NURTURING THE FUTURE / DEVELOPING NATIONAL AUTONOMY

Launched in 2012, FEI Solidarity is a global programme aimed at promoting and enhancing equestrian culture working directly with the FEI’s member National Federations by providing the tools, the knowledge and the infrastructure required to develop the sport and nurture talent from grassroots to the world stage. Over 40 Technical Experts are delivering education through the FEI’s four pillars of activity and across the three types of assistance.

NEW IN 2017

• New courses on offer
• New National Federations join the FEI Solidarity Programme
• New Partnership with Longines for the Retraining of Racehorses

INCREASING THE SCOPE // SINCE 2012…

FEI Solidarity assistance by pillar

• Athletes’ Training (Teams)

To assist Athletes in their long-term development, i.e. identification, qualification and preparation for Regional/Continental Championships & Games:

• Athletes’ Scholarships

Ongoing training for individual athletes to prepare for participation at Regional/Continental Championships & Games (technical level 1* to 2**/Dressage PSG)

2017 Athletes’ Highlight: Cambodian athletes at the Mondial des Clubs in Lamotte Beuvron (FRA)

 From 26-28 July, the “Mondial des Clubs” was held in France’s Lamotte Beuvron. This international friendly Jumping competition is open to equestrian clubs from all parts of the world and takes place during the French Clubs Championship. The competition attracted teams from Algeria, Chile, Gabon, Great Britain, India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Luxembourg and France. The aim of this competition is to create a convivial event in which participants will share their equestrian experiences.

FEI Solidarity supported the identification, qualification and preparation (training) of the Cambodian young riders team in view of their participation in the Mondial des Clubs. The aim of this Solidarity project was to enhance the participation of Cambodian young riders in international competition. The outcome was a success according to the Cambodian Equestrian Federation President’s Mona Tep: “It was an amazing experience for our riders, for whom it was a dream to compete in France. They also met for the first time on a joint competition and could build nice team spirit which can promise us good future results.”

Over 300 courses and close to 4,000 coaches have been educated since the FEI Coaching system was created in 2003.

• Aimed at developing National Federations to help them organise their own coaching structure from basic coaching methods to high performance coaching
• Each level is supported by a set of didactic (pedagogical) material available in different languages including: English, Spanish, Russian, French and Arabic
• All FEI Tutors delivering courses receive specific training on adult learning techniques
• The progression of all coaches is monitored and recorded in a Database. National certification of attendance (level 1) and achievement (levels 2 & 3) is awarded by NFs
• New modules in the pipeline for Para Dressage and Driving

Coach Education 2017

2017 Coaches’ Highlight: First Level 1 course for Endurance Coaches – Athens (GRE) 

The Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre, home of the 2004 Olympic Games, hosted this inaugural Level 1 course for Endurance Coaches. The course was held over five days and covered theory, practical sessions, and finished in a 20km test ride. Participants attending the course were from Greece (8), Great Britain (1), Finland (1), Estonia (1) and Turkey (1).

The practical sessions included rider and horse balance, lateral work, paces, transitions and exercises for crewing of horse and rider, plus water crossings.

All coaches, riders and horses were observed to make significant improvement throughout the course and gained valuable experience. The final test was a 20km Endurance course in which eight combinations competed and tested the coaches in water point crewing and vet gate supervision of horse and rider.

This was a great start to the Endurance Coaching system and hopefully many more will be planned in the near future.

Working hand in hand with National Federations…

Consultancy Services

The FEI Development Officer’s activities are a mix of:

• Analysis of NF’s Situation
• Establish a NF’s Development Plans
• Coach Education (delivery of courses, workshops)
• Follow up on FEI Solidarity NF projects

Equestrian Sport Educative Events (ESEE)

Workshop–based events aimed at building the foundations of a discipline through education of national Officials including Coaches and Organisers.

• 2015-2017
• 96 ESEEs delivered
• All FEI disciplines
• 30 experts around the world
• 34 NFs
• 273 National Officials involved

National Federation IT Platform

An IT solution for Horse Sport Management tailored to developing National Federations’ needs.

• 33 National Federations involved
• 1 Workshop in 2015: Lausanne, Switzerland
• 2 Workshops in 2016: Uruguay & Belarus
• 2 Workshops in 2017: South Africa & Thailand

FEI Course for NF Administrators

To train NF Administrators in order to ensure professional management and administration of their NF in accordance with the Sports Rules, FEI Rules, Olympic Rules, etc.

• 5 day course (NF position in the Olympic Movement, Structure & Constitution; NF Administration of the FEI Rules & Regulations; FEI Sports/Disciplines Structure & Administration; FEI Services & Tools for NFs; and, Communication & Marketing)
• 11 National Federations involved
• All FEI Departments involved
• More than 25 FEI staff involved

2017 National Federation Highlight: Jamaica’s first FEI Dressage Educative Event

From 3-7 May, the National Equestrian Federation of Jamaica organised for the first time a Dressage Equestrian Sport Educative Event (ESEE). A total of 13 participants, including national judges, coaches and demo riders took part in the event. One judge, one coach from Panama and one coach from Haiti had been invited to participate in the workshop. Dressage experts Mrs Sylvia Luna de Spillari (GUA) and Mr Gabriel Armando (ARG) conducted the workshop.

Horse Welfare

Ongoing training for National Head Veterinarians (NHV) aimed at giving the NHVs basic knowledge and understanding of International Movement of Horses:

• Prepare the NHVs for the International Horse Sport Confederation (IHSC) – International Animal Health Organisation (OIE) Regional Workshop
• Educate the NHVs on their role within the Global Medication Control Programme
• Exchange information and experiences
• Athens (GRE), 2016
• Guatemala City (GUA), 2017
• Johannesburg (RSA), 2017
• Montevideo (URU), 2017

Training courses for Farriers and Grooms delivered by Technical Experts

• Haiti, 2016
• Honduras, 2016
• Uruguay, 2016
• Algeria, 2017
• Bolivia, 2017
• Kyrgyzstan, 2017
• Madagascar, 2017
• Panama, 2017
• Sri Lanka, 2017
• Venezuela, 2017

Sport for All

Social Integration for underprivileged Youth through sport. FEI Solidarity has financially contributed to Sport for All projects held in:

• Cambodia

Riding programme for youth from local communities

• Haiti

School programme including riding and horsemanship

• Singapore

CSR / Social Project –  Equine assisted learning. Horse-based therapy programme for children  with behavioural difficulties at school and in socialising; Students with mental health concerns, and students with special needs

• Uruguay

From therapeutic riding to Para-Equestrian

• Zambia

Social inclusion programme for Youth from the local communities of the Sport

2017 Values Highlight: Sport for All in Zambia

Sport for All in Zambia is an FEI Solidarity project involving the Zambian National Equestrian Federation (ZANEF), aimed at encouraging Zambian children to ride and learn about horses and at increasing the number of Zambian children participating in equestrian sport. Through this programme, ZANEF is able to give free lessons to the most disadvantaged Zambian children. The project started in 2015 and since then 240 children have been involved. Some of the children are riding on average 8-12 hours a month and also competing in Jumping and Dressage. The programme is a success, according to ZANEF: ”There is no doubt that horses have changed the lives of these children for the better, providing a source of happiness and new opportunities.”

TANGIBLE SUCCESS…

More expertise, more understanding, more resources, more events around the world.

More athletes reaching the Olympic, World, Continental and Regional Championship level.