Derek Ricketts sacked as show jumping team manager
British show jumping squad performance manager Derek Ricketts has been sacked following the team’s “disappointing” results in 2009.
Mr Ricketts, who has been team manager since 2002, says he was warned that his position was under review in September — following Team GB’s joint eighth place in the Nations Cup super league and sixth at the European championships.
The decision to advertise his job was taken in December and the advert appears in this week’s H&H.
“We have had a disappointing time results wise,” Mr Ricketts told H&H.
“But we can achieve nothing without horse power and last year was bad from that point of view.”
The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) and British Show Jumping Association (BSJA) are inviting applications for a new performance manager and may split the job from that of team coach. Mr Ricketts performed both roles.
Will Connell, BEF World Class performance manager said: “We looked at the four Olympic disciplines and show jumping has room for improvement. What we need is someone to lead show jumping forward to 2012.”
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He said Mr Ricketts was welcome to reapply for the job.
Applications for the post close on 20 January.
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.