A new eventing structure, the partial removal of collective marks in dressage, and a phased ban on certain boots for showjumping are among the influential changes to be introduced to international competitions.
Following the FEI general assembly (GA) in Montevideo, Uruguay, (18-21 November) the GA signed off the implementation of a new eventing competition structure in 2019.
The structure includes the Olympic and World Equestrian Games being recatogorised as five-star long, and CCI4* as five-star major.
CCI3* and CIC3* will be renamed four-star long and short respectively.
Changes to categorisations continue through the levels down to a new introductory level. FEI competitions at the new 1.05M level will be held during the 2018 season. This will become one-star in 2019.
“The new competition structure has adapted to the current global level of the sport, supporting the implementation of the Olympic strategy,” said an FEI spokesman.
“It is also part of the continued effort to address risk management and the cost effectiveness of the discipline together with encouraging the development of the number of nations participating in eventing.”
The dressage coefficient will also be removed as of 1 January 2018.
The FEI said this was to address “risk management issues through rebalancing the importance of cross-country skills”.
In dressage, the plan to introduce HiLo drop scoring was withdrawn, although the judging format will be tested next year.
A change to collective marks was approved and as of next year, only the rider mark will remain.
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Meanwhile in showjumping, the GA voted on the phased implementation of a rule mandating that hind boots must only be used for protective purposes. The rule will begin to be enforced in 2019.
The proposal for CSI invitation rules was also voted on and approved.
Under these rules, for regular CSI5* shows, 60% of riders must come from the Longines ranking list, 20% must be selected by the host national federation and 20% are made up of invitations by the organising committee.
For more information and analysis on these changes and further plans for equestrian sport following the GA, don’t miss next week’s H&H magazine, out Thursday 30 November
