Present:
Hervé Delambre (France) - President (2007 -2011)
Luigi Triossi (Italy) - General Secretary (2008 - 2012)
Coryne Corminboeuf (Switzerland) - Deputy General Secretary - (2007 - 2011)
Antonio Camacho Soares (Portugal) - Member (2006 - 2010)
Graham Cory (Great Britain) - Member (2008 - 2012)
Gerlinde Hoffmann (Germany) - Member - (2006 - 2010)
Francesc Martinez Rius (Spain) - Member (2004 - 2008)
Stefano Ricci (Italy) - Member (2007 - 2011)

Excused:
Jacques Aguétant (France) - 1st Vice-President (2006 - 2010)
Francis Lenchant (Belgium) - Member (2006 - 2010)
Heinz Rieger (Austria) - Member - (2006 - 2010)

Absent:
Mary Harcourt (Virginia - USA) (2008 - 2012)
Pierre Lefebvre (Canada) - Treasurer - (2007 - 2011)
Gilbert Hermans (Belgium) - Honorary Member.

Invited:
Francesc Rabat (Spain)

Camille Detavernier was there to interpret for the meeting.

Having greeted the members of the bureau, Hervè Delambre, Chairman of FITE opened the session at 10.15 a.m.
He informed the bureau of the presence of Francesc Rabat (Spain), who was invited at the request of Francesc Martinez-Rius, to present the project for the organisation of an international equestrian tourism congress in Valencia in 2009, and several initiatives in favour of equestrian tourism.
Thanks were presented to the Comité Régional d'Equitation d'Ile de France for the welcome given to the bureau of the FITE in its Parisian premises.

I - Approval of the minutes of the meeting of December 22nd 2008 at Lamotte-Beuvron (France)
The minutes were approved unanimously.

II - FITE website
This point generated considerable debate and allowed main guidelines to emerge for a very voluntarist action in an area which is of the utmost importance for the survival and future of FITE.
The FITE website has been taken in hand and modified by Stefano Ricci, since the end of 2007. The site has been made aesthetically attractive, functional and easy to use.

However, details still have to be added to improve the user-friendliness of the site and its general coherence, particularly in linguistic terms.
The idea now is to develop a proper communications and information tool to give the FITE a modern, dynamic and reactive image. All suggestions were fully approved.
In this respect, Stefano Ricci sent a letter which proposes strategies for the management of the international portal.

He suggests making it a venue of international reference for equestrian tourism activities over the next 5 years, and also a commercial platform which can attract sponsors, involve operators from the tourist sector and its main actors, guide grass-roots users towards initiatives from the various NETOs affiliated to the FITE.
The examination made reviews the proposals of Stefano Ricci and completes them resulting in an organisation for the circulation of information, define circuits and controls, put in place a certain number of areas of responsibility which overlap point 5 of the agenda.
In order to do this, it is desirable that in each NETO one or more representatives are designated to transmit information in French or in English so that they can be published on the site as soon as possible.
Once the analysis had been made, the information concerns:
• Cultural events linked to equestrian tourism and correlative activities (travel, trail rides, meetings, shows, congresses, cultural-type events, etc.);

• Sports events with their schedules, organisation, results, rankings, ceremonies, and feedback;

• Vocational training (exams, diplomas, upgrades,...);

• Innovation in terms of event organisation, orientations which emerge, etc...;

In the immediate term, concerning news, all texts for the next 6 months will be collected by Stefano Ricci for rapid publication on the site. Subsequently, as soon as the NETO representatives have been designated, they will be given a password in order to enter their respective information on their own.

Responsibilities and interconnections:

• Website (management - collection of information and publication - legislation - implementation): Stefano Ricci

III - International equestrian tourism events

A complete schedule to be drawn up rapidly for distribution and publication, with all useful information.

As well as the normal long-term international events, a certain number of events will be specially promoted:

• Italy (Sardinia - end February - beginning March 2009). Information urgently required for publication on the FITE website (Luigi Triossi);
  Great Britain (Windsor Horse Show) - May 16th 2009 - the project which was announced at the ordinary general meeting in September at Lamotte-Beuvron has now gone into the action phase which has resulted in the aid acquired from sponsors. This highly traditional event in Great Britain, which concerns first of all Olympic events will, in 2009, include the participation of TREC riders. If the experience is successful, this participation will be extended to the international scene the next year. Information from Graham Cory urgently required;
  Portugal (Champions Meeting - TREC) - second half of October 2009 - the answer of the Portuguese institutions will be known in January - information to come from Antonio Camacho;
  Spain (International Equestrian Tourism Congress in Valencia) - April 23rd - 24th - 25th 2009. A horse show (FEICVAL) will be twinned with this event and will result in the presentation of a PTV exhibition;
  Spain (concentration of Equirando-type horses) - July 2009 - event organised in the Sierra des Grados in Castilla Leon (same organiser as the TREC event counting for the European Cup);
  Italy (Fiera Cavalli at Verona at the beginning of November 2009) - 1) International Equestrian Tourism Congress - 2) International Working Equitation Trials - 3) Promotional ride with the arrival planned within the framework of the horse show - to be noted that for the first time, the French Equitation Federation (FSE) will be present in Verona;
  Italy (Equiradona) will take place in Aquila in the Abruzzes Region about 100 kms. from Rome) on July 11th and 12th 2009 with initial outings from the 8th to 11th July. Details awaited (Luigi Triossi);

• France (Equirando Junior - July 23rd / 26th). A limited number of participants, open to children aged 7 to 14;

• France - the French version of Equirando will arrive in Vizille in 2010 in the Isere, Rhone Alpes Region;

IV - Training

Hervè Delambre reported on his meeting and discussions with the IGECQ with a view to obtaining recognition of international professional equestrian tourism diplomas. He took part at the last bureau meeting of the organisation and will be present at the Ordinary General Meeting held in France held in 2009.
At that event, the background and all elements for reflection and decision will be presented in collaboration with Jacques Aguetant and the person responsible from the French Equitation Federation (FSE) (Pierre Olivier), who is monitoring and supporting this action.

V - Allocation of responsibilities to the members of the bureau

Subject addressed above - paragraph II - page 2 - International Events

VI - Refresher course for international TREC judge trainers

The course organised in France in 2008 brought together only some of the trainers concerned. It is for this reason that a further training session will be organised in 2009 sufficiently early in the year (April). Theoretically, as for the course designers and that of this year, the venue could be the same in France in the Lyon area. Switzerland has also offered to organise it in its country. Proposals are to be as soon as possible.

VII - Trec European Cup 2008 - 2009 - Final schedule - Organisation

The schedule proposed at the session has been approved and fixed for 11 trials. The trial presented by Austria in September 2009 cannot be approved since it does not fall within the limits required by the regulations, and will count for the 2009 - 2010 season.
Before publication on the FITE site, the schedule will be circulated to obtain all necessary information on venues and organisers from the NETOs. Hervè Delambre expressed his disappointment that in spite of reminders made in due time, it was not possible to space out the trials better (cf: in this respect in May, 3 trials in 15 days). He once again reminded the bureau that fixing the dates of the trials must be properly anticipated, with prior consultation between the NETOs in order to avoid the inconveniences that have often been reported. They will once again be asked to communicate between them before the coordination meeting which will take place in August 2009 in Italy during the Young Trec European Championships at Saint Piero in Bagno.
NB: Portugal is planning to charter a large truck from France to help competitors come to the trials in July whilst limiting transport costs.

VIII - Portugal Champions Meeting TREC in October 2009

Item addressed in paragraph III above

IX - The European Junior TREC Championship - August 28th-29th-30th 2009 - Saint Piero in Bagno (Italy) - draw for the start of competitors.

Information concerning the organisation of this championship are expected.

Starting order draw for competitors:

1 Germany
2 Switzerland
3 Italy
4 Portugal
5 Canada
6 Belgium
7 Ireland
8 Great Britain
9 Austria
10 Spain
11 Holland
12 Romania
13 USA
14 Andorra
15 France

Designation of juries
Ground Jury:

• President: Heinz Rieger (Austria)

• Marinella Marriotti

• A foreign member designated by the Organisation Committee

Appeals Jury:

• President: Gerlinde Hoffmann

• A member designated by the Organisation Committee

• A foreign member designated by the Organisation Committee

X - Schedule of International Trec Championships from 2011 to 2016

2010 - Austria: Senior and Junior European Championships (for information),
2011 -
2012 - Portugal: Senior World Championship - Junior European Championship - (Alter do Chao)
2013 -
2014 - Spain: Senior and Junior European Championships (to be confirmed)
2015 -
2016 - Italy: Senior World Championships - Junior European Championship

A new call will be made to the NETOs to fill the gaps for the years 2011, 2013 and 2015.

XI - Miscellaneous issues

Working equitation
We are looking forward to the International Working Equitation event in Verona in 2009, an information and incentive mail will be sent out to the NETOs and especially to Spain and Portugal, with their strong history in this field.

Presentation of awards for the European Cup

2006 - 2007
1/ Lisbeth Lumpp (France)
2/ Karl Gruber (Austria)
3/ Gunter Wolf (Austria)

2007 - 2008
1/ Beatrix Mahlke (Germany)
2/ Fritz Kriechbaumer (Austria)
3/ Hilary Barnard (Great Britain)

The ceremony will take place on December 14th at 11 a.m. during the horse show in Paris, on the FFE stand. Hervè Delambre thanked the French organisation for its welcome and the facilities it made available to the FITE.

Discussions ended at 1p.m.

The President The General Secretary
Hervè Delambre Luigi Triossi