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Euro Update: Danish and Spanish Equestrian Federation Oppose Legality of Princess Haya's Request for Immediate Resignation FEI Dressage Committee

 

Both the Danish and Spanish Equestrian Federation have issued statements that Princess Haya can not demand the immediate resignation of the FEI Dressage Committee because of FEI regulations. The FEI Executive Board has thereby made mistakes to support an immediate resignation, as the Dressage Committee is elected and approved by the General Assembly and can only be fired by it.

Ulf Helgstrand, president of the Danish Equestrian Federation says "there is no dout that there has been mistakes from both the executive board and the committee, but most important is that rules and regulations must be respected. Otherwise we will get a "wild west" situation. The dressage committee has respected the rules and regulations, while the Executive Board has a problem, since the committee is elected and approved by the General Assembley. This means that the Executive Board with Princess Haya as President has no competence to demand the resignation of the dressage committee. On the contrary the Executive Board has the duty to respect rules and regulations wich have been democratly approved by the General Assembly."

Helgstrand especially commented that he is "looking forward to the General Assebley in Argentina, and I am convinced the this is going to be a great issue especially of principal interest concerning responsibillity and competences."

The Spanish Equestrian Federation concurs with the Danish one and stated that "Regarding the petition for the resignation of the FEI Dressage Committee issued by the Executive Board, leaving aside the motives and reasons made public both by the President of the FEI as well as the Committee, the RFHE thinks it fundamental to remind that the FEI is a democratic institution, with internal functioning rules duly approved by the different bodies, that determine at all times the way its members must proceed.

Based on this, since the capacity to propose, designate and remove members of committees is a prerogative of the FEI’s General Assembly & the Bureau’s, it is before these two bodies, and not in other forums, where the petition at hand needs to be presented; therefore our federation can not agree with the decision made public by the Executive Board. In any case, due to the importance of the matter, we requested that it is addressed at the meeting of the Assembly in Buenos Aires, as well as in the previous leading-up sessions of the working groups”

IDTC In Favour of Resignation FEI Dressage Committee

The IDTC wrote that it "regrets the fact and the public nature of the current controversy surrounding the FEI Dressage Committee. However, the IDTC has long held the belief that the current composition of the FEI Dressage Committee does not reflect the interest of all stakeholders. Therefore we hope that the current situation is seen as an opportunity to restructure the administration of dressage affairs within the FEI to be fully representative of the interests of all stakeholders, riders, trainers, judges, chef d’equipes, organisers and developing countries. Now is the time for the dressage community to unite and focus on the long term interest of our sport."

For the most recent updates on the FEI Dressage Committee Affair, check out Eurodressage.com

Marc Boblet, 2008 French Dressage Champion

Marc Boblet has become the 2008 French Dressage Champion by winning the national championships held in Saumur, France, October 31-November 2, 2008. Aboard the 9-year old Belgian warmblood gelding Whitni Star (by Pik Solo x Latano), Boblet earned the gold, while Remy Issartel got silver for his rides on Hilton du Clotobie. Pierre Subileau and Sejlgaards Carlos pushed for bronze. The most internationally renowned French riders, Karen Tebar, Dominique d'Esme, Julia Chevanne, Constane Menard, Hubert Perring, were all remarkably absent at this event.

Boblet reigned supreme in all three rounds of hte Championship. He scored 68,667% in the Grand Prix, 70,600% in the Special and 72,000% in the Kur to music, which kept him unchallenged by the competition. His overall score of 211,267 points made him lead with almost a full 10% difference to Issartel on his 13-year old Selle Francais gelding by Ulak du Chateau (201,968 overall). Subileau and his veteran Grand Prix horse, the 17-year old Danish warmblood Sejlgaards Carlos (by Picandt x Leonardo II), totalled 197,138 points for bronze.

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