Manon Claeys Elected Athlete Representative on FEI Para Dressage Committee

Belgium

Belgian paralympian Manon Claeys has been elected Athlete Representative on the FEI Para Equestrian committee. She succeeds Erin Orford (GBR) whose term is ending in 2026.

The FEI dressage committee includes Amanda Bond (HKG) as chair, Marco Orsini (GER) as deputy chair, Adrianne van Waardenberg-Nooren (NED), Mike Tomlinson (USA), Erin Orford (GBR) and Rodolpho Riskalla (BRA). The latter also sees his term ending in 2026 and a new committee member will be elected at the FEI General Assembly in November.

"It is a great honour, and I’m truly grateful for your trust and support," Claeys took to Instagram. "I will do my very best to represent Para Equestrian athletes and help our sport continue to grow and evolve in the most positive way possible."

The 40-year old Claeys-De Pauw fell off a young horse when she was 21 and fractured three vertebrae and her neck. She required a seven-hour surgery to prevent her from being paralysed. It took her two years to return to the saddle. She is a Grade IV dressage rider.

When asked what she likes to work on in particular on the FEI Para Committee, Claeys told Eurodressage, "especially inclusion, honest sport and strive for beautiful sport that evolves in a positive way. Behind each of us there is a story of perseverance, not giving up, and ways of making it happen."

Eurodressage was interested to know what in fact Claeys means by "inclusion." She replied, "to me, inclusion in sport means that everyone (who is classified) can take part, feels welcome and is given opportunities regardless of their disability, and that para-dressage is placed on an equal footing with mainstream dressage – something Rodolpho has already worked hard to achieve – so integration is very important here. This gives a wider audience the chance to get to know our wonderful sport and blurs the line between the two disciplines. "

Claeys at the 2023 European Para Championships

Claeys made her international para debut in November 2016 on the Oldenburg gelding San Dior (by Stedinger x De Niro). She first represented Belgium at the 2017 European Para Championships, where they got individual test silver. They were just out of the medals at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, but at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam got silver and bronze. At the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics they got double bronze. In 2022 she rode Katharina Sollenburg (by Electron x Jazz) to a 7th place at the World Championships. At the 2023 European Championships there was Kur bronze. They were 6th in the Kur at the 2024 PAralymics. Most recently Manon has been competing Prima Donna Sollenburg (by Electron x Vivaldi).

Manon concluded, "Ultimately, we are all elite athletes who strive every day to perform at the highest level. Admittedly, we have our disabilities, but that does not limit us."