The first in-person FEI Board meeting of the year took place on 30 June and 1 July at the FEI Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. In addition to finance and governance, the agenda for the meeting included, among other things, allocation of FEI named events, FEI disciplines updates and resolutions, as well as updates on veterinary and horse welfare matters. A full wrap-up report can be found here.

In jumping, the FEI Board allocated the following Championships:

• WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses 2028, 2029 & 2030, Lanaken (BEL), second half of September;
• FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders, Juniors & Children 2028, Avenches (SUI); 8–13 August;
• FEI Jumping European Championship for Veterans 2028, Bedizzole (ITA), 9–11 June or 16–18 June (date TBC);
• Jumping European Championship for Ponies 2028, Strzegom (POL), 17–20 August.

The FEI Board also approved the dates of 11-18 July 2027 for the FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders, Juniors & Children 2027 – Brussels (BEL), and confirmed the allocation of the FEI PAEC Championship of the Americas 2027, which will feature competitions in Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing. The first edition of the Championships will be held at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Ocala, Florida (USA), from 19 to 31 January 2027.

The Board approved the 2027 rules for the proposed Premier Jumping League (PJL) series, having confirmed that they comply with the FEI Rules and Regulations.

The Board also approved the updated Major League Show Jumping Rules for the 2026/2027 season and was informed of the updated FEI Group VII Series with Finals Rules for 2026– 2027, as approved by the Jumping Committee.

The Board approved the FEI Jumping Tack and Equipment Requirements, endorsed by the Jumping Committee. Following the 2025 full revision of the FEI Jumping Rules, all tack and equipment provisions were consolidated into a standalone document. Developed by a dedicated working group, the document formalises existing practices and will come into force on 1 February 2027.

The Board reviewed the request from the organisers of CSIO St Gallen (SUI) to re-join the Longines League of Nations™ following its removal from the series in 2024. While acknowledging the significant efforts made by the Organising Committee and the progress identified through technical assessments and stakeholder feedback, the Board agreed with the Jumping Committee that further improvements are required. It therefore decided ongoing work was needed, before reconsidering the venue’s inclusion in the series.

The FEI Director of Veterinary and Equine Welfare presented an update on key European Union legislative developments affecting equestrian sport, with particular focus on animal transport, veterinary medicines and animal welfare. The ongoing review of the EU Regulation on the Protection of Animals During Transport, launched in 2023, remains the most significant development. Originally intended to improve the transport of production animals, the proposal was expanded to include horses transported for sport, breeding and other purposes. The draft regulation includes measures to limit long journeys, increase space allowances, strengthen protection against extreme temperatures, improve conditions for vulnerable animals and introduce digital monitoring tools such as GPS tracking. Following extensive feedback from stakeholders and Member States, the proposal is being revised. Ireland, which assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July 2026, is expected to conclude the review, with a vote anticipated by the end of the year. The FEI remains concerned over this proposal and will continue to engage with policymakers through the European Horse Network (EHN) and the International Sport Horse Confederation (IHSC). The Board was also informed that the issue concerning six-month equine influenza vaccination boosters has been resolved. An EU Expert Commission confirmed in April 2026 that vaccines may continue to be administered at six-month intervals where no authorised alternative is available, aligning with FEI rules and the recommendations of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

Further updates covered the EU review of essential substances for equine use, where current proposals are not expected to affect the FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List, and the European Commission's wider review of animal welfare legislation. The FEI will continue to contribute to this process through the IHSC and EHN, particularly to ensure that the specific needs of competition horses are properly understood. Finally, the Board was informed of legislative developments in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden, where national reviews of horse welfare, husbandry, tack and equipment may have implications at international level. The FEI will continue to monitor these developments and work closely with the respective NFs.

The FEI Director of Veterinary and Welfare updated the Board on the implementation of the FEI Equine Welfare Strategy Action Plan reporting that 16 actions have been completed, while the remaining 21 actions are progressing at various stages. The Director highlighted the following priorities for 2026: FEI Equine Welfare Advisory Group; Ethical Training Methods; Mental Fitness to Compete Scientist Group; Five Domains Education; Oral cavity checks and Out-of-Competition Testing.

The Board received a brief update on current equine biosecurity developments, including:

• Equine influenza: Recent cases in France and Great Britain have also involved not yet fully vaccinated horses, and scientists are currently reviewing data from the cases to evaluate any changes in vaccine efficacy.
• West Nile virus: Only a limited number of cases have been reported. Efforts are ongoing to secure the availability of a vaccine within the European Union.
• New World screwworm: A small outbreak has been reported in the USA (Texas) and is being closely monitored.
• African horse sickness: Progress has been reported in the development of a modern vaccine against African Horse Sickness.

The Board approved the proposed amendments to the FEI Equine Prohibited Substances List (EPSL), ahead of consultation with the NFs and implementation on 1 January 2027. Recommended by the FEI List Group, the key changes include the addition of several previously unlisted substances, revisions to the classification of selected substances, the inclusion of paracetamol and coumarin as Specified Substances, and the expansion of the listing for 17-hydroxyprogesterone hexanoate esters. The Board also approved updates to alternative names and spellings as well as technical corrections, improving the clarity, accuracy and usability of the EPSL.

The FEI President provided an update on “Fit for the Future” initiative of IOC President Kirsty Coventry which is the new strategic direction for the Olympic Movement endorsed by the 146th IOC Session. He provided more details on the process that will be used by the IOC to review the Olympic Programme and the criteria that will be used in the future to evaluate existing and candidate disciplines. Olympic Regulations The Board was informed of some proposed clarifications and updates to the FEI Regulations for Equestrian Events at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 across all three Olympic equestrian disciplines. The full draft of the proposed Regulations, with the accompanying memo, will be circulated to the National Federations and MOU Stakeholders for consultation on 20 July as part of the 2026 Rules Revision process.

The Board approved the FEI Marketing and Communications Strategy 2026-2030 presented by the FEI Executive Director, Commercial Marketing and Communication. The initial version of the strategy was unveiled during a dedicated session at the FEI Sports Forum 2026, and the extensive stakeholder feedback received during that consultation has been incorporated into the final version.