Startlist AI — User Guide
Startlist AI turns riders' wishes, written in plain language, into a start order that respects them.
You type what the rider asks — in any language, the way they said it. The AI reads it, turns it into precise start-order rules, and the extension builds a start order that applies them, then sends it back to Equipe.
The AI runs on your own network: rider names and requests never leave it.
This guide is for show secretaries and organisers.
Contents
- How it works
- Opening the extension
- Recording rider requests
- Writing a good request
- What the AI understands
- Building the start order
- Status icons
- Good practices
How it works
- Collect the wishes — on the Rider Requests screen, record each request as it comes in. The AI reads it as soon as you save it and shows what it understood.
- Build the order — on the Process Rider Requests screen, choose a class, let the tool compute the start order, check the result and send it to Equipe.
Two more screens, Hippodata import and Hippodata Viewer, let you bring in and look at Hippodata data (classes, results, teams, FEI articles) when needed.
Opening the extension
Open it from the show in Equipe: it works directly on that show, with nothing to log into.
The extension opens in the same tab as Equipe. Use Back to Equipe, at the top right of every screen, to return to where you were.
Recording rider requests
The screen has a form at the top (New request to AI) and the Requests received table below.
Add a request
- Choose the rider — type a rider's or a horse's name and pick it from the list. Choosing a horse selects its rider.
- Choose the scope — by default the request applies to the whole show. To limit it, untick Whole show and select the classes. For shows over several weeks, use the week tabs.
- Write the request — in any language, as the rider said it.
- Save — within a few seconds, the line shows what the AI understood.
The help button next to Save shows examples of well-understood requests.
The Requests received table
| Column | Content |
| Rider | The rider, and the horse if the request concerns one horse |
| Classes | whole show or the class numbers concerned |
| AI Request / Response | The original text, then the ✨ line with what the AI understood, and the time it took |
| Status | Where the request stands (see Status icons) |
Use ✎ to edit a request and 🗑 to delete it.
When the AI needs you
Most requests are understood straight away (green check). Three cases need a decision:
- Pick one — the rider named someone ("after Rozier") and several riders match. Choose the right one in the drop-down list.
- Guessed — the wording was unusual: the AI proposes the closest rule but leaves it inactive. If it is right, click ✓ approve.
- Not understood — the AI could not interpret the text, or the request contradicts itself ("before 10:00 and after 14:00"). The reason is shown; use rephrase to reword it.
The counter at the top of the screen shows how many items still need a decision.
Writing a good request
- Any language — French, English, Dutch, German, even mixed.
- The rider's own words — no keywords needed. "My horse is green, I'd rather go early", "j'arrive du CSI voisin, pas avant 14h" and "graag vroeg starten" all work.
- Several wishes in one request — "Not right after Rozier, but with Gonin and Billot, and not before 14:30" gives four rules.
- Approximate words are fine — "more or less in the middle", "if possible early", "ideally near the end".
Examples
| The rider says… | The AI understands |
| "somewhere in the middle please" | start in the middle third |
| "always in the first 4" | within the first 4 to go |
| "between 25 and 40" | start between positions 25 and 40 |
| "I have a pony lesson at 18:00" | must have started before 18:00 |
| "I'm coming from the neighbouring CSI, not before 14:00" | cannot start before 14:00 |
| "the two horses at least 15 apart" | at least 15 starts between the rider's horses |
| "Cartouche first, then Fais Toi Belle" | fixed order between the rider's horses |
| "keep me next to Tom Green and Lisa Brown" | group the rider with those two |
| "please put all the Beks together" | group every rider named Bek |
| "just before the break" | start just before the break |
| "not right after Rozier, he always takes ages" | keep the rider far from Rozier |
What the AI understands
Each request becomes one or more of the rules below; they are what you see on the ✨ line.
Position in the list
| Rule | Meaning |
start_early |
in the first third |
start_middle |
in the middle third |
start_at_end |
in the last third |
start_late |
after the first third |
start_last |
the very last |
start_within_first |
within the first N |
start_within_last |
within the last N |
start_between |
between two positions, e.g. 25–40 |
Time
| Rule | Meaning |
start_before_time |
must have started before a time (e.g. another commitment at 18:00) |
start_after_time |
cannot start before a time (e.g. arriving from another show) |
"Before 10:00" sets the latest start; "not before 14:00" sets the earliest.
The rider's own horses
| Rule | Meaning |
min_gap_own_horses |
minimum number of starts between the rider's horses |
horse_order |
fixed order between the rider's horses |
Other riders
| Rule | Meaning |
after_rider |
after a named rider |
before_rider |
before a named rider |
near_rider |
close to a named rider |
far_from_rider |
far from a named rider (also "not right after X") |
group_with |
keep several riders together |
coach_far_from_group |
a coach keeps their group together, with more distance from themselves |
Families: "all the Beks" or "the three Beks" groups every entered rider with that surname — no need to name them one by one.
The break
| Rule | Meaning |
before_break |
just before the break |
after_break |
just after the break |
"Before the break" means the break; "before Cyrius" means before that horse or rider.
Negations and contradictions
Negations are understood: "not after the break" becomes before the break, "not too early" becomes start late. A request that can never be met (first and after the break; before 10:00 and after 14:00) is marked not understood, with the reason. A message that only describes the horse or says thank you is left unknown on purpose: the AI does not guess.
Building the start order
On the Process Rider Requests screen:
- Choose the class — use the Week / Day tabs (the Week row is hidden for a one-week show), then pick the class.
- Compute the order — the tool proposes a start order that meets as many rules as possible.
- Check the log — for each rule: applied, not applicable (with the reason) or still to review. Riders grouped together are highlighted. Requests never understood are listed so none is forgotten.
- Watch for overlaps — a warning appears if a rider would start at the same time in two arenas running in parallel.
- Undo if needed — the history panel restores the previous order of the class.
- Apply to Equipe — send the order to Equipe.
Status icons
Request status
| Icon | Status | Meaning |
| ⏳ (blue) | received | Saved, waiting for the AI |
| ✅ (green) | interpreted | Understood — rules on the ✨ line |
| ❌ (red) | failed | Not processed — rephrase it |
| ⏹ (yellow) | cancelled | Request cancelled |
Rules inside a request
- ✓ — ready.
- ⚠ pick one — several riders match the name: choose one.
- guessed / ✓ approve — proposed from unusual wording: approve to activate.
- ✗ not found / ✗ incomplete — a rider or horse could not be found, or a group has too few members.
Good practices
- Record requests as they arrive: each one is read in a few seconds, and you see straight away what needs a decision.
- Use the rider's words rather than your own summary: nuances are kept.
- Set the scope precisely when a request concerns only some classes.
- Read the "not applicable" lines before applying an order: those are the wishes worth a word with the rider.