Editing Eventing (section)

==International competition==
{{unreferenced section|date=May 2019}}
[[Image:Burghley 2004.jpg|thumb|right|Burghley is one of the most prestigious international events.]]
International events have specific categories and levels of competition and are conducted under the rules of the [[International Federation for Equestrian Sports|FEI]]. [[Concours Complet International|CCI]] (Concours Complet International, or International Complete Contest) is one such category and defines a three-day event that is open to competitors from any foreign nation as well as the host nation.

*[[Concours Complet International|CCI]] : International Three-day event (Concours Complet International)
*CIC: International One-day event (Concours International Combiné)
*CCIO: International Team Competitions (Concours Complet International Officiel). Includes the Olympics, the [[Eventing World Championship|World Championships]], the Pan Am Games, and other continental championships

The levels of international events are identified by the number of stars next to the category; there are four levels in total. A CCI* is for horses that are just being introduced to international competition. A CCI** is geared for horses that have some experience of international competition. CCI*** is the advanced level of competition.

The very highest level of competition is the CCI****, and with only seven such competitions in the world ([[Badminton Horse Trials|Badminton]], [[Burghley Horse Trials|Burghley]], [[Kentucky Three-Day Event|Kentucky]], [[Australian International Three Day Event|Adelaide]], [[Luhmuhlen Horse Trials]], Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill and the [[Étoiles de Pau|Stars of Pau]]). The [[Eventing World Championship|World Championships]] are also considered CCI****. Rolex offers a financial prize for any rider who can win three of the biggest competitions in succession. These are Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky. So far, Pippa Funnell (Great Britain) and Michael Jung (Germany) are the only riders to do this. Andrew Hoy did come close, however, and in 2010 [[Oliver Townend]] was competing for this coveted "Grand Slam" at Rolex Kentucky when he suffered a fall at obstacle #20 which eliminated him from competition.

One, two and three-star competitions are roughly comparable to the Novice, Intermediate and Advanced levels of British domestic competition, respectively, and to the Preliminary, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of American domestic competition, respectively.

Following the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, the IOC approached the FEI insisting on modifications to the existing format yet again for eventing to maintain its status as an Olympic discipline. "There was a lot of pressure from the Olympic Committee to make it more spectator friendly, to make it cheaper, and we definitely had to have more [countries represented]," said Marilyn Payne, a member of the FEI Eventing Committee.

At the 2016 FEI General Assembly, the FEI voted in favor of several proposed format changes for the Olympic Games that would make it both easier for more countries to participate and easier for spectators to understand. Those changes include limiting nations to teams of three with no drop score and changing the level of competition to (current) four-star dressage and show jumping with a 10-minute, 45-effort cross-country course at the (current) three-star level of difficulty.

Hence, with Olympic cross-country now designated at the (current) three-star level of difficulty, more riders from more nations will have the opportunity to qualify. Payne added, "By having five stars, the one-star will now be below what the one-star was and very close to our Modified level. That's intended to create a pipeline to let developing countries in eventing hold competitions and get riders competent at that level so they can naturally progress to the higher levels. Plus, the more countries who participate, the more spectators who will watch."

"Ultimately it's all about risk management and trying to make the sport safer," Payne concluded.

While the 2017 FEI General Assembly proposed the rule change that would implement the new five-star system, there were still plenty of details to iron out. The FEI elected to not put the new star system into place until 2019, giving them 2018 to refine the language of the new system. However, the new international Introductory level, which will become the new CCI* level and is roughly equivalent to the Modified level, was introduced in 2018.