming a significant number of victims. He said the time-allowed of 80 seconds was “maybe a bit too generous, but it showed the calibre of horse and rider here today that we got 16 clears!”
It was The Netherlands’ Marc Houtzager and Sterrehof’s Dante who were holding the lead with a time of 36.64 seconds when Kenny rode into the ring. The 31-year-old Irishman and his handsome horse were smooth and fast through all the twists and turns, and the always-vocal Verona spectators roared with approval when they scorched through the finish to reset the target at 36.06 seconds.
World No. 1, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, came close to that with Alamo, the horse with which he claimed his third Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ title earlier this year, when breaking the beam in 36.19. And home hero Emanuele Gaudiano, third last to go, drove the crowd into another frenzy of excitement when just fractionally slower with the extraordinary Chalou whose toe-pointing jumping technique is quite unique.
As Brash set off with his 13-year-old mare he looked cool, calm and completely collected. He had worked out every inch of his run to perfection, and by the time he came racing down the long run to the last it was clear he was out in front, the timers confirming his win when showing 35.55 seconds after he landed over the final fence to a wall of sound.
“I finished second here in Verona a couple of years ago (with Ursula) so it’s great to go one better here this time around! M’Lady is a delicate mare, she can get a little stressed with the atmosphere so it took be a bit of time at this show just to get her relaxed in the collecting ring, but her talent showed through in the end in the jump-off today - I thought she was amazing!”, Brash said. Kenny would have to settle for second while Guerdat finished third.
Guerdat, who now heads the Western European Leaderboard going into the next leg in Stuttgart, Germany next weekend, described today’s jump-off as “very fast!”
He said, “this last few weeks I missed most of my jump-offs so I wanted to keep my head a bit cooler today and try to not risk anything stupid and the horse being naturally fast it was enough for the third place. But you know today if you don’t risk it all it just isn’t possible anymore to win a class like this. But I’m very pleased with the horse, he couldn’t have been any better today. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season with him.”
Meanwhile Brash reflected on his result today and what it means for him and his brilliant mare. Asked if he might have Tokyo 2020 on his radar for her he replied, “yes, the Olympics is certainly on my mind and I would hope to think M’Lady is going to be one of my strongest contenders for next year”.
He is careful about how he is managing her with that in mind. “She was off for quite a while through injury a few years back, but she jumped at this summer’s European Championships to help qualify Great Britain for Tokyo”, he explained. He then dropped her down a level, jumping her at St Tropez in recent weeks before asking her to step up again this weekend in Verona. Today’s result has confirmed for him that she’s very happy to be back at the sharp end.
“It’s nice to feel that she feels competitive at the top end of the sport again - so I’ve high hopes for next year!” he said.
Result here
Standings here
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