Money Rules

["Bob Morris" <bobmorris@rmci.net>]

FEI imposes strict rules

From M. Satyanarayan
Compiegne, France - The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the
governing body of equestrian activities worldwide has decided to use the
carrot and stick policy for countries, including the United States, in its
bid to make endurance an Olympic discipline.
Addressing a press conference here on the eve of the 8th World Endurance
Championship, Endurance chief at the FEI Michael Stone said that one of the
biggest obstacles in the path of endurance becoming an Olympic sport was the
apathy towards FEI-organised rides from countries like USA, Australia,
Canada and New Zealand.

"These countries organise rides under their own national federation rules
which affect the rides organised under the FEI umbrella. To start with, from
the next world championship we will not accept the US riders unless they
have qualified through FEI-organised rides. So far we have been accepting
their entries but this will be the last time they will be allowed," Stone
said.

This means that the US riders, who have won all the world championships will
have to toe the FEI-line or miss the world event.

The carrot comes in the form of an increase in the prize money for the FEI
Emirates Worldwide Endurance Ranking announced by Faisal Seddiq Al Mutawa,
FEI member and General Secretary of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation
.

The ranking which was introduced by the UAE and FEI in 1999 had offered US
$25,000, $15,000, $10,000 for the top three ranked riders. It has now been
increased to $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000.

'We hope the increase in prize money will attract riders from US, Australia
and Canada to organise rides under the FEI umbrella and help their riders
take a shot at the world rankings," Faisal Seddiq said.

Commenting on the success of the ranking system which was conceived by the
UAE, Faisal Seddiq said it had created a lot of enthusiasm among riders
worldwide who now felt pride in being placed in the ranking.

"The ranking for horses has also helped on the economic front with horses
that were earlier fetching around $10,000 now being sold at $40,000. The
owners, breeders and riders have all benefited by the ranking system with
the increase in numbers being a pointer towards its success," Faisal Seddiq
added.

Commending UAE's role in promoting endurance worldwide, Michael Stone said
the FEI was working closely with the UAE in this direction."Some of the
major hurdles have been removed to enable smaller national federation to
organise FEI rides," he said.

A reduction in the official FEI fees, change in rules to enable lesser
number of officials to supervise the rides and also changes to facilitate
foreign delegates at such rides were some of the steps taken by the FEI to
promote endurance rides.


Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID