At the 2022 FEI General Assembly in Cape Town (RSA) on 10 - 13 November 2022, the FEI Dressage Committee presented its annual report.
The Chair acknowledged the valuable discussions with National Federations and Stakeholders during the full revision of the Dressage Rules over the year.
The highly interesting document with the rule change discussions and comments provided by National Federations can be viewed here.
DC Celebrates Success in Sport
As a discipline, Dressage is coming back up to its pre-Covid levels of activity and this year saw the successful organisation of 12 Championships and Games. This included the FEI Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN), where 93 entries and 92 combinations started in the Grand Prix and which saw representation from all regional groups.
The Chair also highlighted the broader use of technology that has been used to support judges’ education, including online judging practice for these Officials to remain active when unable to travel to Events. Other innovations over the course of 2022, included the creation of a new Ranking system that now includes a Ranking List for Athletes as well as Horses.
Judges' Level System Under Discussion
In the first of two separate votes, National Federations also voted in favour of including a Grand Prix option to CDI2* and CDIO2* at Senior Dressage Events and Championships (this GP will not count for MERs or World Ranking points). The vote was passed by 87 in favour, 4 against and 2 abstentions.
Despite the heavy discussions about the newly proposed Judges' Level System, noted on the "Proposal of Rule Changes" document, National Federations voted in favour of applying the level system to FEI Dressage Judges on the understanding that L4/5* reference will be used in official working documents such as events schedule, education system, seminars, courses.
From * Rating to "Levels"
Comments were received from Nationals Federations including from Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, Russia, Portugal, Norway, Japan, Honduras; Estonia, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Belgium, The Netherlands, USA, Austria, the IDTC/IDRC/EEF and Greece, all opposing the change to a Level instead of a * system.
Australia, for instance, stated that "the L rating system would be both divisive and disruptive and offers no benefits. The use of STARS * is universally recognised worldwide (regardless of language) as a descriptor of quality, importance or expertise" and the majority of nations agreed on this.
Despite objection, the Level system got adopted with the vote passing by 71 in favour, 19 against and 2 abstentions.
Active Judges/Trainers on JSP
Given the growing number of Championships at which a JSP must be present and the need to involve more Officials and trainers, the Dressage Committee proposed to allow active Judges and trainers to be on the panel.
In the past active judges, trainers and athletes needed to take time off judging, riding and training participants for equestrian events as specified in the JSP job description during their term as JSP members.
The new rule will therefore read, "The JSP should consist of three (3) members, ideally two (2) judges and one (1) trainer/Athlete. All JSP members must be independent and experienced (judges: L4), well respected and diplomatic, adhere to the judges’ codex, have integrity and communication skills."
Tack Rules
A thorough rule revision for tack will be carried out in 2023 but at this General Assembly the "pommel strap" was approved for safety in case of a dangerous situation.
5% Deviation Rule
A newly adopted rule is that now not only as senior Championships, but also at Youth Championships, with a Ground Jury of five, if a judge’s final score for a Horse/Athlete combination varies (above or below) by five (5) % or more from the average of the scores of the other judges for the same combination, that particular score will be changed to the same as the next closest score. This provision is not applicable to the Children Category.
Amateur Classes
Registration
Athletes must be registered with the FEI. Horses must be registered with the FEI and, if competing in a country outside the Horse’s country of residence, have a valid FEI passport or a national passport with the FEI recognition card. Horses competing in Amateur Events in their country of residence do not need a FEI passport or FEI recognition card but must be registered and identifiable.
2.2 Amateur’s license Eligibility
The Athlete must possess a valid Amateur’s license granted by their NF. The Amateur’s license must be renewed by the NF every year. The NFs are responsible for verifying all the data provided by the Athlete.
An Amateur’s license can only be granted by NFs to the Athlete who has signed a statement that the Athlete does not earn most of his/hers income from within the sport such as giving riding lessons, training horses for third parties, professional horse dealing/breeding, doesn’t hold any valid riding instructor/trainer license and did not get an education as a professional rider/trainer less than 5 years ago and is no longer working as such. The buying and selling of Horses, as well as receiving prize money in cash, are not forbidden providing they do not constitute the Athlete’s main source of income.
An Amateur’s license cannot be granted or can be suspended in the following cases:
- the Athlete participated in international non-Amateur Grand Prix Competitions in Grand Prix or Grand Prix Special with a result of 68% and over more than twice in the last year. The rider is not eligible to get an Amateur’s license for 5 (five) years from the date when the second result was earned.
- The Athlete has participated in the FEI Senior Continental Championships on Grand Prix level, World Championships, World Cup Finals, Olympic Games in the discipline of Dressage within the last 5 years.
3.1 CDI-Am: Senior tests up to and including FEI GP, GPS and GP Freestyle
3.2 It is at the discretion of the OC to decide which levels of tests to schedule and to make the Freestyle mandatory or not. This must be stated in the Schedule. Maximum three tests allowed, opting will be possible if three tests are scheduled.
3.3 At any event, the same athlete/horse combination can, however, only take part in Competitions of the same level, as defined below:
CDIAm Bronze Tour: Prix St. Georges – Intermediate I – Intermediate I Free Style
CDIAm Silver Tour: Intermediate II - Intermediate A – Intermediate B – Intermediate A/B Freestyle
CDIAm Gold Tour: Grand Prix – Grand Prix Special - Grand Prix Free Style.
See the complete document with rule change requests and comments here.
Related Links
Maribel Alonso Elected Chair of the FEI Dressage Committee 2021 - 2025
David Hunt: The Double Bridle as a Sport Issue, not a Welfare Issue
Thomas Baur: "Does the FEI Dressage Committee Sit in an Ivory Tower?"