EEF Board videoconference 18.01.2022

1.1 Olympic survey

On 7 December 2021 the FEI had sent a consultation survey to NFs for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Regulations. EEF members shall be encouraged to share their positions with the EEF until 24 January 2022 so that the EEF discipline working groups can provide their recommendations to the EEF Board by 31 January 2022. The Board states that the working groups shall only put those recommendations forward that have obtained support of at least 80% of the respective EEF discipline working group members. Once the EEF positions have been approved by the EEF Board in early February, these positions shall be shared with the EEF members by 5 February 2022.

1.2 Development of new EEF voting system

As the new EEF Strategic Plan has been approved by the 2021 EEF General Assembly, the working group shall be dissolved accordingly. A new group shall be set-up with the task to lead the implementation of the new plan. The first objective shall be the approval of a new EEF voting system at the 2022 EEF General Assembly and SL is tasked to share the existing recommendation with the EEF Board for approval at the next EEF Board videoconference.

2.1 Update 2022 Longines EEF Series

EO provides an update on the status quo of planning for the 2022 LES season. Not all host agreements have been signed yet but this process shall be finalized asap. The qualifier in Samorin has changed location to Bratislava because the venue in Samorin is not available on the desired dates. As soon as all locations and dates have been finally confirmed by means of signed host agreements the press release shall go out accordingly.

2.2 Update EEF Sport Development Manager

QS informs the Board that the new EEF Sport Development Manager has been chosen from the list of candidates with an employment contract to be signed at the end of January 2022. The new employee shall start in his role in March 2022.

2.3 EEF Development competition

GD provides a summary of the EEF Development competition in line with the first proposal submitted by the BEC Chair Alan Andabaka. The rules require approval by the FEI and a sponsor shall be sought accordingly. GD is tasked to share the finalized plans regarding budget etc by email with the Board asap.

2.4 Update Communication

The Board is informed that Alice Ward has been contracted as EEF Communication Manager and will support the EEF for 2 days a week.

2.5 Update EEF Jumping Round Table

TP provides a summary of the EEF Jumping Round Table discussions that have been ongoing for the past year and are now reaching the end phase. The next meeting is scheduled for early February with the objective to formulate final recommendations in early March for submission to the EEF Board and subsequently to the FEI.

2.6 Sponsoring

Discussions with three new potential sponsors for the EEF and/or the EEF Series are currently ongoing and the EEF Board will be kept informed along the way.

2.7 EEF General Assembly 2022

The Board recommends to host the 2022 EEF GA on Monday, 12 September 2022 in Warsaw (POL) in connection with the Longines EEF Series Final. A dinner for all members shall be organized for Sunday evening, September 11th . CM is tasked to initiate talks with the POL NF accordingly. The exact date and time for the in-person EEF Board meeting in Warsaw is still to be determined.

Central European Dressage Working Group (CED)

GD reports that he has been invited to join the recent meeting of the CED and is given the mandate of the EEF Board to see what potential terms and conditions can be agreed upon for a collaboration and what the EEF intendsto achieve with this. One option would be to endorse them in a similar way that the EEF endorses the Balkan Championships.

Longines EEF contract

The Board is informed that as of January 2022 Longines is only sponsoring the EEF Series and no longer the EEF organization because that contract had ended in December 2021.

EEF Working groups

TP tasks all working group chairs to provide feedback whether their temporary working groups shall be renewed for the year 2022 with new members. If so, CM is tasked to contact NFs and ask for proposals accordingly.

Footprint study

The 2021 EEF General Assembly had approved a budget of EUR 10.000 for a footprint study of equestrian sport in terms of sustainability. TP has been in contact with Amanda Curtis and any potential cooperation would first require the definition of the scope of the study. There would also be one person in the ITA NF interested in contributing to this project. QS states that the Board needs to determine whether financial priority should be given to a study related to horse welfare instead of sustainability and a cooperation with the sport horse welfare foundation.

Social license

The Board gives the mandate to TP and GD to raise this subject with the FEI at the next FEI Board Meeting and request a review of all FEI Rules & Regulations in terms of their acceptance by society in regards to a “social license” (ie blood rule).