Riders, horses and grooms form a team
The FEI Sport Forum, the yearly event at which subjects concerning all FEI disciplines are addressed, was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, last April 25th and 26th, to discuss new rules applied and those expected among all those responsible, presidents and representatives of the FEI, the European Equestrian Federation and the National Federations, as well institutions such as the IJRC, Organising Committees, riders and journalists. Show jumping, Eventing, Dressage and Paradressage were the disciplines discussed.
Focus was however concentrated on the coming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris for which decisions had been made, and there will be no variations, concerning the three rider teams and the timing of the Team Event before the Individual Final, while there are yet factors to be decided which have been postponed to the Rules Revision Process next July 6th. The jumping sessions was presided over by Stephan Ellenbruch, Chair of the Jumping Committee and by Marco Fusté, FEI Jumping Director. Speakers included Santiago Varela, Tokyo 2020 Jumping Course Designer, and the IJRC’s President, Kevin Staut. One of the sessions was devoted to the FEI Event Standards Project, which concerns the organisations of shows and facilities made available to athletes and grooms.
Furthermore, discussions included the need to improve services made available to horses and grooms, including aspects for the welfare, safety and comfort of horses, grooms and riders. The FEI signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Grooms Association (IGA), created professional association was created so as to obtain greater acknowledgement of the career of grooms and to improve their working conditions. «The goal is for the IGA to become the voice of international grooms, while recognising all the work that goes into keeping the equine athletes of our sport happy, healthy and performing at their best».
