When the Sport Becomes TOO EXPENSIVE: The Bitter Dilemma of Equestrian Sports

In a recent interview, Sabrina Ibáñez, Secretary General of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), identified rising costs as the greatest threat to the survival of the sport. "The accessibility of the sport is at stake," she stated. "That is why it is up to the FEI to operate as cost-effectively as possible, so that costs are not passed on to riders or owners." These are comforting words. Ibáñez suggests leveraging further digitalization and software implementation to reduce administrative burdens and expenses. It is a noble ambition. However, history teaches us one hard lesson: someone always has to foot the bill.