A meeting of the Eventing Safety Officers, appointed by the National Federations in the framework of the global Eventing Safety Programme the FEI is developing, took place on January 24-25 at Hartpury, United Kingdom. The meeting was very productive as it allowed the representatives of 25 National Federations to make presentations on the integration of the 2008 Copenhagen Safety Forum recommendations, new safety ideas, practical actions and level of development of the sport and concerns typical of each country.

A global discussion among the many countries involved in eventing is gradually coming into being. Awareness of the specificities of each nation and the manner in which the sport is organized are of vital importance for the future of the safety programs. The role of the National Safety Officer is key, and appointing such a person will be recommended as a compulsory requirement for all the National Federations organizing international events. The collection of data on safety, which began at the international level seven years ago, will be expanded to include figures from the national events so that a more comprehensive and accurate picture may be built. Collection of veterinary and medical data will also be expanded.

The conclusions of the meeting will be published shortly.