1. Background
In 2016, the FEI created a Working Group on FEI Officials following feedback from the “Officials” sessions (Career Pathway, Education and Appointment & Remuneration) at the FEI Sports Forum earlier that year. Chaired by FEI second Vice President Mark Samuel (CAN) and including representatives from various stakeholder communities, as well as being supported by the FEI Education & Officials Department, the new Working Group was tasked with developing proposals for the improvement and harmonisation of the management, education, and career progression of FEI Officials across all disciplines.
Fifteen recommendations were brought forward in response to their remit to improve the quality of Officials, their education, opportunities and experiences. Recommendations were also made regarding the systems in place to manage Officials, which in turn will ensure the smooth running of FEI events, and ultimately horse welfare.
The third recommendation of the Working Group specifically refers to the introduction of a Competency-based Evaluation System with the goal of replacing the age limit and appointing system. This has been developed by the FEI Education & Officials Department and is now implemented.
Note that the FEI Education framework will continue to be developed alongside the CES in order to regulate and administer the status of FEI Officials. The transfer-up process is being harmonised and structured as part of the Evaluation System, and an on-the-job performance as well as a monitoring system will be implemented as this represents an essential part of the FEI Education Framework.

2. Aims and Means
In order to deliver high quality officiating and true level playing field at all events, the CES aims to ensure that FEI Officials fulfil all the requirements of their job description and are up-to-date with the current FEI Rules & Regulations as well as the latest officiating know-how.
The means of the Competency-based Evaluation System are to assess all the different competencies required to officiate at a given function/level/discipline, in the most efficient and objective manner on a regular basis, during the two phases of a function’s cycle:

Transfer-up is a crucial phase of the Education System, and here the Competency-based Evaluation System plays an important role in ensuring that all Officials applying for a higher level or new function are fully prepared and properly evaluated. This will help ensure each candidate fits their job description successfully and is able to serve their sport at the best of their abilities.

All Transfer-ups for FEI functions are described in the relevant discipline’s Education System, which can be found online on inside.fei.org or accessed by clicking on the relevant link below:

Jumping	Dressage	Para Dressage	Eventing
Driving & Para Driving	Endurance	Vaulting	Veterinary

1. Maintenance Structure

The maintenance for FEI Officials is organised around three main requirements, each one having a specific objective, cycle, and adapted method, as described in Fig.2 below.

CES Online Assessment

Objective: Assessing the theoretical understanding of the discipline, officiating skills and the current FEI Rules & Regulations in place, to ensure the Official is up-to-date.
Additionally, Officials have to certify that they are taking the assessment personally, and that they are “Fit-to-officiate” according to the requirements of the role as an Official.

Cycle: Every year

Method: Online via FEI Campus

CES Maintenance Course

Objective: Assessing the applied (practical) understanding of the discipline, officiating skills and FEI Rules & Regulations to support the development of officiating know-how.

Cycle: Minimum every three years

Method: In-person or virtually

CES Officiating Review

Objective: To evaluate if the officiating activity of the last three years is in line with the relevant Education System, to ensure Officials are active and keep gaining experience.

Cycle: Every year

Method: Administrative check in the FEI Database

2. Maintenance Year and timeline

To understand maintenance, one should understand the Maintenance Year and its timeline. A Maintenance Year runs from 15 December to the following 15 December. It features two important periods: the transition period and the regulated period which are articulated around a key date (31 March).

• 15 December
  Start of a Maintenance Year
• From 15 December to 31 March is the transition period
  During this period, Officials with an OPEN function can officiate without having passed the CES Online Assessment of the current Maintenance Year.
• 31 March
  Marks the end of the transition period and the beginning of the regulated period.
• From 31 March to 15 December is the regulated period
  During this period, Officials must have passed their annual CES Online Assessment (of the current Maintenance Year) in order to officiate.
• Next 15 December
  Marks the end of the Maintenance Year. It is the deadline for all Maintenance Requirements to be fulfilled.

3. Maintenance and Function’s statuses

Maintenance has a direct influence on the status of an Official’s function and vice versa. Functions can have three different statuses, identified by three distinctive colours.

OPEN

• The Official is listed (see list here) and allowed to officiate
• The function is open until 31 March of the next Maintenance Year

Reason: The Official is up-to-date with all Maintenance Requirements.

ON HOLD

• The Official is not listed and temporarily not allowed to officiate
• The function is on-hold until the missing requirement is fulfilled

Reason: The Official did not take and pass the CES Online Assessment before 31 March.

CLOSED

• The Official is not listed and not allowed to officiate
  The function is closed until re-entering the FEI Officials’ System (read more about it in the “Maintenance in details” section below (to be linked to section tag “Maintenance in details”)

Reason: The Official did not fulfil the Maintenance Requirements in due time or received a disciplinary decision from the FEI or their National Federation.

Since 2022, the maintenance for FEI Officials has been improved to better answer the specific needs of all FEI Disciplines, offer a supportive structure for Officials to fulfil their Maintenance Requirements, or return to officiating, and to guarantee a high level of officiating at all events.
Below you will find the key points to remember in a nutshell:
 

In this section you will find a full presentation of the processes, results and consequences related to the three maintenance requirements and the new resolution tool, as well as the re-entering protocols.

1. The CES Online Assessment

An annual requirement evaluating theoretical knowledge and skills.
It is taken by every Official, every year from the FEI Campus website.
Officials holding several functions will have several assessments to take, but thanks to the modular structure, there will be no duplicated questions.

Rules

• Can be taken from 16 December until 15 December of the following year.
• Must be taken and “passed” to officiate after 31 March. If not, the function will be placed  ON HOLD*, until the CES Online Assessment is taken and “passed”.
  *Officiating at International Events while the function is on hold may result in the opening of disciplinary proceedings and potential sanctions (GRs Art.163).

• Must be taken every year before the deadline of 15 December. If not taken in time, the function will be CLOSED and the Official will have to re-enter the system.
• Must be personally taken by the Official. Not complying may result in the opening of disciplinary proceedings and potential sanctions (GRs Art.163).

Format & Content

All CES Online Assessments are taken online and are now found in one single place: in the dedicated and personalised Maintenance tab located inside the FEI Campus Dashboard.
The CES Online Assessment has a modular architecture which offers individual maintenance for each Official, and avoids the repetition of general questions for those holding multiple functions in one discipline.
The CES Online Assessment has two types of modules:

General modules

A general module contains:

• A preliminary questionnaire with the “Fit-to-officiate Declaration” and “Identity Authentication” which must be filled out by the Official for each discipline.
• An assessment composed of 20 general questions about the discipline:
  • The assessment can be taken as many times as needed (meaning unlimited attempts) until “passed”
  • The time allowed for an attempt is one hour
  • 90% of correct answers are required to pass
  • Results will be given at the end of the assessment
  • A “passed” result unlocks all function specific modules for that discipline

Function specific modules

A function-specific module gives you access to two elements:

• A mock exam available for training purposes with unlimited attempts and timing. 
• An assessment composed of 30 specific questions related to a function:
  • Maximum two (2) attempts, with a seven (7) days waiting period in between
  • The time allowed for an attempt is one hour
  • The attempt cannot be paused or interrupted once started
  • A minimum rate of 80% of correct answers is required to pass
  • Results will be given at the end of the assessment
  • A “passed” result immediately extends the function

Results & Consequences

A CES Online Assessment is “passed”:

• The function is extended immediately until 31 March of the next Maintenance Year
   

A CES Online Assessment is “not passed” (after two attempts of a function-specific module):

• The Official must attend a CES Interview Assessment (can be in a virtual or In-person format)
  • A “passed” CES Interview Assessment decision will confirm the level and the extension of the officiating rights for that function
  • A “not passed” CES Interview Assessment decision will result in the Official being transferred down to the next lower level

2. The CES Maintenance Course

The CES Maintenance Course is a triennial requirement, evaluating the applied knowledge and skills of Officials. It is taken by every Official, at least once every three years. Officials holding several functions will have several Maintenance Courses to complete.

Rules

• In-Person Maintenance Courses take place throughout the year and are upon registration by National Federations.
• Officials must attend an In-Person Maintenance Course at least once every three years and before 15 December of the year in which it has been scheduled. -If not taken in time, the function will be CLOSED and the Official will have to re-enter the system.
• Officials can take CES Maintenance Courses more frequently than recommended, in which case a “passed” result would reset the three-year cycle.

Format and Content
Depending on the discipline and needs, a CES Maintenance Course can be required to be taken either in an In-person, or in a virtual format. In both cases, it is always being conducted by at least one Course Director.
A CES Maintenance Course has practical assessments with specific evaluations methods adapted to the needs of each discipline. These evaluations can be conducted through:

• Case studies
• Interactive role plays
• E-judging or field practices

Results & Consequences

A CES Maintenance Course is “passed”:

• The current level of the function is confirmed

A CES Maintenance Course is “not passed”:

• The Official must attend a CES Interview Assessment (can be virtual or in-person)
  • A “passed” CES Interview Assessment decision will confirm the current level for that function.
  • A “not passed” CES Interview Assessment decision will result in the Official being transferred down to the next lower level. If the Official is at level one, the function will be closed.

3. The CES Interview Assessment

The CES Interview Assessment is a resolution tool, triggered by a “not passed” result of either a CES Online Assessment or a CES Maintenance Course.
The CES Interview Assessment replaces the previous need to attend an additional Maintenance Course which commonly resulted in long waiting times, inactivity and costs for the Official. This resolution tool now allows for a time- and cost-efficient return to officiating.
A CES Interview Assessment is conducted by two (2) Course Directors for fair evaluation.
It can be conducted either in an in-person or virtual format, depending on the fastest and most efficient opportunity available at the time.

Rules  

• When triggered, a CES Interview Assessment is mandatory.
• It must be attended at the latest before 15 December of the current Maintenance Year. If not, the function would be CLOSED and the Official would have to re-enter the system.
• It must be “passed” to keep officiating at the same level.

Results & Consequences

A CES Interview Assessment is “passed”:

• Coming from a CES Online Assessment
  The function is extended at the same level.
• Coming from a CES Maintenance Course
  The current level of the function is confirmed.

A CES Interview Assessment is “not passed”:

• The Official is transferred down to the next lower level.  If the Official is at level one, the function will be closed.
   

4. The CES Officiating Review

The CES Officiating Review is an annual requirement evaluating the officiating experience gained during the last three years. It is a purely administrative task performed by the FEI every year on 15 December.
Please note that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, competitions were cancelled in 2020 and 2021, with the vast majority of Officials simply being unable to officiate. As a result, the Board has decided to suspend the Officiating Review process until 2024. Which means that on  15 December 2024, the FEI will review the number of events an Official has officiated at in the last three years (2022, 2023 and 2024), and compare it against the requirement of the relevant Education System. No Officiating Review will take place in 2023.

Rules  

• On 15 December of each year, the officiating activities of the last three years recorded in the FEI Database for a given function are evaluated against the FEI Education System of the relevant discipline level/function.
• Officials have no action to take.

Results & consequences

A CES Officiating Review has a “positive match”:

• The consequence will depend on the discipline, with two possible outcomes:
• The Official will be required to attend a CES Maintenance Course during the following Maintenance Year. This is to help the Official compensate for his/her lack of officiating experience with applied knowledge and skills practice, and interaction with other Officials.
• The Official will be transferred-down to the next lower level.

5. Re-entering the FEI Officials System  (updated Jan. 2022 on FEI Board Decision)
Officials who have retired or have a CLOSED function for not fulfilling their Maintenance Requirements are able to re-enter the system. The following requirements are applicable according to the relevant discipline’s Education System:

• If the function has been closed for less than three years
  ​Officials are allowed to re-enter at the same level than previously listed. They are required to:
  • Take and pass a CES Maintenance Course*.
  • Comply with their annual Maintenance Requirements (CES Online Assessment) during the year, as every other Official.

*In case of a “Not passed” result at the Maintenance Course, a separate CES Interview Assessment will decide if the Official keeps the same level or is transferred-down one level. The CES Interview Assessment is conducted in-person or online by two (2) Course Directors.

• If the function has been closed for three to six years
  ​Officials are allowed to re-enter at the same level than previously listed. They are required to:
  • Fulfil all transfer-up requirements according to the relevant Education System of each discipline.
  • Take and pass a transfer-up course to their current level.
• If the function has been closed for over six years
  ​Officials are only allowed to re-enter at the lowest level. They are required to:
  • Fulfil all transfer-up requirements according to the relevant Education System of each discipline.
  • Take and pass a transfer-up course to the lowest level.

The above is also applicable to all Officials who have already re-entered the system since 1 January 2020. These Officials are transferred-up one level to align with the protocol.

What does CES stand for?
CES stands for Competency-based Evaluation System.

What is the aim of the CES?
The aim of the FEI Competency-based Evaluation System is to ensure that FEI Officials fulfil all the requirements of their job description and are up-to-date with the current FEI Rules and Regulations.

Is there an age limit?
No, age limits no longer exist because the FEI believes competency is a better value than age to ensure high level officiating.

What are the Maintenance Requirements?
- The CES Online Assessment – taken every year, online, from home.
- The CES Maintenance Course – taken at least once every three years, in-person or virtually.
- The CES Officiating Review – performed administratively every year – compares recorded officiating activity with officiating requirements in the Education System.

Who should comply with the Maintenance Requirements?
All FEI Officials must comply with their Maintenance Requirements as described in the relevant discipline’s Education System.

How do I know which requirement I need to take and when?
On 16 December of each year, all Officials are informed by the FEI via email about the requirements they need to take for every function they hold.

I will officiate after 31 March, do I need to have taken and passed my CES Online Assessment beforehand?
YES, in order to officiate at events taking place after 31 March, you must have taken and passed your CES Online Assessment for the function intended to officiate in.

What happens if I do not fulfil a Maintenance Requirement at all or not in time?
The related function will be closed and you will have to re-enter the System.

Where can I find my CES Online Assessment(s)?
All Officials are able to find their CES Online Assessments in one place: inside the Maintenance tab, located in their personal dashboard on the FEI Campus online Platform.

Why do we have modules in the CES Online Assessments?
To make it more flexible and less repetitive. An Official who has several functions in the same discipline will only have to answer general discipline questions once.

How do these modules work?
All discipline general questions are in the discipline General module, which can be taken as many time as needed to pass it. Unlimited attempts. The time allowed is one hour per attempt.
Once a discipline General module is passed, it will unlock the function-specific modules for that discipline.
All the function-specific questions are in the function-specific modules. There, you will find two buttons: one for the mock exam to train as much as you want and a second one for the assessment. The assessment has two attempts. The time allowed is one hour per attempt.
Once a function-specific module is passed, the related function is extended automatically.

What kind of questions will I encounter in a CES Online Assessment?
Questions related to your discipline, your function, FEI Rules & Regulations, as well as Legal- and Veterinary-related questions.

How many questions will I have to answer in each module of a CES Online Assessment?
General discipline modules have 20 questions, and function-specific modules have 30 questions.

Can I have my rule book with me during the CES Online Assessment?
You can have your rule book with you during the CES Online Assessment. It could be handy, but we strongly advise you to be well prepared.

Do discipline general modules have a mock exam?
Yes. Even if you can take the General module as many times as you need in order to pass, we have added a specific mock exam for you

Why is my function module greyed and not accessible?
To access your function(s) module, you must pass the general module first for that discipline.

Who wrote the questions of the CES Online Assessments?
All questions have been prepared by a panel of experts and top-level Officials.

Can I interrupt the assessment of a function-specific module and continue later?
No, once started, it is considered an attempt and cannot be interrupted, and you will have one hour to complete it.

What is the minimum passing rate to pass a module?
A 90% of correct answers is required to pass any general discipline module.
A minimum rate of 80% of correct answers is required to pass any function-specific module.

How will I know my result(s) for a CES Online Assessment module?
Once you have submitted your answers to a CES Online Assessment module, you will be able to review the results immediately.
You will also notice that:
The module status in your dashboard will change and:
- “Passed” discipline general modules will unlock the access to function-specific modules
- “Passed” function-specific modules will extend your function in the database (within 24 hours)

What happens if I get a “passed” result at a CES Online Assessment?
If you get a “passed” result at your CES Online Assessment, your function will be extended for another year and you will be able to continue officiating.

What happens if I get a “not passed” result at my CES Online Assessment?
If you get a “not passed” result after your two attempts, you will be invited to join a CES Interview Assessment.  

What is the CES Interview Assessment?
The CES Interview Assessment is a resolution tool that allows Officials with a “not passed” result to benefit from a fast and costless solution to return to officiating. It is conducted by two Course Directors, online or in-person, to identify the reasons behind the result and help the Official proceed forward.

What happens if I get a “passed” result at this CES Interview Assessment?
Coming from a CES Online Assessment, a “passed” result at a CES Interview Assessment will automatically extend the function.
Coming from a CES Maintenance Course, a “passed” result at a CES Interview Assessment will confirm the current level of the function.

What happens if I get a “not passed” result at this CES Interview Assessment?
In that case you will be transferred down to the next lower level.