Mark
Phillips, A Columnist for Horse and Hound, Stated
his View on the FEI and Eventing in the November 6th, 2003 Edition
"In
1912 the roads and tracks were 35km and the cross-country 5,000m long. In the
past 90 years, the "military" competition has been developed to produce
the outstanding competitition and entertainment witnessed around the world.
"We
know the FEI president, Donna Pilar, does not like steeplechase and thinks it
unnecessary. Dr. Hanfried Haring, secretary general of the German Federation and
chairman of the FEI strategic planning committee, has been feeding her what she
wants to hear. The Infanta has put huge pressure on Wayne Roycroft, chairman of
the FEI eventing committee, to get rid of Phase B.
"I
still cannot believe how this resulted in Giuseppe de la Chiesa, Mike Ethrington-Smith,
Eddie Stibbe, and Bill Henson effectively signing the death warrent on 90 years
of tradition and development at the September meeting of the FEI eventing committee.
"Why
did things have to go so far so fast? Should they not have thought this through
in depth? Should they not have had an interim year before committing the report
to a format that has not even been run yet?
"Should
they not have listened to all the concerns about safety? No longer will there
be that safety net in the 10 minute box, a final health check before horses go
out on cross-country.
"Should
they not have thought about qualifications and rules? Jumping efforts must be
tied directly to metres galloped if we are not to have a complete disaster.
"Should
they not have listened to the riders who want to keep both formats as part of
the qualifications? What is wrong with the flexible approach, the twin track,
so the format can be suited to the venue?
"Typical
of the muddled thinking is the proposed change of age limits (for juniors from
18 to 19 and young riders from 21 to 23), with the star level at which they have
to compete staying the same.
"What
was asked for was the junior's age limits be extended to 21 and the young riders'
to 25, but going up to two- and three-star level respectively. Now we have the
worst of both worlds.
"The
FEI committee has acted without mandate. It has selectively listened to statistics
it wanted to hear.
"Why
has so much good been thrown out of the window so fast and without even a trial
period?"
