Media credential applications will be going out by mid-December for the 2007 Rolex FEI World Cup Finals in show jumping and dressage. There will be fewer credentials awarded than there were for the 2005 finals in order to eliminate overcrowding in the press room and offer everyone more space to work. As a result, no media outlet will be given more than two credentials.

This year, for the first time, there will be free wireless access in the press room. And the good news for photographers is that the lighting in the arena is being improved in 2007, so you should find conditions much better for shooting than they were in 2005.

The letter that comes with the credential application will suggest that hotel rooms be reserved at www.worldcuplasvegas.com, where there is a list of hotels offering World Cup discounts. For hotels in a more moderate price range (and there are many in Las Vegas) click on the Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?â??Only VegasÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã? icon at the bottom of the World Cup web page.

Shuttles will be going back and forth from some hotels listed on the www.worldcuplasvegas.com site. Service will be provided to and from the Thomas & Mack Center from the Luxor and MGM hotels, and there is a monorail that travels up and down The Strip (Las Vegas Boulevard), so it should be easy to reach the hotels with the shuttles stops via mass transit for a minimal charge. There is no mass transit to the Thomas & Mack Center, where the finals are staged, so if you don’t take a shuttle or rent a car, you will have to rely on taxis, though there are motels within walking distance.

Marty Bauman and Classic Communications are once again in charge of the press arrangements. If you do not get an application by late December, contact Classic at Classic.pr@verizon.net.

At the last AGM held during the WEG the assembly formally approved a revised application process so that members of the IAEJ would be the highest quality of professional journalists. As a result, all applications that were submitted prior to the WEG were not reviewed and will need to be resubmitted using the following application checklist.

Revised IAEJ Application Checklist

#1. A copy of either your national or international press card.

OR

A reference letter from the Communication Department of your National Olympic Committee or National Equestrian Federation stating that your are an active member of the equestrian media.

#2. A letter of reference from and contact details for any print or online publisher/editor that your have recently (within the last year) or are currently working for.

#3. Two hard copies of on-line or print work (either editorial or photographic) covering national or
international equestrian events published within the last year with a by-line or photo credit.

#4. Letters (or emails) from two active members of the International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists in good standing.

In the past few years the system adopted by the IAEJ of appointing National Delegates for most countries has been very useful in order to monitor and improve press services in different countries. Through the IAEJ National Delegates we have had the opportunity to work with the organising committees of major events. In many cases, thanks to the attention paid by our National Delegates, press facilities at shows and events have improved.

Given the progress made by the IAEJ, we feel that the IAEJ National Delegates should oversee press facilities provided at main shows in their respective countries. As a general rule, we need to pay extra attention to all official international events (CSIOs, CCIOs, CDIOs, CAIO’s, CSI-W, etc.), but this does not mean that we have to ignore some of the other international events (CSI-A; CCI**; CIC; etc.), as sometimes at the smaller shows and events it is difficult even to get a copy of the results!

We would like to ask the IAEJ National Delegates to send us reports from all the events where facilities and services were sub-standard. As a professional organisation, it is very important that we are effective in improving press services by working with the FEI and Organisers.

The 2007 list of IAEJ National Delegates is printed below. Please can all those listed ensure they confirm their availability to be an IAEJ National Delegate by sending an e-mail to IAEJ Bureau Member, Lucia Montanarella (lucia.m@flashnet.it). It will take only a moment to send confirmation and is important for future cooperation and planning. Members who are no longer interested in acting as IAEJ National Delegates are also asked to send an e-mail.

• AUSTRALIA – Julie Wilson
• AUSTRIA – Renate Schmid
• BELGIUM / LUXEMBOURG – Dirk Caremans
• CANADA – Jennifer Ward (new)
• EASTERN EUROPE – Milena Dragisic
• FRANCE – Christelle Iraola
• GERMANY – Gabriele Pochammer
• GREAT BRITAIN – Gillian Newsum
• HOLLAND – Jacob Melissen
• IRELAND – Grania Willis
• ITALY – Lucia Montanarella
• JAPAN – Tokiko Okubo
• MEXICO – Eduardo Tame
• NEW ZEALAND – Joan Gilchrist
• PORTUGAL – Maria Margarida Ferreira Neves
• SCANDINAVIA – Tessie Sjostedt
• SPAIN – Luis Poncela
• SWITZERLAND – Alban Poudret & Georges Zehnder (for CSI-W Geneva)
• UNITED STATES – Nancy Jaffer (East) & Chris Stafford (new)

IAEJ Delegates for Major Events

• 19-22 April – FEI World Cup Finals Dressage/Jumping – Las Vegas (USA)
  IAEJ Del: Nancy Jaffer & Charles Mann
• 14-29 July – Pam American Games – Rio de Janeiro (BRA)
  IAEJ Del: Chris Stafford & Jennifer Anstey
• 15-19 August – European Jumping Champs – Mannheim (GER)
  IAEJ Del: Gabriele Mohrmann-Pochhammer
• 25 Aug. – 5 Sept – European Dressage Champs. – Torino (ITA)
  IAEJ Del: Lucia Montanarella (to June 07), Xavier Libbrecht
• 7-8 Sept. – Open European Endurance Champs. – Barroca d’Alva (POR)
  IAEJ Del: Maria Margarida Ferreira Neves (POR)
• 13-16 Sept. – European Eventing Champs. – Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA)
  IAEJ Del: Lucia Montanarella (to June 07), Xavier Libbrecht

1. Lauren Giannini
   Sponsors: Michelle Dunn (CAN) & Nancy Jaffer (USA)
2. Janne Bugtrup
   Sponsors: Gabriele Pochhammer (GER) & Donata von Preussen
3. Annie Studholme
   Sponsors: Mark Wentein (BEL) & Chris Hector (AUS)
4. Muthyalu Satyanarayan (Satya)
   Sponsors: Pamela Burton (USA) & Jean Llewellyn (USA)