|
Belgian
Dressage News
Young Riders' Dreams Shattered due to F.E.I.- Federation
Communication Break Down
 Several
European Young Riders saw their long endeavoured dream
of participating at the 2002 European Young Riders Championships
being shattered into a thousand pieces due to a malcommunication
between the FEI headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland,
and several national equestrian federations.
The F.E.I set up a new rule for junior and young riders
which says that riders are obliged to compete at at
least one international dressage competition and produce
a score higher than 60% in the period of August 2001
and 3rd July 2002. This new FEI rule was communicated
to the national equestrian federations throughout Europe
early April 2002 but was never brought to the attention
of its members, i.e. the riders/competitors.
For Holland, this "kafkaesque" blunder has
resulted in the rejection of Danielle van Aalderen's
participation at the European Championships aboard the
Dutch stallion Inspekteur. Van Aalderen leased the dark
bay gelding from trainer Coby van Baalen for a substantial
amount of money for the 2002 dressage show season. The
combination was extremely successful in The Netherlands
but never competed abroad. The new rule implies for
Van Aalderen that she can now only participate at the
E.C. with her own recently injured horse Festivo, with
whom she produced lower scores than with Inspekteur.
 The
incognito new FEI rule has more dramatic consequences
for junior and young riders from Austria and Belgium.
In Belgium, the KBRSF (Royal Belgian Equestrian Federation)
nor chef d'equipe Leo Joosten brought the new rule to
the attention of their young riders. Victims of this
communication breakdown were Julie de Deken, Tom Franckx
and Delphine Meiresonne. The latter also leased a highly
talented mount from trainer Coby van Baalen in order
to secure a position in the Belgian Young Riders team
and to secure her participation at the European Championships.
Aboard former gold medal winner Habibi (KWPN, by Ulft),
1998 European Pony Champion Meiresonne easily rode the
necessary qualification scores for the Belgian team,
but was never aware of the fact that she had to compete
at one CDI show. Her participation at the CDI-JYR in
Bilzen, Belgium, July 5 - 7, 2002, no longer
counts as international qualification show in regard
to the uncommunicated FEI rule.
At the CDI Aachen, trainers became aware of this rule
and its dramatic consequences and arranged for a special
meeting with the FEI Dressage committee members. Johan
Hinnemann and Coby van Baalen were spokesmen at this
meeting but Mariette Withages, president of the FEI
dressage commission, showed no mercy and was not willing
to suspend the rule until 2003.
Related Links
Delphine Meiresonne Presents
New Artillery
Inspekteur
niet naar E.K. voor de jeugd
Images by Arnd
Bronkhorst and Dirk
Caremans
|
