The future of dressage will be a major topic of discussion at the 2015 FEI Sports Forum to be held in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 27 - 28 April 2015.
The FEI has released a detailed document in which the Repucom survey results of last autumn are being discussed, as well as Championships formulas and how to make dressage more attractive.
The FEI hired the company Repucom to conduct a survey into the popularity of the sport of dressage. Repucom describes itself as "a trusted adviser and partner in sports and entertainment intelligence, helping clients to maximise their commercial success." It has clients such as the Bundesliga, UEFA, Adidas, Mastercard, NRL, Australian Rugby league, American Football League, etc. However, the FEI did nor Repucom disclused which people or focus groups it had interviewed for its survey!
The FEI Sports Forum document has the following introduction:
The FEI Dressage Committee and department have spent the last few years more with internal issues, to secure that all processes and rules have the necessary quality. In the year 2014 the Committee has started a discussion on the future and especially the marketing of the sport.
Dressage is in a good position, with the Freestyle selling full houses in several countries and winning increased interest for Dressage. However we have to realise that we are not a big player in the world of sports. Important is tobe one of the main equestrian sports and we should realise that, if we want to be, we must have an open mind for necessary changes in the interest of the Dressage sport in general. 25 years ago some visionaries had a hard job to introduce the Freestyle, today we can say that this test saved the sport.
We know that it is not always easy to attract new spectators, sponsors, extended media interest etc. which is the only way to make Dressage more attractive.
The NFs and all stakeholders need to be aware that the Dressage Sport requires some changes, not all of which might be welcomed or in the end work out, but some degree of trial and erroris unavoidable in this process. The aim is to increase the interest in Dressage without losing thecurrent core fans.
The FEI describes the core values of dressage as:
- The welfare of the horse is paramount.
- The development of the horse into a happy athlete through harmonious education, resulting in making the horse calm, supple, loose and flexible, and also confident, attentive and keen, thus achieving perfect understanding with the Athlete.
- To be a test of the horse being correctly trained in accordance with classical traditional principles.
Survey Repucom
The Dressage Committee initiated a survey to get in-depth insights into the motivational structure of the discipline Dressage and the perception and image of this sport among thedifferent target groups.
The survey was made by Repucom in autumn 2014 and the conclusion of the survey is:
- The adaption of new formats(shorter both for the whole event as well as for theexercises) is crucial
- Explanation (commentary / graphics) wouldbe necessary to help new audiences tounderstand the sport
- Using key Dressage events to ‘hook’ new audiences is essential.
- Modernizing, and giving morefreedom with the dress code and music is likely to appealto a wider audience as long it remains fitting and appropriate to retain the coreDressage friends.
- Human interest stories in the media will broaden interest to wider audiences. Convinceriders to make themselves andtheir horses more accessible
Survey findings:
86% of reasons for people having an interest in Dressage are summed up by the concepts of:
- Beauty
- Relationship horse & ride
- Horse itself
- Grace
- Elegance
- Fun
Only 24% are interested because of concepts like:
- Discipline
- Control
- Training
Key motivators:
- Aesthetics
- Admiration
- Atmosphere
Fascination with Dressage involved with:
- Grace
- Beauty
- Aesthetics
Challenges of Dressage:
- Media exposure
- The perception of animal abuse
- Difficulties to understand the judging
- Boring to watch-Too expensive
Read the complete dressage programm for the FEI Sports Forum here.
Related Links
Wayne Channon: Disaster Waiting to Happen
David Stickland: Moving Towards a Stable Score Future
Minutes of the FEI Stakeholders Meeting on the Future of Dressage
FEI Stakeholders Meeting in Brussels Discusses Future of Dressage
