Endurance Tops the FEI Table of Suspension List
On the current list of the FEI table of suspension list (dated Oct 24th 2024) there are no less than 30 ongoing cases. Of those 30 cases 18 belong to the glorious world of endurance.
Eighteen!
That is a staggering 60% of all the cases on that particular list.
My own horse business is founded in the Olympic disciplines, and I cannot see and understand why the Olympic disciplines are stuck with endurance.
Even though both Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Cesar Parra (USA) are responsible for two thirds of the dressage cases on the suspension list. It rhymes so bad with all the talk about the welfare of the horse!
The third dressage case i.e. has nothing to do with the horse but a doped up rider.
The world of show jumping also have a lot of cases. Their magic number is 7, which leaves them responsible for 30% off the totals.
On the other hand two of the show jumping cases are about two riders living in their own little worlds. Both of these are related to doping, so is a third case with a rider that was found being doped up.
So technically there are only 4 cases left involving horses. Even though one of those cases involves serious cases of animal abuse.
Eventing is left with one case, the doping case from Paris 2024. Which surprisingly is still not listed as an official disqualification for the Belgian team in the results database of the FEI.
One might wonder what is taking so long with the B-sample of the doping test of that horse. Or any doped up horse for that matter. Cases like this one seem to take almost forever before they are landing at the FEI Tribunal.
One might also wonder if this in any way is related to the Belgian eventing horse that dropped down in the stables of an event not too long ago. Or if it all comes down to bad luck.
Vaulting and the carriage drivers have zero cases. Good on them. Still, endurance rubs me the wrong way.
Looking at the amount of riders on the endurance world ranking list, combined with the amount of cases on the table of suspension and warning cards it doesn’t feel to me like endurance deserves to be listed with any of the other disciplines.
Eventing also has its fair share of warning and yellow cards but that is a complete other topic for later. Stay tuned..
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