On the evening of Saturday 24 February, the FEI President HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein was pleased to attend the annual awards dinner of the Event Riders Association (ERA) held at Newbury Racecourse in Great Britain.

Her Royal Highness presented awards to event riders Andrew Hoy (AUS), Bettina Hoy (GER), William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and ERA Chairman, Clayton Fredericks (AUS).

The President gave a speech in which she underlined her vision for the FEI and its pivotal role in developing Eventing. Her Royal Highness also underlined her personal commitment to Eventing and to ensuring its place at the heart of the IOC family as well as paying tribute to the horse owners.

“My vision for the FEI is similar to that of the IOC – ‘for the athletes by the athletes’", the FEI President declared. “I hope that by the end of my tenure as President, we will have an organisation that has helped Eventing to achieve its true global potential with the financial benefits that will follow as a result. But for this to happen we will have to work hard and I would ask only that you as riders get behind me and work with me and my team at the FEI to insure that Eventing continues its path as a great sport. You are after all the perfect manifestation of all our Olympic disciplines, all in one.”

During the visit the FEI President was accompanied by Mr Clayton Fredericks, ERA Chairman, and Mr Carl Boukaert, FEI Eventing Committee Riders Representative. Also presented were Mr Yoshi Oiwa (JPN), Mrs Alex Fox, Chairman of British Eventing and her husband Captain Jim Fox, Miss Karin Donckers (BEL) and Lucinda Fredericks (AUS).