FEI to allow 148cms ponies to measure at 151cms during in-competition testing
The world governing body had proposed measuring ponies at individual competitions to ensure they complied with height restrictions that state a pony must measure 148cms without shoes and 149cms with shoes.
The radical proposal to introduce in-competition measuring came after no less than 10 of 14 ponies measured at last year’s European Championships were found to be above the specified height.
However, according to the new rules for 2007, ponies wearing shoes will be permitted to measure up to 151cms with shoes and a centimetre less without shoes.
FEI secretary general Michael Stone yesterday rejected this was a dilution of the plan to crack down on oversized ponies.
“I would, initially, have been against this [change], but the vets and experts convinced me otherwise. Research a number of years ago found that, in competition, to get an accurate measurement, there must be a tolerance to ensure valid ponies are not ruled out,” he said.
Tolerance is required, said Mr Stone, as ponies are fit and excited during competition. He rejected that the FEI was backing down, saying the consensus was that the tolerance was necessary in the interest of fairness.
“Two centimetres is little enough,” he said, adding that research showed this was the maximum leeway for ponies in competition.
The new rule will see obligatory measuring at championships and random measuring at all other FEI competitions.
National federations have until January 24 to pass comment on the measurement process.
Mr Stone conceded that actually implementing the rule change will not be easy.
“Implementation will pose a challenge, but it is necessary to maintain the integrity of sport. We must not be showing our young riders that the first thing they must do to win is to cheat by riding a pony that is oversize,” he said.
“We will be striving to ensure this system works. It is essential it goes smoothly at the Europeans Championships, which take place in Germany in July.
“Logistically, this a big thing, we will be expected to measure more than 200 ponies at the Europeans, but I’m confident it will prove workable,” he said.
