BY SABRINA IBÁÑEZ, FEI SECRETARY GENERAL & PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PARALYMPIC SPORTS ORGANISATIONS

Sport Highlights: 2017 was full of great sport

At a glance… For those that just need the quick facts!

• Over 4,500 international events
• European Championships
• World Cup series and Finals
• Nations Cup series and Finals
• And the list goes on… Read all about it in the Sport Highlights below or skip to the 2017 Governance Highlights

The sport calendar year truly kicked off with the unparalleled success of the Longines FEI World Cup^TM Jumping Final  and the FEI World Cup^TM Dressage Finals in Omaha, NE (USA), where the electrifying performances of USA’s McLain Ward and Germany’s Isabell Werth, the showbiz atmosphere, and the dedication and professionalism of the new Organising Committee fantastically amalgamated and placed these Finals where they belong….on top!

Omaha’s success was contagious. In Ebreichsdorf (AUT), we saw the FEI World Junior and World Young Riders Vaulting Championships as well as the FEI European Vaulting Championships for Seniors . The stands were full and the crowds phenomenal as they cheered the likes of Juan Martin Clavijo from Colombia winning his second consecutive world title.

Corinna Schumacher was the gracious host for FEI Reining Championships for the fourth consecutive time in her ranch CS in Givrins (SUI). During the FEI World Reining Young Riders Championships we saw her talented daughter Gina win the world gold with her fellow German team members.

Strzegom (POL) put on a truly memorable 10^th edition of the FEI European Eventing Championship where Great Britain regained the top as a team and Germany’s Ingrid Klimke won her first individual title ahead of triple champion Michael Jung.

Germany kept their winning streak in the exciting FEI European Endurance Championship in Brussels (BEL) with Sabrina Arnold (GER) claiming her first major individual Championship win as the Spanish team took the gold.

The equestrian family was also delighted to be back in Gothenburg (SWE) but this time for the Longines FEI European Championships in Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage and Driving. These championships were not only for equestrian enthusiasts but also for the entire family, with the Driving marathon being stupendously organised at the heart of Gothenburg in a public park open to all and free of charge. We were honoured to have the presence and support of the Swedish Royal family who participated in the festivities with the equestrian community.

In Gothenburg we were excited to share the excellent news that Longines would become title partner of the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series as part of their long-term and extended agreement with the FEI. The agreement brokered by FEI President Ingmar De Vos and Longines Vice President and Head of International Marketing Juan-Carlos Capelli was signed at a press conference in front of the National Federations, Chefs d’Equipes, athletes and media who celebrated with the FEI the most significant deal in FEI’s history.

A month after the announcement, the Longines FEI Nations Cup^TM Jumping 2017 Final took place at the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona (ESP), the historic venue for the Olympic equestrian events at the Barcelona1992 Games, and was as thrilling as it was unpredictable with the young Dutch team claiming the legendary trophy.

Many other events were organised successfully during the year. I have only mentioned a few highlights of the Calendar containing over 4,500 events including championships and qualifiers organised throughout the world – but you can read all about the sport and the discipline highlights here. Congratulations to all the Organising Committees, FEI Officials and formidable athletes for their accomplishments and dedication.

Governance Highlights: 2017 was a year of dialogue and exchange

At a glance… For those that just need the quick facts!

• FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne attracted 330 delegates. Live-streamed on YouTube, the themes focused on Jumping, Risk Management, Research and Education.
• New working group formed for CSI Invitation Rules and CSI/CSIO requirements
• Forums dedicated to Endurance and Para-Equestrian are held in Vic (ESP) and Stow-on-the-Wold (GBR) respectively
• 1^st FEI “pilot” course for NF Administrators at FEI HQ
• 250 delegates representing 106 National Federations attend 2017 FEI General Assembly
• Total transparency – all annexes and agendas for the FEI General Assembly in Uruguay are made publicly available for the first time – and live blog on Inside.FEI.org
• FEI Solidarity Committee allocates further financial assistance, technical assistance and/or consultancy services to 63 new projects from 33 National Federations
• FEI President Ingmar De Vos becomes United Nations Gender Champion
• Read all about it in the Governance Highlights below or skip to the 2017 Olympic and Paralympic Highlights 

Despite the tremendous achievements in sport, perhaps 2017 will be remembered as one of dialogue, exchange and recognition.

The 2017 FEI Sports Forum, which assembled 330 delegates but was also watched live by a growing online audience, was probably the most successful to date. The first day was crucial in defining objectives and receiving input for the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series, CSI/CSIO requirements, dress code and youth. On day two, we heard from the young and talented EquiRatings team of Diarmuid Byrne and Sam Watson on Eventing Risk Management and how data analysis and predictive analysis tools would help assist in measuring and managing risk for both human and equine athletes. We also received a better understanding from world experts and scientists on bone fatigue during a session dedicated to Endurance, as well as on the work of the Dressage Judges Working Group. In addition, delegates received a thorough update from the Officials Working Group, including the work performed to create over 100 job descriptions, the ideas behind rotation of officials, and more.

For Jumping, the dialogue and exchange did not end with the FEI Sports Forum. A month later the FEI formed a working group to discuss the CSI Invitation Rules and CSI/CSIO requirements. The working group, composed of representatives from National Federations, the European Equestrian Federation, Organisers, Athletes, Owners, FEI Officials and some members of the FEI Bureau inlucding the FEI President, met in Lausanne to discuss the future of Jumping. The debates were open and frank and resulted in a consensus on the way forward on the Jumping invitation rules and CSI/CSIO requirements.

At Stow-on-the-Wold (GBR), from 13-14 May 2017, the FEI reiterated its commitment to Para-Equestrian by organising the FEI Para Equestrian Forum to discuss, debate and map out the future of this incredible sport and the inspirational ambassadors of horsemanship: Para Equestrian athletes.

Two weeks later Vic (ESP) hosted the much anticipated Endurance Forum. The participants were reminded of the astronomical growth of the sport – from 27 CEIs in 1997 to over 900 CEIs in 2017 – and how this remarkable ascension had challenged systems in place. The community’s commitment to integrity and horse welfare was confirmed by the large turnout from all over the world and resulted in constructive discussions on risk management and education, as well as proposals on how to further modernise the sport. Delegates also heard from world experts on contributing factors to bone fatigue and the Global Endurance Injuries Study (GEIS).

When it comes to exchange with our counterparts in National Federations, we were delighted to host the first FEI “pilot” course for NF Administrators at FEI HQ from 9-13 October 2017 with 11 participants from 11 different National Federations in attendance. This course clearly confirmed the need and the benefits of such a focused meeting between the FEI and member federations on many of the day-to-day tools and processes.

The FEI General Assembly in Uruguay, which took place from 18-21 November, was hailed a great success with 250 delegates representing 105 of the FEI’s 133 National Federations in Montevideo (URU). Proceedings began with an opening address by the FEI President where he focused on the tremendous growth of the sport, followed by reports from the FEI Audit & Compliance Committee and the FEI Chief Financial Officer. The CFO informed the Assembly that the FEI is financially sound, and that strict expense control and a conservative budgeting approach in operational revenues resulted in an exceptional surplus of CHF 6.8 million for the FEI in 2016. As the FEI is a not-for-profit organisation, CHF 5.5 million of this surplus was put back into the sport, with allocation to projects such as:

• 1.7 million to FEI Solidarity fund
• 2.0 million provision for the prize money for the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final 2017, prior to the announcement of Longines title partnership for the series from 2018 onwards
• 1.4 million to promote increased EADMCP controls and further develop human anti-doping.
• 400,000 to the FEI IT fund

This was the first time the FEI General Assembly documents were made available to the public in a bid to further increase transparency and as usual, the General Assembly was streamed live on YouTube with new live “blog” reporting available here where you can read all about the reports and presentations.

As you will see in the dedicated section of this Annual Report and in the reports presented to the FEI General Assembly, 2017 was also a fantastic year for FEI Solidarity when a record number of projects were delivered. At its September 2017 meeting, the FEI Solidarity Committee allocated further financial assistance, technical assistance and/or consultancy services to 63 new projects from 33 National Federations.

Another notable event in this year’s Calendar was FEI President, Ingmar De Vos becoming United Nations Gender Champion on 8 March 2017, further marking the FEI’s commitment to gender equality.

Olympic & Paralympic Highlights: 2017 was a year of consolidation and recognition

At a glance… For those that just need the quick facts!

• IOC confirmed that equestrian sports would remain in the Olympic Programme for 2020 and 2024 with unchanged quotas
• FEI President Ingmar De Vos receives the “Sky is the Limit” Trophy from IOC President Thomas Bach
• FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez elected President of the Association of Para Sports Organisations (APSO)
• FEI President Ingmar De Vos elected as IOC Member during the Olympic Session in Lima (PER) in September of this year
• Read all about it in the Olympic & Paralympic Highlights below or skip to the 2017 Sponsorship Highlights

In 2017, the IOC confirmed that equestrian sports would remain in the Olympic Programme for 2020 and 2024. This decision was inextricably linked to the changes made to the Olympic formats during the 2016 FEI General Assembly in Tokyo (JPN). In addition, unlike many other International Federations which saw their quotas reduced, the FEI was able to maintain its quota.

Our organisation was further recognised by the IOC when the FEI President Ingmar De Vos received the “Sky is the limit” award from IOC President Thomas Bach at the official FEI Sports Forum dinner at the Lausanne Palace in April and, several months later, at the IOC Session in Lima in September when the FEI President was elected an IOC Member.

And lastly, I am truly honoured to have been elected as President of the new Association of Para Sports Organisations (APSO), which is the newly formed umbrella organisation which represents 17 sports that govern Para sport independently. For all these independent governing bodies, APSO has such an important role to play and I am fully committed to guaranteeing a sound governance framework that will protect all athletes and encourage the future growth of Paralympic sport worldwide.

Sponsorship Highlights: 2017 welcomed new sponsors and new markets

At a glance… For those that just need the quick facts

• • SAP SE becomes Official Analytics Sponsor of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Series
  • FEI renews long-term partnership with FEI Top Partner Longines
  • Longines becomes title partner of the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™
  • Boehringer Ingelheim becomes official FEI Equine Health Partner & FEI Campus Partner
  • CNSI becomes Official Business Partner of the FEI in China
  • Otto Sport International becomes FEI Campus Partner

A number of sponsorship deals were signed this calendar year. These new agreements come in addition to the current, ongoing engagements with Longines, Ariat and JetSet Sports. These new sponsorship deals include:

• • • Longines: 2017 represented a historic year in the hugely successful partnership between the FEI and Longines which saw the global partnership – that was halfway through its 10-year term – further extended in both duration and rights offering to include title partnership of the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Series starting from 2018.
    • Boehringer Ingelheim: Three months after the live launch of FEI Campus , in June 2017 the FEI netted a three-year commitment from Boehringer Ingelheim – a global pharmaceutical company and the world’s biggest equine health business – to become FEI Equine Health Partner and FEI Campus Partner. The agreement sees both parties collaborating on content and courses relating to equine health that are to be published on the free to access e-learning gateway.
    • China National Sports International (CNSI): On the back of rapidly growing enthusiasm for equestrian sport in the world’s second largest economy, which also boasts the world’s second biggest horse population, in October the FEI signed a five-year deal with China National Sports International (CSNI). The agreement sees CNSI – a sports and entertainment company that specialises in equestrian sports in China – become Official Business Partner of the FEI in China. Both parties will develop a large-scale e-sport, e-commerce and social media presence for equestrian sport to launch in 2018.
    • OTTO Sport International: Otto Sport International, known globally for producing footing for equestrian arenas at the world’s biggest events, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games, signed a four-year partnership geared towards helping drive the FEI’s education strategy through FEI Campus. They will provide top industry insight on equestrian arena footing to users of the e-platform, designed to positively affect horses not just while they compete but during training at home and leisure riding.
    • SAP: The first new FEI sponsor of 2017 was SAP SE, the world’s largest enterprise application software company, which became Official Analytics Sponsor of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Series. The deal was announced at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Finals in Omaha (USA) and sees SAP use its long experience of reinventing fan experiences to work with the FEI on engagement opportunities that will bring equestrian and Dressage audiences closer to the action and their passion.

You can read all about the FEI’s sponsors and commercial structure here.

Digital, IT and Media Highlights: 2017, a year of innovation, engagement and proactive communication

At a glance… For those that just need the quick facts!

• FEI Campus is launched!
• FEI reaches 1 million combined followers on FEI social platforms
• New Facebook page launched for each of the FEI disciplines
• Instagram followers rise by 800%
• FEITV launches new Over-The-Top platform service
• New functionality added to the Eventing Risk Management software
• Record media coverage of FEI Finals and Championships in mainstream media
• 100,000 votes received for the FEI Awards on FEI.org
• Read all about it in the Digital, IT and Media section below

FEI TV: In April 2017, the FEI fully re-launched its OTT (Over-The-Top) platform service: FEITV. This development brought a new level of content and service to the equestrian community globally. In addition to the relaunch of the FEITV website, an iOS and Android app were both launched, seamlessly integrating the FEITV experience across different digital platforms. On top of the live coverage and user defined playlists, an unlimited Video-on-Demand service was introduced alongside the option of replaying given competitions. Since the relaunch of FEITV, the subscriber numbers and the platform’s engagement levels have increased significantly. As a next step, subscribers will experience added functionalities, new forms of content as well as the integration of content from the FEI Archive.

FEI Campus: The e-learning platform FEI Campus was fully launched in June 2017 with the philosophy that new courses are added continuously so as to increase the offering as time goes by. With virtual classrooms and interactive teaching sessions, it’s been carefully crafted by equestrian experts and designed for everyone, including those looking for horse training and stable management tips to educational programmes on veterinary needs, equine behaviour and even for judging certification. A full report with statistics and trends will be presented at the FEI General Assembly 2018.

FEI Digital: The digital and social media performance increased significantly in 2017. This was illustrated through a 110% increase in unique users and a projected 260% growth in page views in 2017 compared to 2016. Furthermore, FEI.org has reached new audiences and is effectively engaging with these audiences through bespoke content and services.

The new public voting tool on FEI.org launched for the FEI Awards proved hugely successful, with 100,000 votes received over the 10-day voting period, exceeding expectations as this was a first of its kind. You can read all about the FEI Awards in the dedicated section of this Annual Report here.

 The FEI has also made a number of changes in the way content is being developed and distributed and has increased its focus on digital and social media, developing new types of content. Page views on FEI.org, have almost quadrupled in 2017.

Facebook video views are almost nine times greater than in 2015, and each discipline now has its own Facebook page. Instagram followers have gone up close to 800%, while YouTube views have increased by more than 30%.

FEI Risk Management in Eventing: In order to continuously improve the risk monitoring in Eventing, an important functionality has been added to the Risk Management software to track the details of all obstacles on each FEI cross country course. This will allow for the collection of additional data to be used for analytical and statistical purposes. The IT and Eventing Departments conducted a first pilot year with the Irish company EquiRatings to study the future implementation and use of the EquiRatings Quality Index (ERQI) for FEI competitions.

FEI Media Innovations: Several innovations with global media have had a major impact on the FEI’s profile in 2017, securing extensive visibility for our sport in mainstream media, which has increased the media value of FEI events, such as:

• Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping & FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals in Omaha
• Over 3.5 million items of media coverage
• Reached over 596 million people
• PR value: almost 12m Euro

• FEI European Championships (Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, Eventing, Vaulting, Driving, Endurance)
• Europe’s biggest news agencies covered the Europeans in depth: Belga News Agency (Belgium), Agence France Presse (France), DPA (Germany), AMP (Netherlands) and Press Association (GBR)
• Advertising equivalent value of media coverage for all European Championships: 163m Euro
• Extensive coverage outside of Europe, including in China

• Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona
• Biggest media trip in the history of this series
• Ten sports editors from the world’s biggest news agencies and news outlets plus Brazil’s top sports TV channel covered the event
• They joined over 200 accredited media on site in Barcelona

All the achievements I have highlighted above are a reflection of our status – as a sport and a community – as a unique sport with unique values and as leaders in governance in the sports world. Without the support of our National Federations, the FEI Bureau, the officials and all the volunteers dedicated to furthering equestrian sport, we would not be where we all are today.

Thank you for your time.

Sabrina Ibáñez
FEI Secretary General