The petition was sent to the FEI for the governing body’s general assembly to be held online next month. Signatories on the petition are a who’s who of dressage top sport in about 20 nations and include several who routinely wear protective head gear in competitions.
The petition reads: “The top international dressage riders would like to make a formal demand to the FEI to keep the option to use the top hat in international competitions for Seniors. There has never been a serious accident at an international dressage competition, and the riders believe there is no reason to change that for senior competitors at CDI4*/5*, Games and championships on Grand Prix level. The top hat is an essential part of the identity of dressage.
The dresscode makes us unique and we feel very strongly that the top hat remain as optional to use, but only at the highest level of competition. For awards ceremonies, the use of protective headgear can remain mandatory. It should be noted that there are other disciplines that are not required to wear helmets, and we feel that this inequality is not warranted.
We urgently request that the FEI add this matter to the agenda for the next General Assembly, and change the rule accordingly. We believe it is the right of each individual rider to choose between the use of a top hat or protective headgear. This right cannot be revoked.”
The ban was proposed in 2019 by the FEI Medical Committee chaired by Mark Hart of the United States as a blanket requirement for horse sports except vaulting initially to come into effect this year. Protective head gear is already a requirement for youth competitions. The move surprised many national federations and Germany and the Netherlands were successful delaying implementation for dressage for a year.
Source DRESSAGE NEWS
Foto by Hippo Foto
The list of riders signing the petition:
1 Zach, Timna
2 Valenta, Oliver
3 Weinbauer, Belinda
4 Gmoser, Peter
5 Haas, Katharina
6 Lehfellner, Stefan
7 Max-Theurer, Victoria
8 Dearing, Stephanie
9 Schumach, Christian
10 Artner, Florian
11 Fries, Franziska
12 Pengg, Chiara
13 Pucher, Julia
14 Ochsenhofer, Oskar
15 Florian, Bacher
16 Gabriel, Pia
17 Himsl, Wolfgang
18 Prunthaller, Ulrike
19 Wessely-Trupp, Luise
20 Jöbstl, Paul
21 Ochsenhofer, Lilli
22 Neumayer, Astrid
23 Willibald, Isabella
24 Hauptmann, Martin
25 Hartung, Amanda
26 Porsche, Diana
27 Voglsang, Renate
28 Werth, Isabell
29 Schmidt Hubertus
30 Theodorescu, Monica
31 Hermes, Marcus
32 Klimke, Michael
33 Müller, Lisa
34 Schneider, Dorothee
35 Langehanenberg, Helen
36 von Bredow-Werndl, Jessica
37 Werndl, Benjamin
38 Kittel, Patrik
39 Ferrer-Salat, Beatriz
40 Toniutti, Jacqueline
41 Koschel, Christoph
42 Kyrklund, Kyra
43 Channon, Wayne
44 Minderhoud, Hans Peter
45 Gal, Edward
46 Van Lieren, Laurens
47 Schellekens-Bartels, Imke
48 Oatley, Lyndal
49 García Mena, Jose Antonio
50 Rawlins, Dane
51 Fernandez, Elena
52 Parbery, Brett
53 Martín Dockx, José Daniel
54 Morai, Stephane
55 Senn, Eva
56 Logutenkova, Inna
57 Safronova, Olga
58 Netz, Raphael
59 Wachtmeiste, Liane
60 Brock, Allison
61 Wientzek Pläge, Birgit
62 Pläge, Christian
63 Zweistra, Thamar
64 Pachl, Benedek
65 Zakhrabekova, Irina
66 Traurig, Christine
67 Merkulova, Inessa
68 Aframeeva, Marina
69 Witte-Vrees, Madeleine
70Sayn Wittgenstei, Nathalie
71 Helgstrand, Andreas
72 Printceva, Iuliia
73 Dufour, Cathrine
74 Linsenhoff, Ann Kathrin
75 Ramel, Antonia
76 Afanasyeva, Polina
77 Marcari, Oliva Joao Victor
78 Nilshagen, Therese
79 Hester, Carl
80 Hutton, Pamela
81 Vargas, Mario
82 Gusarova, Oksana
83 Vilhelmson Silfven, Tinne
84 Gundlage, Lena
85 Caetano, Maria
86 Friberg, Paulinda
87 Tomlinson, Laura
88 Ellermann, Dina
89 Reynolds, Judy
90 Holstein, Heike
91 Merveldt, Anna
92 Maslova, Ekaterina
93 Hiroyuki, Kitahara
94 Shingo, Hayashi
95 Ryunosuke, Kuroda
96 Yoshie, Ota
97 Masanao, Takahashi
98 Kazuki, Sado
99 Skowroński-Kozubik, Żaneta
100 Carrascosa, Borja
101 Müller-Lütkemeier, Fabienne
102 Wandres, Frederic Maximilian
103 Butler, Lara
104 Karasiova, Hanna
105 Isachkina, Regina
106 Torrão João, Miguel
107 Hernandez, Tela
108 Scholtens, Emmelie
109 Juliette, Ramel
110 Wettstein, Estelle
111 Bouten, Matthias
112 Wahlkamp-Nilsson, Malin
113 Ruoste, Henri
114 Kirchhoff, Senta
115 Bang, Larsen Lone
116 Fraser-Beaulieu, Brittany
117 Fabricius-Bjerre, Mikaela
118 Torres, Rodrigo
119 Irving, Jill
120 Seidel, Guenter
121 Perry-Glass, Kasey
122 Blake, David
123 Bachmann Andersen, Daniel
124 Davison, Richard
125 Bell Louise, Anne
126 Hanna, Mary
127 Andersen, Henriette
128 Wilcox, Lisa
129 Hughes, Gareth
130 Fros,t Matt
131 Rogers, Sarah
132 Sascha, Schulz
133 Alexandra, Hidien
134 Kanerva, Emma
135 Silfhout, Diederik
136 Jorst,Charlotte
137 Matute Guimón, Juan
138 Telde, Minna
139 Lochthowe, Hendrik
140 Wagner, Nicolas
141 Zlatin, Eyal
142 Wettstein, Marie-Line
143 Serre, Arnaud
144 Serre, Anne-Sophie
145 Volla, Pierre
146 Ludovic, Henry
147 Bastady, Rachel
148 Pinto, Daniel
149 Moreira-Laliberté, Naïma
150 Schaurte, Christiane