In order to have a voice in the Spanish Equestrian Federation and to be heard as stakeholders, a group of 70 Spanish dressage riders met in Segova, Spain, on 8 January 2013 and founded the Spanish Dressage Riders Club.
After the departure of Jan Bemelmans as long-time Spanish team trainer, Bobby Fernandez de Bobadilla also resigned as chef d'equipe and Dressage Manager, so the Spanish riders felt the need to create a group to work together for the development of dressage in Spain.
A troubled communication between the dressage department and the top of the Spanish Equestrian Federation lies at the basis of the many changes within the organization. At the end of January 2013, Luis Lucio was appointed the new Dressage Director.
Spain's 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Beatriz Ferrer-Salat has been voted chair of a board that includes 10 members in total. Since its inception the Spanish Dressage Riders Club has been holding weekly meetings and it will soon launch a website.
"The board wants to play an active role with regards to the decisions taken by the Spanish Federation. Now the most important issue is to have as many members as possible so as to create a strong group sufficiently important to be heard and lisened to," former chef d'equipe Bobby Fernandez de Bobadilla told Eurodressage.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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