Mark Wiggett Safety in Eventing

FEI Eventing Risk Management Seminar Eventing constitutes the most complete combined equestrian combined competition, demanding of the athlete considerable experience in all branches of equitation and a precise knowledge of his horse’s ability, and of the horse a degree of general competence, resulting from intelligent and progressive training. The Cross Country Test constitutes the most exciting and challenging all-round test of riding ability and horsemanship where correct principles of training and riding are rewarded. This test focus’ on the ability of athletes and horses to adapt to different and variable conditions of the competition (weather, terrain, obstacles, footing, etc.) showing jumping skills, harmony, mutual confidence, and in general “good pictures”. This test requires by all involved special awareness and acceptance of a certain level of risk inherent to the particular challenging and exciting nature of the test. Every effort must be made 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 which is strictly inherent to the nature of the competition.

Action Plan Creating the FEI Eventing risk management policy and structure. Finalizing and making full use of the potential of the FEI Safety Database. Improving riders and horses training and education (specifically XC training). Improving officials education training assessment and qualification. Creating a framework that encourages more experience to be built and knowledge to be consolidated for riders and horses. Encouraging lower risk responsible riding through constant review of best practices of Cross Country design. Riders protection and medical coverage. Horses veterinary coverage. Cross Country fences – frangible and deformable structures. Tack and equipment.

FEI Eventing risk management seminar Eventing National Safety Officers (NSOs) from 20 NFs met in Malmö (SWE) to review the FEI Eventing Risk Management plan. The following main topics were identified: Spreading the vision and ideas (awareness) regarding the sport in the NF (for national officials, trainers, coaches, riders, etc.) and ensuring the extension of this culture change to all nations world-wide organising Eventing and participating in the sport. The most important priority is to increase the awareness of safety with the riders education to ensure that riders and officials are aware of their responsibility in the sport Near misses need to be accounted for in statistics not only accidents

NSO role were clarified as follows: - Provide the national statistics on a 6-monthly basis - Liaise between the NF and the FEI for information on any national or international fatal accident of rider or horse - Spread the vision and ideas (awareness) of the updated risk management approach to the sport in the NF (national officials, trainers, coaches, riders, etc).

Bi-annual statistics to include Competition information: - Total number of competitions - Total number of competitions by levels (0.80 m and under, 0.90 m, 1.00 m, 1.10 m, 1.15 m) Starter information - Total number of starters - Total number of starters by levels - Total number of riders and horses competing in events Fall information: - Total number of falls - Total number of falls by levels - Total number of horse falls - Total number of horse falls by levels

Monitor and review (FEI responsibility) Follow-up review Setting benchmarking Producing annual Statistics Setting Measurable goals

MEASURABLE GOALS

Rider falls FEI NSW Class Target2004 – 2008 Average 2009 – 2013 Average 1*1 every 261 every 231 every 22 2*1 every 171 every 161 every 18 3*1 every 131 every 121 every 14 4*1 every 81 every 61 every 8 ClassTarget *1 every 261 every 371 every 321 every 33 2*1 every 171 every 331 every 241 every 41 3*1 every 131 every 451 every 331 every 23

Horse falls YearTotal horse falls%1 every % % %63 YearTotal horse falls%1 every % % %147 FEI NSW

Class- CCI, CIC and CNC 2012 No of startersRider falls/No per starter Horse falls/ No per starter 1*67723= 1 every 304= 1 every 169 2*38414= 1 every 276= 1 every 64 3*1995= 1 every 383 = 1 every 66 Class- CCI, CIC and CNC 2013 No of startersRider falls/No per starter Horse falls/ No per starter 1*69821= 1 every 338= 1 every 187 2*41310= 1 every 412= 1 every 206 3*1848= 1 every 230 NSW Comparison of falls 2012 and 2013 star classes FEI & Nat

Class 2012 No of startersRider falls/No per starterHorse Falls/No per starter EvA = 1 every 120 EvA =1 every 230 EvA = 1 every 380 EvA = 1 every 391= 1 every 1537 EvA =1 every 291= 1 every 1042 Class 2013 No of startersRider falls/No per starter Horse Falls/No per starter EvA452023= 1 every 670 EvA =1 every 1220 EvA = 1 every 490 EvA = 1 every 501= 1 every 1746 EvA =1 every 232= 1 every 586 NSW Comparison of falls 2012 and 2013 low level classes

Falls by * classes 2012 (individual levels) ClassNo of startersRider fallsHorse falls CCI 1*131 = 1 every 130 CIC 1*2258 = 1 every 282 = 1 every 112 CNC 1*43914 = 1 every 312= 1 every 220 CCI 2*400 CIC 2*2007 = 1 every 294= 1 every 50 CNC 2*1807 = 1 every 262= 1 every 45 CCI 3*221 = 1 every 220 CIC 3*1053 = 1 every 352 = 1 every 53 CNC 3*721 = 1 every 72

Falls by class 2013 ( individual levels ) ClassNo of startersRider fallsHorse falls CCI 1*302 = 1 every 150 CIC 1*2195 = 1 every 441 = 1 every 219 CNC 1*44914 = 1 every 327= 1 every 64 CCI 2*2200 CIC 2*1843 = 1 every 611= 1 every 184 CNC 2*2087 = 1 every 301= 1 every 208 CCI 3*312 = 1 every 150 CIC 3*834 = 1 every 210 CNC 3*702 = 1 every 350

Comparison of FEI 2012 and AUS 2012 FEI/AUSStartersFalls in total/ No per starter Rider falls/ No per starter Horse falls/ No per starter FEI world = 1 every = 1 every = 1 every 55 NSW FEI56928 = 1 every 2020 = 1 every 288 = 1 every 71 NSW CNC* ** ***69127 = 1 every 2622 = 1 every 315 = 1 every 138 NSW 105 and below = 1 every = 1 every 322 = 1 every 2705 Comparison of FEI 2013 and AUS 2013 FEI/AUSStartersFalls in total/ No per starter Rider falls/ No per starter Horse falls/ No per starter FEI world = 1 every = 1 every 27284= 1 every 63 NSW FEI49418= 1 every 2716= 1 every 312= 1 every 247 NSW CNC* ** ***72731= 1 every 2323= 1 every 318= 1 every 90 NSW 105 and below = 1 every 35147= 1 every 463= 1 every 2246

Summary The NSW statistics continue to improve. The NSW statistics for Horse Falls is considerably below the FEI statistics. In previous years 2* had considerable falls. The improvement may be in part to Reverse Qualification? Falls at EvA105 level need monitoring. TD’s need to understand the importance of correct reporting so that continual recording of falls is possible.

Good Reporting is essential.  CC courses are continually assessed  Safety and welfare are paramount  Riders are being encouraged to consider their results  Officials are responsible for correct reporting