FEI RULES & REGULATIONS 2023

Here is the updating of regulations approved by the FEI General Assembly held on November 13, 2022 and implemented on January 1, 2023. 
 
Below you will find a summary of the main updates of the Jumping Rules. We will dedicate upcoming newsletters to MERs and Olympic Ranking rules.
 
Here are the major changes that will be enforced in 2023:
   

1. Lower minimum speed requirements 

2. Addition to JR article 241 concerning elimination

3. Horse inspection timing

4. Higher minimum entry fees

1.Lower minimum speed requirements (JR, art. 234, p. 10)
The speed for international competitions has been dropped from 350m to 325m per minute minimum and 400m per minute maximum. However, the minimum speed for ranking classes remains 350m/min. 

2. Addition to article 241 concerning elimination (JR, art. 241 p. 30) 
This rule was discussed during the IJRC GA. The new rule concerning elimination states that the President of the Ground Jury can ring the bell to eliminate an athlete/horse combination during an ongoing round if he or she decides that it would be contrary to the principles of horse welfare.
 
Here, below, the full rule: 
 
Cap. 7 art. 241.4 The President of the Ground Jury (or in the absence of the President of the Ground Jury from the Ground Jury box, the Ground Jury Member designated by the President of the Ground Jury to take over the running of the Competition in their absence) may, at their sole discretion, ring the bell (or instruct another Ground Jury member to ring the bell) to eliminate an Athlete/Horse combination while a round is ongoing if the President of the Ground Jury (or their designee) decides that it would be contrary to the principles of horse welfare to allow the combination to continue the round. The decision to eliminate is final and not subject to appeal or protest. 

There is no question that the disqualification in case of blood (art. 242) remains and horses with blood showing must be immediately disqualified from the competition. However, during the IJRC GA 2022 the riders felt that the rule could use some adjustments.
 
Here, the suggested adjustments to this rule:

a) The possibility of having a previous Olympic Champion/top rider as the supervisor for chief stewards and judges to provide advice. This would create a decision-making panel so as not to entrust responsibility to just one individual. 

b) The importance of the educational process used to train officials.
Furthermore, Nick Skelton proposed that changes should be made to the sentence “be contrary to the principles of horse welfare” and it should be replaced with “for the safety of horses and riders”.
 
3. Change for the Horse Inspection timing (JR art. 280, p. 63)
The new rule states that the Horse Inspection must be done within 24 hours of the start of the first competition.
 
4. Higher minimum entry fees (JR, annex VI, p. 78)
Entry fees will undergo a slight increase, although the IJRC remains strongly against any rise in costs attached to the sport. This decision will oblige us to request an increase in PM.
You can find the full detail in the ANNEX VI CSI/CSIO REQUIREMENTS:
 Maximum Entry Fee* per Horse VAT excluded:

       CSI 1* + 2*:    € 440 instead of 400 per Horse;
       CSI 3*:            € 495 instead of 450 per Horse;
       CSI 4*:            € 605 instead of 550 per Horse;
       CSI5*:             No entry fee
       CSI5*W WEL: € 495 instead of 450 per Horse  

* Maximum Entry Fee for Young Horses € 330 instead of 300 per Horse for all Categories. Maximum Entry Fee for U25, Young Rider, Junior, Children’s and Pony Events € 440 instead of 400 per Horse/Pony 
WEL = Western European League; PM = prize money; b/fast = breakfast; max. = maximum; min. = minimum; n/a = not applicable. 

All new updated rules can be found on the FEI website:
https://inside.fei.org/content/general-regs-statutes