KEVIN STAUT: THE IJRC BOARD AT WORK ON THE FEI JUMPING RANKING LIST

Ever since the FEI Jumping Ranking List was launched more than 20 years ago, the International Jumping Riders Club, which created it, has been constantly working on it. Three FEI representatives sit on an ad-hoc committee together with three IJRC board members: its President, François Mathy, its Director, Eleonora Ottaviani and Kevin Staut.

"The system for the allocation of points - explains Kevin Staut - is of the utmost interest to our club. This tool undoubtedly works, but periodically it is necessary to verify the changes in the scoring system. This happens because the horse show calendar is always evolving with new series and also important events in countries not usually present in the international panorama of top events. At the moment, our focus is on the Nations Cups. History has taught us that this is a competition with four technically skilled riders called upon to represent their country. And that is really what makes the difference. We have been requested to check the Ranking's point allocation system and, when team competitions have a different format, the solution has been to look at the individual results of the different rounds. There are obviously different points of view about the current scoring system, because the Club supports and will continue to support the unique features of the Nations Cups".

Returning to the Ranking points, in expressing the opinion of the IJRC Board, Kevin Staut is convinced that it is necessary to act with regard to young riders.
"The riders at the top of the FEI ranking have no problem in choosing the competitions in which they wish to participate, but all the others certainly do have problems. This does not allow for a lively Ranking system and especially for the arrival of new riders, especially young ones. The number of 4* and 5* shows continues to grow and ‘coming up riders’ really struggle to find access to these competitions. The CSIOs are the only competitions where riders are selected by chefs d’equipe and therefore where all deserving riders can have the opportunity to grow, to show their value and at the same time obtain valuable ranking points. This is why CSIOs are particularly important for the future of our sport. In the Rome Nations Cup, we clearly saw the quality level of the young competitors, with the German team climbing on the highest step of the Nations’ Cup podium, three quarters of which was made up by young female riders".

Today more than ever the role of the Club - whose Board exclusively consists of riders who participate in 5* competitions every weekend - is to look outside the narrow microcosm at the top level.
“To guarantee a good future to our sports it is necessary to pay more attention to meritocracy - Staut points out - the tip of the pyramid of a system that must work from the base in a coherent manner. This starts with the visibility that our sport has outside the world of insiders. At present, there is great confusion in our communication for the general public, with continuous overlaps of important events. We are often referred to as the actors of a wonderful sport where, however, in a bouquet of super appointments, the general public is unable to identify the great protagonists. And this is certainly not good for the promotion of our sport. It is necessary to harmonize top-level competitions."