Risk Management Group set up for Eventing

Risk Management Group set up for Eventing

FEI Eventing Risk Management Steering Group meets in Lausanne (SUI)

The FEI Eventing Risk Management Steering Group held its first meeting at FEI headquarters in Lausanne (SUI) this week. Chaired by David O’Connor (USA), the group has been set up to look at ways to minimise risk factors in Eventing, with a focus on coordinating risk management initiatives on a global basis.

The Steering Group brings together an extensive breadth of experience and expertise:

• David O’Connor (Chair), former FEI Bureau Member and Olympic Eventing champion in Sydney 2000
• Mike Etherington-Smith (GBR), international cross country course designer and equestrian consultant
• Daisy Berkeley (GBR), FEI Eventing athlete representative and international athlete
• Rob Stevenson (CAN), former international Olympic athlete, cardiologist and Canadian National Safety Officer
• Geoff Sinclair (AUS), FEI Eventing Technical Delegate and former President of the Australian Equestrian Federation
• Staffan Lidbeck (SWE), FEI Veterinarian and Swedish Eventing team coach
• Laurent Bousquet* (FRA), international Eventing athlete and coach of the Japanese equestrian team
• Philine Ganders* (GER), FEI Level 3 Eventing Steward and member of the German National Federation

The 19 October meeting established the framework for the group’s work, which includes investigating new ways to reduce horse falls, and identifying factors to decrease the number of serious injuries to athletes and horses using research studies from around the world relating to risk management. Other key areas for the group are the evaluation of statistical analysis gathered to date, including athlete qualifications and performance history, and a review of fence design. Safety equipment, the education of athletes and officials, and the roles and responsibilities of officials will also be reviewed.

The group will ensure worldwide communication and sharing of information, with the FEI as the point of contact for research ideas.

The Steering Group will build on the existing extensive work already done on risk management by the FEI Eventing Committee, National Federations and external parties, and will produce a list of recommendations to the FEI Eventing Committee by the end of February 2017. A presentation of the group’s findings will also be made at the FEI Sports Forum in April next year.

A risk management summit will be held in February 2017, building on the annual meeting of National Safety Officers (NSOs), to also include athletes, coaches, course designers and technical delegates.

The FEI has conducted and continues to conduct in-depth research into ways to reduce the level of risk in the sport, including last year’s Eventing risk management audit by Charles Barnett, data collection and evaluation completed on an annual basis, the appointment of NSOs in all countries where Eventing competitions are held, education and training, course design and cross country guidelines.

The FEI is committed to ensure that, at each level, responsible athletes are participating with progressively trained horses in order not to be exposed to a higher risk than what is strictly inherent to the nature of the competition.

Full details on risk management in Eventing can be found on the FEI website: http://fei.org/fei/disc/eventing/risk-management

Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.