Session 6: FEI Eventing Rules full revision

Tuesday, 1 April, 11.00 - 12.30

The proposed changes under the FEI Eventing Rules full revision were presented by FEI Eventing Committee Chair David O’Connor and FEI Eventing Director Frédérique Reffet Plantier, followed by a Q&A session with a panel featuring members of the FEI Eventing Committee. The only Committee member not on the panel was Bettina Hoy (GER), who was unable to attend due to a meeting with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

Key proposed changes discussed during the session were a U25 Championship, cross country penalties, Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs), restriction of participation for five-star horses competing at one- and two-star level, a review system for Field of Play (FoP) decisions and morning re-inspections.

U25 Eventing Championship: The proposed introduction of a U25 Eventing Championship focused on the need for such an event to bridge the gap between U21 riders and senior teams, providing a clearer pathway for young athletes at the international level.

There was strong support for the concept, with many advocating for a short-format competition, with some suggesting a 4* short format to ensure accessibility for a wider range of nations. One concern raised was whether Organisers had been consulted about hosting a U25 Championship. It was noted that bidders for the 2027 Europeans saw it as an opportunity to combine the U25 Championship with the FEI Europeans Eventing Championships for Juniors and Young Riders. A proposal to run two separate competitions, a 3* and a 4*, was also put forward to accommodate developing nations. Additionally, a suggestion was made to consider holding the Championship at both global and regional levels to ensure broader participation and make the Championship more accessible.

Cross country penalties: Proposed revisions to cross-country penalties focused on Article 548.1 (Faults at Obstacles), with statistical analysis showing that frangible device activations and missed flags accounted for a small percentage of total results between 2019 and 2024. Given this data, National Federations and the Eventing Committee recommend reviewing the balance and ratio of penalties associated with these faults to ensure fairness and consistency. There was broad support for reducing the 15 penalties for flag rule infringements, and also review the 11 penalties for frangible pin activations. There was acknowledgement that advances in technology could help provide more accurate assessments, while shifting the focus of discussion to the appropriate penalty level.

MERs parameters: The discussion also covered MER parameters under Article 517, particularly the impact of adjusting the cross-country optimum time. An EquiRatings study examined the potential effects of tightening the time requirements for CCI4*-L and CCI5*-L, with findings indicating that 5% of MERs would no longer be valid under the proposed changes. There was general consensus among National Federations that the accepted MER penalties for the Dressage and Jumping tests, as well as the optimum time for the Cross Country, should be reassessed. The debate centred on whether the MER requirements for Dressage should be increased and whether it would be more appropriate to challenge horses at lower levels instead of raising expectations at higher levels.

CCI5* level Horses at CCI1* & 2*: Another proposed change addressed participation restrictions for CCI5* horses competing at 1* and 2* levels (Article 504.2.1). Currently, horses that have obtained an MER at W-CH/OG/5*-L competitions within the past year cannot enter CCI1* or CCI2* events unless their rider is not categorised. National Federations and the Eventing Committee suggested allowing these experienced horses to compete at lower levels to boost confidence and provide educational opportunities. It was argued that experienced horses should not have to wait an extra year to be considered schoolmasters for younger riders.

Review system for Field of Play decisions: A review system for Field of Play decisions was also discussed, particularly regarding Articles 544 and 548. The proposal suggests introducing an official, potentially remote, Dressage Review process to ensure accuracy and fairness at major competitions, including Championships, CCI4*, and CCI5* events. The possibility of extending this review system to cross country penalties, particularly for missed flags and activating a frangible device (Article 548.1), was also debated. Participants were open to the idea, especially as it helps prevent score discrepancies and ensures a level playing field by allowing reviews before discussions with the Technical Delegate. However, concerns about the cost and the need to align with existing Dressage processes, including skill requirements and rotation of judges, were also raised.

Morning re-inspections: The topic of morning re-inspections in Eventing was raised in relation to Veterinary Regulations (Article 1039.1). Unlike other Olympic disciplines, Eventing does not currently allow morning re-inspections after the first Horse Inspection. National Federations expressed interest in aligning Eventing with other disciplines to enhance horse welfare. Statistical analysis showed that only 0.08% of athletes were eliminated during the first Horse Inspection between 2022 and 2024, but a majority agreed that the rule should be updated for consistency.

Supporters of the proposed change also emphasised that aligning Eventing with other disciplines would help maintain consistent welfare standards and make procedures easier to explain to the public. However, some participants questioned the need for a re-inspection, pointing out that only a small percentage of horses fail the first inspection, and Eventing’s public first inspection already serves its purpose. Concerns about the effectiveness of a 12-hour re-inspection for welfare benefits, and logistical challenges were raised. Some suggested integrating the inspection on arrival with the first inspection as a potential solution. Technology such as gait analysis was mentioned but this is not yet considered a comprehensive alternative to traditional veterinary checks. Inconsistencies of Horse Inspection or examination on arrival in short-format competitions were also raised.

Open discussion: The discussion addressed various topics, starting with the workload of Eventing officials and whether improvements could be made to per diem policies. It was emphasised that any changes to the per diem structure, if introduced, would need to be applied consistently.

The integration of key elements from the Dressage Strategic Action Plan into the Eventing structure was discussed, with the aim of ensuring that any changes concerning Eventing officials and judges are aligned with developments across all disciplines.

There were also discussions on tack regulations, with concerns about frequent updates to the FEI Tack App causing confusion for officials and athletes. The need for clarity on whether tack related rules should be in the main discipline rulebooks or in a separate document was also put forward, with ongoing work still required to establish a consistent process for tack regulations across all disciplines.