A press release from the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) issued today, states that organizers of five-star shows have to respect the invitation system of 60-20-20% in order to be able to distribute points for the world ranking.

In the proposed FEI Jumping Rules for 2018, on the agenda for the FEI General Assembly in Montevideo later this month, the invitation system of 60-20-20% is regulated to apply for all five-star shows (where the number of athletes are restricted) with the exception of “FEI-approved series” which include for example the FEI Nations Cup, the FEI World Cup as well as the Global Champions Tour/Global Champions League. Under the 60-20-20% rule, 60 % of the riders invited for the show in question must get their invitation based on the descending order of the world ranking, 20 % of the invitations belong to the National Federations of the host nation while the remaining 20 % belong to the organizing committee. *(see the suggested CSI Invitation Rules under)

In today’s press release, the IJRC writes: “At its last General Assembly, held during the European Championships in Gothenburg, Saturday 26 of August, in front of more than 150 persons and with the presence of the FEI President Ingmar De Vos, the FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibanez and other FEI managers, the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) voted unanimously on the Board's proposal, as follows:

• Limit the possibility to earn points one time per day at each show (under discussion)
• Ranking points for 5* will be earned only in events that respect the following percentage of invitations:

- 60% of the riders entered in the show, in descending order of the rankings (including home riders) 

- 20% to the home federation (NF) 

- 20% by the organising committee (OC)."

Furthermore, the press release states that the IJRC no longer will accept the exception from the 60-20-20%-rule apart from the FEI Nations Cup and the FEI World Cup. Holding the technical rights to the world ranking, the IJRC writes: “The IJRC is responsible for the show jumping rankings rules (except the commercial rights), and the Club will accept exceptions only for the FEI Longines Nations Cups and the FEI Longines World Cup of show jumping, two historical circuits where the participants are selected by team chefs of the NFs. No other exception will be made. Other shows, events counting for other circuits, will have to follow this rule of 20% invitations maximum.”

“The actual situation, with too many pay cards in some shows, could kill our sport and its best and most talented athletes. And their Olympic future,” reads the press release further. “We have to consider that ranking points are important for the qualification to the Olympic Games, and we want that only the deserved riders can be qualified to the Olympics.”

Olympic Champion (London 2012) Steve Guerdat, also member of the Board, adds: “Our goal is to achieve that we will support and distribute points only to shows which are presenting good sport and not shows that are open to athletes that have the possibility to pay to compete. Therefore we are doing our best to find a way and best solutions to achieve our goal, as we have to protect the real sport.”

“The IJRC holds the technical rights of the world rankings, but it was important to remind the resolutions of the riders during this period, before the FEI General Assembly on November 18 to 21 in Montevideo. We hope the National Federations will be able to quickly choose the right path for the benefit of the sport,” reads the closing of the IJRC press release.