2005 Global Dressage Forum

Mission Impossible at the 2005 Global Dressage Forum

On the official website of the Global Dressage Forum, the forum is described as “a medium through which a common dressage language and philosophy can evolve and spread globally.” As its mission it states, “dressage is rightly proud of its traditional routes and history. While recognizing the importance of classical riding, delegates at the Global Forum are invited to be open minded and are stimulated to explore ideas, not only with sport ‘insiders’ but also with experts from other sports and sports scientists. ”

The critical debate in our dressage world, i.e. rollkur vs classical dressage (or a combination of the two, if someone will prove it?) was complete taboo at the forum and none of the panelists or IDTC/IDRC/IDJC members made an effort to discuss these training techniques, or the current hiccupping judging system.

With the 2005 Global Dressage Forum clearly missing a theme and an organized structure in the sessions, the forum failed at making the sport move forward. With a derailed judging system, controversial training systems dominating the sport and no one with the guts to open up his mouth, the organization (IDTC/IDRC/IDJC) of the Global Dressage Forum needs to meditate upon its status and re-evaluate its mission for next year if it wants to make a difference to the sport.

Text copyrighted Astrid Appels/Eurodressage.com, Images copyrighted Dirk Caremans -
No Reproduction allowed without explicit permission

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