New international eventing whip rules for 2027, plus what British Eventing is doing
New whip rules for international eventing will come into effect next year.
Only padded whips that meet specific dimensions will be permitted in the jumping phases at FEI eventing competitions from 1 January 2027.
The rule change was voted in by national federations at the FEI General Assembly a year ago, with the intention that it would come into force next year. The federation promised at the time that clarifications on what type of whip is considered as “padded” would be provided in 2026.
These clarifications have now been published in the tack and equipment document on the FEI eventing rules page.
An FEI spokesperson told H&H: “This update provides technical specifications for whips used in cross-country and jumping tests, including:
- A maximum overall length of 75cm, minimum padded length of 20cm, and minimum pad width of 2.5cm.
- The padding must be smooth, shock absorbing, dark, non-reflective, and soft. Leather padding, raised bindings, and raised surfaces are strictly prohibited.”
The FEI rules state that the pad/contact area must be smooth with no protrusion or raised surface and be made of shock-absorbing material throughout its circumference.
They also add that the padding construction must remain soft and flexible, not harden over time, and not absorb water.
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British Eventing (BE) has allowed only padded whips in jumping phases for several years. Riders who compete in both national and international classes will want to have a keen read of both sets of rules, as whip specifications are similar – but not exactly the same.
A BE spokesperson told H&H: “Our rule was introduced in 2023, and the FEI is aware of its implementation. At this stage, we do not consider it appropriate to make any changes to the rule.”
The BE jumping whip rules state that whips should be between 45cm and 75cm in length and not weighted. The end of the whip must be padded and the pad must be smooth with no protrusion or raised surface (which include embroidery) and be made of shock absorbing material throughout its circumference.
The BE rule book states:
A whip, if carried, must be held in the hand by the handle with the handle at the top.
1. There must be no binding within 17 centimetres of the end of the pad
2. The minimum diameter for a shaft is one centimetre and the shaft should run through the entirety of the whip
3. The overall weight of the whip must not exceed 160 grams and the weight should be evenly distributed throughout the full length of the whip
4. The contact area, is considered to be two-fifths of the overall length of the whip and must be covered with a pad
5. The pad must be smooth, with no protrusion or raised surface, and be made of shock absorbing material throughout its circumference such that it gives a compression factor of at least 6mm. There is to be no wording, advertising or personalisation of any kind on the pad.
- View the FEI eventing whip rules for 2027 (p3)
- View the current BE eventing whip rules (2026 rule book p65)
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.