Text © World of Showjumping

The 2024 Longines League of Nations™ Final in Barcelona – one of the FEI’s very own flagship events, which concluded the equally FEI named series for the current season – turned into a missed opportunity for the sport’s international governing body to set an example in excellence when it comes to horse welfare and rule compliance.

“It was the worst show I have done this year,” Switzerland’s Olympic vice-champion and current world no. two Steve Guerdat told World of Showjumping. “It was very poorly organised, starting with the quality of the stables and the ground in the warm-up rings. The ground in the main ring was acceptable, but the jumping warm-up was bad, and the warm-up area by the stable was an absolute disaster – with the option of riding in the indoor together with the ponies from the local riding school, which was dangerous.”

“The worst is that the LLN Final is the FEI’s own event, and they are the ones who make the rules – often making it very difficult for the organisers. However, at one of the very few shows they have to organise in a year, they manage to go against their own rules. When you talk about horse welfare, biosecurity and contamination, the temperatures we have to take, the quarantines we have to do when we go outside of Europe, how is it justified that in Barcelona – at the FEI’s own flagship event – we are riding mixed with the local ponies, have dirty stables, and jump until midnight?” Guerdat asked.

At one of the very few shows they have to organise in a year, they manage to go against their own rules.

- World no. two Steve Guerdat about the FEI's 2024 Longines League of Nations™ Final - 

"The surface of the main arena was renewed this year to meet the highest safety standards," a FEI spokesperson told WoSJ when asked to comment on the remarks made regarding the footing in Barcelona. "Prof. Lars Roepstorff, from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, was present at the event and worked closely with the Organising Committee to ensure the footing was safe and suitable for top-level competition, conducting regular assessments throughout the event."

"Although an incident occurred in a training area adjacent to the stables, temporarily rendering it unusable, the organizing committee swiftly provided an additional warm-up track to be used in the interim. Additionally, athletes had access to the covered arena located next to the stables. The warm-up arena was maintained without any issues, ensuring consistent conditions for all competitors," the FEI spokesperson continued.

Implying that the FEI has been aware of previous issues at the venue in Barcelona, the FEI spokesperson also said: "Over the past 12 months, the Organising Committee has worked diligently to meet the FEI’s requests to improve overall facility standards, including enhancing stable conditions, cleanliness, lighting, and space."

Friday night’s Grand Prix prize giving ceremony, which took place just before midnight, was immediately followed by a display of fireworks – while horses were still in close proximity of the arena.

One of the riders able to get out in time – by leaving the prize giving before it was officially finished – was Sweden’s current world number one Henrik von Eckermann. “King Edward is very sensitive, and I felt that something was going to happen,” he told to WoSJ.

The FEI keeps preaching about horse welfare, yet something like this happens at one of their own flagship events?

- World no. one Henrik von Eckermann on the fireworks in Barcelona - 

In Barcelona, the stables are approximately a 10-minute walk away from the arena, and von Eckermann was halfway with King Edward and his groom Louise Barraud when the fireworks began and caused King Edward to panic. Luckily, von Eckermann and Barraud managed to escort King Edward unharmed back to the stable area – but the ingredients for a potential career-ending disaster were there. “Including fireworks at an event with animals illustrates that the organisers have no clue about what they are dealing with. The FEI keeps preaching about horse welfare, yet something like this happens at one of their own flagship events?” von Eckermann pointed out.

“It is unfortunate that this happened. Barcelona has always been one of my favourite shows, and there are many positives that I see as well at the venue. However, while the organisers apologized afterwards, the fireworks should never have occurred. In my opinion, fireworks and animals do not belong together,” von Eckermann said.

When asked about the dangerous incident, a FEI spokesperson told WoSJ: "The original plan was for a silent fireworks display featuring only lights, so the noise was unexpected. Although the fireworks were organised without prior consultation with the FEI, the issue was promptly addressed with the Organising Committee, who confirmed that fireworks would be removed from the upcoming schedule."

Friday’s Grand Prix of the City of Barcelona started at 9 PM, as did the Queens Cup the next evening. Both classes ended with prize giving ceremonies around midnight – with grooms staying in the stables to finish their work as long as until 2.45 AM. 

“How is it possible under the regulations the FEI has in place that they started the only five-star class they had scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 9 PM and finished after midnight two nights in a row?” Steve Guerdat pointed out.

Like all other FEI schedules, the schedule for Barcelona was approved by the FEI – that had ample opportunity to consider the timetable up against the FEI Veterinary Regulations art. 1008 6 j).

This specific rule came into effect on January 1 2023, enforcing the mandatory closure of the FEI stables area for six consecutive hours overnight with minimal lighting and noise to allow the horses to rest adequately.

How is it justified that in Barcelona – at the FEI’s own flagship event – we are riding mixed with the local ponies, have dirty stables, and jump until midnight?

- World no. two Steve Guerdat - 

Already in April, World of Showjumping reported how the implementation of the rule has failed, with little to no change observed in the timetables at FEI events.

“A community approach is required to provide the most optimal environment at events to keep horses as healthy as possible,” a FEI Spokesperson commented to WoSJ in April. “The FEI believes all members of the community have a responsibility to proactively contribute and acquaint themselves with all Rules changes, and to ensure they are correctly applied in their respective domains.”

Nonetheless, the FEI continues to give its blessing to organisers who submit timetables that clearly do not meet the requirements set forth in art. 1008 6 j) – including one of their own flagship events – yet again illustrating how cosmetic these rules are.

The timetable-issue is nothing new, and was recently highlighted in the FEI’s 2024 Rules Revision Process where one of the most noteworthy proposals submitted was by the Grooms Consultative Group – which was created by the FEI to give grooms a voice.

The Group suggested to make changes to art. 1008, proposing that classes should not begin before 7.30 AM, and be finished – prize givings included – by 11.30 PM at the latest. It was suggested that there should be a minimum of 10 hours between the end of the last class a horse has jumped and the start of its first class the next day, and that riders from the same group should have a minimum of nine hours between competing. (i.e. a rider that has competed finishing at 11.30pm cannot compete before 8.30am the following day).

This matter will be open for discussion in the Full Rules Revision in 2026. Meanwhile, the current rule will be applied.

- FEI on art. 1008 6 j) -

Despite this topic being highlighted multiple times over the last decade by numerous stakeholders – including grooms and riders – the FEI decided to postpone any decision to 2026. "This matter will be open for discussion in the Full Rules Revision in 2026. Meanwhile, the current rule will be applied," was the FEI’s feedback on this pressing issue.

However, the current rule is clearly not being applied – there is a steady stream of violations of art. 1008 6 j), with the most recent example being the Longines League of Nations™ Final in Barcelona. When invited to comment on the situation in Barcelona and specifically the compliance with art. 1008 6 j), a FEI spokesperson said to WoSJ: "There was a minimum of 14 hours between the two five-star competitions, ensuring that horses had ample time to rest between events." 

Due to the issues with the footing in the training area adjacent to the stables, FEI horses competing in Barcelona ended up having to alternatively exercise in the indoor arena – mixing with ponies from the local riding school. Such a mix jeopardises the biosecurity that the FEI so loudly advocates for. 

"For biosecurity reasons, local ponies are not permitted to mix with horses in the FEI stable area," a FEI spokesperson told WoSJ. "To the best of our knowledge, there have been no breaches of this rule in Barcelona. However, if you are aware of a specific instance where this occurred, we would appreciate you bringing it to our attention so we can investigate and ensure it does not happen again."

The stable compound for the Longines League of Nations™ horses was fully secure and participating horses were completely separated from any local horses.

- FEI on the biosecurity in Barcelona- 

The FEI Veterinary Regulations art. 1008 11 b) states that:

"Horses that are not registered with the FEI are not permitted access to the FEI Stables Area.  (Editor’s note: An area at an FEI Event in which stables are located).

FEI Registered Horses that are (i) not Accompanying Horses and (ii) that are only competing in other competitions e.g. national and regional competitions at the same Event venue are not permitted to enter the FEI Stables Area.

FEI Registered Horses which satisfy the criteria of Accompanying Horses and are companion Horses, in-transit Horses, or Horses competing in national classes are permitted to access the FEI Stables Area provided that they meet the health requirements in Articles 1002, 1027 and 1029."

In Barcelona, the indoor arena is next to the garage that housed the boxes of the FEI horses. However, when commenting on the issue, a FEI spokesperson told WoSJ: "The stable compound for the Longines League of Nations™ horses was fully secure and participating horses were completely separated from any local horses." 

It’s not the first time the FEI fails to impress with one of their own flagship events. Following the 2023 FEI European Championship in Milan, Italy, there was disappointment among some of the world’s best riders. At the 2023 International Jumping Riders Club’s General Assembly, Ben Maher pointed out how the FEI “miserably failed” to provide a quality event.

“(…) the sport was great that weekend because of the riders, the horses and the owners,” Maher said. “But the venue, supposedly the European Championships are the flagship horse show of the year for the FEI, and in my opinion as a rider, it was the worst show I’ve been to since I can ever remember.”

In my opinion as a rider, it was the worst show I’ve been to since I can ever remember.

- Ben Maher at the IJRC General Assembly about the 2023 FEI European Championship in Milan, Italy - 

“I feel the FEI, coming up with all of these rules, all of these things to try to improve the sport, but the one show of the year that they have, to show that they are the best and they do a great job for the horses, the riders and the owners, they miserably failed (...),” Maher added.

On the same occasion, von Eckermann had no mercy when it came to another of the FEI’s flagship events – the 2023 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final: “I also want to point out the World Cup Final – which is also one of the flagship events of the FEI – with the most important thing for me being the ground, and it was absolutely a disaster in Omaha,” the Swedish rider said. “I won it, I am happy with that, but it was a disaster. And the venue itself, I was there for the one before, and it was ok, but now, actually, it was… Like you say Ben, it is disappointing that this is the main event, and I love to ride for my country and I love to ride the World Cup Final – but this is the main events of the FEI and it is absolutely not good.”

However, the FEI seems to have taken no note of the feedback from two of the world’s best riders – continuing to deliver productions that don’t meet the requirements laid down in their own rules and regulations.

While the FEI must earn credit for having made the Longines League of Nations™ Final more financially attractive than in the past – the prize money is now set at 1.600.000 Euro, and additional bonuses include 5.000 Euros to each groom on the winning team, 20.000 Euros to the rookie of the season, 15.000 Euros to the best chef d’equipe and 40.000 Euros to the best athlete, totalling a 2.025.200 Euro as prize purse – it’s difficult to turn a blind eye to the international governing body’s inability to set a good example in terms of compliance with its own rules and regulations at one of its own flagship events. 

At the 2024 FEI General Assembly in Abu Dhabi, FEI’s Equine Welfare Strategy Action Plan is on the agenda. With a funding of 1 million CHF, the FEI has pledged to deliver its new plan. 

Meanwhile, horses, grooms and riders will have to wait until 2026 for a full revision of the FEI Veterinary Regulations art. 1008 6 j) – a rule originally included to support equine welfare by providing a suitable environment in which the horses can rest and sleep adequately without disturbances, and a rule the FEI repeatedly fails to implement and enforce.

This weekend, the 2024/2025-season of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League – another FEI flagship series – kicks off in Oslo, Norway, with the first qualifier. While the FEI has launched a #AlwaysBelieve-campaing to promote their series, the schedule in Oslo includes lunging times starting at 5.30AM and ending at 11PM. 

18.10.2024 No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply.