One Big Thing: LA28 Rule Changes
Photo courtesy of the FEI.
The annual FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne, Switzerland, concluded their first session yesterday on March 30th, where FEI officials went over rule revisions that have been proposed for the LA2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Pre-Competition Changes
Pre-competition changes at the Olympic Games will be permitted from June 26th up to two hours before the start of the first competition in each discipline. Changes will be unlimited provided that the Athlete/Horse combinations are included on the Nominated Entries List.
Following the start of competition, substitutions will be permitted only in team competitions for medical or veterinary-justified cases, and provided that the athlete–horse combination being substituted was included on the Nominated Entries List.
A deadline on January 17, 2028 was set for all LA28 athlete–horse combinations to share the same nationality in the FEI Database. This will also be the deadline for horses with owners of multiple nationalities to determine their named nationality with FEI.
Discipline Changes
In eventing, it was proposed that the penalty given for rider substitutions during the competition will increase from the previous determination of 20 points. FEI Eventing and Driving Director Molly Day relayed that a set increased penalty has not yet been finalized, the final penalty amount will be published in the first draft of Olympic Games Regulations on July 20th.
Another change was suggested to clarify the consequences of for a team with a disqualified athlete, proposing that the entire team be disqualified if one rider is disqualified — versus eliminated — for something like an anti-doping infraction. The other members of the team could then continue the competition as individuals.
Several rules were discussed for jumpers and dressage as well, with jumpers potentially introducing medal determination jump-offs and dressage looking at changing their process for eliminated riders similarly to that proposed for eventing.
Today, March 31st will conclude the FEI Sports Forum’s session, including discussions on Para Dressage rules, veterinary matters, and data-driven welfare and safety. [All topics covered in the FEI Sports Forum can be found here]
US Events Closing Entries Today
Ocala International 1-2-3*L/4*S (FL); Fair Hill International April H.T. & CCI-S (MD); Sporting Days Farm April H.T. IV (SC); River Glen Spring HT (TN)
US Events Opening Entries Today
Spokane Sport Horse Spring HT (WA); USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships (SC); Otter Creek HT (WI); Kentucky May-Daze HT (KY); Course Brook Farm Spring HT (MA); Hunt Club Farms HT (VA); Fair Hill International HT (MD); Bouckaert Equestrian HT (GA); Spring Gulch HT (CO)
Other Links and Reading
Sponsor Corner: Kentucky Performance Products
Is your horse’s hindgut healthy and happy? Would you be able to tell if it wasn’t?
- Weight loss/poor body condition
- Acute or chronic diarrhea
- Poor attitude
- Decreased performance
Training Tip of the Day
Listen to Lucinda Green break down the core of all animal training: “Pressure and Release”.
Go Eventing
“You’re not your horse’s best friend… At best, you’re their favorite work colleague.” We’re wounded, but I guess we can’t really argue…
