Information from France:

I am a French endurance rider and I am living in California since summer 2002. I just want to share some input about the French way to compete.

The philosophy: It is a race and not a ride.

It is fast. It must be as secure as possible for the rider and the horse. The crew is a key point; you can meet your crew on the trail approximately every 8 miles, so you can cool off your horse. Because it is fast, you spend less time on your horse and we have a lot of juniors enjoying endurance competition.

It is a long process of improvement according to the FEI requirements.

You can’t enter a 50 miles race just because you want it; you have a process to respect (see the tables below).

You will notice that each horse needs to be identified (horses without papers and without a microchip are not allowed to compete). Moreover, the rider must show the proof of the entire yearly flue’ vaccinations (passport).

The French rules just respect the FEI rules.

National – Regional races

• Distance	20 km (18 to 22 km) or 30 km (27 to 33)– one loop
• mandatory speed	10 to 12 km/h
• Start process	Alone or small group.
• minimum age for the rider	12 years old (or younger if accompanied by an adult)
• License	Club
• Qualification for the rider	none
• minimum age for the horse	4 years in the current year
• Qualification for the horse	none
• Papers – Identification for the horse.	mandatory
• Vaccination mandatory	Flue
• P&R initial	64 maxi/ minute
• P&R final	60 maxi/ minute
• Control final	At 30 min
• Mode of final ranking	[(vitesse x 2)-(vitesse mini)] x 100 / P&R finale
• qualification for higher competition.	40 kms
• duration of the qualification	No limit

• Distance	40 km (35 to 45 km) – 2 loops
• mandatory speed	12 to 15 km/h
• start process	Alone or small group
• minimum age for the rider	12 years old (or younger if accompanied by an adult)
• License	Amateur 4
• Qualification for the rider	20 or 30 kms
• minimum age for the horse	4 years old in the current year
• Qualification for the horse	20 or 30 kms
• Papers – Identification for the horse.	mandatory
• mandatory vaccination	Flue
• P&R initial	64 maxi/ minute
• P&R intermediate	60 maxi/ minute
• P&R finale	60 maxi/ minute
• Mode of intermediate control	chrono stopped Vet check within 30 min.
• Intermediate rest	1 hour
• Final control	At 30 min
• Mode of final ranking	[(vitesse x 2)-(vitesse mini)] x 100 / P&R finale
• qualification for higher competition.	60 kms
• duration of the qualification	No limit

• Distance	60 km (55 à 65 km) en deux ou trois étapes
• mandatory speed	12 to 15 km/h
• start process	Alone or small group
• minimum age for the rider	12 years old (or younger if accompanied by an adult)
• License	Amateur 4
• Qualification for the rider	40 kms
• minimum age for the horse	5 years old in the current year
• Qualification for the horse	40 kms
• Papers – Identification for the horse.	mandatory
• mandatory vaccination	Flue
• P&R initial	64 maxi/ minute
• P&R intermediate	60 maxi/ minute
• P&R finale	60 maxi/ minute
• Mode of intermediate control	chrono stopped Vet check within 30 min.
• Intermediate rest	1 hour
• Final control	At 30 min
• Mode of final ranking	[(vitesse x 2)-(vitesse mini)] x 100 / P&R finale
• Qualification for higher competition	National 1 star (90 kms)
• duration of the qualification	No limit

Distance	90 km (85 to 100 km) CEN *
• mandatory speed	Free with a minimum of 12 km/h
• Calculation of the speed	From the start to the entry at each vet gate and on the finish line.
• start process	One group
• minimum age for the rider.	14 years during the year.
• License mandatory	Amateur 3
• Qualification for the rider	60 kms
• minimum age for the horse	5 years old during the year
• Qualification for the horse	Qualified once in 60 kms
• Papers – Identification for the horse.	mandatory
• Vaccination mandatory	Flue
• P&R initial	64 maxi/ minute
• P&R intermediate	56 maxi/ minute
• P&R final	56 maxi/ minute
• Intermediate control process	Vet-gate check within 30 min. 2 passages maxi
• Rest time intermediate	1er vet-gate: 40 min 2èm vet-gate: 50 min (réexamen mandatory)
• final control	At 30 min
• Mode of final ranking	Au chrono
• Qualification for higher competition	2 qualifications in order to compete in 2*
• Validity of the qualification	The year + 2 years

• Distance	125 to 135 km – CEN **
• mandatory speed	Free with a minimum of 12 km/h
• Calculation of the speed	From the start to the entry at each vet gate and on the finish line.
• start process	One group
• Minimum age for the rider.	14 years during the year.
• Minimum weight for the rider	70kg with tack without the bridle
• License	Amateur 3
• Qualification for the rider	2 qualifications in CEN *
• minimum age for the horse	6 years old in the year
• Qualification for the horse	2 qualifications in CEN *
• Papers – Identification for the horse.	mandatory
• mandatory vaccination	Flue
• P&R initial	64 maxi/ minute
• Intermediate P&R	64 maxi/ minute
• P&R final	64 maxi/ minute
• Intermediate control process	Vet-gate control check within 20 min. 2 passages maxi
• Intermediate rest time	See program
• Final control	Within 20 min
• Final ranking	chrono
• Qualification for higher competition	1 qualification for 3*
• Validity of the qualification	The current year + 2 years

International

Distance

115 km (110 à 119 km) – CEI ** - same as CEN **

• Distance	140 to 160 km or 2 x 100 km – CEI ***
• Mandatory speed	Libre avec un minimim de 12 km/h
• Speed calculation	From the start to the entry at each vet check and on the finish lign.
• Start process	En un seul groupe
• Minimum age for the rider	14 years in the year
• Minimum weight for the rider	75kg with tack
• License	Amateur 3
• Qualification for the rider	1 qualification in 2**
• minimum age for the horse	7 years old in the year
• Qualification for the horse	1 qualification in 2**
• Papers – Identification for the horse.	mandatory
• mandatory vaccination	Flue
• P&R initial	64 maxi/ minute
• Intermediate P&R	64 maxi/ minute
• Finale P&R	64 maxi/ minute
• Intermediate control process	Vet-gate check within 30 min. 2 passages maxi
• Intermediate rest time	See program
• Final control	Within 30 min
• Final ranking	chrono
• Validity of the qualification	Current year + 2 years

A lot of opportunity to compete…

As an example, for France, in 2005, we have had 33 races ** and *** organized. So it is easy and less expensive to compete: we don’t have to travel too long to get to a race which helps to have a crew.

The organization

The FFE (French Equestrian Federation) follow the rules of the FEI and gives subvention to each and every equestrian discipline including endurance. Each region has his own committee which works under the FFE.

The French Coach and Vet etc…don’t have to work in an other job, they spend most of their time, assessing horses and riders, training the squad and learning about performance etc…

The fact that just horses with papers are allowed to compete helps breeders. Moreover there is a specific program for young horses helped by the “haras nationaux” (who protect the French horse breeding program).

I am not really willing to see US riders to awake … (just kidding) but you deserve to be back at the top because of your courage, consistency and focus.

Warm regards.

Isabelle Marret