The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) announced that a restructured set of Jumping Rules received an overwhelming 96% approval during its General Assembly in Hong Kong and will officially take effect on January 1, 2026.
The changes mark a concerted effort to enhance horse welfare and improve governance across the global sport.
FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibanez thanked the National Federations for their constructive dialogue, stating the discussions "clearly reflected a shared commitment to finding solutions." She noted that despite not being unanimous, the approval signals a strong consensus. The FEI committed to looking into a request from several federations for a more harmonized approach to rule changes across all disciplines.
Bermuda was represented by delegate Erin Smith, who highlighted the significance of the assembly for the island’s equestrian community.
Smith remarked that it was "an honour to represent Bermuda at the FEI General Assembly in Hong Kong," which focused on meaningful rule updates, strengthened governance, and welfare initiatives. She stressed the importance of her side meetings: "Throughout the week, I also had the opportunity to participate in multiple individual meetings—including valuable discussions with the FEI Solidarity team and partners involved in the Hong Kong Jockey Club initiative—which provided important insights and support for Bermuda’s continued development."
The proposed Article 259 on Jumping Recorded Warnings was a major point of discussion and was approved by the National Federations as a meaningful advancement for horse welfare. The approved measures enhance safeguards and consistency, notably:
Mandatory Fitness Checks: New mandatory fitness-to-compete checks by the ground jury, in consultation with the veterinary delegate, will be enforced in all cases of blood.
Continuation Contingent: Horses are now only permitted to continue competing if passed fit-to-compete following the new veterinary check.
Increased Consistency: The new rules offer clearer guidance for FEI Officials, removing the 'minor' distinction and ensuring greater consistency and objectivity in application.
Transparency and Accountability: All Jumping Recorded Warnings will now be published by the FEI, ensuring increased transparency.
Federation Notification: National Federations will receive automatic notification of all Jumping Recorded Warnings concerning their athletes, enabling them to better monitor cases and decide on imposing additional welfare checks or measures.
Crucially, existing protections remain unchanged, including mandatory disqualification for excessive use of spurs, the Abuse of Horse provisions, and the ability to open separate disciplinary proceedings for additional sanctions.
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