International endurance riding is a fast growing segment of our sport.  Just as the United States has experienced tremendous growth over the years, so the rest of the world has discovered the appeal and excitement of endurance with a 65% world wide increase of internationally sanctioned rides between 2002 and 2003.

The international story begins with FEI.  Chartered in 1921 from an alliance of several European equestrian federations plus Japan, the Federation Equestre Internationale has developed a set of regulations to oversee international competition in seven equestrian disciplines: jumping, eventing, driving, vaulting, endurance and reining as well as regulations and procedures for equestrian competitions at the Olympics. 

1983 was the year that endurance was recognized as an FEI discipline.  Endurance is represented by a five-member committee of international make up.  They officially meet once a year to discuss and recommend any needed changes to the rules, etc.  Their recommendations are presented in November to the Bureau of the FEI which consists of the officers of FEI and the chairs of the Technical Committees of all seven disciplines.  Recommendations than go to the General Assembly which convenes in April.  The General Assembly is a congress of delegates from National Federations throughout the world.  Only the General Assembly may approve any major rule changes.

FEI has developed a set of regulations for endurance rides in order to insure event fairness and consistency throughout the world.  Standards and training requirements have been set for the FEI officials needed to conduct a ride.  Veterinarians as well have certification and training guidelines to meet in order to officiate at FEI rides.

Endurance rides are referred to in French as a Concours de Raid d'Endurance International and abbreviated by the initials CEI.  A star system is used to rate rides according to distance and post-ride recovery rate.
CEI*       40-79km (25-40 miles)/day recovery to 56 or less in 20               minutes
CEI**     80-119km (50-74 mi)/day or between 40-79km (25-40mi)               day over two or more days.  Recovery to 64 in 20 minutes
CEI***   All rides of 120km (75mi) and more in one day or 80km 
              (50 mi)and more per day over two days.  Recovery to 64 in              30 minutes.
CEI****  Senior Championships of a minimum of 160km (100 mi)               and more per day, or 100 km (60 mi) and more per day               over two days.

Our next organization is the United States Equestrian Federation, formed between the marriage of the American Horse Show Association/USAEquestrian and the United States Equestrian Team.  USEF is recognized by FEI to be our country's National Federation.  Through USEF ride managers sanction FEI rides and riders obtain the necessary FEI paperwork and passports in order to compete as well as receive funding to compete overseas as a member of the National Team.

There are several USEF endurance committees.  The  Endurance Technical Committee oversees national endurance activities such as the USEF endurance rules, approving domestic FEI ride applications and educating and promoting endurance officials.  AERC recommends more than half of the members on the committee.  Twenty percent are Eligible Athletes who have been nominated from the Eligible Athletes Committee; the president of USEF upon recommendation from the endurance community appoints the rest.

The Eligible Athletes High Performance Committee is made up of riders who have represented the United States at a World Championship in the last ten years or have been in the top fifty percent of a selection for a World Championship in the last twenty-four months.  This committee formulates recommendations to the Endurance High Performance Committee on any matters related to international endurance such as championship selection procedures, chef d'equipe, team veterinarian and FEI rules.  The chair of this committee and on other member sit on the Endurance High Performance Committee to insure that rider's recommendations are brought to attention.

The  Endurance High Performance Committee makes final decisions on what will be recommended to the USEF Executive Committee regarding the international endurance program.  They finalize such items as the annual endurance budget, world selection procedures, and review and recommend to FEI when rule changes are proposed.  Members are appointed based on recommendations from the endurance community.  The Chair of the Eligible Athletes Committee and one other member automatically sit on the High Performance Committee.  Non-voting advisors include the National Selectors Chair, the National Chef d'equipe, the National Team Vet and the Chair of AERC Internationl.

The American Endurance Ride Conference is the proprietary entity for endurance riding in the United States and is an Affliate Organization of  USEF.  The AERC International Committee acts as a liason between AERC and USEF/FEI and is also involved in promoting international riding to AERC members.  Every other year there is a continental championship 100-mile ride which is designated either a North American or Pan American championship.  For this purpose the United States is divided up into five zones which correspond roughly to the Time Zones except for the Pacific which is divided into two zones, north and south.  Each zone is considered to be a separate country and devises its own procedures for nominating and qualifying a team of horses and riders that will compete at the championship.  This aspect of team competition gives a different twist to a sport that traditionally has been an individual's game.  The first North American Championship was held in 1986 on the Swanton Pacific course in Northern California.

On most  alternating years from the continental championships, a handful of Americans will load their horses onto planes and fly over to the designated site of the World Championship.  The first World ride was in 1986 in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy where the United States won Team Silver and individual Gold and Silver medals.  In 1993 endurance riding was approved as a discipline by the United States Equestrian Team which paved the way for more riders to participate due to the generous funding of World Championship teams by USET.

And that is international endurance riding!