Retired Canadian 5* FEI dressage judge Cara Whitham has been reinstated as a 4* judging official as of 13 December 2021.
The 76-year old Whitham retired from all judging duties in 2019 as she had reached the age. She judged her last year in 2017.
At that time the FEI judging age limit was set at 70 with a possible two-year extension. This age limit, however, was replaced by a competency based system in 2019, which allows Whitham to return to CDI judging
"I have been reinstated, per the new FEI CES rule, at the FEI 4* level, which is soon to be renamed FEI Level 3 as of 2022," Whitham told Eurodressage. "My "retirement" was due to the past hotly contested FEI retirement rule. I like many other FEI Officials did not want to retire, at that time we had no choice. I have never stopped judging nationally both in Canada & the USA, so there was no thought process re "picking up the thread again and going back in the judges box"."
Whitham had to wait two years for her to return to CDI judging due to Covid-19.
"Due to Covid restrictions, the FEI has been unable to offer the CES In-person course until recently," said Cara.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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