Equestrian Canada Releases Selection Criteria for 2018 WEG

With the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games approaching fast, Equestrian Canada has published its selection criteria for all sports. WEG is the first event where Canada can qualify its teams for the 2020 Olympics as the six best ranked teams, excluding Japan, will earn a spot.

Following is a summary of Jumping, Eventing, Dressage and Para-Dressage, and where Certificates of Capability can be earned.

Minimum Age Requirements:

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Rider
Jumping: 18 years
Eventing: 18 years
Dressage: 16 years
Para-Dressage: 16 years

Horse
Jumping: 9 years
Eventing: 8 years
Dressage: 8 years
Para-Dressage: 6 years

JUMPING

Selection Committee Members:

Chair, Mark Laskin
Gail Greenough
Mike Lawrence
Beth Underhill
Marni Von Schalburg

EC advises that candidates for the 2018 WEG are “strongly encouraged” to participate in the following shows:

Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL or HITS Winter Circuit in Thermal, CA
Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments, Calgary, Alberta June 6 – July 8, 2018

Selection will be based on factors including performance, previous experience of horse and/or athlete, perceived reliability of horse and/or athlete, ability of horse to jump courses of WEG scope and technicality, and durability and soundness of horse.

Following the Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments, the list of athletes will be narrowed down to the top 10 candidates. Nominated entries are due Monday, August 13th; on or before August 20th, 2018, the Selection Committee will name five athlete/horse combinations comprising a team of four plus one reserve. Three additional athlete/horse combinations will also be named. These combinations will be selected by a majority vote of the Selection Committee based on the selection criteria. In the event of a tie among Selection Committee members, it will be broken by the chair. Definite entries are due Monday, September 10th.

The EC discipline manager for Jumping will privately inform the 2018 WEG athletes and alternates of their selection on or before August 20, 2018. At a date yet to be determined, EC will officially announce the selected athlete/horse combinations. There will be no mention of the selections to the media or public until this official announcement has been made by EC, and selected athletes are bound by a non-disclosure policy regarding the team announcement.

All horses and athletes taking part in the 2018 WEG must achieve the minimum FEI Standards required at selected events which take place from January 1, 2017 to August 13th, 2018.

Athletes and horses may achieve a Certificate of Capability at the following 2018 competitions in North America:

The Grand Prix at:
Winter Equestrian Festival – Jan-March
Balvanera, MEX – March 1-4 (completed)
Mexico City, MEX – March 20-25 (completed)
Miami, FL – April 4-7
Coapexpan, MEX – April 12-15
North Salem, NY – May 15-20
Devon PA – May 28-June 3
Upperville, VA June 4-10
Tryon, NC – June 5-10
Tryon, NC – May 29-June 3 & July 3-8
Spruce Meadows National, AB – June 6-10
Spruce Meadows Continental, AB – June 13-17
Spruce Meadows Pan American, AB – June 26-July 1
Spruce Meadows North American, AB – July 4-8
Williamsburg, MI – Aug 8-12

The Nations Cup and Grand Prix/World Cup at:
Ocala, FL – Feb. 13-18 (completed)
Winter Equestrian Festival – Feb. 27-March 4 (completed)
Coapexpan, MEX – April 19-22
Thunderbird Show Park – May 29-June 3

The World Cup at:
Guadalajara, MEX – Jan 24-28 (completed)
Deerridge Farm, FL – Jan. 31-Feb. 4 (completed)
Thermal, CA – Feb. 6-11 (completed)
Live Oak Plantation, Ocala, FL – March 14-18 (completed)

EVENTING

Selection Panel:

James Atkinson
Penny Rowland
Rob Stevenson

EC states that their primary objective at the 2018 WEG is to place in the top six in the team competition to earn a team qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games; to achieve as many top individual placings as possible; and to give championship experience to potential 2020 Olympic Games athletes.

The qualification period began January 1, 2017 and ends August 13, 2018.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER) must be achieved as a combination of one MER result in a CCI 4* or one MER result in a CCI 3* plus one MER result in a CIC 3*

An MER consists of a performance as follows:

Dressage: Not less than 55% percent
Cross-Country: A clear round (0 penalties) at obstacles; activating a maximum of one frangible device will maintain the MER result on cross-country. Not more than 75 seconds exceeding the optimum cross-country time for 3* competitions and 100 seconds in the case of 4* competitions.
Jumping: not more than 16 jumping penalties
Note: If two Minimum Eligibility Requirements are used to qualify for the WEG, both of them must be achieved with a clear round on cross-country obstacles.

2018 CCI3*, 4* and CIC3* qualifying events in Canada and the US include:
CIC3* Tallahassee, FL – March 8-11, 2018 (completed)
CIC3* Raeford, NC – March 21-15, 2018 (completed)
CIC3* Raeford, NC – March 21-25, 2018 (completed)
CIC3* Temecula, CA – March 30-April 1, 2018
CIC3* Tryon, NC – April 4-8, 2018 (Test event for 2018 WEG)
CIC3* Fairburn, GA – April 6-8, 2018
CIC3* Paso Robles, CA – April 12-15, 2018
CIC3* Elkton, MD – April 13-15, 2018
CCI4* Lexington, KY – April 25-29, 2018
CCI3*, CIC3* Allentown, NJ – May 9-13, 2018
CCI3* Bromont, QC – June 7-11, 2018
CICO3*-NC The Plains, VA – July 6-8, 2018
CCI3*/CIC3* Kalispell, MT – July 18-22, 2018

DRESSAGE

Selection Panel:

Team Manager – Christine Peters, DM
Technical Expert – Lorraine MacDonald
Team Veterinarian – Dr. Geoff Vernon
Dressage Committee rep. with high performance sport experience – Victoria Winter
Athlete Representative – Denielle Gallagher-Legriffon

In order to qualify, athletes and horses must have attained a score of at least 66% attributed by the ground jury and by any two different FEI 5* dressage judges, of a nationality other than that of the athlete, in a Grand Prix at two different CDI3*/4*/5*/CDI-W or CDIO events during the qualification period, which started January 1, 2017 and ends August 13th, 2018.

Athlete/horse combinations must compete in a minimum of four Grand Prix and four Grand Prix Special classes during the qualification period in order to be considered for selection. A minimum of one Grand Prix and one Grand Prix Special score must be achieved after May 1, 2018. All qualifying scores achieved by each athlete/horse will be used to calculate the combinations’ final ranking average, on which selection will be based.

Riders may discard a one Grand Prix and one Grand Prix Special score from their final ranking average; however at least one of each achieved after May 1, 2018, must still be included in the final ranking average. The average of all qualifying Grand Prix scores will count for 60% of the final ranking average; Grand Prix Special scores will count for 40%.

EC states that if Canada cannot qualify a team, then entry in the individual event will be subject to the decision and approval of the selection panel in consultation with the EC Director of Sport and the discipline manager.

Selected athlete/horse combinations and alternates will be required to attend a pre-Games training camp between September 1-10, 2018 (location to be determined).

The HPAG will privately inform the 2018 WEG athlete/horse combinations including alternates of
their selection on or before August 20, 2018. Same rules apply as jumpers re: non-disclosure.

2018 CDI3*+ qualifying competitions in Canada and the US include:
CDI3* Temecula, CA – Jan. 3-6, 2018 (completed)
CDI3* Wellington, FL – Jan. 10-14, 2018 (completed)
CDI3* Del Mar, CA – Jan. 17-20, 2018 (completed)
CDI3* Wellington, FL – Jan. 24-28, 2018 (completed)
CDI3* Del Mar, CA – Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2018 (completed)
CDI3*/CDI5* Wellington, FL – Feb. 7-11, 2018 (completed)
CDI3* Del Mar, CA – Feb 14-17, 2018 (completed)
CDI3* Wellington, FL – Feb. 21-27, 2018 (completed)
CDI3*, CDIO3* Wellington, FL – March 27-31, 2018
CDI3* Rancho Murieta, CA – April 5-8, 2018
CDI3* Tryon, NC – April 19-22, 2018 (Test event for 2018 WEG)
CDI3* Ottawa, ON – May 17-20, 2018
CDI3* Calgary, AB – May 30-June 3, 2018
CDI3*Cedar Valley, ON – June 15-17, 2018
CDI3* Caledon, ON – July 20-22, 2018

PARA-EQUESTRIAN

Selection Panel:

Technical Leader – Clive Milkins
Technical Expert – Birgit Valkenborg (FEI 3* Para-Dressage Judge)
Team Veterinarian – TBC

Qualification period began January 1, 2017, and ends August 13, 2018.

In addition to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, minimum qualification criteria states that athlete/horse combinations must have attained a minimum 62% score in a Team test or Individual Championship test at any CPEDI 3* or higher event during the qualification period. Click here for complete list of requirements.

Internal qualification criteria additionally includes:

Freestyle qualification scores must be achieved at CPEDI3* or higher competitions; freestyle
scores achieved at National competitions will not be considered.
All qualification scores must be achieved from a panel of at least three FEI judges.
Athlete/horse combinations must compete in a minimum of four Team and Individual tests and must compete in a minimum of two Freestyle Tests during EC’s internal qualification period.
One technical score and one freestyle score must be achieved after April 1st, 2018.

2018 qualifying events in Canada/US include:
CPEDI3* Wellington FL, Jan. 4-7, 2018 (completed)
CPEDI3* Wellington FL – Jan. 18-21, 2018 (completed)
CPEDI3* Tryon NC – April 19-22, 2018 (Test event for 2018 WEG)
CPEDI3* Ottawa ON – May 17-20, 2018

Following the qualification period, all scores will be reviewed and selection will be determined based on the FEI rules for team composition and on the final ranking average. Fitness inspection results will also be considered during the selection process. The selection committee will inform the athletes, including alternates, officially in writing of their selection on or before August 20th, 2018. Non-disclosure rules apply until EC makes official announcement at a date TBD. Selected athlete/horse combinations and alternates will be required to attend the pre-Games training camp September 10-17, 2018.

Tags: 2018 World Equestrian Games,