Martin Richenhagen Proposed for FN Presidency

Dressage

Germany

Rather expected, Prof Martin Richenhagen has been proposed as the candidate for the presidency of the German Equestrian Federation (FN).

Just like in Denmark, the board of the German national equestrian federation is in equal troubled water. While in Denmark the mangement issues involve animal welfare, in Germany it's about the management of the budget and a power play between board members.

Three Candidates in the Running

On 11 July 2024 July FN president Hans-Joachim Erbel stepped down after a tumultuous extraordinary meeting in which budget deficits was discussed. The attending members held several votes of confidence in the current board, which ended up not in favour of Erbel, nor treasurer Gerhard Ziegler, nor secretary-general Sönke Lauterbach. The later announced his resignation a week later.

The FN Sports Advisory Board appointed a search committee of ten people in July to find a new president. They could both accept suggestions and make their own. The spokesperson for the search committee was Dieter Medow, spokesman for the regional associations, and Theodor Leuchten, Vice President of Breeding. The committee also included FN Vice President Dr. Harald Hohmann, Peter Hofmann, Heike Körner and Isabell Werth from the Sports department, as well as Dr. Norbert Camp and Carsten Grill from the Breeding department, and FN Vice President Annett Schellenberger and Rudolph Herzog von Croÿ from the Personal Members department.

Three candidates were named for the position of president of the German Equestrian Federation: Dr. Heinrich Bottermann (68) from Hamminkeln, Hans-Jürgen Meyer (71) from Nottuln, and Prof. Martin Richenhagen (72) from Ostbevern.

Advisory Board Meeting

Richenhagen at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio

The three candidates introduced themselves to the delegates of the general meeting on 10 September 2024 in two internal meetings (sports and breeding/PM). After that, Bottermann dropped out of the running for personal reasons.

The Sports Advisory Board held an advisory board meeting in Warendorf on 9 October, where a total of 70 people met. Based on a voting system they decided the one candidate allowed to be elected FN president. Their decision fell on Martin Richenhagen.

With 110 votes, Richenhagen prevailed as a candidate against Hans-Jürgen Meyer with 93 votes. There were five no votes and one abstention. A simple majority of the votes cast was required for the nomination.

The extraordinary general meeting will be held on 26 November 2024 where the new president will be elected. A two-thirds majority is required. The newly elected president will take office immediately.

Martin Richenhagen

Martin Richenhagen was born in Cologne and was for many years CEO of the US agricultural company AGCO, the third largest agricultural machinery manufacturer in the world. The Fendt brand is also part of the AGCO Group. Fendt was the main sponsor of the FN from 2010 to the end of 2023.

Richenhagen successfully rode dressage tests up to class S, then became a 4* dressage judge. He was also chairman of the German Academic Equestrian Association (DAR) from 2004 to 2010. In 2008, Martin Richenhagen took on the role of chef d'equipe of the German dressage team at the CHIO Aachen and at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong.