Federation Equestre Internationale

FEI Press News - March 25, 1999

- FEI President visits Lausanne for IOC and ASOIF sessions
- Executive Board meeting on 20 March 1999
- 2001 Dressage European Championship
- Olympic Solidarity Programme
- Medication control at the World Equestrian Games 1998
- International Workshop on Equine Transport
- In Memoriam
- Forthcoming FEI meetings

FEI President visits Lausanne for IOC and ASOIF sessions
The FEI President, H.R.H. The Infanta DoÒa Pilar de BorbÛn, paid a visit to Lausanne at the beginning of the week. As member of the International Olympic Committee, she attended the IOC Extraordinary session on 17 and 18 March.

Accompanied by Freddy Serpieri, 1st Vice President, Bo Helander, Secretary General and Catrin Norinder, Manager of the Olympic Department, she participated in the ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) General Assembly where Sydney 2000 Organising Committee and Athens 2004 presented their report to the ASOIF. The main concern expressed by the ASOIF members during this session was the ways of increasing their involvement of the International Federations in the decisions concerning the running of the Olympic Games.

The FEI President also attended a meeting between the IOC Executive Board and the International Sports Federations.

Executive Board meeting on 20 March 1999
The Executive Board met in Lausanne on 20 March 1999, in order mainly to prepare the forthcoming General Assembly and Bureau Meeting which will take place in Doha (QAT) from 14 to 18 April.

SUPPORT TO NFS HAVING SUFFERED FROM HURRICANE MITCH
Among other items, the Executive Board discussed the situation of the NFs having suffered major damages from Hurricane Mitch at the end of 1998. The Board decided to exonerate these federations of Central America (Honduras, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, San Salvador) from paying the Annual Subscription during a two-year period.

DRESSAGE ARENA OF THE ANTIGUA EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION
The Executive Board made a decision to financially support the reconstruction of the Antigua Federation Dressage Arena, which had been totally destroyed a few weeks after the end of its construction, before having even been inaugurated.

The 1st Vice President, Secretary General and Michael Stone, Assistant Secretary General, will represent the FEI at the working session of the European Commission, which will be organised from 20 to 23 May 1999 at Olympia (GRE). The session will consist in several workshops on European sport model (including social dimension), relationship sport - television and Fight against doping.

Next meeting of the Executive Board will be on 13 April 1999 in Doha (QAT)

2001 Dressage European Championship
On recommendation of the Dressage Committee, the Executive Board allocated the 2001 Dressage European Championship to Verden (GER). Provisional dates are from 1 to 4 July, three weeks after Aachen CHIO (14-17 June).

Olympic Solidarity Programme
The National Olympic Committees of the following nations received Olympic Solidarity funds to organise equestrian courses in 1999: Tunisia, Jordania, Barbados, Algeria, Kuwait and China. Two scholarship programmes have also been initiated: the first one for a Salvadoran trainer in Jumping and the second for a young Uruguayan Dressage rider.

Medication Control at the World Equestrian Games 1998
Both the A and B samples, taken of the horse Coral Cove during the World Equestrian Games in Rome, tested positive of the forbidden substance Salicylic Acid at a level greater than the internationally established threshold level. This substance acts as an anti-inflammatory.

A hearing of the Judicial Committee will take place on 29 April 1999.

Coral Cove, an 11 year old liver chestnut gelding, was ridden in Pratoni del Vivaro by Polly Phillipps. She finished seventh individually and was a member of the British Bronze Medal Team.

International Workshop on Equine Transport
A three day scientific meeting was organised by Dr Catherine Kohn, Ohio State University (USA), Dr Kent Allen, Middleburg, Virginia (USA) and Professor Leo Jeffcott, Cambridge (GBR) from 11 to 14 March in Middleburg (USA) and was attended by 14 participants from the USA, Canada, UK, Switzerland and Japan.
The goals of the meeting were to :
- review the current state of knowledge on the effects of transport on the health and performance of horses;
- draft a set of guidelines for transport of horses which would be published and made available to all members of the horse industry;
- define the immediate and long term research priorities;
- establish an ongoing international collaboration with a group of scientists and veterinarians to conduct and promote future research into this important area.

The meeting was divided into three sessions. Firstly the current information on horse transport by road and air was reviewed. This was followed by presentations on the effects of transit on the respiratory system, the immune system and on the ability to exercise after transportation. It was clear that the most common problem associated with transport of horses is respiratory disease ( ie. Shipping fever) and more research is urgently required to limit its prevalence and consequences. The second part of the programme was devoted to formulating guidelines for horse owners, veterinarians and transporting agencies. Finally, the group considered the need for further research and agreed to pursue six collaborative projects. The proposals would be further developed and financial support sought from a range of funding agencies.

In Memorium

Hubert van Klemperer (RSA), a retired International FEI Jumping Judge, died 21 March 1999 following a riding accident. In the seventies von Klemperer officiated at the then very popular Epol Indoor Show in Johannesburg, where European and American riders regularly participated.

Forthcoming FEI Meetings

Executive Board Meeting 13 April, 18 April Doha (QAT)
Bureau meeting 14-15 April Doha (QAT)
General Assembly 17-18 April Doha (QAT)
Strategic Planning Committee 17 April Doha (QAT)
Media Advisory Committee 23 April G–teborg (SWE)
World Cup Jumping working group 25 April G–teborg (SWE)
World Cup Jumping working group and world cup organisers 25 April
G–teborg (SWE)
Eventing Committee 10-11 May Badminton (GBR)
Dressage Committee 19-21 May Wiesbaden (GER)
Dressage Forum 21 May Wiesbaden (GER)

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BCM: Complete FEI/BCM World Riders Rankings.
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