The 18th of May 2007 marks the closing date for the election of British Dressage’s new chairman. Dane Rawlins and Jennie Loriston-Clarke have both been nominated for the role. It is a battle of vision and creativity versus the establishment.
Who will win? In the run-up to the Olympics London 2012 this is a crucial role and it needs to be managed by the right person.
Eurodressage caught up with Dane and found out that there is a lot more to him than meets the eye. What we already knew was that Dane combined innovation and experience. What we didn’t realise was just how much he has already done for dressage in Britain: he organised the European Championships at Hickstead in 2003; was one of the two creators of British Young Rider Dressage Scheme (BYRDS); runs the UK’s top international show at Hickstead; created the Premier League shows (the UK’s qualifier for its National Championships); is a member of the International Dressage Trainers Club; rides international grand prix himself; and has recently launched the Dressage Masters League aimed at unaffiliated riders to give them their own championships.
It also turns out that he also has a passionate vision for dressage in the UK:
· BD has over 10,000 members but over 30,000 people ride dressage in unaffiliated competitions. Dane wants to make BD more accessible to these riders to bring them onboard.
· He wants transparency and fairness in decision making from the top down. As a rider, competitor, trainer and show organiser he is well aware of the problems faced at the sharp end. Dane said “it is not just about making the right decision it is important that everyone understands why you made it” – we are all in favour of “openness and fairness” throughout the whole sport.
· Another hallmark of his vision is getting the best from the experience the UK has at the top of the sport – he wants strength in depth. His idea is to create a Sports Committee consisting of experienced riders, trainers, show organisers and outside expertise to review and support the major issues facing BD.
Well, he sounds perfect to chair BD to the 2012 Olympics so he gets our vote! But if you want Dane to be elected you had better vote – the UK is not known for its great turnout in voting for any kind of election.
If you are a member of BD and you haven’t voted yet and you can get a ballot paper direct from British Dressage or online at www.dressageathickstead.com. If you are one of the “unaffiliated” you could always join and then vote, the important thing is that you vote!
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