PrintOur columnist hopes to help improve, rank and rate competitions from grassroots to international.
In 2008, I was asked by the Fédération Equestre Internationale Jumping Committee to lead a working group to limit the number and improve the quality of the FEI World Cup qualifiers in North America.
At the start, we were instructed to decrease the number of qualifiers in North America, which we considered a huge challenge. How does one decide which events stay and which ones go?
Our first step was to ask FEI officials to take a step back and give us proper time to develop a fair and reasonable way to address the first question before cutting qualifiers. They agreed with our proposal. So the next step was to work out a way to eventually limit the number of competitions and at the same time improve them to a point that the FEI would feel compelled to spread Rolex sponsorship money to North America.
Our solution? To evaluate and score each event on specific criteria, generate a numeric score and then make recommendations to the FEI as to which events continue and which fall by the wayside. This method is, I think, a good one, as it doesn’t impose an arbitrary number of events to hold in North America, but rather guides events as to how to improve and build the World Cup brand.
The long and short of it is that each event’s destiny is in its own hands, and we will have met the FEI’s goal of improving the World Cup brand in North America. And with stronger leagues, the likelihood of North American qualifiers receiving Rolex funding—as all of the Western European qualifiers do— increases. (Currently, North American organizers receive no funding from the FEI to host qualifiers.)
The Process
The Working Group began by sending representatives to each qualifier in the fall of 2009. In December, we held a workshop in Cazenovia, N.Y., to evaluate our progress and plan for the balance of the 2009-2010 season.
The workshop was chaired by marketing specialist Carl Spencer and attended by myself, Sally Ike, Rich Fellers, David Distler, Frank Chapot, Bob Henselwood, Vinton Karrasch and Maria Cortez. We came up with three important stakeholders in the sport: competitors (owners, riders, trainers, grooms, etc.), fans (public, media and enthusiasts) and the sponsors. We believe that the needs of each of these stakeholders must be met equally.
The next step was to revise the evaluation form used during the fall so that it asked all of the right questions. And then, and most importantly, develop a system by which the data could be weighted appropriately by giving each area a value (for example, it’s obvious that excellent footing is more important than refreshments in the press center).
It’s also important to note that this evaluation had to measure all aspects of the event from footing to food service, restrooms to VIP amenities, parking to prize money, press, advertising, entertainment, rider support, rule compliance, ambiance, hotels, entry fees and sponsor value. These are just a few of the areas evaluated along with many others.
The evaluation form needed to be easy to use and specific in the questions asked so that events could be compared equally. The end result would be that the strongest events from the viewpoints of the competitors, fans and sponsors alike would attain the highest scores. Mr. Spencer has been a huge help in accomplishing this goal.
