Series Rules

Overview of the Series

In 2018, the Event Rider Masters links 6 (current CIC 3*) competitions already existing in Belgium, Great Britain, France, and Germany.

Competition Format

The competition format is in accordance with the FEI Eventing Rules and will run at current CIC3*.

The competition will take place over 2 days and normally run as follows.

  • 1st day: dressage
  • 2nd day: jumping in the morning followed by cross country phase.

Show Jumping may take place on Day 1 if the time table warrants this.

Selection of Participants

  • 1 horse per athlete
  • 1 horse per athlete

  • 40 entries in total to be accepted per competition (special exemption may apply to Leg 2 to allow less (up to 30 entries at Wiesbaden) to accommodate the event timetable. See event FEI schedule for specific information.
  • Athletes to be selected by FEI Ranking points (at ERM section selection date)* Four places (wildcards), in order of priority, will be available from the following options:
    • Up to 2 places (wildcards) reserved for any Eventing Olympic Gold medal winner at any time or ‘Classics winner’ in the last 10 years. If these wildcards are not used, then developing nation riders, in order of FEI ranking may be selected.
    • Up to 2 places (wildcards) at the discretion of the OC & ERM. This is to support and build TV distribution in emerging markets and to support the commercial development of the series.
  • These wildcard places (maximum of 4) may also be selected by FEI Ranking points finalised at ERM section selection date if the above criteria are not applied.
  • For full details of the wildcard process please see Appendix A.
  • These wildcard places (maximum of 4) may also be selected by FEI Ranking points finalised at ERM section selection date if the above criteria are not applied.
    CAT A riders will be exempt from this additional MER from 2018 but must meet all other FEI requirement to compete at current CIC 3*.

*ERM section selection date refers to either the Ballot Date or Entry closing date depending on each of the events FEI schedule wording.

Competition

  • Within 2 or 3 days of ERM selection date, the ERM section will be published on the Event and ERM website. All entries accepted not into ERM section will be placed into the other CIC 3* section (should there be one at the event) and a waitlist will be held in FEI ranking order.
  • In the event of a ballot – there will be no permitted substitutions of horses who are not qualified for ERM at ERM selection date. Riders can substitute horses who are correctly qualified at ERM selection date as per normal. If no ballot takes place horses qualified as per FEI rules may be considered for selection.
  • Dressage Times will be published in line with each Event’s published timetable. Times will be produced in four groups based upon the average of up to 5 of the horses latest dressage results at current 3* level competitions with the best averages being in group A. Within each group a draw will then take place to determine the running order. On completion of the draw no substitution of horses or waitlist entries will be accepted.
  • On completion of dressage – Show Jumping will run in reverse order.
  • On completion of Show Jumping – Cross Country will run with the top 20 in reverse order. The rest of the section will run in numerical order.
  • By entering the competition, the rider accepts the conditions of entry (Appendix B).

Point System/Results

The goal is to provide an ever-changing leader board to drive continued interest.

  • The final placings of Athletes in the Series will be made by accumulation of the points according to the points scale below.
  • For purposes of gaining any ERM points, the rider must meet the Minimum Eligibility Requirement (dressage no more than 45 penalty points, showjumping no more than 16 faults at obstacles, and cross country being clear and no more than 75 seconds over the optimum time). If the rider finishes in the placings despite not having the MER (e.g., has had a 20-penalty runout in the XC), the rider will be entitled to that place, the relevant prize money awarded for that place and relevant series ERM points.
  • The results of the best 83.33% of the competitions of the series will count – for 2018 this will be 5 out of 6 legs.
Placing Points
1st 30
2nd 28
3rd 26
4th 24
5th 22
6th 21
7th 20
8th 19
9th 18
10th 17
11th 16
12th 15
13th 14
14th 13
15th 12

A further 2 points will be allocated to any competitor placed below 15th completing with an MER.

Tie Breaks

For purposes of addressing any ties in winners or places in the final series rankings, the fundamental elements of the FEI Nation’s Cup rules will be applied, EXCEPT for the requirement that a tie be decided on the basis of participation in the greatest number of events, and instead using the concept that each rider should have 4 scores to count. Therefore, the tie-break rules will be:

  • In case of a tie for the series or a place in the series, each rider's placings in all his/her ERM legs (up to 4, and if more than 4, the best 4) will be added together. The tie will be decided in favour of the rider with the lower of such totals. This means, for example, that a rider who has placed 1st in 4 events will have a score of 4, whereas a rider who has placed 2nd in 4 events will have a score of 8, and the tie will be decided in favour of the rider with the score of 4. The concept is that each rider should have 4 scores to count, so in the event that they have only completed 3 legs they will receive points equivalent to a 40th place for the 4th effort.
  • As an example: If Rider x had competed in and won 3 legs they would have 90 ERM points. Rider y could have also 90 points from 3 x 3rd places plus a 15th place. Under the tie break rules Rider x would have 43 points (3 x 1 = 3 + 40 for the assumed 40th place), whereas Rider y would have 24 points (3 x 3 = 9 + 15) and therefore wins.
  • In the event that there is still a tie, the standard FEI rules will apply, as set forth in its Eventing Rules, Chapter 7, Art 528.1.6 (see below). These rules will be applied by adding together all the scores from all the rider’s legs (up to four, as above) before the comparisons are made.

528.1.6 Final Classification Tie (Individual)

In the event of equality between two or more Athletes, the classification is decided by

  1. The best cross-country score including penalties for faults at obstacles, time penalties and any other penalty that the athlete may have incurred on the Cross Country Test.
  2. If there is still equality, the classification is decided in favour of the Athlete whose cross-country time was closest to the optimum time.
  3. If there is still equality, the Athlete with the best Jumping score including penalties at obstacles and time penalties.
  4. If there is still equality, the Athlete with the fastest time in the Jumping Test.
  5. If there is still equality, the classification will be decided in favour of the Athlete with the best total of collective marks in the Dressage Test.
  6. If there is still equality the tie will remain in the final classification and any prize money will be divided equally.

Prize Money

There is a prize money fund of £50,000 (€57,000) at each of the seven events in 2017.

Placing Prize Money
1st 16,000 GBP / 18,000 EUR
2nd 12,000 GBP /13,500 EUR
3rd 8,000 GBP / 9,500 EUR
4th 6,000 GBP / 6,500 EUR
5th 3,000 GBP / 3,500 EUR
6th 2,000 GBP / 2,300 EUR
7th 1,000 GBP / 1,450 EUR
8th 900 GBP / 1000 EUR
9th 600 GBP / 700 EUR
10th 500 GBP / 550 EUR

A prize to the overall winner of the series will awarded at the 2018 Blair Castle Finale. The aim is a 30,000 GBP first prize, a 15,000 GBP second prize and 5,000 GBP for third.

The Ambition of the Series

The series is to be packaged specifically for television, with sophisticated commentary, innovative camera techniques and informed by statistical analysis of the kind used by other televised sports—intended to welcome and entertain new audiences as well as those already engaged with the sport.