Thoughts on this?
I have to run, but wanted to leave this here for reading and discussion.
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Really, FEI? Who on EARTH does your PR? Can you not see the true awfulness of the optics of this announcement right now?
Good Grief.
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It is not very well communicated and not a good look. However it does sound like it is protecting tv/streaming revenue since it doesn’t apply to the spectators. Just the people showing, owners and support staff.
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That’s basically what I thought. At a time when the sport needs to maintain transparency and openness. Plus, this just looks like it was inspired by the Helgstrand case, and sort of looks like they’re supporting such a person, and want to protect other riders/pros/whomever from being filmed by their staff, because God forbid that reveal something less than becoming.
Sure, other sports have filming restrictions in some capacities, but the timing here is très gauche.
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But they also say “All rights to video footage taken of the Field of Play (FOP) are the property of the FEI and all copyright is owned by the FEI.”
If they want to they could claim copyright infraction and ask facebook to take down anything posted by a spectator.
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Eh, cell phone video is the only thing protecting horses at this point. So, um, you are trying to control that narrative and protect the abusers? Because that’s what a lot of us heard.
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Other sports with filming restrictions do not include innocent animals
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This is insane. I don’t even have words for the BS anymore.
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Just start tagging the FEI in all the dirty abuse clips.
Parra with his running W ? Hashtag FEI-global
The welts on the sides of Helgstrand’s horses? Hashtag FEI-global.
OT beating his tired horse x-c? HASHTAG!
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It’s time to find and use a new international show series producer. The FEI has run its course. They fail their mission Statement in regard to the protection of horses.
All they are is a bad, failing producer of bread and circuses.
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Wait a sec…if you are not a member, i.e. general public, they have no authority over you and you a take video and post it. I guess they could close their shows to the public and hold them in secret…like dogfighting rings….
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Ah but they have vague enough wording that they COULD claim copyright/media rights and tell your hosting site to take it down. I’m not in anyway versed in this area so I’m glad to be corrected, but that’s how I’m reading it. Since a lot of events are currently held on private property, there’s even more leeway there for organizers to take anything down.
Even if this is just another way to make sure the approved media vendors get their money (which is a whole different issue), it’s the worst timing possible and very tone deaf. It just reads like they are protecting the spaces most likely to see horse abuse.
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True. That’s a good point.
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I think I read somewhere this is geared towards people like the “dressage hub” blog who snip clips from these events strictly to find fault & criticize them for their own profit/benefit. But I could be worng
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I believe people can still record FEI videos at that point and remake their own videos with that data.
Who this really affects is the riders, grooms, horse professionals and owners, who won’t be able to take behind the scenes videos for their social platforms which helps them build their brand, get and support their sponsors, and share their lives with fans.
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Which makes sense, it’s just that FEI really nailed the timing on this one 
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And this is the absolute shame of it. Is the FEI pretending that the worst abuse takes place at shows, in view of the public, and not in the barns of the abusers?
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I do understand the “why.” But the unintended consequences of this aren’t great. And really, the optics of the timing are just so excruciatingly bad it is embarrassing.
The FEI is so far removed from reality it is truly astounding. FiFa with riding boots on. If they are doing this to protect their brand, maybe they should take a closer look at what that brand represents to the general horse community.
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The FEI is laughably blind. They have evolved into a very badly managed entity.
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The rules state “the owners and entourage” are restricted from filming.
How is an entourage defined?
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