Eventing will not become “Equestrian triathlon”

The name “equestrian triathlon” has been discounted from the FEI study into a name change for eventing, after a request by the International Triathlon Union (ITU).

Loreen Barnett, executive director of the ITU, told Horse & Hound: “When we were informed about changing eventing’s name to equestrian triathlon, we wrote to the International Equestrian Federation asking it not to do this.

“Triathlon is the Olympic sport of swim, bike, run, and it would not be appropriate to have the sport name used by a fellow Olympic federation for one of its disciplines.”

Chairman of the FEI eventing committee Wayne Roycroft told the FEI general assembly last week: “Discussions over a name for the sport keep coming back again. Equestrian triathlon has been discussed, but there has been resistance from the triathlon people — so does anyone have any ideas?”

• Do you have any suggestions for a new name for eventing? Send your ideas to hheditor@ipcmedia.com

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (21 April, ’05)

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