Well it might not have been Mark Twain who said "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results", but this hasn't stopped British Eventing from asking the same group of people the same group of questions to see if they manage to arrive at a different set of conclusions.
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The thrill of eventing - the appeal is obvious but what about the risks?
©Harveywetdog |
For context I have provided the full announcement from British Eventing below. When I first saw the email I have to admit I was optimistic as I saw it as vindicating the position I had taken earlier in the year when I criticised British Eventing (as a critical friend) for not having a demonstrably open reporting culture which allowed lessons to be learned from the accidents that will undoubtably happen in a high risk sport such as eventing.
While we may never know what caused Rosie Williams to pick up the 'phone to Dame Caroline Spelman, three fatalities in two years must undoubtedly have played a part. The involvement of the FEI is also interesting, as the review is limited to Eventing in Britain (from grass roots to five star). Obviously the findings may ultimately have ramifications for eventing internationally, but why it was necessary to involve the FEI at this stage is not clear.
Reading the announcement and the nine pages of Terms of Reference I struggled with the term independent; looking at the participants, it doesn't feel particularly "independent". The announcement does clarify that the intention is for the review to be "deliberately independent of British Eventing’s operational activity" with a "majority of independent members" and on paper the commission leading the review has achieved this.
The commission is expected to publish its final report withing six months; this feels quite challenging given the scope but it is good to set expectations and avoid the commission becoming an ineffective talking shop.
To quote the announcement "The overriding objective is clear: to reduce avoidable risk wherever reasonably practicable, strengthen confidence in eventing’s safety systems and ensure the sport continues to learn and improve."
Sounds like someone's been reading my blog?
The full announcement from British Eventing:
In collaboration with British Eventing Support Trust, Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) and British Equestrian (BEF), British Eventing is establishing an independent Eventing Horse and Rider Safety Commission to undertake a comprehensive review of safety across the sport. The Commission will have a majority of independent members and will bring together expertise from within eventing alongside specialists from other sports, safety, welfare, medicine, research and risk management.
The independent Commission will be chaired by Dame Caroline Spelman, former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and a recent board member of the British Horse Society. Dame Caroline brings extensive experience in senior leadership, governance, agriculture and the equestrian sector and will lead the Commission as it examines what more can be done to reduce avoidable risk to horses and riders.
Following the publication of the Hartington Report in April 2000, the sport has been unstinting in the approach to safety through research, data, rules, course design, technology, training and safety interventions. With over two decades of knowledge and insight collected, and in light of several recent serious incidents, the British Eventing Board believes now is the right time for a broad, independent examination of safety and risk management across eventing.
Everyone involved in the sport has a responsibility to understand risk as thoroughly as possible. Evidence and experience and continually examining where changes can be made to reduce both the likelihood and severity of serious incidents involving horses and riders are key to evolution. The review will take a sport-wide approach, looking openly at the systems, practices and culture that influence safety and identifying where further progress can be made.
British Eventing Chair Julia Mulligan said: “The Board has instigated this review as part of our responsibility for good governance and our duty to ensure that the sport continues to examine, challenge and improve our approach to safety. It is deliberately independent of British Eventing’s operational activity, with a majority of independent members and Dame Caroline leading the work.
“This is bigger than any one organisation. Eventing is delivered by a wide community of people and organisations, and we want this review to draw on that collective knowledge while also bringing in independent expertise and learning from outside the sport. The Commission must be prepared to ask difficult questions, follow the evidence and identify where meaningful change can be made.”
Dame Caroline Spelman said: “I am pleased to have been asked to chair this important work. My starting point will be to listen – to those who know and understand eventing, to those responsible for delivering the sport and, crucially, to the evidence.
“The purpose of an independent review is to be prepared to ask difficult questions and test existing assumptions, while also recognising the considerable work that has already been undertaken to improve safety.
“No outcome has been predetermined. We will look carefully at the data, research and experience available to us, both within eventing and beyond it, and consider where further practical and proportionate improvements may be possible. Our focus throughout will be on learning and identifying what more can be done to reduce avoidable risk to horses and riders.”
Established in collaboration with the FEI, BEF and British Eventing Support Trust, the independent Commission will undertake an evidence-led examination of the systems, policies, practices and culture influencing safety across the sport. The review will also seek engagement and input from organisations across the wider eventing and equestrian community, including the British Horse Society, British Riding Clubs, The Pony Club and providers of unaffiliated eventing.
Its purpose is not to reinvestigate individual incidents, determine liability or attribute blame, but to identify learning and opportunities for further improvement.
Jim Eyre, Chief Executive of British Equestrian, commented: “Making eventing safer is a shared purpose, and the strongest progress will come from stakeholders working together across the whole sport. British Equestrian fully supports this independent Commission and the ambition to bring organisations, experts and participants together around this critical goal.
“Our role is to support an open and thorough review, respecting the Commission’s independence and freedom to reach its own conclusions. By sharing evidence, listening to experiences from across the sport and evaluating current practice, recommendations will come that benefit horses and riders at every level for the generations to come.”
David O’Connor, Chair of the FEI Eventing Committee, said: “A comprehensive, independent review of this kind is important for the worldwide sport of eventing. By examining the evidence, drawing on expertise from other sports and listening to stakeholders at every level, the Commission has the potential to generate learning that benefits horses and riders far beyond Britain.
“British Eventing deserves recognition for the courage it has shown in opening its practices to independent scrutiny and supporting a Commission that is free to challenge assumptions and reach its own conclusions. That willingness to ask difficult questions is essential if we are to continue improving safety across the sport internationally.”
The review will consider areas including:
- safety data and trends
- rules and competition structures
- course design, construction and officiating
- rider and horse preparation
- training and accreditation
- medical, veterinary and emergency provision
- safety culture
- governance
- opportunities arising from technology and research.
The Commission’s review will also benchmark eventing in Britain against international practice and relevant learning from other sports and sectors.
Riders, owners, coaches, organisers, officials, course designers and builders, medical and veterinary professionals, researchers and other relevant stakeholders will all be invited to contribute evidence to the review.
The Commission is expected to complete its work within six months and will publish their findings and prioritised recommendations.
Dame Caroline will be joined by a panel including:
Commission Members
– Mike Etherington-Smith
– Yogi Breisner
– Andrew Heffernan
– Martyn Johnson
– Dan Carter (UK Motor Sport)
– Roly Owers (WHW)
– Heather Cameron-Whytock (Academic)
– Ed Glasgow (Risk & Governance)
Technical Support
– Adrian Ditcham
– Sam Watson
– Ian Stark OBE
Stakeholder Group Chairs
– Pro Riders: Harry Meade
– Organisers: Alec Lochore
– Course Designers: Stuart Buntine
– Coaches: Capt. Mark Phillips
– Controllers: Richard Clapham
– Technical Delegates & Advisors: Philip Surl
– Stewards: Nicky Salmon
– Amateur Riders & Members: Lottie Bullick
Significant work has already been undertaken across eventing to improve safety, including investment in research and data, course design and construction standards, frangible technology, education, medical and veterinary provision, ground preparation and rider education. The independent review provides an opportunity to examine that work objectively, understand where it is delivering positive results and challenge the whole sport to consider what more can be done.
The overriding objective is clear: to reduce avoidable risk wherever reasonably practicable, strengthen confidence in eventing’s safety systems and ensure the sport continues to learn and improve.
The terms of reference are available via the BE website.
To conclude, in reply to my previous posts on social media someone said that people were aware of the risks they were taking (when eventing) and I replied by saying that I suspect people may know the risks but believe that "it won't happen to them". I added that it was down to British Eventing to explain that it could.
Perhaps they've taken the first step?
Links:
The future for eventing
Lessons learned at Bicton
Ethical safety case
An open reporting culture - some way to go
Georgie Campbell - a terrible tragic accident
Are we learning from these events?
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©Harveywetdog/Author - David Robinson CEng FIET
David spent approaching 50 years in Her Majesty's Electricity Supply Industry before retiring
He was part of the highly successful design team on the Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station Project before spending 25 years producing safety cases to keep our aging AGR fleet generating for the good of the nation
He is responsible for the Harveywetdog YouTube Channel which he maintains as an outlet for his creative talents
David has twice experienced blood cancer treatment but absolutely refuses to be a victim
All views are of course his own but might be influenced by the medication he's had to take
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