The world’s biggest three-day-events will be renamed as “5* Majors” from 2019.
Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, Adelaide, Luhmühlen and Pau CCI4*s are currently known as the FEI Classics.
However they will be rebranded to fit the FEI’s new eventing structure, if the final draft of plans are approved at the FEI general assembly next month (18 November).
This final draft also keeps these top-level events within the star system. Concerns had been raised following the first draft of rules which suggested these events be removed from the star system into a category of their own.
Under the new proposals, a new introductory (1.05m) level will be brought in from 2018 and will have a unified format (no separate CCI/long and CIC/short formats), but the rebranding of the other existing levels will now not happen until 2019.
This will shift all the current levels up a star to make way for the introductory level, which will be called one-star from 2019.
It also includes new names in a move away from “CIC” — events will instead be called “short” or “long”.
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For example, a current CIC2* will be called three-star short or CCI3*S from 2019.
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The FEI eventing committee has withdrawn the proposals to unify the current one-star category — this was another area that had raised concern with some riders and national federations — so all levels except the new 1.05m level will have a “short” and “long” format.
The FEI has also withdrawn the proposal to introduce a new CIC5* level for Nations Cups and World Cup series, but this will be reviewed if there is “a special need”.
The Australian eventer and his 2014 Badminton winner
Other key proposals in this final draft include:
Removal of the dressage coefficient from 2018 — where a combination’s dressage penalties are multiplied by 1.5
One score to replace dressage collective marks at Olympic level to speed up scoring
A new Olympic dressage test
Change to the “run-out — missing a flag” rule — riders will no longer be penalised with 20 penalties if they choose to represent but were actually clear at the first attempt
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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.
