Greg Broderick with MHS Going Global. Photo (c) Jenny Abrahamsson.
A FEI horse-nationality rule could have the potential to stand in the way of Greg Broderick and MHS Going Global’s Olympic participation.
A FEI spokesperson today confirmed to World of Showjumping that the FEI “(…) are aware of a potential issue and are collecting the necessary information and will follow up accordingly.”
Earlier in June, Horse Sport Ireland announced that Greg Broderick and MHS Going Global would get the one individual showjumping slot to represent Ireland at the Olympics in Rio.
This week, an article published on the Irish Independent’s website questions whether or not the ownership of MHS Going Global is indeed Irish – as listed in the FEI database. The answer will determine whether or not the horse is considered eligible to compete at the Olympics under the Irish flag.
In the FEI data base, the ownership nationality on MHS Going Global is indeed registered as Irish. However, the article published on the Irish Independent points out that the registered owner – Caledonia Stables – is a Canadian-based company owned by Lee and Paul Kruger.
The so-called ‘Horse Nationality Rule’ – found in the FEI Regulations for Rio 2016 article 620.3 – reads as follows:
“Horses entered for the Olympic Games must be the property of Owners of the same nationality as the Athlete by 31st December of the year preceding the Games.
For the 2016 Olympic Games the relevant date is 15 January 2016.”
Furthermore, article 606 states that National Federations are responsible to ensure that horses which do not meet ownership requirements as laid down by FEI, are not entered for the equestrian events at the Olympic Games.
In an update send from the FEI to all National Federations on 13 January 2016, two days prior to the 15 January 2016-deadline, it is stated that:
“If the Horse is owned by a company, the nationality of the Horse is that of the country where the company is registered. The name of the company and its nationality must be entered in the FEI Database by 15th January as mentioned above.”
However, Horse Sport Ireland has stated in the Irish Independent's article that it has "no issue with nominating Greg or MHS Going Global (…)". A spokesperson also added that: "The horse was bred in Ireland; it has been here since 2012."
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Source: FEI / The Irish Independent // Text © World of Showjumping // Picture © Jenny Abrahamsson
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