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Federation
Equestre Internationale News
13 October 2003
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Jumping Committee Meeting
- Top Ten Final - rankings
- Judicial Committee: decision on complaint of Swedish NF
- Global Dressage Forum
- Calvaro V is dead
FEI JUMPING COMMITTEE MEETING IN DONAUESCHINGEN
The FEI Jumping Committee held its annual statutory meeting on
25 August 2003, following the European Jumping Championship in
Donaueschingen (GER).
Among the items on the agenda for discussion were the following
items:
* Prize money for European and World Jumping Championships
The Committee reaffirmed that the minimum amount of prize money
acceptable for each of the above championships was 300'000 Euro.
This amount does not
include the prize money for the CSI competitions at these Championships.
* European Jumping Championships Entry fees
The Committee established a maximal global entry fee of 250 Euro
per rider for European Jumping Championships.
* Nations Cup
A number of items relating to the Nations Cup and the Samsung
Super League will be discussed in detail by the Committee on the
occasion of its second meeting in 2003. These will include the
method of establishing the starting order in the first round of
Nations Cup Super League competitions, Wild Cards for Super League
events, increasing the number of CSIO events held in North America,
as well as invitation of riders and teams from outside Europe
to international events in Europe.
The Committee agreed upon a number of alterations to the rules
for the Super League which will be presented to the Nations Cup
Committee for consideration during its meeting in Lausanne on
11 November 2003.
* World Cup
The Committee supported a request to have the formula one round
with a jump-off effective for the 2003 / 2004 Western European
World Cup competitions, with the understanding that this formula
could be changed immediately if a sponsor is found for the Western
European World Cup League.
* CSI Categorisation and Invitations to CSI events
Additional criteria for the categorisation of CSI events will
be considered by the Committee following discussion with the International
Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) and the organisers.
Also under consideration by the Committee is a proposal to regulate
invitations to CSI events based on the riders' ranking list.
* Jumping Rule - Use of Hard Hat
The use of a hard hat during parades for the Nations Cup competition
and during prize giving ceremonies for the Grand Prix and Nations
Cup competitions will be left to the discretion of the organising
committee. In any case the decision whether to wear a hard hat
or not will rest with each rider.
* Timing Systems
The FEI will produce a list of recognised timing systems.
* Recognition of Owners
The Committee supported the introduction of an International Owners'
Club and additionally decided that the owners' names must be added
to all start lists and result sheets from the 1 January 2004.
* List Footing Experts
A list of experts on footing was created. A meeting of those involved
will be held in the near future.
* Olympic Competition formula
A meeting of the Jumping Committee is scheduled for 12 November
to discuss the competition formula at the Olympic Games.
* Owner's Category
The Bureau will be asked to authorise the introduction of an owners'
category for Jumping.
SELECTION OF THE TOP TEN FINAL
An advanced edition of the FEI Gandini World Jumping Riders Rankings
will be published on 24 NOVEMBER 2003 to decide on the participating
field of the Top Ten Final to be held in Geneva (SUI) on 6 December
2003 at 21.00. The following list will be published at the end
of December.
The 3rd Top Ten Final, open to the best 10 riders of the FEI Gandini
World Jumping Riders Rankings will take place in, Geneva on Saturday
6 December 2003. The first two editions of the Top Ten Final saw
the victory of Ludger Beerbaum (GER), with Goldfever in 2001 and
Gladdy'S in 2002.
www.concours-hippique.ch
DECISION OF THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE ON COMPLAINT BY SWEDISH
EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION
The Judicial Committee rejected the Complaint filed by the Swedish
Equestrian Federation in regard to the allocation of the venues
for the Super League events during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
The Swedish show jumping team qualified among the eight teams
to be represented during the 2003 season of the Super League.
However, a competition venue in Sweden was not selected among
the eight venues for the Super League events during the first
three seasons of the Super League. During the first season Sweden
and Belgium had teams but no events, while Switzerland and Spain
had events but no teams.
The Swedish Equestrian Federation has filed a Complaint with the
FEI claiming that the concept of no linkage between the eight
Super League teams and the eight Super League events violates
sport fairness and principles of equal and fair conditions for
participants and that the selection of Barcelona as one of the
eight venues for the initial three years of the Super League violates
the Super League Rules.
In the meantime, and while this case was pending, the first season
of the Super League has ended. At the conclusion of the first
season, the Swedish team ended last and will, therefore, be replaced
next season by the top team from the Nations Cup Series. By a
letter dated September 29, 2003 the Swedish Equestrian Federation
requested that regardless of the fact that Sweden will not be
represented in the 2004 Super League season, the Complaint should
be addressed since it questions the principles behind the selection
of the Super League events.
In rejecting the Complaint the Judicial Committee concluded that
the concept of eight events and eight teams not necessarily from
the same country was a primary published principle from the very
inception of the Super League during the 2001 General Assembly.
While the principles of fair play, equality and promotion of equal
and fair conditions in the conduct of international events are
well recognized by all international sport federations and are
among the most important principles of the FEI, selecting venues
independently of teams and based on sport considerations without
any bias to any one team did not violate such principles.
Many important sporting events are held on the turf of one or
more (but not all) of the competing teams. There is no rotation
system that guarantees that each team shall be granted "home
advantage", to the extent competing on home turf may provide
any such advantage.
The Judicial Committee concluded that the principles of fairness
and equality have not been violated by the separation between
the selection of teams and the selection of competition venues.
No empiric evidence was presented to support a claim that competition
on home grounds provides an advantage to the home team in equestrian
sports and no claim was made that the principle of separation
between selected teams and venues was based on non sport considerations
or on any intent to prejudice any one or more teams or was approved
arbitrarily, capriciously or in bad faith.
The Super League Rules were drawn up by the Nations Cup Committee
and the Jumping Committee and were discussed and approved by the
Executive Board and by the Bureau, with the final draft approved
by the Bureau during its November 2002 meeting and published on
the FEI website as well as in the Bulletin.
The Bureau approved the Super League Rules established and proposed
by the Jumping Committee and by the Nations Cup Committee in accordance
with Statutes 018.4.
A Nations Cup Screening Committee selected the venues. This selection
was also reaffirmed by the Bureau during its April 2003 meeting.
The selection of Barcelona over Gijon as a Super League venue
was concluded between the National Federation and the FEI in accordance
with the Super League Rules and for purely sport consideration.
There was no claim that the selection of Barcelona was made arbitrarily
or in bad faith or in an effort to prejudice any one organizing
committee or any one team.
The Judicial Committee mentioned that better clarity in some of
the rules could have assisted in avoiding any misunderstanding
as to their interpretation. The Judicial Committee did not impose
fees or costs on any of the parties. The complete decision will
be published in due course in the FEI Bulletin.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GLOBAL DRESSAGE FORUM
There were many highlights at the third Global Dressage Forum,
which was held on 6 and 7 October at the Dressage Academy in Hooge
Mierde (NED). European champion Ulla Salzgeber gave an exciting
interview, followed by a perfect demonstration of top riding.
Arthur Kottas, ex chief rider of the Spanish Riding School, showed
the real art of working horses 'in hand'. TheAustralian 'sit trainer'
Richard Weis talked about body dynamics and body awareness. Many
interesting discussions took place between top trainers and judges,
chaired by the President of the FEI Dressage Committee Mariette
Withages.
The Global Dressage Forum was presented by the international dressage
rider Richard Davison and the President of the Trainers, David
Hunt. During her clinic at the Forum Ulla Salzgeber rode her horse
Wall Street and explained the details of her preparation for a
big international dressage class. Hans van Zetten, an expert in
gymnastics, gave a lecture on the practice of judging other Olympic
sports. He explained the necessity to have an extensive handbook,
or so called 'code of points', where the details of every movement
and the possible mistakes have to be explained in details. After
an interesting discussion with the audience, it was the current
Olympic champion Anky van Grunsven, who concluded 'we must think
about what we can learn from the experiences of other artistic
sports.
On the second day of the Global Dressage Forum, ex-Chief Rider
of the Spanish Riding School, Arthur Kottas gave an impressive
demonstration of work 'from the ground' (hand work). Kottas trained
a horse in hand, demonstrating the skill and kindness that is
essential to get a relaxed horse working through its whole body.
Afterwards, the horse was ridden by Kottas' daughter with her
father explaining his training methods. Arthur Kottas himself
went into the saddle during the second clinic of the day, which
was presented by Richard Weis from Australia. He is an Alexander
therapist and specialized in the correct seat of the rider. Weis
explained his work as a therapist and trainer, and even managed
to get the whole audience of 250 persons moving around, and jumping
to do some exercises. The afternoon session was presented by the
German Equestrian Federation (FN). Veterinarian Dr. Gerd Heuschman
gave a lecture on the anatomy of the horse. Christoph Hess and
Holger Schmezer, national trainer, presented four horses and riders
from top national young rider level to Grand Prix.
At the end of the Forum, the President of the Dressage Trainers
Club (IDTC) David Hunt presented the IDTC award to Wiltrud Duckeck,
who had been running the Trainers Club with her late husband Hermann
for many years.
IN MEMORIAM: CALVARO V
The legendary horse Calvaro V of Willi Melliger (SUI) died on
1 October 2003, aged 17 ½. The huge grey holsteiner, son
of Cantus, was born in 1986 and bought from Axel Wöckener
in 1994. With Willi Melliger he won the team gold and bronze individual
at the 1995 European Championship, and individual silver at the
1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and finished second of the World
Cup Final in Geneva the same year, where the public literally
fell in love with him. Calvaro V earned the bronze again in 1997
at the Europeans, was the Best Horse but only placed 4th at the
World Equestrian Games in Rome (final with exchange of horses)
in 1998, earned the silver medal at the 1999 European Championship
in Hickstead and the team silver medal at the Sydney Olympic Games
in 2000. He also won a number of Grand Prix including Zurich,
Bremen and Paris.
After 1996 Olympic Games and until the end of his career, Calvaro
V was receiving three to four thousands letters from fans all
over the world every year.
Calvaro V was retired for 18 months in Melliger's installations
in Neuendorf and had made his public farewell early February 2003
with the complicity of tennis player Martina Hingis during a special
ceremony at CSI Zurich.
www.horsesport.org
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