IGEQ Terms of Reference

1. Membership

The International Group for Equestrian Qualifications shall be made up of representatives of National Equestrian Federations (NFs) that wish to take part in the work of the Group. Membership is entirely voluntary and application to join the Group should be made to the Executive Committee. Membership to be subsequently ratified at the next Annual Conference by those members present.

Normally, each NF may nominate one organisation from its country to represent it, and a maximum of two delegates to attend events on its behalf. Every effort should be made to ensure one of these delegates remain constant, who understands the aims, objectives and ethos of the IGEQ and attends the annual conference, to ensure continuity. This does not preclude NFs nominating other delegates to attend other events specific to a discipline, as appropriate. Each member NF agrees to accept conference/committee decisions reached by democratic vote, whether or not the individual NF agrees.

Each member NF agrees to pay a membership fee, as determined from time to time, on 1 June annually, which will be invoiced by the IGEQ. However, NF's who may have difficulty in paying a membership fee should contact the Executive Committee.

2. Functions/Objectives

The IGEQ shall work to:

Harmonise member federation qualifications in riding, driving and vaulting instruction including the associated stable management and any other equestrian qualification that may
be developed by any member NF to agreed standards.
Issue International Equestrian Passports (through NFs) to those suitably qualified to hold
them.
Promote, maintain and develop national equestrian instructor qualifications to agreed minimum standards and aid the sharing of best practice.
Encourage the introduction of formal instructor qualifications based on the agreed IGEQ matrix, in those countries seeking to develop a robust instructor education and/or qualification system.
Ensure all equestrian instructors are properly trained and qualified to agreed recognised international levels.
Facilitate examiner training and encourage the sharing of best practice.

3. Operating procedures

The IGEQ to be guided by an Executive Committee comprised of 8 members, one to represent each of the following geographical regions, in addition to a Chairman, Treasurer & Secretary. A Vice-Chairman will be nominated from members of the Executive Committee:

Region 1	Sweden/Denmark/Norway/Finland/Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia – Kari Haimi
Region 2	France/Belgium/Netherlands– Pierre Ollivier
Region 3	Germany/Hungary/Austria/Switzerland - Christoph Hess (Vice Chairman)
Region 4	Italy/Greece/Slovenia - Barbara Ardu
Region 5	Poland/Romania/Czech Republic – Waclaw Pruchniewicz
Region 6	UK/Ireland/Israel/Bermuda/China – Islay Auty
Region 7	Canada/South Africa/Malaysia/Malawi/Mauritious/New Zealand – Di Pieterse
Region 8	Portugal/Spain/Mexico - Fernando Villalon

Regional representatives to be nominated by the member countries of each region. The composition of the Executive Committee will be confirmed at the IGEQ annual conference at 4 yearly intervals, or at the next annual conference thereafter.

4. Officers of the IGEQ

The Chairman shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and confirmed by the International Group. He/she shall serve for a term of 4 years. When the current term of office expires, nominations may be made to the Executive Committee. If more than one nomination is received a postal ballot will be held. The appointment of Chairman for the next 4 years will then be confirmed at the next annual conference.

The Executive Committee shall appoint a Treasurer, Vice Chairman and Secretary, for a period of 4 years.

Ownership of all documentation and records shall remain vested in the Group. As agreed in 1992 at the outset, the working language of the Group will be English.

5. Arbitration Procedure

In the event of a member federation wishing to resolve a problem, the following procedure shall apply:

The federation concerned shall submit their query/problem in writing to the Secretary, who will forward it to the Chairman and members of the Executive Committee.
If necessary an Extraordinary Meeting of the Executive Committee will be convened to discuss the matter with representatives of the federation concerned. Following this the Executive Committee will make recommendations to the next full conference. If the matter is too urgent to wait, then the Executive Committee will take any necessary decision on behalf of the Group.

6. Conferences

The international conferences shall be organised as often as is deemed necessary and by invitation from a member NF as host. The agenda for an annual conference shall be agreed by the Executive Committee, in collaboration with the host NF.

7. IGEQ Passport

The International Passport shall be issued to an NF on receipt of an official order. An invoice will then be issued for the total cost (inc. postage, bank charges etc), which will be dispatched with the passports by registered post.
Each NF is responsible for the issue of passports to its own suitably qualified instructors, and for the verification of the qualifications shown in a passport.
The regulations for the issue of passports are determined by the IGEQ and may be amended, as necessary.
The Secretary shall maintain a central database of all passports issued to NFs. Each NF shall maintain complete records of passports issued and submit quarterly returns to the Secretary, confirming passport numbers issued – the date, to whom, and the level.

8. Finance

a. The Secretary and one nominated member of the Executive shall be signatories to the Group’s bank account.

b. The Secretary shall maintain accounts showing income and expenditure, which must be audited annually.

c. Any surplus in the account may be used for funding appropriate activities as agreed by member federations, after meeting the following costs, in order of priority:

The travel and accommodation of the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary to meetings of the Executive Committee and Conferences.
Administration costs, e.g. stationery, telephone, fax, postage etc.
Costs of Executive Meetings and assistance to representatives with the cost of travel to Executive meetings not linked to the annual conference

d. Each NF is responsible for the expenses of its own delegates to attend meetings of the Executive Committee, conferences and other events, except in the case of travel assistance referred to in (iii) above.

International Group For Equestrian Qualifications