The FEI Dressage Committee met in a conference call on 13 August 2014 with all committee members (Baur, Alonso, Hunt, Matthiesen, Kyrklund, Asmyr) and the chair (Kemperman) ringing in.
The essential topics of discussion are listed here:
Wording of Collective Marks on the Test Sheets
The DD brought up the issue of whether the word “submission” in the collective marks should be changed to something like “cooperation” to have a more positive tone, as “submission” could be interpreted in various ways.
Conclusion: The DD was to prepare a communication to the stakeholder clubs to ask for their proposals.
Appointments
The DD proposed the appointment of Freddy Leyman (BEL) as Foreign Technical Delegate and of Elisabeth Williams (USA) as Chief Steward for the Reem Acra FEI EI World CupTM Dressage Final in 2015. All agreed.
Conclusion: Freddy Leyman (BEL) to be appointed FTD and Elisabeth Williams (USA) Chief Steward for the Reem Acra FEI EI World CupTM Dressage Final in 2015.
Judging issues based on recent experiences
The Chair reported that he and the DD had had their yearly meeting with the JSP the week before. Due to issues at a recent show, the JSP need to be able to add remarks to the logbook of the officials when out of line, and to contact the judge in question if this happens several times. This was to be discussed in more detail during the WEG. The DC agreed.
Various actions to secure a more aligned line in the judging were discussed, including mandatory meetings among the ground jury if the differences were too large in the results.
General discussion about Judges Appointments
Maribel Alonso brought up the issue of the Judges’ logbook. The Chair confirmed that as discussed at the recent meeting with the JSP, the JSP should also be able to make remarks in it.
As David Hunt was nearing the end of his term as DC member, and regular contact between the DC and the JSP was very important, this contact with the JSP was to be secured by Maribel Alonso as a judge. The JSP could also contact HQ directly and would be invited to participate in relevant agenda points at meetings. The regular annual meeting with the JSP was also important.
Conclusion: Maribel Alonso was to be the DC contact person with the JSP. The JSP was to be invited to participate in relevant points in DC meetings.
Judging of Young Horses – Round Table discussion in Verden - update
The DD informed about the round table discussion in Verden the previous weekend. This meeting had been initiated by the Chair and the DD at the Global Dressage Forum 2013. Various stakeholder representatives had been invited and the discussions had been fruitful (notes distributed to the DC already). The DD proposed to meet with the breeders end September, and also with the riders and trainers, to have feedback from all and decide on the best way forward.
Overall conclusions were to improve the possibility to better judge the potential of the horse, by e.g. have a more free floor plan for one test (with some required movements and transitions)to show potential and then a second regular test to show the current level. If clear criteria could be found, a separate mark could be given for potential.
Conclusion: The DC was to send in any feedback on this issue to the DD.
Stakeholder Meeting
The DC discussed the possibilities to hold a general stakeholders meeting. WEG was seen as the optimal occasion for this. All agreed on the need of holding such a meeting. The second option would be at the World Cup Final.
The DC decided they wanted to aim to hold the meeting at the WEG despite the challenges to find a suitable room.
Conclusion: The DC wanted to aim to have this meeting at WEG, but would wait to send out information/invitations until a suitable room for it had been secured.
Quota for future Championships
The DD informed that there would be maximum 103 definite entries for Dressage for the WEG (number confirmed 15.08.2014). It was necessary to look into how to handle World and Continental Championships in the future with such large number of participants; this had also been requested by the FEI Bureau.
The next major Championship was the EU-CH 2015, which using the current list would have 76 starters. As the Olympic Games had a quota, the WEG 2018 was the next time the issue would come up, meaning there was some time to work on this.
Conclusion: The situation and impact of different solutions were to be analysed first before any decisions were taken as this was not an urgent issue.
Nations Cup
The Chair brought up the issue of the Nations Cup, which had now been run as a pilot project for two years, and the future of it.
The DD proposed to hold a conference call in September with the Organisers and Chefs d’Equipe of the Nations Cups and use the feedback from this as a starting point for the DC.
All agreed an overall reward (cup) was needed.
Judges Per Diem
For Dressage, the per diem had been raised to EUR 120 from 1.1.2014. However, by Bureau decision, at combined or multi-discipline Championships and Games, all Officials’ per diems need to be the same. Also, too high per diems could begin to be considered as salaries, which would bring on more tax issues.
After discussion, the DC decided that no further action would be taken in this regard, as the per diem for FEI Dressage Judges had recently (1.1.2014) been raised for regular shows, and the DC did not feel this matter needed further discussion at the time being.
Extension of Age Limit – CAN NF
Conclusion: The DC unanimously agreed that no extension was to be granted in this case.
The DD was to inform the CAN NF.
FEI approved Schedule not in accordance with the Rules
Thomas Baur brought up the situation of an approved schedule containing information that was against the FEI Rules. The DD replied that apart from mistakes being possible, the beginning of the schedule states it is being run under the various FEI rules. “Approved by the FEI” could be written if an exception had been made. Having grooms sleeping in the stables at WEG was approved by the Secretary General as an exception. The Chair concluded that it should be mentioned at the first Chef d’Equipe meeting in Caen that this was an FEI decision.
Next DC meeting
In person meeting in Paris 8-9 October 2014
Related Links
FEI Dressage Committee Minutes of 18 June 2014
FEI Dressage Committee Minutes of 13-14 May 2014