WELFARE, education and the future direction of the sport were prominent topics at the FEI Endurance Forum 2017, which took place in Barcelona, Spain. A total of 100 delegates from over 30 countries gathered together at a pivotal time for the discipline of endurance, which is seeing massive growth year on year across the globe.

Scientific presentations on endurance risk factors, bone fatigue and risk management set the scene, providing a data-based approach for the Forum’s further discussions on education, rules revisions and the future of the sport. Key topics including horse welfare, speed, athlete education and how the elite level of the sport could look in the future were debated.

FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said: “Endurance is clearly appealing and has potential, but as we grow we need to secure the integrity of the sport with correct processes, and maintain the highest standards of horse welfare.

“We are all here because we want to ensure that endurance continues to develop and thrive around the world. And we are also here because we want to ensure the very best for our horses, for our athletes and for the greater endurance community.”

First presented at last month’s FEI Sports Forum 2017, Dr Euan Bennet from the University of Glasgow took delegates through the main results of the first year and a half of the FEI’s Global Endurance Injuries Study, and Professor Chris Whitton from the University of Melbourne presented data on bone fatigue. Speed and non-compliance with mandatory rest periods are the key risk factors. It was unanimously agreed that key to injury reduction is a combination of rules revisions and education for athletes, trainers and all involved in the sport.

Ireland’s Diarmuid Byrne and Sam Watson from equestrian data science company EquiRatings, presented a potential model for an athlete index in endurance, aimed at identifying those at higher risk of non-completion and following a similar concept to the ERQI model in eventing.

EquiRatings founder Sam Watson explained: “It is about changing psychology and attitude. We need to create awareness and provide a tool that can guide the level of responsible horsemanship and help maintain a standard for the sport around the world.”

The new Endurance Education System for Endurance Officials was presented and received widespread support, with unanimous agreement on the benefit and importance of rewarding excellence and increasing experience.

The introduction of job descriptions, promotional courses for top level officials, horsemanship education for all endurance officials, requalification every three years and the introduction of a new five-star level of officials were all on the agenda.

There was widespread support for the creation of a new five-star level of elite competition, and a general consensus that there should be clear and increased qualification criteria for entry to one-star level and for progression onto four-star and five-star.