The International Jumping Riders Club has “serious concerns,” about a new elimination rule that allows a single judge to eliminate a horse or rider who appear to be having difficulty during their round.
The organization is asking the FEI (international equestrian federation) to allow former elite level riders (such as just-retired Ludger Beerbaum, perhaps?) to sit with the ground jury in an advisory capacity at championships and Olympic Games.
“The IJRC is worried about “split-second” decisions that cannot be appealed, which could result in career-changing outcomes for riders and national teams. This is of particular concern to the IJRC this season, when many have their last qualifying opportunities for the Paris Olympics 2024, and for the Olympic Games itself, where there is no drop-score due to the mandate for only three riders on a team, instead of four.
The new rule, which came into effect Jan. 1, enables the president of the ground jury or a designated ground jury member to eliminate an entry if the official involved “decides that it would be contrary to the principles of horse welfare to allow the combination to continue the round. ”
In addition to introducing an advisory panel, the IJRC also requests the FEI replace the sentence about horse welfare with the words “for the safety of horse and rider.”
IJRC explained, “The current wording could mislead the general public about the reason for elimination and thereby subject the rider to unjustified criticism on social media.”
Riders had wanted the decision to be appealable, but they also understood the rule results from the growing pressure of “social license” and the potential pushback from the non-equestrian public, when negative images circulate on social media. However, the scenarios that could be eliminated remain undefined.
During a debate at the IJRC convention in Geneva last December, numerous Olympians noted that horses could be eliminated by judges who have not ridden at the top level for decades. Some may no longer have the practical “feel” to decide, on the spot, the real reason for an awkward-looking jumping effort. Does it result from over-facing a horse and rider of limited ability, or is it an isolated incident that is part of the normal learning curve of a young horse in expert hands?
The advisory panel proposal and requested re-wording of the rule both were put forward by 2016 Olympic champion Nick Skelton of Great Britain.
He said, “There are many recently retired top riders like me who are at all the major shows. Our experience is there to be utilized. Motorsport already makes use of its ex-drivers’ expertise in this way.
“If a horse is taken out of the arena swiftly after having a bad jump early on, you’ll never know if he could have gained in confidence during the rest of his round and finished well. That is a training setback and a conflict with the basics of good horsemanship. Nowadays, we tread a fine line, but we must educate the public while being conscious of its growing role in equestrianism’s social license to operate.”
FEI rules usually are amended only on an annual basis. However, the IJRC believes that this situation warrants immediate action by the FEI board, before the European Show Jumping Championships in Milan (August 29-September 3) but at the absolute latest, by January 1, 2024, at the start of the Olympic year.
The IJRC does, however, support the elimination of a horse in instances of blood around the mouth or nostrils.