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The Olympic sport of Eventing is the most complete combined competition discipline recognised by the FEI. Sometimes described as an equestrian triathlon, Eventing demands considerable experience in all branches of equitation.
Eventing originated as a military competition which tested officers and horses in challenges that could occur on or off duty. It also provided a basis to compare training standards between the cavalries of different countries. The modern competition comprises dressage, cross-country and jumping on consecutive days. The competitor rides the same horse throughout the three phases.
Cross-country is the highlight, testing the speed, stamina and jumping ability of the horse, as well as the rider’s knowledge of pace and the use of his horse. The course will have between 25 and 45 specially constructed jumps over solid obstacles such as logs, woodpiles and stone walls, with water and ditches increasing the technical difficulty.
Eventing has a huge following with crowds of up to 250,000 recorded at the British spring feature at Badminton. In 1976 the Princess Royal was a member of the British Olympic team, and her daughter, Zara Phillips, is also an accomplished Event rider. Meanwhile New Zealand’s Mark Todd wrote a 112-page biography of his horse Charisma, with whom he twice won the Olympic Eventing title.
A demonstration of Olympic spirit and determination at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, where the first three Australians were well ahead of the field when one of their horses went lame, saw their fourth rider, 45-year-old Bill Roycroft, who had broken his collarbone in the cross-country, leave his hospital bed, to go clear in the Jumping and secure team gold for Australia.
Eventing demands of the competitor considerable experience in all branches of equitation and a precise knowledge of the horse’s ability and of the horse a degree of competence resulting from intelligent and rational training. It covers all round riding ability and horsemanship: the harmony between horse and rider that characterise Dressage; the contact with nature, precise knowledge of the horses ability and extensive experience essential for the Cross Country; the precision, agility and technique involved in Jumping.
Eventing is one of the three disciplines in competition at the Olympic Games, the other two being Jumping and Dressage.
Modern competitions consist of three distinct tests: Dressage, Cross-Country and Jumping. They take place on separate consecutive days during which a competitor rides the same horse throughout.
1. Dressage Test After an opening Horse Inspection, a Dressage test is performed, the object of which is the harmonious development of the physique and ability of the horse. The test consists of a series of compulsory movements at walk, trot and canter gaits, within a rectangular arena 60 m. long and 20 m. wide. To perform a good Dressage test, the horse needs to be flexible and fluid. To keep the strong Eventing horses under the firm control required by the exacting Dressage movements involves great knowledge and understanding. A good Dressage test lays the foundation for the rest of the competition and horses that are found wanting in this phase face an uphill struggle to get up amongst the prize-winners.
2. Cross-Country Test The focus of the entire event is on the Cross-Country test, the objective of which is to test the ability of athletes and horses to adpat to different and variable conditions (weather, terrain, obstacles, footing etc...) and jumping ability of the horse, while at the same time demonstrating the rider’s knowledge of pace and the use of his horse. Exceeding the time allowed and refusals result in penalties. All penalties are added together and recorded for inclusion in the final classification. Fall of a horse and/or of a rider entails immediate elimination.
3. Jumping Test The Jumping test takes place on the last day after a second Horse Inspection. Riders may voluntarily retire their horses if they seem unfit to continue. This test is run in reverse order of merit and its main objective is to prove that the horses have retained their suppleness, energy and obedience in order to jump a course of 11 to 15 obstacles.
The winning individual is the competitor with the lowest total of penalty points. The winning team is the one with the lowest total of penalty points, after adding together the final scores of the three highest placed competitors in the team.
The Premier Eventing Competitions are...
As 2022 draws to a close, we are pleased to bring to your attention the latest information on preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The attached document contains detailed updates on:
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Paris 2024 Equestrian Delivery Entity: Appointment of GL Events Equestrian Sport
- Jumping Co-Course Designers for Paris 2024 Olympic Games
- Eventing Course Designer Pierre Le Goupil Paris 2024
- Competition schedule for Paris 2024 Olympic Games
- Eventing Horse Inspection
FEI RULES AND REGULATIONS
- Paris 2024 Olympic Games
- Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
QUALIFICATION OF NATIONS
- Qualification systems for Paris 2024 Olympic Games
- FEI Olympic Group Qualification Events (Jumping, Dressage, Eventing)
- Paris 2024 Paralympic Games - Para Dressage Qualification System
PARIS 2024 VENUE TESTING ACTIVITIES
Accreditation FOR HORSE OWNERS
TICKETING
We hope you find this information useful and take the opportunity to wish a very Happy and Merry Holiday Season!
Please be informed that, in order to line up the FEI Eventing Rules with the Eventing Officials Education System and the introduction of two additional Officials categories, the FEI Board has approved the following update to the FEI Eventing Rules:
511. 1 Eventing Stewards specifics
All FEI listed Judges and Technical Delegates will automatically be listed as Level 1 FEI Stewards.
512 Requirements for Maintenance of Status
Officials not fulfilling the Eventing Official Education system requirements will be transferred down or dropped from the Eventing Officials list. at the discretion of the Eventing Committee.
513 Appointment of Officials
Short Format (CCIs-S andCCIOs-S)
Long Format (CCIs-L and CCIOs-L)
513.5 Championships & Games
Given that this is an Emergency Board Resolution, National Federations have until 13 January 2023 to signify their disapproval by sending an email to Francisco P. Lima, Director Governance & Institutional Affairs.
The updated FEI Eventing Rules, which come into effect on 1 January 2023, are now available here.
The FEI Board held its monthly teleconference on 6 December. The main resolutions related to Eventing taken on this occasion are listed below.
ALLOCATION OF FEI NAMED SERIES, EVENTS AND FINALS
FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2023
The Board approved the allocation of the following legs for the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2023:
Montelibretti (ITA) CCIO4*-S, 9-12 March 2023
Chatsworth (GBR) CCIO4*-S, 12-14 May 2023
Millstreet (IRL) CCIO4*-S, 1-4 June 2023**
Strzegom (POL) CCIO4*-S, 22-25 June 2023
Haras de Jardy (FRA) CCIO4*-S, 13-16 July 2023
Avenches (SUI) CCIO4*-S, 20-23 July 2023
Arville (BEL) CCIO4*-S, 17-20 August 2023
Boekelo (NED) CCIO4*-L, 5-8 October 2023
** Subject to receiving the signed Host Agreement.
FEI Olympic Group Qualification Event – Eventing – Groups F&G
The Board allocated the FEI Olympic Qualification Event for Groups F (Africa and Middle East) and G (South East Asia, Oceania) for Eventing to Millstreet (IRL), 1-4 June 2023.
Paris 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES
Appointment of the Jumping Course Designer
The Board approved the joint appointment of Santiago Varela (ESP) and Gregory Bodo (FRA) as Co-Course Designers for the Jumping and Eventing Jumping Competitions of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Additional details on this appointment will be published in a dedicated press release here.
Eventing Horse Inspection
In line with article 20.1 viii of the FEI Statutes, the Board agreed with the request made by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee not to open the Eventing Horse Inspection to spectators during the Olympic Games. The decision was made for cost saving reasons and in an effort to alleviate organisational complexity. Alternative solutions to make the Horse Inspections visible to the public are being considered.
The following documents have been updated. It is VERY IMPORTANT that the latest update of the rules and guidelines are used.
FRANGIBLE DEVICES:
MIM Corner kit (80236) and Post & Rail Narrow Kit – (80322)
The instruction manuals and videos have been updated to show more clearly how to support the released rail when it drops down to a support.
In addition, the animated instruction manuals for the Oxer, Post & Rail, Post & Rail Adjustable, Post & Rail Narrow, Wall and Table kits have also been updated.
Please refer to the FEI website, Eventing / Risk Management / Deformable & Frangible Devices to view or download the instructions.
CROSS COUNTRY GUIDE FOR OFFICIALS:
Available on the website under Eventing / Rules
Two updates have been made on the following:
We are pleased to inform you that the FEI Secretary General has approved the FEI Calendar for 2023 for all disciplines. It can be consulted online in the FEI Database.
In accordance with the FEI General Regulations, Article 112 Official Calendar, National Federations (NFs) had until 1 October 2022 at the latest to send in applications and modifications to CIs taking place in 2023 to the Secretary General. The Secretary General approves the official Calendar for the following year.
Approval of the 5* Jumping Calendar for 2024 is scheduled for late November/early December 2022 but could be postponed should the FEI General Assembly in Cape Town (RSA) approve FEI’s proposal to change the deadline for receipt of applications for 5* to 1 May (the year before the Event takes place).
In addition, the Secretary General has extended the measure taken on 28 February 2022 to remove all international equestrian events in Russia and Belarus from the FEI Calendar. As a consequence, no FEI events will be accepted/entered in either country in the FEI Calendar for 2023.
The other measures approved by the FEI Executive Board in February remain in place, as follows:
Detailed information on the decision taken by the FEI Executive Board on 28 February is available here.
The Secretary General has also confirmed that the FEI Board’s Emergency Board Resolution of 2 March 2022 prohibiting all Russian and Belarusian Athletes, Horses and Officials from participating in FEI Events remains in place until further notice.
Should you have any questions, please send an email to calendar@fei.org.
Please kindly note that a replay of the Webinar held on 12 October on the FEI Eventing Officials Education System is now available on the Education System page, as well as a Questions and Answers document.
The new and updated Draft Schedules 2023, to be used for all international events taking place next year, are now available on inside.FEI.org.
Below you will find the direct links to the schedules for each discipline as well as the relevant contact email should you require further information and/or assistance:
Click here for Jumping // Person in charge : jenni.saynajarvi@fei.org and/or kevin.Guttmann@fei.org
Click here for Dressage // Person in charge: philippe.maynier@fei.org
Click here for Para Dressage // Person in charge: laetitia.gillieron@fei.org
Click here for Eventing // Contact email: eventingschedules@fei.org
Click here for Vaulting // Person in charge: laetitia.gillieron@fei.org
Click here for Driving // Contact email: driving@fei.org
Click here for Endurance // Contact email: endurance@fei.org
FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 – Re-opened Bid
See below a clarification to one of the bid criteria that was included in the FEI Update on 12 September 2022. Please kindly note that there was a typo in the original bid criteria where it was stated that the OC must have previously organised a CEI3* or a CEI2* 140. That criteria should have been written as follows:
NFs are kindly requested to inform their Endurance Organisers accordingly. As mentioned in the FEI Update of 12 September 2022, bids should be sent to bidding@fei.org no later than Monday, 10 October 2022.
FEI Series 2023-2024 bid process opens
The FEI is pleased to announce that the bid process for the 2023/2024 season of the FEI series listed below will open on Tuesday, 27 September 2022.
All interested organisers and/or National Federations (Applicants) are invited to submit their applications via the FEI Bidding Platform, using the application form available in the platform for that purpose, until Friday, 21 October 2022.
The FEI series opened for applications are the following:
Please find here below an overview of the relevant dates concerning the present bid process.
We kindly ask all National Federations to share this information with the organisers. Should you have any questions, please contact bidding@fei.org.
Further to the publication of the new FEI Eventing Education System last August, two free-access webinars on 12 October 2022 are organised to explain the new system, how it works during the transition phase, and clarify Officials' and Organisers' related queries.
The first webinar is at 08h30 and the second one at 14h00 CEST. Kindly register by October 6th to eventingofficials@fei.org – and provide your questions ahead, if any, so a Q&A can be prepared. Do not forget to specify at what time you want to join: 08h30 OR 14h00 CEST, so the correct link can be emailed to you.
In line with the FEI Officials’ Recommendations, please be informed that the FEI Eventing Education System has been fully revised by the FEI Eventing Department, the Eventing Officials Education Working Group, the FEI Education and Officials Department and the FEI Eventing Technical Committee, and will be implemented on 1 January 2023.
Alongside the FEI Eventing Education System, the related career pathways, job descriptions and transition document will also be published, with the latter describing the main changes in the new system and immediate consequences for existing Eventing Officials.
Finally, to provide support to, and answer questions from all Eventing stakeholders, two free-access webinars will be organised on 12 October 2022. The first one at 08h30 and the second one at 14h00 CEST. Practical details for these webinars will be communicated in due time.
Should you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the FEI Eventing Department at eventingofficials@fei.org.
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