Introduction

Para-Equestrian sport in both Dressage and Driving has been steadily developing for the past 25 years and is available and practiced by equestrians with a wide variety of disabilities. Indeed, PE Dressage has been a regular fixture at the Paralympic Games since 1996, while 2006 was host to the fifth Para-Equestrian World Driving Championships. In the vein of creating opportunities for all people with disabilities to compete and achieve their goals in equestrian sport, athletes are classified according to the level of their disability/impairment so as to provide for meaningful competition.

Pas de Deux, Sydney (AUS), 2006

Para-Equestrian sport was recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in 1991 and was governed until 2005 by the International Paralympic Equestrian Committee (IPEC). IPEC effetively ran competitions and developed equestrian sport for the disabled world-wide. This was confirmed when Para-Equestrian Dressage made its debut at the Atlanta Paralympic Games in 1996.

On 1 January 2006, Para-Equestrian moved from the International Paralympic Committee to the FEI, and joined the ranks of the other 7 disciplines regulated by the FEI to become the 8th FEI discipline. A symbolic step forward, as this led to the FEI becoming the first International Federation to govern and regulate a sport for both able bodied and disabled athletes. Indeed, the FEI strives to foster the growth and excellence of international horsesport for all athletes.

This commitment to furthering Para-Equestrian sport was demonstrated in 2006 with the success of the first Para-Equestrian World Driving Championships held under the governance of the FEI as well as the first ever Combined FEI Dressage and Para Dressage competition organised in Moorsele (BEL). This trend appears to have quickly caught on, with Sydney (AUS) hosting a combined Dressage and Para Dressage Pas de Deux in October. Furthermore, the introduction of Para-Equestrian into the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games comes as a first for the disicpline and has been heralded as a leap forward in terms of exposure and development.

All rules and regulations with regards to competition venues and organization are governed by the same principles as are the other disciplines. On top of these, the Generic Rules for Para-Equestrian events lay out the specifications revolving around the organization of Para-Equestrian events. Rules for Para-Equestrian Dressage events and a supplement for Para-Equestrian Driving came into effect as of 1 January 2006.

FEI Para-Equestrian World Driving Championships, Hellendoorn (NED) 2006

Classification

Amongst competitors with disabilities, there are many different types of impairments. To provide meaningful competition for such competitors it is necessary that competitors with similar levels of impairment compete together. The “Profile System”, which is simple and flexible enough to apply to all impairments, fulfils this criterion. Indeed, before any Para-Equestrian competitor can be eligible to compete at an international event, he or she must be assessed by accredited classifiers. The classification of impairment into easily recognised categories, and the grouping of these categories into Grades facilitate and ensure fair competition.

There are five Grades for Dressage and two for Driving. They range from Grade Ia for the most severely impaired Dressage riders, to Grade IV for the least impaired. The competition within each Grade can then be judged on the skill of that competitor on that horse regardless of the competitor’s disability.

Para-Equestrian sport in 2006

A year for great hopes and new beginnings. Indeed, 2006 saw the fifth Para-Equestrian World Driving Championships, the first to be held under FEI governance, as well as the first ever Combined FEI Dressage and Para Dressage competition organised in Moorsele (BEL), a unique experince for all involved. The competition involving national teams made up of a Dressage and Para Dressage rider was the very first FEI competition whereby the combined marks of both discipline riders produced a team score, the highest of which produced the winning pair. Each team rider performed their own individual test to music.

It is with great anticipation that we witness a new era for Para-Equestrian sport and hope it will encourage and enable many athletes to pursue their goals and attain their objectives. 

For more information on Para-Equestrian sport, please consult our factsheet

Kim Decker (USA) Grade 1A