Stockholm. Nie zuvor in der Geschichte des Weltreiterverbandes (FEI) wurde eine derart harte Wahlkampfcampagne geritten wie nun vor der Ab- oder Wiederwahl von Prinzessin Haya. Einer der härtesten Widersacher ist ihr bisheriger Vize, Sven Holmberg aus Schweden. Um den Posten bewirbt sich auch der Niederländer Henk Rottinghuis. Die Wahl findet im Rahmen der Generalversammlung in Taipeh (1. bis 6. November) statt.

Der schwedische Verband veröffentlichte in diesem Zusammenhang folgende Meldung, mit der der mögliche neue FEI-Präsident Holmberg seine Mannschaft vorstellt:

FEI Presidential Candidate Sven Holmberg is proud to introduce his "team" for the FEI, to be presented to the General Assembly in Taipei in November.

Catherine Weber de Rize, Guatemala, and Christopher Hodson, New Zealand, are Sven Holmberg´s candidates for respectively 1st and 2nd Vice President if he is elected President of the FEI.
The composition of the team is based on extensive discussions with National Federations, FEI Group Chairs and several distinguished persons in the Equestrian sports.

Two very good candidates were available for the position of 1st Vice President and it has taken great time and efforts to come to this conclusion.
Both David O´Connor, USA, representing FEI Group IV in the Bureau, and Catherine Weber de Rize, Guatemala, representing FEI Group V, were named in the discussions.

David O´Connor, being very well known and highly respected, stated at an early stage that he wanted to be able to continue his activities as coach and team-leader in Eventing in parallel with taking on a wider role in the FEI. He also made it clear that his coaching activities must be allowed to be in the foreground particularly at bigger Events like Championships and Games.
Catherine Weber de Rize, coming from a Group with several smaller NF´s and where many countries are in the process of developing the sport intensely, can contribute with experience from that area and prove to be a valuable in expanding our sport.

- In her term as Chair of the Group she has proved to be a "doer", and making things happen, and after carefully evaluating the "pros and cons" I have decided to select Catherine Weber de Rize as "my candidate" for the position of  1st Vice President, says Sven Holmberg.
- I felt it to be important that both "my" VP candidates must be without even the smallest possible conflict of interest at any time.

Christopher Hodson, New Zealand, has from the very beginning been Sven Holmberg´s first choice as 2nd Vice President. His great legal expertise and huge experience puts him in an outstanding position as a member of Holmberg´s team.

In addition to his choice of Vice Presidents Sven Holmberg also offers his view on the continuing work with the Bureau and the Executive Board;
- As been stated from the very beginning I will propose to the Bureau to appoint an Executive Board with a wider representation than before. The Executive Board is not appointed by the President, and certainly not by presidential candidates, but I can promise to propose representatives from Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, together with the athlete from the
Athletes´ commission. It is obvious that David O´Connor will be the candidate representing North America, a proposal he has accepted should I be elected.

Read more at www.svenholmberg.com  where you can find the Program Declaration "The FEI,as I see it" in English, French and Spanish as well an Action Plan and reports from visits all over the world.

Contact Sven Holmberg at Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! Sie müssen JavaScript aktivieren, damit Sie sie sehen können.

Die bisherigen Präsidenten der FEI

1921–1927: Baron du Teil (Frankreich)

1927–1929: Gerrit Johannes Maris (Niederlande)

1929–1931: Karel F. Quarles van Ufford (Niederlande)

1931–1935: Guy Vernor Henry, Jr. (USA), 

1935–1936: Max Freiherr von Holzing-Berstett (Deutschland)

1939: Jonkheer Karel F. Quarles van Ufford (Niederlande)

1939–1946: Magnus Rydman (Finnland)

1946–1954: General Baron Gaston de Trannoy (Belgien), Olympiateilnehmer 1912 und 1920 in allen drei olympischen Reitsportdizipinen

1954–1964: Seine Königliche Hoheit Brinz Bernard (Niederlande)

1964–1986: Prinz Philip, Großbritannien, Prinzgemahl von Elisabeth II., Königin des Vereinigten Königreichs von Großbritannien und Nordirland

1986–1994: Prinzessin Anne Mountbatten-Windsor (Großbritannien),

1994-2006: Infantin Dona Maria del Pilar de Borbon (Spanien),

seit 2006:   Prinzessin Haya Bint Al Hussein von Jordanien.