Dressage-News

ANTWERP, Belgium, Oct. 22-The International Dressage Officials Club which includes top judges, announced Friday it will conduct an in-depth analysis of judging at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, but did not indicate it found problems with the scoring.

The IDOC, celebrating its 20th anniversary, made the decision at its General Assembly in Seville, Spain, Oct. 7-10, which was attended by almost 70 officials representing 23 countries.

The International Dressage Riders Club has also announced a review of the judging that includes responses from WEG riders to an IDRC questionnaire.

A judges’ seminar organized in conjunction with the general assembly and recognized as an FEI Refresher Course, was conducted by Dr Dieter Schüle and Stephen Clarke.

The seminar also included a session with international trainers Jan Bemelmans and Wolfram Wittig, whose “constructive attitude towards the judges and the judging led to a most interesting exchange of views,” the IDOC said.

Guest-speakers Cees Slings gave a thought provoking demonstration of the EQMusync software he developed; Dr Harald Müller, FEI Executive Director of Education and Standards, gave an overview of the new FEI Judges Education program, and David Stickland disclosed the mathematical foundations on which his analysis of the judges’ consistency is based.

In an open discussion about judging in general, and the judging during the Word Equestrian Games in particular, “it was decided that IDOC would conduct an in-depth analysis of the judging in Lexington. The discussions took place in a positive atmosphere and confirmed the feeling of solidarity that unites the judges.”

The club said it will dedicate a “substantial part of its resources” to furthering judges’ education, one of the main objectives of IDOC.

Plans include the organization of several seminars for officials–judges and stewards–in Florida, Sydney, Wroclaw, Poland and Verden, Germany in 2011.