The Fédération Equestre Internationale is forming a working group to thoroughly review Annex XIII of the Dressage Stewards Manual, which deals with training methods. The composition of the working group will include representatives from the International Dressage Riders Club and the International Dressage Trainers Club, the FEI Steward General representing the International Dressage Officials Club, a veterinary expert, and a representative of the FEI Dressage Committee.
The decision was prompted by an all-day meeting of the FEI Dressage Committee and stakeholders, which took place at FEI Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Oct. 5. FEI Dressage Committee chairman Frank Kemperman led the session.
Stewarding, including the monitoring of pre-competition training techniques, education, support and respect for officials, competition formats, and judging were all debated at length.
Dressage Committee members Thomas Baur, Maribel Alonso, Luis Lucio and athlete representative Anna Paprocka-Campanella attended, as did dressage judge general Stephen Clarke. Steward general Jacques van Daele joined the meeting via teleconference. Carina Mayer, who has taken on the role of head of the dressage department ad interim, also played an active role in the session.
Secretary general Federico Padron and German member Klaus Roeser represented the Association of International Dressage Event Organisers. Club secretary Olivier Smeets represented IDOC.
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David Hunt, president of the IDTC, represented the Judges Supervisory Panel, while Linda Keenan and Sjef Janssen represented the IDTC. IDRC representatives at the session included club president Kyra Kyrklund and secretary general Wayne Channon.
Hanfried Haring, president of the European Equestrian Federation, and vice president Ulf Helgstrand were also at the session. Dressage analytics expert David Stickland joined the discussion on judging.
“This was a very constructive meeting,” said Kemperman, “and there was a lot of solid debate and interesting proposals about stewarding and judging. It was very good to reach agreement on the formation of a working group to review and, if necessary, revise Annex XIII of the Dressage Stewards Manual.”
De Vos was also extremely positive about the meeting. “We had some very good open and frank discussions, which resulted in great input from the stakeholders today, especially on the proposal to introduce new formats in the sport for future Olympic Games and FEI Championships,” he said.
The FEI Dressage Committee will continue discussions on these topics with the potential for additions to proposals that will be put forward to the FEI General Assembly in Puerto Rico, Nov. 10-13.
