Harry Meade heads new riders’ club to ‘help shape the future of eventing’
The aim is to give riders a “clear voice of the rules, governance and development” of the sport
Five-star rider Harry Meade and other top names are heading a new organisation that aims to “bring together international riders to help shape the future of eventing”.
The International Event Riders’ Club (IERC), an independent not-for-profit association, launched this month to give riders a “clear voice of the rules, governance and development” of the sport. The club is free to join and open to any FEI-registered rider competing in international eventing.
“The aim was to establish a club that listens to riders, represents them simply and effectively, helps steer the sport and, importantly, stands the test of time for future generations,” said Harry Meade, IERC president.
“We will continue to build a close and cooperative working relationship with the FEI to ensure that the collective voice of riders is suitably represented across the sport, now and into the future.”
One of the club’s early objectives is to finalise a memorandum of understanding with the FEI. This is required for the IERC to be invited to the General Assembly and sports forum, where rule change discussions and sport updates take place. Currently, eventing is the only Olympic discipline that does not have an FEI memorandum in place; showjumping has the International Jumping Riders Club and dressage is represented by the International Dressage Riders Club.
Harry is joined by IERC vice president and US five-star rider Lynn Symansky. The board is made up of experienced riders Sam Watson, Noor Slaoui, Julia Krajewski, Tim Price and under-25 representative Oliver Barrett. Also on the board is Bettina Hoy, in her place as FEI eventing committee athlete representative, and Frédérique Reffet Platier is secretary general.
An IERC spokesperson said the board will consider issues raised by members, develop collective positions and keep riders informed of relevant discussions and developments. Former event riders who have represented their country at championships or multi-sport games can also join as mentors.
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“We are very pleased to have the athletes form an organisation where their collective voice can be shared with the FEI eventing committee,” said the committee’s chair David O’Connor.
“We look forward to having the IERC recognised by the FEI, through a memorandum of understanding, to be the avenue where ideas and communication can be fostered.”
Riders can join the IERC at www.ierclub.org
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.