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IJRC Calls on Members for Feedback! "With the FEI Jumping Rules next on the agenda... it’s time to take action!"

Last week, François Mathy Jr. expressed criticism over the decisions made by the FEI during the General Assembly. While Ludger Beerbaum struggled to contain his frustration, stating, "This is the beginning of the end," Mathy advocated for dialogue and questioned the FEI’s direction. "The biggest issue is that several riders feel abandoned by the FEI..."

 

Meanwhile, the IJRC (International Jumping Riders Club) is asking its members (the international showjumping riders) to thoroughly review the new FEI regulations and provide feedback. This sends a clear message: the IJRC aims to establish that the FEI should no longer make unilateral decisions over their heads.

"Next year, the FEI Jumping Rules will undergo a thorough review. The changes will then take effect on January 1, 2026. It’s now or never to send a clear signal," said the IJRC.

The IJRC will re-submit proposals previously publicized here.

Updates were given on them all, including:

  • requests for more proportionate sanctions for certain cases of minor blood on the horse, brought to attention with the elimination of Pedro Veniss at the Olympic Games. There is a big difference between accident and intent, as one of the fundamental principles of law establishes the proportionality between sanction and violations of the norm.

  • a request that field-of-play protests be heard by a panel other than the ground jury who issued the original decision. There is now no appeal jury to give a second opinion. The rider should also be allowed to finish the course where, for example there is doubt they jumped the correct side of a flag; that is already common practice in FEI eventing (for example VAR in football, tennis, field Hockey, etc.).

  • additional wild cards for under 25s at CSI5*, to be discussed again next year.

  • 30% reduction in prize-money requirements at 3* and 4* CSIs in regions with high inflation or other economic difficulty (as South America, East Europe, Africa).

  • alignment of organisers' fees to riders with the figures agreed by the FEI, AJO and IJRC it is understood this will be implemented in 2026.

The main theme was the impact on jumping of the FEI’s drive to retain equestrianism's "social licence to operate”.

New welfare-aimed provisions in FEI General Regulations (the "GRs") apply to all equestrian disciplines and supersede each discipline's sport rules.

 There was extensive comment that the noseband measurement protocol and out of competition sampling for horses misled the wider public over  the extent of welfare concerns across all equestrian sports.  Certain measures should apply only to disciplines where these issues were of most concern   -doping in endurance, and nosebands in dressage. 

However, guest delegate Klaus Roser, President of the International Dressage Riders Club and athlete’s representative at the EEF urged all to stick together, cautioning that there was the danger of "opening the door" to restrictions in other sports - making double bridles optional in top level dressage Grand Prix could eventually lead to calls to limit or even ban it in other disciplines.

FEI jumping committee chairman Stephan Ellenbruch said (via video-link) that he was already aware of stakeholder misgivings over noseband measuring. He was hopeful of some compromise and wondered if the consultation process for this "went a little too fast."

The plastic measuring gauge   - with one size available for horses of types - is inserted under the noseband over the nasal bone and pulled through (and not tested at the side, over the cheeks as traditionally done with two fingers).

Meanwhile, the IJRC (International Jumping Riders Club) is asking its members (the international showjumping riders) to thoroughly review the new FEI regulations and provide feedback. This sends a clear message: the IJRC aims to establish that the FEI should no longer make unilateral decisions over their heads.

"Next year, the FEI Jumping Rules will undergo a thorough review. The changes will then take effect on January 1, 2026. It’s now or never to send a clear signal," said the IJRC.

The IJRC will re-submit proposals previously publicized here.

Updates were given on them all, including:

  • requests for more proportionate sanctions for certain cases of minor blood on the horse, brought to attention with the elimination of Pedro Veniss at the Olympic Games. There is a big difference between accident and intent, as one of the fundamental principles of law establishes the proportionality between sanction and violations of the norm.

  • a request that field-of-play protests be heard by a panel other than the ground jury who issued the original decision. There is now no appeal jury to give a second opinion. The rider should also be allowed to finish the course where, for example there is doubt they jumped the correct side of a flag; that is already common practice in FEI eventing (for example VAR in football, tennis, field Hockey, etc.).

  • additional wild cards for under 25s at CSI5*, to be discussed again next year.

  • 30% reduction in prize-money requirements at 3* and 4* CSIs in regions with high inflation or other economic difficulty (as South America, East Europe, Africa).

  • alignment of organisers' fees to riders with the figures agreed by the FEI, AJO and IJRC it is understood this will be implemented in 2026.

The main theme was the impact on jumping of the FEI’s drive to retain equestrianism's "social licence to operate”.

New welfare-aimed provisions in FEI General Regulations (the "GRs") apply to all equestrian disciplines and supersede each discipline's sport rules.

 There was extensive comment that the noseband measurement protocol and out of competition sampling for horses misled the wider public over  the extent of welfare concerns across all equestrian sports.  Certain measures should apply only to disciplines where these issues were of most concern   -doping in endurance, and nosebands in dressage. 

However, guest delegate Klaus Roser, President of the International Dressage Riders Club and athlete’s representative at the EEF urged all to stick together, cautioning that there was the danger of "opening the door" to restrictions in other sports - making double bridles optional in top level dressage Grand Prix could eventually lead to calls to limit or even ban it in other disciplines.

FEI jumping committee chairman Stephan Ellenbruch said (via video-link) that he was already aware of stakeholder misgivings over noseband measuring. He was hopeful of some compromise and wondered if the consultation process for this "went a little too fast."

The plastic measuring gauge   - with one size available for horses of types - is inserted under the noseband over the nasal bone and pulled through (and not tested at the side, over the cheeks as traditionally done with two fingers).

source: Equnews/ IJRC

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