The Bouthieb Rules

BECA – The Best Endurance Challenge Award

The Points System Explained

The Boutheib Initiative has been developed to ensure the welfare of the endurance horse. It is also an attempt to return endurance riding back to its traditional roots. The Initiative has proved a great success in UAE but it remains an ongoing process, which is constantly being refined to meet the challenges of a new system for use in a variety of different situations. Nevertheless the objective remains, to develop a format, which rewards good horsemanship and sportsmanship with horse welfare at its core.

Since its first use at Bouthieb, several changes have been made. These changes aim at minimizing the subjective assessment of the individual veterinarian at the vet gate. A major new development has been an attempt to provide more consistent scoring for the Award through the use of an Official Veterinary Panel of three and some vets in Atlanta, who will undertake the final assessment of Metabolic Criteria and Gait for all the qualified horses at the end of the ride.
Another important factor is the emphasis on Heart Rate Recovery and the use of the Cardiac Recovery Index. The tough new parameter of 56bmp in a maximum recovery time of 10 minutes provides the main challenge and shows when a fit horse is performing well and being ridden within its capabilities.
An upper speed limit of 20kph is mandatory to discourage the current trend for speed above all other criteria. Organizers should be aware that the “speed limit” is not currently recognised by the FEI. Nevertheless the Boutheib Initiative Best Endurance Challenge Award can still be held as a CEN or a competition within a CEI ride, but only competitors adhering to the optimum speed and conditions will be eligible for the award. The speed can be adapted downwards to suit local conditions. Organizers should also be aware that any such separate award, within an FEI competition, must be announced in the FEI schedule in advance of the event.
Dr Dwight Hooton, Dr Martha Misheff, Dr Morgane Schambourg, Ms Deirdre Hyde

The Points Protocol

To be considered for the Best Endurance Challenge Award (BECA), it is essential for competitors to remain within the given Speed Parameters (S). Points will be recorded throughout the competition for Speed (S), Recovery Time (RT) and Cardiac Recovery Index (CRI) as described below. Metabolic (MC) criteria and Gait (G) will be assessed after each phase. However in order to minimize the effects of subjective assessment final points will only be awarded after assessment by a panel of the same three official veterinarians who will see all horses in a specially prepared area on completion of the ride.

1. Optimum Speed Points (S)
(20kph in Boutheib), max 10pts per loop

Points are awarded, according to the above table for the optimum speed of 20kph down to 11kph and are deducted for speeds above 20kph with automatic elimination for 21kph or more. Any horse, which in the opinion of the Veterinary Commission, is seen to be exceeding its capabilities at any speed maybe eliminated from the competition at anytime.

2. Recovery Time (RT)
Max 30pts per loop
Heart Rate 56bpm, Presentation time maximum 10 minutes
At each vet gate, there is a maximum of 10 points from which the actual recovery time will be subtracted. This gives a number that will be multiplied by 3.
Example: 1:47 recovery time:
10 – 1.47 = 8.53 x 3 = 25.59 pts gained for that loop for RT.
If the HR is above 56, then the horse is called for a heart re-inspection and the CRI will be carried out at that second inspection.

3. Cardiac Recovery Index (CRI)
Max 2pts per loop
The initial Heart Rate (HR) on presentation will be compared to the HR taken exactly 1 min after the horse begins to trot. If the second HR is equal to or below the first HR, 2 points will be awarded for the CRI. If the second HR is above the first HR, no points will be awarded for the CRI. In excess of 56bpm means elimination from the competition.
Note: The CRI is calculated as follows: The horse enters the vet gate, and is sent to a line, at the line, the veterinarian takes the HR. As soon as this first pulse is taken, the horse is asked to trot and time starts. On the horse’s return, the veterinarian can look at other parameters (respiration, presence of lesions etc.) as long as he does not induce any pain or fear (e.g. looking at mucous membranes might increase the horse’s HR). Immediately after the minute is passed, the second pulse is taken. It must be the same or below the first pulse to award points.
This scoring will be performed at each vet gate except for the final inspection, when the HR will be taken by a line veterinarian immediately after the horse enters the VG, to ensure no unfair advantage is gained if a horse is delayed in presenting to the panel because of congestion at the VG.

4. Metabolic Criteria (MC)
Max 6pts on completion
Metabolic Criteria will be assessed throughout the competition in the normal way. However, for the BECA, the Metabolic Criteria points will only be awarded at the final inspection, which will be judged by a panel of the same 3 Official Veterinarians throughout the competition to give consistency of opinion.
Points will be awarded for each criteria as follows:

5. Gait (G)
Max 6pts on Completion
The Gait will be assessed throughout the competition in the normal way. However points will only be awarded for the BECA at the final inspection, which will be judged by the same panel of 3 Official Veterinarians to give consistency of opinion.
Points will be awarded as follows: