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February 2006

World Equestrian Games 2006 Aachen

The Organising Committee of the2006 FEI World Equestrian Games have confirmed today that they agreed to implement the new FEI Dressage Rules (22nd edition, effective 1 January 2006) and award medals to the winner of the Grand Prix Special.

According to the new article 445 of the FEI Dressage Rules, medals are awarded for all three competitions of FEI Senior Championships, i.e. the Grand Prix (Team Championship Competition) the Grand Prix Special (Individual Competition) and the Grand Prix Freestyle Test (Individual Competition).

Introduced in 1991 at the European Championship in Donaueschingen (GER), the double individual medals were awarded once at the FEI World Equestrian Games in The Hague (NED) in 1994, before being discontinued, when the Grand Prix Freestyle became the individual final.

The new 3 medal championship formula is slightly different from the former one. It adds more value and give more importance ot the Grand Prix Special,, which in the previous formula, was only the second qualifier for the Individual medal.

The main change in the new 3 medal formula is the fact that the 30 best riders of the Grand Prix start from zero in the Grand Prix Special, and the 15 best riders from the Grand Prix start again with zero points in the Grand Prix Freestyle (Kür)

The Dressage competition of the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games will take place according to the following schedule:
- Dressage Grand Prix (Team medals) on 22 and 23 August
- Grand Prix Special (best 30 riders from Grand Prix) on 25 August
- Grand Prix Freestyle-Kür (best 15 riders from Grand Prix Special) on 26 August

“We are delighted that the Aachen Organising Committee have accepted to implement the rule change already this year, and we do appreciate their efforts to make this possible in such a short time” stated Mariette Withages, Chairman of the FEI Dressage Committee”. “This will without doubt add excitement to this 2006 World Dressage Championship” she concluded

20/02/2006 - FEI World Cup Dressage update: Neumünster

Brink and Briar triumph in the hotbed of Holstein Sweden's Jan Brink and Bjorsell's Briar overpowered a top class field to claim the FEI World Cup Qualifier in Neumunster, their second victory of two starts this season.

"It was wonderful to come and win here", said the Swedish star who broke the mould in winning the Aachen championship last summer. "It is not too far for us to travel and the atmosphere is amazing". He reiterated his plan to concentrate the now 15-year-old Briar on this summer's World Equestrian Games with an economical programme of outings.

Mariette Withages, President of the Ground Jury, commented: " The Neumunster public is possibly the best in the world - very knowledgeable. The standard was very high and for me the winner was clear, although the following riders were very close and we judges didn't know, even at the end of the class, who would be second or third."

It was Germany's Isabell Werth who came closest in partnership with the ten-year-old rising star Warum Nicht FRH. She said: " I'm very happy! 'Hannes' is still not that experienced but he concentrated very well. He is becoming more solid mentally." The former World Cup champion has now risen to equal fifth in the standings after three increasingly developing outings. German team trainer Holger Schmezer predicted: "I think Isabell could cause some problems for the other riders with this horse".

For Andreas Helgstrand and Blue Hors Cavan, who had surprised with victory in the grand prix, there were a few mistakes. In this class, it was one too many for the Danish pair, and they finished third in the freestyle.

With just one remaining qualifier before the 2006 FEI World Cup Final in Amsterdam (April 20-23), the competition is red-hot for places. Title- holder Anky van Grunsven still heads the standings as a result of three resounding victories but Germany's Ellen Schulten-Baumer has joined her on the same points. Schulten-Baumer placed sixth here on the lovely mare Donatha S. Edward Gal is in third place, having picked up six points for eleventh place with his second horse Gribaldi, while Denmark's Lone Joergensen, who was eighth here on Hardthof's Ludewig is the first non- Dutch or German rider to feature in the standings in seventh place. The rising British star Laura Bechtolsheimer is next in eighth place despite failing to make the cut for the freestyle in Neumunster. Neither did Imke Schellekens-Bartels on her new ride Melvin, but she shares equal ninth place with Jan Brink in the standings.

It was hot in the heart of Holstein, but the FEI World Cup atmosphere is set to soar higher during the last qualifier next month at Indoor Brabant, where the Western European League finalists will be decided.

RESULT
FEI World Cup Qualifier Freestyle to Music
Presented by Volksbank Raiffeisenbank eG, Neumünster and Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall AG

1, Bjorsells Briar (Jan Brink SWE) 79.53
2, Warum Nicht FRH (Isabell Werth GER) 79.33
3, Blue Hors Cavan (Andreas Helgstrand DEN) 77.88
4, Wansuela Suerte (Hubertus Schmidt GER) 76.90
5. Royal Black Label (Elena Kalinina RUS) 75.83
6, Donatha S (Ellen Schulten-Baumer GER) 74.92
7, Guinness (Louise Nathhorst SWE) 74.47
8, Hardthof's Ludewig G (Lone Joergense DEN) 74.38
9, Piccolino (Klaus Husenbeth GER) 73.35
10, Wahajama UNICEF (Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff GER) 73.33

FEI World Cup Dressage Standings (after 7 of 13 competitions, including 5 Central European League) 1= Anky van Grunsven (NED) and Ellen Shulten-Baumer (GER) 60 3, Edward Gal (NED) 57 4, Laurens van Lieren (NED) 55 5= Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff (GER) and Isabell Werth (GER) 47 7, Lone Joergensen (DEN) 46 8, Laura Bechtolsheimer (GBR) 42 9= ImkeSchellekens-Bartels (NED), Jan Brink (SWE) 40

Susan Jane Anstey

At the 2006 Equine Canada Awards Banquet held on Saturday, Feb.11 in Saint John, NB, Equine Canada had the privilege of paying tribute to a sadly missed member of Canada’s equestrian community, Susan Jane Anstey.

Close friend Mark Samuel gave a touching presentation which received two standing ovations. During the presentation, those in attendance fondly remembered how Susan Jane touched their lives. For that matter, it was made clear that in some way or another, she has touched the lives of every member of Canada’s equestrian community.

Daughter Jennifer was there to receive this award with Susan’s loving husband of 24 years, Michael Van Avery. “I want to say how honoured and thankful I am to accept this award on behalf of my mother. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board and members of Equine Canada for this recognition,” stated an understandably emotional Jennifer Anstey.

This award is regarded as Equine Canada’s most prestigious award and is reserved to recognize outstanding achievement and contribution to equestrian sport, clearly surpassed by Susan Jane.

This occasion represents the first time that Equine Canada issues this award, having only been issued to a small group of individuals under Equine Canada’s previous name - Canadian Equestrian Federation. The National Awards Committee unanimously felt that this rarely awarded medal should be awarded posthumously to Susan Jane Anstey who passed away in November of 2005.As another first, Equine Canada President, Al Patterson announced that beginning next year, Equine Canada will issue an annual Media Award in honour of Susan Jane Anstey.

01/02/2006 – FEI Workshop in Lausanne Experts Meet to Discuss a Controversial Training Technique in Dressage

From left to right : Prof Frank Odberg, Prof Leo Jeffcott, Mariette Withages, Sjef Janssen, Prof. Eric van Breda, above: Dr Gerd Heuschmann, Dr Andrew McLean, Prof Hilary Clayton, Dr Andrew Higgins, Dr Emile Welling, Prof Rene van Weeren

A most productive workshop was held on 31 January 2006 at the Olympic Museum and jointly organised by the Dressage and Veterinary Committees. The point of this meeting is to reassure the "Dressage Community" that the controversial issue of "Rollkur" (overbending) is being addressed by highly experienced experts from the equine world.

The workshop included presentations and reports on this controversial training technique and its possible side-effects that may affect the welfare of the horse. It also included a review of the need for applied research.

Approximately 60 participants, including riders, trainers, stewards, veterinarians, and members of the Dressage, Veterinary Committees and Welfare Sub-Committee attended the workshop.

Objectives of the Forum
- Review the techniques of training horses
- Consider possible welfare implications
- Pros' and cons' from experts
- Better understanding of the biomechanics and kinematics involved in this degree of neck movement
- Reports on clinical side effects or sequelae from long term use of the technique
- Discuss possible research programmes
- Produce a report for the FEI to be able to plan the best way forward.

Further to presentations of different preliminary research projects in the field of exercise physiology, radiology, biomechanics and schooling, the meeting reached the preliminary conclusion that, when applied by skilled trainers, there was no scientific evidence that this training method was abusive to the horse. There was clearly none evidence that no structural damage is created by this training exercise, when used in the right way by expert riders.

However, the use of that technique by inexperienced people was a possible threat to the welfare of the horse. The role of top dressage riders as role models in the sport was underlined.

Most of the participants agreed that the terminology "Rollkur" was not comprehensible and decided it would be better to use a term which could be understood by riders, trainers and the general public. After an extensive discussion, it was proposed that the draft wording might be "hyperflexion of the neck" and a draft definition to this was established as follows:

Hyperflexion of the neck is a technique of working/training to provide a degree of longitudinal flexion of the mid-region of the neck. Hyperflexion cannot be self-maintained by the horse for an extended period of time.

As far as the FEI is concerned, the welfare and humane treatment of horses at FEI competitions, including the training areas and stables is paramount.

Next steps:
- a more detailed definition of what is to be considered as abuse is required, e.g. stress factors, pain or discomfort.
- Education of stewards to identify possible abuse and misuse of this technique, which is not restricted to dressage.
- Veterinary and Dressage Committee and Welfare Sub-Committee will review the state of knowledge, submit a report of the meeting to the FEI and decide which scientific research is further needed.

A detailed summary of the presentations will be published shortly on the FEI website.

February 1, 2006 article in the British magazine Horse & Hound

A FEI meeting of riders, trainers, stewards and vets has decided that extreme flexion of the neck is acceptable in the hands of skilled individuals.

The FEI has decided that, when applied by skilled trainers, there is no scientific evidence that the training method known as rollkür (overbending or working deep) is abusive to the horse.

Riders, trainers, stewards, vets and FEI committee members met in Lausanne on 31 January to discuss the use of this controversial training technique in international dressage competition.

Following extensive discussion between the 60 individuals taking part in the meeting, the new draft term of “hyperflexion of the neck” was agreed as a more understandable description of the technique.

A draft definition of the technique was agreed as: "Hyperflexion of the neck is a technique of working/training to provide a degree of longitudinal flexion of the mid-region of the neck. Hyperflexion cannot be self-maintained by the horse for an extended period of time."

The FEI did acknowledge that use of the technique by inexperienced people could pose a possible threat to horse welfare and that top riders in any sport are role models for others. It also reiterated that the welfare and humane treatment of horses at FEI competitions, including the training areas and stables, is paramount.

The technique has been under the spotlight since German horse sport magazine St Georg alleged in August that the practice is being used to extremes in modern dressage competition. The article led to the launch of legal action by Sjef Janssen, husband and trainer of Olympic rider Anky van Grunsven.