EEF Board in person meeting on 23.04.2023

For Discussion:

1.1 Sustainability

- Report
The Board approves the report of the Chair of the EEF Sustainability working group with the only request for change on page 7 (Conclusion and next steps point 2) where it currently states “Accountability for sustainable development of equestrian sport”. This shall be changed to “Being a driver for” (instead of accountability for).
- Carbon footprint tool.
The carbon footprint tool that has been developed by Wageningen University is ready to be used by the pilot countries. FRA, GRE, GER are already interested. Students will be involved in the process to ensure that the data will be collected in a meaningful and coherent way. Once the data has been analyzed the result will be shared with the respective NF. SL states that it will be important to focus not only on top sport horses but also on mid-level and local horses to get an average of all horses in the country. After the pilot phase the tool will be made available to all European NFs. SP states that consideration shall also be given to the positive impacts of equestrian activities on the surrounding environment (such as green areas/parks reserved to grazing/training for instance for eventing and/or trees present in equestrian clubs).

1.2 EEF future structure             

The President presents the proposed future structure of the EEF in which the EEF Board should gradually be relieved from its operational responsibilities and move into a supervisory role with the Secretary General moving into an executive role with rights and responsibilities to be defined in the EEF Statutes. It is proposed to link one EEF Board member position to the function of a Treasurer and continue to ensure that there will always be an athlete representative on the Board. There is no common position on the question whether more Board positions shall be linked to specific areas of expertise (legal, etc) or not. It is agreed that the President as well as 1st and 2nd Vice-President positions shall not be attached to a specific area of expertise required for the position. To prepare a change of the EEF Statutes the next steps will be to clearly define which decisions shall remain the power of the Board and which decisions shall be transferred to the Secretary General. Also, the exact mandate of an EEF Executive Board and the Secretary General is to be defined. If the timeline for these preparations is too short for the 2023 EEF General Assembly then the statutory changes shall be put forward to the 2024 EEF General Assembly for approval. All details will require further refinement.

1.3 Finances

No questions are raised related to the EEF’s quarterly reports of the first three quarters of the financial year 2022/23.

1.4 Regional championships

The Board is in favor of the presented proposal to create a frame and minimum standards/criteria for EEF regional championships. A majority of the Board is in favor of including a specific September-deadline for NFs to put the dates and locations for regional championships forward to the EEF. The current proposal shall be amended to allocate only one year ahead (instead of two) and QS will have a direct correspondence with GD to find a solution regarding the September-deadline that can also work for the Balkan countries. It is proposed by the Board that the September deadline shall remain in place and if no bid is received within that deadline for a specific regional championship then the bidding process can be re- opened. TS is tasked to proceed with the plans for EEF Nordic Baltic Championships according to the current proposal. A draft MOU between the EEF and regional groups shall be prepared and circulated.

For Information:

2.1  Feasibility study on European Championships

The external consultant has submitted his first report regarding the feasibility study of a takeover of EU-CH from the FEI which will be discussed in detail in a separate meeting.

2.2  FEI Jumping Nations Cup / League of Nations

GD summarizes the status quo regarding the FEI’s creation of a League of Nations in Jumping. The EEF Board is currently waiting to see a first draft of the rules for such League of Nations concept. This will allow the Board to evaluate the exact effects it could have on the existing Longines EEF Series.

2.3  Update Longines EEF Series

GD provides an update on the Longines EEF Series and the notification received from the organizer of the semi-final in Ebreichsdorf (AUT). The AUT NF will have a meeting on this subject on Wednesday and will provide feedback to the EEF after that. SMT committed to support the solution-finding process.

AOB

3.1 Evolution League Jumping

The Board decides that each event of the EEF Evolution League Jumping in 2023 shall receive EUR 6.000 as prize-money contribution plus EEF prizegiving material (ribbons, rugs, sashes) with the related expenses to be split between the EEF financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24.