Olympics Equestrian events get FEI approval
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has approved the footing which will be used during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events in Greenwich Park. The mix and integrity of the footing is vital to the welfare and comfort of the horses involved in the events, and can have relevance to the riders' safety in event of a fall.
The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) conducted tests on the footing at a site near Preston over December 20th and 21st 2011. The final mix of footing will be composed of nonwaxed sand, fibre and felt.
The tests involved internationally respected equestrian experts. Geoff Billington (Jumping) and Richard Davison (Dressage) were present at the tests and rode on the footing surface. Also present were Leopoldo Palacios, technical advisor to LOCOG, FEI Technical Delegate Frank Rothenberger, footing expert Bart Poels, and FEI Director Jumping John Roche. The technical expert's detailed reports were submitted to the FEI Executive Board for further evaluation prior to the Board's sanction and authorisation.
The test was also attended by International Jumping Riders Club representative John Whitaker, show jumping riders Peter Murphy and David McPherson, two representatives from the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne, and Peter Hart, LOCOG Modern Pentathlon Competition Manager.
"The riders gave some very positive feedback on the footing and this was backed up by the technical reports we received from the officials that attended the test in December," said FEI Secretary General Ingmar de Vos.
"The FEI Executive Board has now signed off on the footing and, together with LOCOG, we are delighted that the process is now in place to deliver the best possible footing for the 2012 Games. We are looking forward to excellent Olympic and Paralympic sport at the wonderful Greenwich Park venue next summer."
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