Guest columnist of the week is Ton Corbeau, editor-in-chief of De Hoefslag, the largest weekly equestrian publication in The Netherlands governed by equestrian management company BCM and founded more than sixty years ago.
"In 1990 Stockholm became the location of the first united FEI World Championships. The FEI was in pursuit of attracting a larger audience and more media publicity.
It had the ideal approach: hosting a big feast once in every four years for which the equestrian world gathers to enjoy each others' performances. Unfortunately very little has come of it.
The World Equestrian Games have led to the biggest financial problems. In 1994 Dutch Equestrian Sport almost went bankrupt because of it. Accommodating creditors prevented this from happening. I never had a good feeling about it. To me the World Equestrian Games are a monster. The idea itself that the international equestrian world gathers 'in a mood of celebration'. Show jumpers really don't want to watch endurance, reining or vaulting. Dressage riders certainly don't.
Now we have the problem that the World Equestrian Games are taking place in the United States. This is costing The Netherlands more than one million euro of which the Dutch Equestrian Federation pays 200,000 €. The Olympic disciplines of show jumping, eventing and dressage are lucky that the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF) is supporting them. But it all comes down to sponsors making the immigration of the Dutch top possible. And this is not without problems.
Our four-in-hand drivers, which are favourites for the gold, are the most expensive for the Dutch Equestrian Federation because they have to ship all their horses and carriages to the other side of the world. Besides that, the drivers themselves have to cough up several ten thousands of euros to be able to go to Kentucky. It is highly remarkable that a top athlete is being sent by its national federation to a World Championships while having to grab the gold for their country, at their own expense. Apparently no sponsors are to be found for this.
Above all it is absurd that the majority of all WEG participants are from Europe, the cradle of the equestrian sport, and they have to be send to a different continent at such high cost, because the FEI 'world federation" wants to host a mega-event. I would say: stop it!"
This column was initially printed in De Hoefslag, 6 May 2010.
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