Driving Sport Can Be So Much More! – New Paths for Adaptive Driving

From HIPPOEVENT PARA SPOTLIGHT to HIPPOEVENT SPOTLIGHT ON ADAPTIVE DRIVING HIPPOEVENT .

Driving sport can be so much more! – New opportunities for drivers with disabilities

One Sport. One Passion. Countless Possibilities.

Driving sport can be so much more! And sometimes, discovering new opportunities requires us to look at things from a different perspective.

Hippoevent is taking its existing initiative, Hippoevent Para Spotlight, to the next level. It is now becoming HIPPOEVENT SPOTLIGHT ON ADAPTIVE DRIVING. This new name represents much more than a simple change of wording. It reflects a conscious decision to broaden opportunities for drivers with disabilities, explore new approaches and look beyond the traditional Para competition structures – both internationally and at national level.

The passion for harnessing horses and ponies and taking the reins is not measured solely by championships, placings or outstanding sporting achievements. It is equally present in daily training, at regional events, in grassroots sport and during recreational driving activities. It belongs to young people just discovering their path into carriage driving, as much as it does to experienced drivers who have been part of the sport for many years.

What does Adaptive Driving mean?

The term Adaptive Driving describes an approach to carriage driving that takes individual needs and abilities into account and creates opportunities for people with disabilities to participate actively in the sport.

This may involve adapted equipment, individual assistance, suitable conditions or different ways of participating in the sport. The key is to look beyond limitations and focus instead on abilities, individual possibilities and the enjoyment of driving horses and ponies.

Adaptive Driving opens up opportunities in competitive sport as well as in grassroots and recreational driving.

Adaptive Driving creates opportunities. Inclusion ensures that people can make use of these opportunities and become part of our driving community.

The FEI is also setting a new course: Para Driving becomes Adaptive Driving

International developments underline the importance of this new terminology. The FEI has decided that, from 2027, the discipline previously known as Para Driving will be renamed Adaptive Driving.

The background to this change is a review of the discipline's future governance and classification structure, together with the introduction of the revised Classification Code of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The revised code establishes stricter governance and compliance requirements for sports using the designation “Para”.

Considering the size and current structure of the discipline, adapting it to the revised IPC framework was not considered proportionate. The terminology has therefore been updated to ensure that it continues to reflect the specific needs, scale and scope of the existing discipline.

Important for current drivers: The change in terminology does not mean any immediate changes to the existing classification system. The current classification rules will remain unchanged for the time being.

The discipline therefore receives a new international name without any immediate changes to the sporting foundations of the former Para Driving structure.

More opportunities instead of limitations

Hippoevent also wants to embrace this development and redefine its own activities. Not every person with a disability finds their way into carriage driving through a traditional Para competition class, nor does everyone aspire to an international competitive career.

A strong grassroots foundation is essential for a successful future in elite sport. If we want to welcome new drivers to the international stage in the years ahead, we must also focus on where the passion for carriage driving begins: taking the first steps, training, grassroots sport and recreational driving.

Not everyone wants to compete or is able to participate in competitive sport. Yet driving horses and ponies offers people with disabilities a wide range of opportunities to discover a new passion, enjoy physical activity and become part of a special community.

One thought has particularly inspired us at Hippoevent and played an important role in motivating us to become more involved in this field:

“There are people with disabilities who simply do not know that driving horses or ponies is an option for them. And for many of them, discovering this opportunity could be a truly enriching experience.”

– Ivonne Hellebrand

This is exactly where HIPPOEVENT SPOTLIGHT ON ADAPTIVE DRIVING comes in. We want to make opportunities visible, encourage new ways of getting involved and help more people with disabilities discover and enjoy their passion for horses, ponies and carriage driving.

Our focus is on the activities, achievements and individual opportunities of driving enthusiasts with disabilities – regardless of whether they participate in ambitious competitive sport, grassroots driving or recreational activities.

An initiative looking to the future

We want to bring together people, event organisers, clubs, federations and partners, support new ideas and create fresh momentum for Adaptive Driving. Our aim is to challenge existing limitations, develop additional opportunities and help make carriage driving more accessible and sustainable for people with disabilities.

The future requires commitment and a willingness to explore new paths. We want to open up perspectives for young drivers with disabilities while also creating opportunities for experienced driving enthusiasts to pursue their passion in different ways for many years to come.

HIPPOEVENT SPOTLIGHT ON ADAPTIVE DRIVING aims to become an international platform that highlights activities and achievements, encourages encounters, supports initiatives and demonstrates the many different ways in which Adaptive Driving can be enjoyed.

A new name, a broader perspective and a clear goal: inspiring more people to discover the joy of driving horses and ponies, creating new opportunities and actively shaping the future of Adaptive Driving.

One Sport. One Passion. Countless Possibilities.

HIPPOEVENT – We Love Driving Sport!