Rollkur and hyperflexion are bad - but LDR is acceptable. This was the conclusion of the FEI's long awaited round table conference on hyperflexion in Lausanne today.
The conclusion rests on a re-definition of the terms, so that what was previously called rollkur is now also called hyperflexion. And what was previously officially known as hyperflexion is now called LDR.
The last time the FEI changed the name of rollkur was in 2006 at a similar conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, where it was decided that the euphemistic "LDR" and the derogatory "Roll Kur" were to be replaced by the more neutral "hyperflexion of the neck". However, since several scandals involving prolonged or excessive hyperflexion of the neck have marred the neutrality of the term, it has now been decided by the FEI to revert to the original LDR to describe the extreme neck flexions employed by many dressage riders in their training.
Hitherto, the FEI has maintained that it did not accept prolonged or excessive hyperflexion of the neck, but the complete lack of definitions of what constitutes prolonged or excessive use has made it difficult for stewards to enforce. Today, the FEI announced that rollkur and hyperflexion are no longer to be accepted, but LDR is to be allowed, and stewards will make the distinction based on whether the position is obtained by the use of "aggressive" or "undue" force, which already constitutes a violation of the Code of Conduct, and would not be allowed under existing rules. So far, the FEI has not revealed whether prolonged and excessive use will still be prohibited or how these terms are to be more closely defined, but electronic measurements of rein tension as well as CCTV in warm up areas have been mentioned as possible parts of a solution.
"We are pleased that is has now finally been defined what the riders are and are not allowed to do during warm up," said Ulf Helgstrand, chairman of the Danish Equestrian Federation, following the meeting. "These are guide lines which will also apply at Danish competitions." Mr. Helgstrand attended as a representative of all the National Federations.
At the conference, FEI President HRH Haya accepted a petition of 41,000 signatories against rollkur, presented by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann.
For the next couple of days, EPONA.tv will be uploading clips from our video library to YouTube in order to hopefully spark further debate about what constitutes coercive or aggressive riding. Go to www.youtube.com/user/eponatv to see the first six clips.
