Politics rage on as usual apparently. I cannot believe that Princess Haya was endorsed as FEI President given her connection through her husband ( Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum) who was marked at the center of the endurance racing scandal. The stories of horse deaths and blatant rule breaking have rightfully highlighted the equestrian world to a much larger audience and here we are, as protectors of the horse or so we claim, allowing this endorsement to happen. Although let's face it, the FEI never seem to take much notice of what the competitor thinks.
The meeting of course includes very few actual riders or competitors although at the recent meeting Ludger Beerbaum was present and brought up several good points about warm up footing and the star rating system of Event Classification. Poor old Rolex,
banished in favor of Longines does not even warrant a mention for all their sponsorship of the European World Cup in the past. Not smart is it? A sponsor like Rolex who has done so much good for the sport just scrapped. Not very forward thinking of the FEI.
I liked German judge Juliette Mallison's comment that the measures that the FEI have taken rule wise to protect horse welfare in endurance have not gone far enough. For sure. I don't think endurance will be follow the book, ever.
Then there is the old story popping up again. The IOC thinks it would be a great idea to give the hosting Olympic country the choice of which sports they'd like to include. So the scandal surrounding the endurance sport will not help that will it. And putting Princess Haya as our 'face' to deal with it all perhaps not the smartest thing either.
Politics rein supreme. Sigh.
The meeting of course includes very few actual riders or competitors although at the recent meeting Ludger Beerbaum was present and brought up several good points about warm up footing and the star rating system of Event Classification. Poor old Rolex, banished in favor of Longines does not even warrant a mention for all their sponsorship of the European World Cup in the past. Not smart is it? A sponsor like Rolex who has done so much good for the sport just scrapped. Not very forward thinking of the FEI.
I liked German judge Juliette Mallison's comment that the measures that the FEI have taken rule wise to protect horse welfare in endurance have not gone far enough. For sure. I don't think endurance will be follow the book, ever.
Then there is the old story popping up again. The IOC thinks it would be a great idea to give the hosting Olympic country the choice of which sports they'd like to include. So the scandal surrounding the endurance sport will not help that will it. And putting Princess Haya as our 'face' to deal with it all perhaps not the smartest thing either.
Politics rein supreme. Sigh.
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