EEF Series: A team competition for EEF Countries
Pursuant to FEI Board decision of 19 November 2019, the EEF Series is a Nations Cup Series Division managed by the EEF.
EEF Series Nations Cup competitions are reserved for qualification purposes only for teams from all NFs that are members of the EEF, including Division 1 NFs. Athlete/Horse combinations from Division1 NF’s that have competed in a Nations Cup or Official Team Competition at a CSIO 5* in the current calendar year are not allowed to compete in a Nations Cup competition at an EEF Series Event.
1. Qualification System
EEF Series NFs are divided into four (4) Regions as follows for the purpose of qualifying
ten (10) teams for each of the EEF Series Semi-Finals and the Final respectively, as
follows:
- Region South consists of the following NFs: SMR; ITA; TUR; GRE; BUL; ROU;
SRB; MKD; ALB; BIH; CYP ; MLT ; UKR - Region Central consists of the following NFs: GER; SUI; SVK; HUN; CZE; AUT; SLO; CRO; LIE
- Region North consists of the following NFs: NOR; SWE; FIN; DEN; POL; ISR; EST; LAT; LTU; ISL
- Region West consists of the following NFs: AND; BEL; NED; LUX; FRA; ESP; POR; IRL; GBR; MON
1.1. EEF Series Regional Qualifiers (RQs)
Each Region holds two (2) Regional Qualifiers at CSIO2* or CSIO3* level and the Teams qualify for the EEF Series Semi-Finals through the Nations Cup competitions at the RQs in their own Regions.
RQs take place between May 1st and June 20th of the current year and there must be at least one (1) free week between two (2) RQs in the same Region.
To earn points, a team must participate in the Nations Cup competitions at both RQs in its Region. Teams earn points according to their classification in the respective RQs in their Region.
The points for each team are added together to establish the Region standings. In the event of equality pf points, the highest ranked team will be the team with the most points at the respective RQ with highest * level or, in case of RQs with same * level, the team highest placed in the second RQ in the region.
1.1.1. Regional Qualifier not taking place
In the event that only one RQ takes place in a Region (instead of two), for whatever reason, the teams of the Region will qualify for the respective Semi-Final according to their classification in the RQ that has taken place.
In the event no RQ takes place in a Region, for whatever reason, the teams in the Region will qualify for the respective Semi-Final through the Nations Cup Ranking commencing with the first Nations Cup competition following the FEI Nations Cup™ Final of the previous year until two weeks prior to the respective Semi-Final of the current year.
Teams in the EEF Series may take part in CSIOs outside their own Region but may not earn points for their Region standings at these Events.
1.2. EEF Series Semi-Finals (SFs)
The Semi-Final is a CSIO3*, where the Nations Cup competition is reserved for the top ten (10) teams (five from each Region) qualified according to the respective Region standings above, as follows:
- Top 5 teams from Regions South & Central qualify for EEF Series Semi-Final 1
- Top 5 teams from Regions North & West qualify for EEF Series Semi-Final 2
- The home team in a SF, if not qualified as above, has the right to participate in the
Nations Cup competition of said SF as 11th team, without being eligible for qualification
for the Final.
The top five (5) placed eligible teams in the Nations Cup competition at each Semi-Final, respectively, qualify for the EEF Series Final.
SFs take place between June 27th and July 11th of the current year and there must be at least one (1) free week between the last RQ in any Region and its respective SF, as above.
1.3. EEF Series Final
The EEF Series Final is a CSIO4* reserved only for the ten (10) teams qualified from the two (2) SFs, as above, and the home team as the 11th team if not qualified but providing the home team has tried to qualify for the EEF Nations Cup Final.
The Final takes place between July 18th and August 1 st of the current year, unless otherwise approved by EEF Board decision in accordance with relevant FEI Rules and Regulations, and there must be (a) at least one (1) free week between the Final and the last SF and (b) at least two (2) weeks between the Final and the Jumping Event of the Olympic Games or the World and EU CH for Seniors or the FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final of the current year.
The winning team in the EEF Series Final will be promoted to the FEI Nations Cup™ Division 1 for the next calendar year, unless such winning team comes from an NF eligible to compete in Division 1 in the next calendar year. In such a case, it will be the next ranked team in the Final that will be promoted to Division 1, provided it does not come from an NF eligible to compete in Division 1 in the next calendar year. In case the winning team comes from the same NF relegated in the current calendar year from
Division 1, that same team will not be promoted back to Division 1 for the next calendar year; in such a case the next best ranked team will be promoted to Division 1, provided it does not come from an NF eligible to compete in Division 1 in the next calendar year.
ABOUT THE EUROPEAN EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION (EEF)
The EEF was formed in 2009 to address equestrian sport matters of European interest and to increase the influence of the European NFs within the FEI.
In 2018 the FEI Groups I & II were merged into the: EEF Regional Group, which now includes and represents 38 European NFs.