Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> On Feb 8, Ms. Carol Bunting, Dr. James Bryant, and Michael Stone gave the
> first Technical Delegate Course ever held for endurance. 

Maybe THAT explains why we had such a fantastic TD every year for our FEI international rides that were SO important and worthy of attention.  I notice that the old TD who always arranged the rides (as opposed to approving the course set by the local organising committee based on safety) in Egypt is now riding instead.  I'd personally consider that a promotion, however.
> The members of the FEI Endurance Committee serve for a term of  4 years with
> a staggered rotation.  The Chair of the Endurance Committee can serve an
> additional 4-year term.  Mr. Faisal Seddiq and Mr. Horst Muller are slated
> to rotate off of the committee in the Spring unless there is change in the
> Chair of the Committee.

Watch them change the chair.


> Penalties for Overriding
>
> Various systems adopted by different Federations were reviewed.  These
> systems evolved to fill the needs within countries to address specific
> problems under different cultures.  This makes it very difficult to
> establish any system, which could function worldwide.  The committee feels
> that the National Federations also should play a role  and may be a more
> appropriate place to address this problem than at the level of the FEI
> although the FEI could monitor this through the ride return documentation
> following an event..

Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle.... and who funds the National Federations?  One doesn't want to bite the hand that feeds it.

> Stewards and Technical Delegate Courses
>
> The notion is evolving that the different officials for Championships should
> be selected from experienced individuals who have attended specific courses
> in their area of appointment instead of the current system whereby an
> official may serve in any position (except the veterinary commission).
>
> The TD Seminar taught by Ms. Carol Bunting was a first step in this
> direction.  The FEI Endurance Committee would like to see a Steward General
> appointed in each NF to oversee the development of stewards in each country.
> Similar to the TD course, the possibility of a Stewards course is being
> considered.

With all those rules to enforce, why hasn't this been done before? I know what has passed for "training" locally here.
> The World Championship in Dubai 2004 has been offered as another venue for
> the possible conduct of these advanced  courses for endurance officials.
>
> It was repeatedly noted in the sessions, that there are not physically
> enough officials, especially the veterinarians, to service the number of FEI
> endurance events worldwide.  Endurance is exploding  with expansion of ride
> numbers  as well as countries holding their first events.  Mongolia had its
> first FEI ride last year as did Chili, Argentina, Costa Rica, and Namibia.
> India had its first ride in February.  Of all of the international
> disciplines, Endurance is second to Jumping in the number of FEI
> competitions scheduled for this year.
>
> Lack of officials is compromising the growth of FEI endurance competitions.
> Recognition of this problem for endurance, which is much more acute than
> found in the other international disciplines, seems to be off the radar
> screens of many NFs.  Many officials who complete course requirements,
> experience requirements, and application requirements still are waiting more
> than a year(s) to be sent forward from the NF to the FEI.  I would ask that
> some sort of a "Fast Tracking" system be considered for endurance until this
> shortfall of officials is resolved.

Especially in countries in which the equestrian world is much smaller than the US, one finds some fairly mind-boggling politics wrapped up in the "certification" of officials. The smaller the pool of riders, the larger the frogs and flies seem in comparision and the competition for power gets interesting.

I doubt very much that anyone from Egypt went to this conference, but I've dipped my net into the gossip pool to find out. Plus ça change....

Maryanne
Cairo