FEI Para Equestrian Forum 2022

FEI Para Equestrian Forum 2022

Online

Over 140 participants, including Officials, Athletes, Trainers and National Federation representatives, took part in the 2022 edition of the Para Equestrian Forum, which was held online due to the pandemic restrictions. There were three online workshop sessions which looked at the Development of Para Dressage, the structure of the sport and Classification.

While the Forum discussions were conducted with a view to developing the sport structure in the lead up to the 2022 FEI Para Dressage World Championships and the Paralympics Games in Paris 2024, the meeting was also an opportunity to reflect on past accomplishments.

FEI Para Equestrian Committee Chair Amanda Bond, who moderated the entire Forum, provided an overview of the Para Dressage development journey since the 1970s, acknowledging the pioneers of the sport like Jonquil Solt and Dr Chris Meaden and the contributions made by them and others. She also highlighted the development of the sport since it joined the FEI in 2006 and the global reach and increase in performance standards it has experienced over the last decade.

In her remarks, FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez reflected on the role that the FEI Para Equestrian Forum has played in shaping the sport since it began in 2015. She also recognised the exceptional performances of Para Dressage athletes at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020, as well as the success of the Paralympic Games format in Tokyo that made the sport easier to understand, and allowed the media to better promote the sport to a global audience.

The 2022 FEI Para Equestrian Forum also marked the start of the consultation phase for the Para Dressage Rules Revision process, and all National Federations were encouraged to provide their responses and feedback to the FEI within the specified timelines.

The FEI Para Equestrian Forum was first held in Essen (GER) in 2015, then in Stow-on-the-Wold (GBR) in 2017 and in Lamotte-Beuvron (FRA) in 2019. While the Forum takes places every two years, the 2021 in-person meeting and the Rules Revision process was delayed due to the postponement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020.

All the relevant information, documents and presentations relating to the Forum can be found below. 

Session 1 - 18 January 2022 from 12:00 to 15:00 CET

Session 2 - 19 January 2022 from 12:00 to 15:00 CET

Session 3 - 28 January 2022 from 10:00 - 13:00 CET

Registration is open to all members of the Para Equestrian community. Interested participants should contact their NF in order to be registered directly in the FEI Online Education Calendar (under Para Dressage). For any issues with registration please contact the FEI Para Dressage Department.
Once the registration deadline is passed, the registrations will be approved.
The link to join the Forum will be communication to all registered participants along with the agenda and annexes, in due course.

Guidelines for how to use the FEI Online Calendar

Session 1 - Development of Para Dressage

FEI Update on Rules Revision, Education and Para Dressage Tests

Development of Para Dressage - Interactive session on developing a Para Dressage Challenge

Full Agenda

Presentation

Wrap Up 

Session 2 - Sport Structure

Interactive session on proposed changes to the Para Dressage sport structure (CPEDI1* - 3*, CPEDIOs, Championships), looking into Officials requirements, tests to be ridden, qualification between levels etc.

Full Agenda

Presentation

Wrap Up 

Session 3 - Classification

Research update - for further information please see the Para Equestrian Classification Research page

Keeping Classification going during the Pandemic - lessons learned

Classification Governance

Procedural reminders and update

Full Agenda

Presentation

Wrap Up