last updated on November 25, 2008 09:18

Britain’s Richard Davison has been confirmed as a member of the new Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) dressage task force, which has been set up following the resignation of all the members of the FEI dressage committee.

At the recent 2008 general assembly (GA) in Buenos Aires, the FEI announced that the task force will be in place until the 2009 GA, by which time a new dressage committee will have been elected.

The task force members are: Frank Kemperman (NED), chairman and representative of the event organisers; Richard Davison (GBR), riders' representative; Robert Dover (USA), trainers' representative; and Alain Francqueville (FRA), chef d’équipe. A judges' representative has yet to be confirmed.

The task force will be in charge of working on the following:
- training and development;
- assessment and selection of judges for major championships and Olympic Games;
- fitness for, purpose of and method of judging dressage;
- reviewing competitions, both in terms of the number of judges, their positioning and the judging process;
- reviewing the decision to change from four to three riders in a team. It is clear from feedback that  is not universally accepted as the best for the sport;
- reviewing the qualification system for championships and the receipt of certificates of capability for championships, world championships, and Olympic Games;
- reviewing the FEI dressage committee’s consultation process to ensure maximum involvement within the greater sporting environment.

During the GA, Jane Goldsmith was elected onto the para equestrian committee while John McEwan, also chairman of the veterinary committee, was announced as  a member of the anti-doping and medication commission. Wayne Channon will also join the latter as a representative for the dressage athletes.

You can read more about the meeting by visiting www.fei.org.