A number of important items were brought to the attention of the Bureau for information and approval further to the two meetings of the FEI Jumping Committee held in Windsor (GBR) on 14 May and Lausanne (SUI) on 9 October 2007.
A summary of the main items follows.
1) HYPERSENSITISATION – PROTOCOL FOR THERMOGRAPHY. The following protocol for thermographic and clinical examinations during CSIs/CSIOs/Championships was approved.
a) Directly after the first horse inspection or after the first competition, all four legs of all horses will be checked by thermography by an FEI appointed veterinarian. All collected data will be saved. After each thermographic examination, every horse will undergo a brief clinical examination of the legs, which will be carried out by two veterinarians appointed by the FEI specifically for this task. If as a result of this inspection there is a clear and obvious case of abnormal reaction during the clinical examination a recommendation will be made at this stage by the two FEI appointed veterinarians to the Ground Jury to have the horse in question removed from competition.
b) All horses with a temperature difference between collateral legs exceeding two degrees or with an extremely high or low temperature of both collateral legs and/or abnormal reactions during the clinical examination will be targeted for further checks during the event. At these bandage controls, which will take place when horses come out of the arena, other horses in addition to those targeted will be checked by thermography to establish a baseline average under the conditions that day. This would also provide the opportunity to eventually notice an increase of temperature in horses that had normal temperatures during the horse inspection. Each thermographic examination will be followed by a clinical examination. However, if at any stage it is clear and obvious that a horse is unfit to continue a recommendation will be made by the two FEI appointed veterinarians to the Ground Jury to have the horse in question removed from competition.
c) In case a clinical examination reveals an abnormal sensitivity confirmed by the two relevant FEI appointed veterinarians and/or visible changes on the skin of the leg(s), video evidence will be recorded for eventual use later in time. The two veterinarians performing the clinical examination are entitled to recommend to the Ground Jury through the FEI Veterinary Delegate that such a horse is denied further participation in the event in accordance with the FEI Veterinary Regulations.
d) Spot checks (thermography + clinical examination) ad random will be carried out in the stables.
e) A representative of the FEI Veterinary Department will be present during the thermographic examinations; this could be the veterinarian carrying out the thermographic examination.
f) Riders must be present for all examinations following the first horse inspection.
g) If a recommendation is made by the two FEI appointed veterinarians there is an expectation that the Ground Jury will accept this recommendation and remove the horse in question from further competition at the event, unless there are exceptional circumstances indicating that the horse in question should be permitted to continue. In this case, the foreign judge must present the Ground Jury’s justification in writing to FEI Headquarters.
h) All horses removed from competition will be sampled.
i) These examinations should take place in a secure, controlled environment.
2) The Bureau supports the recommendation from the FEI Jumping Committee regarding distribution for all competitions worldwide based on a scale of percentages.
3) With reference to the 2008 CSI Requirements approved by the 2007 General Assembly, the Bureau accpeted changing the maximum number of competitors allowed to participate in CSI-5* Grand Prix competitions from 40 to 50 (effective as of 2009 for CSIO-5* Grand Prix Competition events).
4) Given the great gap in the current range of prize money for CSI-3* events (CHF 100’000 – 249’999), it was approved that the minimum prize money for this category be increased to CHF 150’000. The maximum prize money for CSI-2* events would, therefore, be raised to CHF 149’999. The change is effective as of 1 January 2009.
5) YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES 2010. The following technical specifications were agreed upon:
• Age limit: 16-17 years of age at the time of the Games
• Maximum 30 riders = six teams (one per continent) of five riders
• Two drop scores per team
• Maximum height 1.20m – 1.30m
• Organised on borrowed horses
• The competition format to consist of a Training Competition, the Team Competition (two rounds) and Individual Final, with a compulsory rest day.
6) NEW FEI SERIES. Criteria applying for all organisers wishing to host new FEI Jumping Series were approved.
a) The established invitation systems for CSI events must be followed.
b) Technical requirements as established by the FEI General Assembly must be respected.
c) Every effort should be made to minimize overlap with events of series already forming part of the FEI common calendar.
d) The minimum number of events was set to three and the maximum to 15.
e) Riders shall be entered for competitions falling within the series by their NFs.
f) The formula covering technical sport issues for the series must be presented to the FEI Jumping Committee for approval.
7) GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR (GCT). The detailed invitation system was approved and will be published on the FEI website. In 2008 the series will consist of the following events: CSI Wellington (USA) 12-16 March; Doha (QAT) 10-12 April; Cannes (FRA) 12-16 June; Monte Carlo (MON) 28-20 June; Estoril (POR) 10-12 July; Valkenswaard (NED) 31 July – 3 August; Arezzo (ITA) 11-14 September; Athens (GRE) 26-28 September; São Paulo (BRA) 8-12 October. Competition conditions were approved.
8) Introduction of Certificates of Capability for the FEI European Young Rider and Junior Jumping Championships was approved. It will come into effect for 2009 Championships.
The corrections / modifications to the FEI Rules for Jumping Events, 22nd edition, were approved (effective 1 January 2008).
REPORT ON THE FEI WORLD CUP ™ JUMPING
A total of 14 leagues and 126 competitions worldwide make up the 2007/08 season of the FEI World Cup™. They are broken down as follows:
1) Western Europe: 12;
2) Central Europe: North 10; South 14; Sub-League Final 1;
3) Arab countries: 12;
4) South Africa 6;
5) United States East Coast 12;
6) United States West Coast 12;
7) Canada 5;
8) South America: 8
9) Mexico: 3;
10) Central Asia: 3;
11) Japan: 6;
12) South East Asia: 10;
13) Australia: 5;
14) New Zealand: 7
• The 30th season of the will see Rolex’s involvement for the first time as sponsor of both the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European League and the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final.
• The Australian League had to be halted following three events due to the outbreak of Equine Influenza.
• For the first time the Central European League has been divided into two subleagues consisting of 25 events in total.
REPORT ON SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE WITH FEI
The Samsung Super League with FEI events produced fantastic sport throughout the 2007 season with many improvements were made by organisers to their facilities. The FEI met with all organisers during the Final event in Barcelona (ESP) with a view to further raising the standard to create a truly exclusive series.
The television coverage continued to increase, surpassing that of 2006.
Germany won the overall title and France was relegated to the FEI Nations Cup series for 2008. As the winner of the latter, Ireland was promoted to Super League status.
The FEI would like to express its gratitude to Samsung for their continued support. The present sponsorship contract is valid through the Final in 2008.
Campus
