A lot of people must have thought this in recent months. Since the Olympic Games in Tokyo, when the term "social license to operate" became a concept, it seems to be going from bad to worse. With great attention, I followed the last General Assembly of the FEI (online). Understand me well: I understand the usefulness of a federation, even the necessity! But where are we going with this? Horsemanship and bureaucracy? That doesn't go hand in hand, try to understand that.
Something stands out during the last General Assembly of the FEI. The body loves to impose rules! But how useful are they? During a "Q&A", Mr. François Mathy Jr. rightly asked questions from the audience. Right on the nail! You could wonder how much all those rules still have to do with "horsemanship"?
The usefulness of a federation is something that has been philosophically discussed on the sidelines of the competition field many times. Is there a use? Absolutely! We must ensure that everyone respects the rules. But in its endless service provision and structuring, it seems as if the federation(s) have lost the connection with the members, even the connection with the sport! That's not the fault of the executing crowd, but of the board! You know, I wonder if a tree structure of federations with underlying committees is still of this time! The sport has evolved so much, every part has become professionalized. A federation for show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, western, endurance, vaulting,... 'you name it' can no longer have a chance of success. Each discipline has its own challenges, its own vision of horsemanship, its own passion. You can't summarize that in rules, even if you divide them nicely!
Connection with the sport must return!
It is clear that the federation(s) must regain the connection with the sport. However important our "social license to operate" may be. It should not prevent us from defining our bond with our horse in strictly followed rules. Do you also impose extensive regulations on couples before they get married? The guidelines are given deontologically in the upbringing, the law frames them, further there is an enormously free interpretation of what loving actually means! That's how it should be in our sport too.
By focusing only on the importance of our sport receiving worldwide media attention, we lose the essence. In all honesty, no one better than the Canadian Noelle Floyd has grasped this! Although I don't always agree with Floyd, I consider her a pioneer! (One of the few!). She always knows how to analyze the sport and its industry at a turning point and from there to put a new concept on its feet. I read the latest concept "Dear Horse World" as a big f*** y** to the federation. A call that she must return to the essence!
"Where are we going with this?"
"Where are we going with this?" was my first thought! "Where are we going with this?"... when I saw the commercial director juggle with figures during the General Assembly of the FEI, I knew it! Be realistic! I won't repeat the figures, but specifically - no single piece of data was founded! It looked like a presentation made in 15 minutes, where it was clear that he had no feeling for the role of his federation.
Horses and equestrian sport are what the FEI stands for! We all care about our beloved four-legged friends. We like to see them, but even more we enjoy the connection we have with the horse.
If you put that essence in figures, you get completely different data! Then the core of your story will not be the added economic value, but how low the number of fatal accidents in the sport is for horses. How great the love for the horse is, etc.
"Where are we going with this?"... we're busy with profit-seeking. That's okay with me, but in that context it's also 'okay' that riders, grooms, and amazons are increasingly opting for participation in non-regulated events. And then... then you get a real invitation for misconduct. In all honesty, the pursuit of profit is also what we do at Equ.Media. To make my point clear, this article will therefore NOT be paid for (small inner laugh)...
How are we going to solve this?
I don't have the wisdom, unfortunately! But we must strive for a good average! There should be a scientific basis for the rules, but even more, 'common sense' should make a comeback. The federation(s) must get closer to the sport! They must embrace it... possibly say goodbye to certain disciplines that they can no longer support! Believe me, those disciplines will structure themselves and in such a case take the horsemanship policy of the federation as an example!
Don't be mistaken, we are all 'guilty'. To say it with Ludo Philippaerts' words: There are many people with horses, but few horsepeople...
Something stands out during the last General Assembly of the FEI. The body loves to impose rules! But how useful are they? During a "Q&A", Mr. François Mathy Jr. rightly asked questions from the audience. Right on the nail! You could wonder how much all those rules still have to do with "horsemanship"?
The usefulness of a federation is something that has been philosophically discussed on the sidelines of the competition field many times. Is there a use? Absolutely! We must ensure that everyone respects the rules. But in its endless service provision and structuring, it seems as if the federation(s) have lost the connection with the members, even the connection with the sport! That's not the fault of the executing crowd, but of the board! You know, I wonder if a tree structure of federations with underlying committees is still of this time! The sport has evolved so much, every part has become professionalized. A federation for show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, western, endurance, vaulting,... 'you name it' can no longer have a chance of success. Each discipline has its own challenges, its own vision of horsemanship, its own passion. You can't summarize that in rules, even if you divide them nicely!
Connection with the sport must return!
It is clear that the federation(s) must regain the connection with the sport. However important our "social license to operate" may be. It should not prevent us from defining our bond with our horse in strictly followed rules. Do you also impose extensive regulations on couples before they get married? The guidelines are given deontologically in the upbringing, the law frames them, further there is an enormously free interpretation of what loving actually means! That's how it should be in our sport too.
By focusing only on the importance of our sport receiving worldwide media attention, we lose the essence. In all honesty, no one better than the Canadian Noelle Floyd has grasped this! Although I don't always agree with Floyd, I consider her a pioneer! (One of the few!). She always knows how to analyze the sport and its industry at a turning point and from there to put a new concept on its feet. I read the latest concept "Dear Horse World" as a big f*** y** to the federation. A call that she must return to the essence!
"Where are we going with this?"
"Where are we going with this?" was my first thought! "Where are we going with this?"... when I saw the commercial director juggle with figures during the General Assembly of the FEI, I knew it! Be realistic! I won't repeat the figures, but specifically - no single piece of data was founded! It looked like a presentation made in 15 minutes, where it was clear that he had no feeling for the role of his federation.
Horses and equestrian sport are what the FEI stands for! We all care about our beloved four-legged friends. We like to see them, but even more we enjoy the connection we have with the horse.
If you put that essence in figures, you get completely different data! Then the core of your story will not be the added economic value, but how low the number of fatal accidents in the sport is for horses. How great the love for the horse is, etc.
"Where are we going with this?"... we're busy with profit-seeking. That's okay with me, but in that context it's also 'okay' that riders, grooms, and amazons are increasingly opting for participation in non-regulated events. And then... then you get a real invitation for misconduct. In all honesty, the pursuit of profit is also what we do at Equ.Media. To make my point clear, this article will therefore NOT be paid for (small inner laugh)...
How are we going to solve this?
I don't have the wisdom, unfortunately! But we must strive for a good average! There should be a scientific basis for the rules, but even more, 'common sense' should make a comeback. The federation(s) must get closer to the sport! They must embrace it... possibly say goodbye to certain disciplines that they can no longer support! Believe me, those disciplines will structure themselves and in such a case take the horsemanship policy of the federation as an example!
Don't be mistaken, we are all 'guilty'. To say it with Ludo Philippaerts' words: There are many people with horses, but few horsepeople...