COURSE designer Gueorgui Gueorguiev, who is originally from Bulgaria but has been based in Newbridge, Co Kildare for the past 23 years, has just achieved his FEI Level 3 course designer status. Gueorguiev has been designing courses all over Ireland for the entire time he has been here, but has been doing international shows for the past eight years.

FEI Level 2 status means that course designers can do one-star shows, such as for young horses, and two-star shows, whereas with FEI Level 3 status they can design at shows right up to five-star; in fact, they can do all shows except for Olympic Games, World Equestrian Games, European Championships and World Championships, for which FEI Level 4 status is required. There are no further assessments to gain Level 4 status, it is given on gaining relevant show experience.

It has taken Gueorguiev seven years to gain the show experience to achieve his FEI Level 3 status, during which time he has designed courses in Ireland, including national shows and internationals, such as Dublin, Millstreet, Balmoral and Mullingar; the UK, such as at Hickstead and Longines Derbies; Oliva in Spain; Valkenswaard in The Netherlands; the Swedish pony championships, as well as the Irish pony championships for the past three years.

To achieve his certificate, Gueorguiev had to attend a three-day intensive course in Moldova, under the scrutiny of three-time Olympic course designer, Olaf Petersen. Along with nine colleagues from Holland, Denmark, Germany, Romania and Peru, Gueorguiev had to design course for different types of competition and draw course plans to scale.

Gueorguiev hopes that this will open more doors for him in the future. He intends to continue helping at shows in Ireland, but hopes to be able to travel more and perhaps go to America.

Joining him in gaining FEI Level 3 course designer status was John Doyle, well-known for course designing at Barnadown.