International Eventing Forum 2018 to focus on theme of ‘What’s the limit?’

The International Eventing Forum (IEF) will focus on the theme of “What’s the limit?” next year.

The day of “insight and education”, at Hartpury College on 5 February 2018, will be based around questions such as “How far can we push the boundaries in our sport to keep up with the obvious performance improvements of both horse and rider?”, “How do we retain the integrity of the sport we all love so much?” and “How can we continue to raise our game without alienating the enthusiastic amateur?”

The first session, entitled “If it isn’t good enough, it won’t get better”, is with Sandy Phillips, a former British dressage European and World Championship team member as well as a top-level eventing dressage judge.

The morning at the International Eventing Forum will continue with “The foundation allows for progress” from IEF co-founder Eric Smiley FBHS, an Irish Olympian and four-star competitor.

After the lunch break, performance psychologist Charlie Unwin will share with attendees how “The mind limits the body”.

The final session is with the key presenter, Sweden’s Fredrik Bergendorff. Newly appointed as Swedish event team manager and coach this year, Fredrik led the team to bronze at the European Eventing Championships in Strzegom, Poland. His session is on “Preparing for the top”.

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The International Eventing Forum has been running since 2004 and past speakers include double Olympic champion Mark Todd, renowned trainer Ian Woodhead, top cross-country course-designer Mike Etherington-Smith, former Olympic gold medallist David O’Connor, trainer and former top-level rider Angela Tucker, six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green, Burghley winner Chris Burton, renowned US trainer Jimmy Wofford, golf coach and mentor David Kearney, and Diarmuid Byrne from data analytics company EquiRatings.

The forum usually involves some lecture-demo style sessions with riders and horses, as well as talks with top professionals in different fields.

Tickets cost £50 in advance. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the official website.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.