Dutchman Peter van der Waaij is the new Chef d'Equipe for the Swiss Elite Show Jumping Team. The current team assistant of the Dutch show jumpers will take over as the responsible team manager and elite show jumping team leader from Michel Sorg, effective January 1, 2024. Michel Sorg had announced his resignation by the end of the year in early summer after being appointed as the CEO of SVPS (Swiss Equestrian Federation). Thomas Fuchs will continue to coach the elite team, and Daniel Etter will remain the deputy team leader.
A team manager with excellent communication skills, someone familiar with the international equestrian scene – that was the sought-after profile for the leader of the Swiss elite show jumping team. With the ambitious and dynamic Peter van der Waaij, the Swiss Equestrian Federation (SVPS) has found an ideal candidate for this position.
The 29-year-old Dutchman has gained comprehensive international experience as an assistant to the team leader of the show jumping elite in his home country over the past two years – none other than former Olympic champion and world champion Jos Lansink introduced him. Together, they celebrated great successes such as the victory in the Nations Cup of Rotterdam (NED) this year or the silver medal at the World Championships in Herning (DEN) in 2022. Thanks to his open and winning personality, as well as his proven management skills, Peter van der Waaij is considered a solution-oriented bridge builder and motivator who can bring people together and lead them effectively.
As a former equestrian journalist and show jumping commentator, he has been familiar with the international sports stages for many years. Together with his wife, he runs a training and trading stable for show jumping horses in the Netherlands, where he particularly handles management tasks.
Peter van der Waaij will assume his position on January 1, 2024, and is looking forward to the new role: "I have already encountered many of the Swiss team members at international tournaments in recent years and have followed their results. It is important to me to get to know the national equestrian scene in Switzerland even better.(...) I am very excited to work with the Swiss team, which is among the best in the world."
Michel Sorg will continue to hold the position of team leader until the end of the year and will use the upcoming weeks for the transition to Peter van der Waaij.
Source: Press Release