Welcome to Veterinarian

We are very happy to welcome you to the veterinarian hub of the FEI website. Within the following pages, you will find useful information and advice on specific issues relevant to your role as a Veterinarian working at an FEI event either in a treating or official capacity.

We would like to remind you that it is the paramount responsibility of all those involved in equestrian sport to ensure a high health and welfare status of the horses they are in charge of. To this end, the FEI Equine Welfare Code of Conduct must be complied with at all times. As Veterinary health professionals supporting equestrianism throughout the world, you play an essential role in protecting the welfare of all competing horses. You are also responsible for implementing the FEI Veterinary Regulations and ensuring fair play. You are, moreover, expected to be familiar with the FEI Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations and the FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List, which can be found on the FEI Clean Sport website.

Latest Department Updates

  • 3 May 2023
    Board Teleconference, 02 May 2023, Paris 2024 resolution

    The FEI Board held a teleconference on 2 May. The Paris 2024 resolution taken on this occasion is listed below.

    PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES
    The Board approved the following appointments of International Technical Officials for the 2024 Olympic Games:

    Eventing Technical Delegate: Marcin Konarski (POL)

    Jumping Technical Delegate: Guilherme Nogueira Jorge (BRA)

    Foreign Veterinary Delegate: Dr Emily Sandler (USA)

    President of the Veterinary Commission: Dr Thierry Grisard (FRA)

    Member of the Veterinary Commission: Dr Juliana Freitas (BRA)

    Member of the Veterinary Commission: Dr Julius Peters (NED)

    Overall Chief Steward: Cesar Hirsch (VEN)

  • 3 May 2023
    Board Teleconference, 02 May 2023, Veterinary resolution

    The FEI Board held a teleconference on 2 May. The Veterinary resolution taken on this occasion is listed below.

    Veterinary
    FEI Central Laboratory 2023-2026

    Further to the recommendations of the Veterinary Chair, the Veterinary Director and the Legal Director, the Board approved LGC, Newmarket Road, Fordham, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom as the FEI Central Laboratory from 2023 to 2026.

  • 5 Apr 2023
    FEI Board - Extraordinary teleconference on 4 April 2023

    The FEI Board held an extraordinary teleconference on 4 April. One of the main resolutions taken on this occasion is listed below:

    Veterinary
    Appointment Dr Albéric Théry to the FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List Expert Group

    The Board approved the appointment of Dr Albéric Théry (UAE) to the FEI List Group as a replacement of Treating Veterinarian Dr Richard Corde (FRA) retiring in 2023.

  • 2 Sep 2022
    Supply of Boehringer Ingelheim Equine Influenza vaccines

    The FEI was recently informed of supply delays for certain Boehringer Ingelheim products, which includes the Equine Influenza vaccine ProteqFlu® as well as the Equine Influenza and Tetanus vaccine ProteqFlu® TE.

    The FEI is currently monitoring the potential impact of a shortage of ProteqFlu® and ProteqFlu® TE equine vaccines in the European Union and the United Kingdom, and will provide regular updates on the evolving situation. 

    In the meantime, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page on inside.FEI.org for more information.

  • 31 Aug 2022
    Horse Health Requirements Worldwide Rollout

    As you are all aware and in accordance with the FEI Veterinary Regulations, as of 1 January 2022 all Horses competing at all FEI Events worldwide must fulfil the Horse Health Requirements via the FEI HorseApp.

    The Horse Health Requirements were devised and implemented in response to the severe EHV-1 outbreak in mainland Europe last year, and are vital for the health and welfare of horses at FEI Events by providing an important biosecurity system to reduce the risk of an outbreak of an infectious disease.

    Sanctions for non-compliance with these requirements are already in force for Horses competing at FEI Events in Mainland Europe and these will be introduced and enforced worldwide as of 1 September 2022. The month of August served as a transitional month for all FEI Events outside of Mainland Europe, providing an opportunity for all Stakeholders to become acquainted with the processes and sanctions that will now apply. A summary of the revised sanctions as laid out in Annex VI of the FEI Veterinary Regulations can be found here.

  • 30 Jun 2022
    FEI publishes final part of EHV-1 Report on 2021 outbreak in mainland Europe

    The FEI has today published the third and final part of the Report into the 2021 outbreak of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in mainland Europe.

    This concluding part of the Report focuses on further risk mitigation against EHV-1, including conclusions from the EHV-1 vaccination review presented at the FEI Sports Forum on 26 April 2022.

    The suggested way forward is the central theme for this part of the Report, including specifically whether or not mandatory vaccination should be proposed by the FEI, and the importance of enhanced biosecurity measures.

    Part 3 also incorporates significant feedback from the FEI Veterinary Epidemiology Working Group and the FEI Veterinary Committee, and information on two relevant reports from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). As with the previous two parts of the Report, Part 3 is co-authored by FEI Veterinary Director Dr Göran Åkerström and Grania Willis, former FEI Communications Director and now Executive Consultant to the FEI.

    Based on advice from the FEI Veterinary Epidemiology Working Group, alongside additional feedback from virologists and immunologists and a report commissioned by the FEI from world-renowned equine infectious diseases specialist Professor Lutz Goehring, the FEI Veterinary Committee has concluded that the scientific evidence does not currently support mandating vaccination globally.

    However, the Committee is fully supportive of enhanced biosecurity measures as the best method of preventing and mitigating outbreaks of EHV-1 and also strongly supports personal choice, stressing that National Federations and stakeholders must have the right to vaccinate their horses against the disease.

    A press release on today’s publication is available here.

    The full Report, including the final part, is available here.

  • 22 Jun 2022
    FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List Group proposed changes

    The FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List Group - the sub-committee of the Veterinary Committee responsible for the FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List (EPSL) - has met to consider changes to the EPSL 2022.

    During 2022 a detailed review of the Controlled Medication list has been carried out and the proposed changes to the EPSL can be found here. Any accepted changes will come into effect as of 1 January 2023, and are subject to consultation and review before their implementation.

    Please submit all comments regarding the proposed changes, together with a clear scientific reasoning, to Caterina Termine by Friday 12 August 2021. All comments received within this deadline will be considered by the FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List Group before finalising their conclusions.

  • 31 May 2022
    EHV-1 Report Part 3

    As you are aware, Part 3 of the Report into the outbreak of Neurological Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in Mainland Europe February 2021, was scheduled to be published in May 2022. However, this publication date has had to be delayed due to the postponement of a key meeting with Boehringer Ingelheim, the global leader in equine health and the FEI’s partner in the #HealthforHorses campaign aimed at improving the daily care and wellbeing of horses. Information from the postponed meeting which will now take place next month, will play an important role in the suggested way forward and is a central component of Part 3 of the Report.

    Elements of the way forward were presented at the FEI Sports Forum on 26 April 2022, and these will be incorporated into Part 3. This final part of the Report will include proposed further risk mitigation of EHV-1, with the Sports Forum presentations from Session 8: FEI Veterinary Regulations, incorporated as Annexes.

    It is planned to publish Part 3 in June 2022.

  • 22 Apr 2022
    FEI publishes second part of EHV-1 Report on 2021 outbreak in mainland Europe

    The FEI has today published Part 2 of the Report into the 2021 outbreak of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in mainland Europe. This section of the Report focuses on the Return To Competition protocols put in place to ensure the safe resumption of FEI Events after the six-week FEI-imposed lockdown on international sport in Continental Europe.

    Part 2 of the Report also focuses on the EHV-1 By-Laws and sanctioning system, and evaluates their effectiveness, along with the elements that were subsequently incorporated into the FEI Veterinary Regulations 2022 approved at the FEI Hybrid General Assembly in November 2021.

    The 30-page Report (Part 2), together with over 200 pages of Annexes, has been produced by FEI Veterinary Director Dr Göran Åkerström and Grania Willis, former FEI Communications Director and now Executive Consultant to the FEI.

    Part 2 of the Report is published here on a dedicated page within the biosecurity hub of the FEI corporate website, home to all content related to the investigation into the outbreak of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in Spain in February 2021.

    It sits alongside Part 1 of the Report and its Annexes, which were published on 28 February 2021.

    Part 3 of the Report, elements of which will be presented at the FEI Sports Forum (25-26 April 2022), will incorporate further risk mitigation of EHV-1, including conclusions from the scientific EHV-1 vaccination review commissioned by the FEI, and the suggested way forward. This concluding section of the Report, with the Sports Forum presentations incorporated as Annexes, will then be published as Part 3 in May 2022.

  • 6 Mar 2022
    Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2022 in San Juan Capistrano Cancelled 

    Due to the ongoing EHV-1 outbreak in the California region, the United States Equestrian Federation has decided to cancel the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2022 qualifier in San Juan Capistrano from 10-15 May 2022.

    This is the third leg in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series 2022, and is one of three North/Central America & Caribbean Division events in the series alongside Coapexpan (MEX) and Vancouver (CAN).

    The USEF and Organising Committee (OC) are announcing this decision as early as possible in order to allow the teams to get organised and plan alternative competition schedules. The FEI fully understands the difficult decision taken by the USEF and OC in response to the ongoing biosecurity threat, reflecting the community’s firm commitment to equine health and welfare.

    A letter issued on 3 March 2022 by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) also calls on all participants and Equestrian Event Coordinators to exercise extreme caution for the next 28 days. “For several weeks, the FEI has closely monitored the development of the EHV-1 outbreak in California and supports the decision to close down competition. Stopping movement of horses is key to prevent further spread of the virus” - FEI Veterinary Director Göran Akerström.

    We would like to take this opportunity to remind all athletes and support teams of the important biosecurity protocols in place at all FEI Events. Awareness of and strict adherence to biosecurity protocols is critical to reducing the risk of ongoing disease transmission, and for the protection of the health of the equine athletes.

    For more information on the FEI’s Horse Health Requirements and Biosecurity protocols:

    • Horse Health Requirements 2022 (These rules protect FEI Horses and global equestrian sports from the consequences of infectious diseases being transmitted before, during and after FEI Events; provide reassurance of the high health of equestrian sport Horses to global, continental and national veterinary authorities and organisations; and, maintain and further improve the conditions for international movement of sport Horses.)
    • Biosecurity and Movements (For Biosecurity guidelines; information on real-time equine infectious disease reports on a global scale; and EHV-1 related reports).

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