FEI has revisited the flag rule again: https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/new-eventing-flag-rule-headlines-fei-rule-changes
It’s the end of the season, so of course it’s time for some more confusing changes to FEI rules. The flag rule for eventers is of course of paramount importance, with the slight change now that says that the hindquarters must jump the height of the object even if they dislodge the flag. Other changes involving blood in dressage, spurs and martingales in jumping, and a complete overhaul of endurance have also been announced. [New FEI Rule Changes]
Now we’ll need professional fence judges :eek:
I actually think that is reasonably clear and fair.
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It sounds fair in practice but will be difficult for a rider and or JJ to prove. Wouldn’t want to be the person that has to make that call. The new rule will get a lot of people who in the past, got by on the old rule. I can’t think of many rider/horse pairs that missed the flag that had their horse’s hind end go over in full over the jump…
I tried to find a video but… one that sticks to mind was Will Coleman and Tight Lines this year at Rolex.
https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/will-coleman-speaks-out-about-kentucky-flag-penalty-and-federation-support
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I think it’s clearer than the last version. It seems like horses that twist their hindquarters but still jump the height of the jump would not get penalized. I think that would have reduced some of the penalties at Fair Hill.
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They will continue to do what they have been doing for a while. Video each rider. Apply the penalties if on any doubt and then take it to GJ.
It doesn’t say hindquarters have to go over the fence - it says they have to jump the height of the fence.
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That’s how I read it, too. Seems less of a focus on whether or not all the right parts perfectly cross the fence boundaries and is more concerned with the horse’s EFFORT to clear the height of the fence.
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Too bad this rule couldn’t be applied retroactively for Will…(both times.)
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Yes, but that’s going to be very difficult to prove. I can’t think of a scenario where a horse’s hind end jumped the height of the jump but didn’t go over the jump somehow… which is my point. It’ll make the rule much clearer, but the application probably difficult from a JJ standpoint.
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[QUOTE=Dr. Doolittle;n10520979]
Too bad this rule couldn’t be applied retroactively for Will…(both times.)
At Fair Hill, it is my informed understanding that all 4 horses that received the 15 point missed flag penalty failed to keep the points of their shoulders inside the flags. This cannot be seen from the live feed footage. So the new language would not have helped them. At Lexington it is my understanding that Will’s horse did not jump the height of the wedge with his hind end as well as placing a shoulder and hing end outside the flags. Might be wrong about that but it was my impression after watching the video. So no help for him there either. None of these would have received penalties prior to this year.
Also at Fair Hill over 45 flags fell in the four star alone. Most were taken by a twisting hind end or by the rider’s leg or saddle so not violating any rules. A very few were too close to call against the rider.
Only 4 riders, all of whom made the time, pushed the flag with a shoulder violating the rule. Makes you wonder if they had lost some rideability due to speed.
The new rule does not require the entire back half of the horse to pass through the flags at all… we have dubbed it the “half a horse” standard.
New column coming soon.
Happy holidays!
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I’ve been a fence judge for 16 years. The past few years at Rolex/Land Rover, they’ve asked me to video every rider at my fence, and several times it’s been my video that’s determined who, if anyone, was assessed points. We determine where the best angle is to video in order to see what the rules dictate must happen BEFORE riders started, and then we relied on the video over what we saw in-the-moment (much like the “instant replay” determines if an official’s call will be overturned). Several times the video has disproved the original fence judge ruling. So no, not professional fence judges, just lots of videos from a good vantage point.
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