International Federation for Equestrian Sports

The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (French: Fédération Équestre Internationale, FEI) is the
international governing body of equestrian sports. The FEI headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The FEI is responsible for drafting and enforcing

regulations within the six disciplines under its Fédération Equestre Internationale

jurisdiction. Besides regulation, overseeing all

international competitions and Championships,
overseeing and cooperating with all affiliated
national federations, overseeing and educating
officials and registering riders and horses are core Sport Equestrian
tasks of the FEI. As an umbrella equestrian
organisation, the FEI focuses on promoting Category Sports

equestrian sport, attracting and cooperating with

Jurisdiction International
sponsors, media and fans, and representing
equestrian sport on various online and offline Abbreviation FEI
[1]
channels.
Founded 1921
[2]
An FEI code of conduct protects the welfare of
Affiliation International Olympic
the horses from physical abuse or doping. On
Committee · ASOIF
March 2, 2022, in the wake of the 2022 Russian
invasion of Ukraine, the FEI banned Russian and Affiliation date 1921, 1983
Belarusian athletes, horses, and officials from FEI
events, and subsequently an FEI Tribunal panel Headquarters Lausanne, Switzerland

dismissed an appeal by Russia's Federation of

President Ingmar De Vos
Equestrian Sports challenging the ban.[3]
Vice president(s) Jack C. Huang

Disciplines Mark Samuel

Secretary Sabrina Ibáñez

The FEI recognizes six disciplines under global
governance in both regular and para- Sponsor Longines
equestrianism competition:
Official website
[4]
Dressage and Para Dressage
fei.org (http://fei.org)
[5] [6]
Driving and Para Driving

Endurance[7]

Eventing[8]

Jumping[9]

Vaulting[10]

The following two disciplines are under regional governance:

 Horseball

Tent pegging

The FEI does not govern or provide rules for horse racing or polo, but in the latter case, it has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with the Federation of International Polo.

Values

Vision

To grow the unique and mutually beneficial bond between horse and human in sport globally.[11]

Mission

To drive and develop equestrian sport globally in a modern, sustainable and structured manner with
guaranteed integrity, athlete welfare, equal opportunity and a fair and ethical partnership with the horse.[11]

Events

Olympic and Paralympic Games

The first Olympics held under its authority were in 1924. Jumping, Dressage and Eventing have been a part
of the Olympics since 1912.[12] Para-Equestrian Dressage has been part of the Paralympic games since
1996.[13] Jumping has been part of the Youth Olympic Games since its creation in Singapore in 2010.[14]

FEI World Equestrian Games

The FEI has organized the FEI World Equestrian Games every four years since 1990. The idea of the World
Equestrian Games (WEG) came into being in the mid-1980s and was strongly supported by HRH Prince
Philip, who was then FEI President.

The WEG encompasses the World Championship titles in all the FEI global disciplines.[15]

World Cup

The FEI World Cup is an indoor series and takes place throughout the world with qualifying leagues leading
to a final in each of the disciplines. The FEI World Cup series began with show jumping in 1978 and has since
been extended to the disciplines of dressage, driving, and vaulting. Main events include:

Dressage World Cup

Show Jumping World Cup

World Cup Driving

World Cup Vaulting

World, continental and regional championships

FEI World, Continental and Regional Championships are held in all the FEI disciplines and age categories.
Events include:

World Eventing Championships for Young Horses

FEI World Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand

FEI World Driving Championships for Singles

FEI World Endurance Championships for Seniors

FEI World Vaulting Championships for Seniors

FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships

European
European Dressage Championships

European Show Jumping Championships

European Eventing Championships

Equestrian at the Friendship Games

Ljubičevo Equestrian Games

2019 FEI European Championships

2017 FEI European Championships

2009 FEI European Championships

2013 European Para-Dressage Championship

American
Equestrian at the Pan American Games

Asian
Equestrian sports first time at the 9th Asian Games in 1982.

Equestrian at the Asian Games

First Asian Equestrian Championships in Pattaya (THA) 30 Nov to 8 Dec 2019

Ratings

History

The FEI was formed in 1921 with the joining of the national organizations of Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy,
Japan, Norway, Sweden and the United States of America.[16] Today, there are 136 National Equestrian
Federations affiliated with the FEI.[17]
 Number of
Year
affiliated nations

1921 8

1928 21

1938 31

1960 48

1970 54

1975 62

1986 81

2014 132

2015 133

2016 134

2018 135

2020 138

2021 136

2022 137

On March 2, 2022, in the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the FEI banned Russian and
Belarusian athletes, horses, and officials from FEI events, and subsequently an FEI Tribunal panel dismissed
an appeal by Russia's Federation of Equestrian Sports challenging the ban.[3]

Presidents

FEI Headquarter in Lausanne,

Switzerland.

There have been 13 different presidents of the organization. Major Jhkr Karl F. Quarles van Ufford is the only
individual to have served twice. Nowadays, a President can serve for a maximum of three terms. Since 2014,
the President of the FEI is Ingmar De Vos from Belgium.
# President Nation Term

1 Baron du Teil France 1921–1927

2 General Gerrit Johannes Maris Netherlands 1927–1929

3 Major Jhkr Karl F. Quarles van Ufford Netherlands 1929–1931

4 General Guy V. Henry USA 1931–1935

5 Baron Max Von Holzing-Bertstett Germany 1935–1936

6 Major Jhkr Karl F. Quarles van Ufford Netherlands 1936–1939

7 Magnus Rydman Finland 1939–1946

8 Baron Gaston de Trannoy Belgium 1946–1954

9 Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld Netherlands 1954–1964

10 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh UK 1964–1986

11 Anne, Princess Royal UK 1986–1994

12 Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz Spain 1994–2006

13 Princess Haya bint Hussein Jordan 2006–2014

14 Ingmar De Vos Belgium Since 2014

See also

French Equestrian Federation

French National Olympic and Sports Committee

References

1. "About FEI" (https://inside.fei.org/fei/about-fei) . www.inside.fei.org. 15 December 2019. Retrieved 1 November

2023.

2. "The FEI Code of Conduct for the Welfare of the Horse" (https://web.archive.org/web/20170410050807/http://insid
e.fei.org/system/files/Code_of_Conduct_Welfare_Horse_1Jan2013.pdf) (PDF). Archived from the original (http://i
nside.fei.org/system/files/Code_of_Conduct_Welfare_Horse_1Jan2013.pdf) (PDF) on 10 April 2017.

3. "FEI Tribunal dismisses Russian appeal against equestrian ban" (https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1123825/

fei-russia-appeal-dismissed) . www.insidethegames.biz. 30 May 2022.

4. "Disciplines – Dressage – About Dressage" (http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/dressage/about-dressage) . Fei.org.

Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065332/http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/dressage/about-dressage)
from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.

5. "Disciplines – Driving – About Driving" (http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/driving/about-driving) . Fei.org. Archived (http

s://web.archive.org/web/20151222113429/http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/driving/about-driving) from the original on
22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2016.

6. "Disciplines – Driving – About Para Equestrian Driving" (https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061939/http://www

.fei.org/fei/disc/driving/about-para-equestrian) . Fei.org. Archived from the original (http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/dri
ving/about-para-equestrian) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
 7. "Disciplines – Endurance – About Endurance" (http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/endurance/about) . Fei.org. Archived (h
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20160304071455/http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/endurance/about) from the original on 4
March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.

8. "Disciplines – Eventing – About Eventing" (http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/eventing/about) . Fei.org. Archived (https://

web.archive.org/web/20160304072023/http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/eventing/about) from the original on 4 March
2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.

9. "Disciplines – Jumping – About Jumping" (http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/jumping/about) . Fei.org. Archived (https://

web.archive.org/web/20160304064546/http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/jumping/about) from the original on 4 March
2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.

10. "Disciplines – Vaulting – About Vaulting" (http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/vaulting/about) . Fei.org. Archived (https://w

eb.archive.org/web/20160304071006/http://www.fei.org/fei/disc/vaulting/about) from the original on 4 March
2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.

11. "FEI Values | FEI" (https://inside.fei.org/fei/about-fei/values) .

12. "Does Olympic horse-riding have a gender problem?" (https://www.economist.com/game-theory/2016/08/14/does

-olympic-horse-riding-have-a-gender-problem) . The Economist. Retrieved 5 October 2018.

13. "Americans Hart, Shoemaker & Trunnell Win 4 Para-Equestrian World Medals – For A Program That Had None" (htt
ps://web.archive.org/web/20180923133616/https://www.teamusa.org/News/2018/September/22/Americans-Hart-S
hoemaker-Trunnell-Win-4-Para-Equestrian-World-Medals-For-A-Program-That-Had-None) . Team USA.
Archived from the original (https://www.teamusa.org/News/2018/September/22/Americans-Hart-Shoemaker-Trunn
ell-Win-4-Para-Equestrian-World-Medals-For-A-Program-That-Had-None) on 23 September 2018. Retrieved
5 October 2018.

14. "Equestrian" (https://web.archive.org/web/20121221072321/http://www.singapore2010.sg/public/sg2010/en/en_sp

orts/en_26sports/en_equestrian.html) . 21 December 2012. Archived from the original (http://www.singapore201
0.sg/public/sg2010/en/en_sports/en_26sports/en_equestrian.html) on 21 December 2012. Retrieved 5 October
2018.

15. "FEI Championships" (http://fei.org/fei/events/championships) . FEI. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20131

012012842/http://fei.org/fei/events/championships) from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 6 October
2013.

16. Allen, K; Schumacher, SA (2015). "Chapter 26: Impact of FEI rules on sport horse medications". In Sprayberry, KA;
Robinson, NE (eds.). Robinson's Current Therapy in Equine Medicine (7th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 112–
115. ISBN 9780323242165.

17. "FEI National Federation Members" (https://data.fei.org/NFPages/NF/Search) . fei.org. Archived (https://web.archi

ve.org/web/20150316185120/https://data.fei.org/NFPages/NF/Search) from the original on 16 March 2015.
Retrieved 25 February 2016.

External links

Official website (https://www.fei.org/)

FEI TV: Official Equestrian Sport streaming website (https://web.archive.org/web/20121220022131/http://w

ww.feitv.org/)

FEI Inside (https://inside.fei.org/)

FEI Database (https://data.fei.org/Default.aspx)