PARA MATTERS

UPDATE FROM PARA DIRECTOR TRACY ORMROD

The start of a new year is always exciting and 2023 is no exception. I am looking forward to seeing the new Bronze tests in action and getting

Silver and Gold national tests to weather and we avoid any gales, snow, or other unforeseen events! The rider feedback on them. The aim is to give riders tests that flow but are still interesting to ride, hopefully the balance is right for you all. The countdown is on for the Equissage Pulse Para Winter Championships at Myerscough, I hope you all manage to get out for some pre-championships practice. I have all fi ngers crossed that the weather is kind to us this year and we avoid any gales, snow, or other unforeseen events! The competition season always feels

The FEI has updated all of its Para tests meaning British Dressage will now use the new tests for Para Silver and Gold sections, effective from 1 January 2023.

• All tests now have new names

• All tests now have new collectives

The tests can be downloaded for free direct from the FEI website https://inside.fei.org/fei/your-role/ organisers/p-e-dressage/tests as if has truly started once the that getting out to compete involves a as if has truly started once the winter champs are underway.

Previous Para Silver and Gold tests will not be used for Silver and Gold championship qualification; however, they will still be put on schedules as a practice test for anyone still wanting to ride them ahead of the Silver and Gold Para Winter Championships at Myerscough, 25-26 February.

For those riding in 1* and/or 2* CPEDI (international competitions) there are now new FEI Freestyle floorplans, for all grades.

The FEI confi rmed these changes at the General Assembly 2022, so they are not included in the printed 2023 members handbook; they are, however, in the online version.

I realise that for some of you, getting out to compete involves a lot of time, money and support. Every time the para technical committee meets, we check where we have venues offering para competitions and also where riders and judges are situated. If you feel you are in an area without access to regular competitions, then please do email us and we will look at what is available. I would love to see this year’s Equissage Pulse Summer Para Championships be even better than 2022.

Tracy Ormrod, Para Director

To compete in national competitions, all para equestrian riders have to be physically classified. Conducted through British Equestrian, the classification is completed by a physiotherapist who assesses mobility, strength and range of movement. This allows any permanent physical impairment to be measured objectively, and the rider is awarded with a profi le placing them into one of the five grades. Riders with visual impairment are assessed by a British Blind Sport ophthalmologist. Visually impaired riders interested in being classified need to contact British Blind Sport.

Dates and venues for National Classification Hubs, held throughout the country, are available at britishequestrian.org. uk/competitors/para-equestrian along with BEF National Classification Rules, the application process, registration forms etc. For all queries on classification, please contact Felicity Towers at the BEF, felicity.towers@bef.co.uk

The FEI, in cooperation with the organiser of the CPEDI3* Waregem (BEL) and the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA), has confi rmed that Para Equestrian athletes with vision impairments will have the opportunity to be internationally classified in Waregem on 19 April 2023.

No fee will be charged to athletes attending this particular Classification Evaluation. For more information visit https://inside.fei.org/fei/disc/para-dressage/ classification/documentation