The major item in the recent meeting of the Sport Committee (in a joint meeting with members of the sport judges committee) was the structure of our system of sport tests.
At the moment, riders entering in tests like Tölt T8 or Four Gait V6 are judged the same way as (experienced) riders and horses in T1 or V1. There is no way to reflect on the progress of riders and horses, like in other horse sports. For this reason the Sport Committee will prepare a proposal to introduce two additional classes for V5, V6, T8, T7, T6: for young horses (5 and 6 years old) and beginning riders. For these two classes new guidelines for judges will be developed. It will be up to the riders to decide if they want to enter in these specific classes or in the open class with standard judging. In some other classes slight changes will be proposed as well, to create a program of tests with increasing level of difficulty for both rider and horse. These ideas were also discussed with the other comittees present.
The Sport Committee started a project to restructure FIPO, in order to make it more readable and understandable.
The committee decided also not to change the list of prohibited equipment, and prepared some proposals for small changes in other rules to follow current developments. Like in 2009, a separate seminar will be organised for judges wanting to take the test to be come a FEIF Licensed Sport Judge, early September 2010. Another seminar will be organises in cooperation with the Education department, open for licensed International Sport Judges and Trainers with a license Level 2 or higher. The committee also evaluated the World Championships 2009.