Para Dressage Overview - Strategy development

The FEI Para Equestrian Forum was held in Birmingham (GBR) from 25 to 26 February 2025, marking the first in-person gathering since its last edition in Lamotte-Beuvron (FRA) in 2019, with an online version held in 2022.

FEI Director of Para Dressage Ronan Murphy and Chair of the FEI Para Equestrian Technical Committee Amanda Bond welcomed participants and thanked Jim Eyre, CEO of British Equestrian, and Jason Brautigam, CEO of British Dressage, for co-hosting the event.

Para Dressage: Current Progress, Global Growth, and Future Challenges
Amanda Bond provided an overview of the discipline’s current status and to explore its future direction.

She highlighted the role of the committee and various Working Groups — focused on Classification, compensating aids, and test development — in driving progress within the sport with the Classification Working Group, currently engaged in working on the implementation of the new IPC classification code.

Addressing the sport’s growth, Bond reported a significant increase in Para Dressage Events, with 70 Events scheduled in 2024. While the rise in 1* and 2* Events is notable, many athletes continue to favour 3* competitions, suggesting a need to review how we incentivise athletes at the lower levels. She also noted the sport’s expanding global reach, with Events increasingly held in the Americas, Oceania, and Asia, alongside its traditional stronghold in Europe.

Despite a 60% rise in athlete participation, bringing the total to 426 registered athletes, Bond emphasised the need for further growth and sustained engagement, particularly in non-Paralympic years. She also noted a shift in Grade distribution, with a significant increase in athletes competing in Grades IV and V.

Key points from Bond’s presentation included a call for greater youth engagement, supported by the introduction of youth rankings for under-18 athletes as a vital step in developing future talent. She also highlighted the remarkable longevity of athletes in the sport.

The expanding Event calendar — featuring major Championships such as the FEI Nordic and Baltic Championships, the European Championships, and the inaugural Asian Championships in Thailand — was identified as a key driver of broader and more consistent athlete participation.

Bond noted that sustaining the sport will require retaining and recruiting Officials, including Classifiers, particularly in underrepresented regions such as South America and Asia.

Finally, she acknowledged the increasing media reach and exposure through social media and broadcast platforms while addressing future challenges, including equine welfare, continued inclusion of Para Dressage in the Paralympic programme, and the potential integration of athletes with intellectual impairments.

Strategic Planning for Para Dressage: Vision, Mission, and Alignment with FEI Goals
FEI Director of Dressage, Para Dressage & Vaulting, Ronan Murphy, presented an overview of the strategic planning process for Para Dressage – outlining its alignment with the broader FEI Strategy and the Dressage Strategic Action Planning Group – and the objective to establish a clear vision, mission, and operational framework to drive the discipline’s future development.

The planning process, led by the Para Equestrian Technical Committee, involves a comprehensive situation analysis, including an assessment of internal and external factors, trends, and statistics.

A key priority is defining a clear vision and mission that unites the discipline under a shared purpose.

The proposed vision for Para Dressage is: “To grow globally, achieving sporting excellence and equality through the ethical bond between horse and human.” The draft mission statement highlights inclusivity, structured pathways from grassroots to elite levels, and a commitment to equine welfare, fairness, and transparency.

Strategic priorities include equine welfare, maintaining Paralympic status, youth development, athlete safeguarding, and fostering innovation. The strategy is designed to be a dynamic, evolving document, with measurable progress tracked through defined metrics. Regular updates will be shared with stakeholders, and results will be presented annually to National Federations.

Murphy also addressed the overlap between the Para Dressage and Dressage strategic planning, particularly in response to external scrutiny around equine welfare.

The Dressage Strategic Action Planning Group is tackling key issues such as social licence to operate, fair judging, transparency, and ethical training methods. These principles are being integrated into the Para Dressage strategy to ensure consistency across disciplines.

The strategic plan for Para Dressage is closely linked to upcoming rule revisions. A partial rule revision, with a focus on horse welfare, is scheduled for implementation in January 2026, followed by a full rule revision in 2027, allowing for broader changes, including competition formats. The strategic plan must be finalised by 2027 to align with these regulatory updates.

Murphy concluded by underscoring the importance of adaptability in the sport’s evolution. He stressed that positive change, informed by stakeholder engagement and ongoing consultation, is essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of Para Dressage. The next steps include finalising the wording of the mission and vision, defining strategic imperatives, and launching a comprehensive plan that the entire community can support and implement.

Murphy also provided an update on the Working Group to develop a Strategic Action Plan for Dressage, highlighting its relevance to Para Dressage due to shared challenges.

The Working Group was formed in response to growing scrutiny over equine welfare and competition practices, and originated from discussions at the FEI World Cup Finals in Riyadh (KSA) and subsequent stakeholder meetings, including those in Lausanne after the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Key stakeholders, including athletes, trainers, and the FEI Para Equestrian Technical Committee Chair, contributed to these discussions, emphasising collective responsibility.

Key priorities include defining modern Dressage and ensuring equine welfare remains central. Murphy also noted the development of initiatives like the Be a Guardian campaign and the creation of a Working Group on ethical training methods.

A partial rules revision for both Dressage and Para Dressage will be implemented on 1 January 2026, allowing for changes that benefit equine welfare. A full rules revision will follow in 2027, providing more flexibility for potential changes, including test formats.

The Working Group’s term will end on 1 January 2027 and its strategy must align with this timeline. The group will maintain close collaboration with the Para Equestrian Technical Committee, given the overlap in rules between Dressage and Para Dressage.

Presenters
♦ Ronan Murphy, FEI Director, Dressage, Para Dressage and Vaulting
♦ Amanda Bond, FEI Para Equestrian Technical Committee Chair
♦ Jim Eyre, Chief Executive Officer, British Equestrian Federation
♦ Jason Brautigam, Chief Executive Officer, British Dressage