The International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) held its General Assembly on 7 December 2019 at the Hong Kong Jockey Club where the group elected a new President and received a number of important updates on its strategic projects, including the ongoing development of a new vaccine for African Horse Sickness (AHS).
Ingmar De Vos, President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) was unanimously elected President of the IHSC for a two-year term. He had previously served as the IHSC’s Vice-President. Louis Romanet, past President of IHSC and Chairman of IFHA, was also elected as Vice-President of IHSC for a two-year term.
A Belgian native, De Vos has served as President of the FEI since 2014 after previously serving as the International Federation’s Secretary General. He has been a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since September 2017, where he is currently member of two Commissions, the Legal Affairs Commission and the Los Angeles 2028 Coordination Commission, while he has also served in the past as a member of the Digital and Technology Commission. He is a member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) governance taskforce and since April 2019 he is also an ASOIF Council Member.
In early November 2018 he was appointed to the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) Council and as the GAISF representative on the 12-member World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Executive Committee. As of 1 January 2020, he will be the ASOIF representative on the WADA Executive Committee and Foundation Board. He is also on the board of the Belgian National Olympic Committee.
Following his election as IHSC President, Ingmar de Vos said:
“I’m extremely honored to be elected President of the IHSC and I would also like to thank our past President Louis Romanet for his dedication to the successful cooperation and information exchange between horse racing and equestrian sport through the IHSC. Under his leadership, the IHSC has continued the relationship with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the further development of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code and concepts that will facilitate horse movements such as the HHP Framework with the HHP Handbook and IHSC-OIE Regional Workshops for Temporary International Movement of Competition Horses. Besides this, further scientific research was done in the field of vaccines for AHS, Equine Influenza and Glanders, the adoption of revised international standards on equine diseases and other standards relevant to international movement of horses.
He continued:
“Our Confederation represents the peak bodies of our respective sports and I look forward to furthering the collective interests of our Federations in the areas of equine welfare, the international movement of horses, and collaboration with the OIE.”
-ENDS-
Editors’ Notes
The IHSC was established in 2013 and brought together the international bodies for major horse sports:
• the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI);
• and the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities (IFHA).
The key missions of the IHSC include:
• being the official body for the relations of the horse industry with the OIE;
• the exchange of information and technical knowledge between the FEI and IFHA;
• the encouragement of cooperation between the FEI and IFHA on matters of mutual interest which affect horse sports;
• >the representation of the collective interests of the FEI and IHFA;
IFHA Chairman Louis Romanet was appointed as President of the IHSC in 2015, serving until 2019. Ingmar De Vos, President of the FEI, is the incoming President of the IHSC, having previously serving as Vice-President and will officially take office on 1 January 2020.
Other attendees at the meetings included, from the FEI: John McEwen, Senior Veterinary Advisor & Honorary Vice President; Claude Praz, Chief Financial Officer; and Dr Göran Akerström, Veterinary Director; and from the IFHA: Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Vice-Chairman; Andrew Harding, Executive Director; Dr Roland Devolz, Technical Advisor; James Ogilvy, Technical Advisor, and Andrew Chesser, Secretary General.
About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org
The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.
The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.
The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.
About IFHA
The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) is the world peak body for the international sport of Thoroughbred racing. Its members are the national racing authorities across the globe which stage Thoroughbred races.
Major areas of the IFHA’s activities include:
• Making and amending the International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering (the IABRW)
• Policy development relating to welfare and safety of horses and riders
• International Race Planning and Grading (“black type”)
• World Rankings
• The fight against Equine Prohibited Substances and Practices
• Harmonization of Racing Rules
• Certification of IFHA Reference Labs
• Fostering commercial development of the racing industry globally
The IFHA is a foundation member with Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) of the International Horse Sports Confederation and is affiliated to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
Media contacts
At FEI:
Grania Willis
Communications Director
+41 787 506 142
grania.willis@fei.org
At IFHA:
Andrew Chesser
Secretary General
+1 859 224 2741
achesser@jockeyclub.com
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