Dear esteemed colleagues, equestrian professionals and enthusiasts,

Welcome to the FEI Sports Forum 2019 platform!

Since 2012, we have gathered annually to discuss, debate and plan the future of equestrian sport and, by doing so, effectively ensure that, as a community and as an industry, we stand together and we drive the sport together.

That time of year has come once again, and we are delighted to present you with the 2019 programme which has been carefully crafted in response to some of the challenges and questions we are facing as a sport. And it’s not always just about equestrian sport, but also the challenges the entire sporting industry is facing and even more generally, how can we be leaders in our domain and improve our performance, our integrity and our reliability as an institution of value and   worth.

The first topic we will cover this year at the Sports Forum is very much one of those questions; gender equality. Even though equestrian is the only Olympic sport in which men and women compete on equal terms at all levels within the arena, we still have a lot to prove when it comes to representation in governance-related positions (Committees, NFs, etc.). We realise it is important to have policies and processes which can help shift the status quo, so how can/should we do this in our sport and in our governing bodies and representative committees?This session will be followed by an important session on preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including a progress report, climate mitigation plans and a presentation on optimising equine and human performance in a challenging climate. Horse welfare is at the forefront of all our endeavours and climate is a crucial question in the build up to Tokyo 2020.

The rest of the day will be dedicated to a review of the FEI’s legal system, including a proposed way forward regarding pony measurement, as well as sanctions and measures related to Eventing Risk Management. The closing session of the day will be on Reining, allowing for discussion on the future of the discipline.

The Sports Forum’s second day, Tuesday 16 April, will focus on Endurance. It is the first time that an entire Sports Forum day will be dedicated to a single topic, but in view of the turmoil in which the discipline has found itself in recent times, it is vital we take the time to reflect on the future in an open and responsive manner. The Endurance Temporary Committee will present an update on their work to date and will seek the participants’ feedback on their proposals and the way forward.

The FEI Sports Forum programme is a reflection of where we stand but importantly where we need to go and we are looking forward to your active participation and your precious input on all the topics for the 2019 FEI Sports Forum.

You will find all the information you need here on this platform including the detailed timetable, information on each of the sessions, key deadlines, contact information, travel, accommodation and fees for registration, which this year also includes a reduced rate for younger delegates (U25) in order to encourage as many young athletes and equestrian professionals to join us for these important discussions on our collective future. We will also be live streaming the FEI Sports Forum, so for those unable to join us here in Lausanne, we hope you will follow the discussions online. This is a live platform so we will be updating this regularly with additional information as it becomes available.

We look forward to seeing you in Lausanne (or online) for the eighth edition of the FEI Sports Forum!