As you might know, the election of the FEI Athlete Representatives is happening this year for all disciplines. Till now, Lukas Klouda from Czech Republic was in charge for vaulting. Read on to know more about the election process!

About Lukas

Photo: Voltigierservice

2014 3rd World Cup Paris, World Cup Finalist
2013 European Championships Ebreichsdorf (AUT) – Individual 4th, 1st World Cup Munich, World Cup Finalist, Czech Champion Individual
2012 World Championships Le Mans (FRA) – Individual, 3rd Aachen, 1st World Cup Munich, 1st World Cup Salzburg, World Cup Finalist, Sportsman of the year of the Czech Equestrian Federation
2011 European Championships Le Mans (FRA) – Individual, 1st Wiesbaden, World Cup Finalist
2010 World Equestrian Games Kentucky (USA) – Individual, World Cup Finalist
2009 European Championships Malmö (SWE) – Individual

Since 2014, Lukas is also establishing www.horces-trucks.de, a company of horse transportation solutions.

Photo: Voltigierservice

What’s the position?

The Athlete Representatives are all top level sportspeople having competed at recent Olympic and/or World Championship level and they are elected by their peers – athletes that have also recently competed at Olympic and/or World Championship level.

The vaulter will be elected for a four year term (non-renewable) and will be a member of the FEI Vaulting Committee and also member of the FEI Athletes Committee with all the other athlete representatives. This position is a really important and vital role providing a voice to the community within the global decision making process.

The athlete is elected by the Vaulting Athletes Community via online election from 29 July to 23 September.

As the term is for four years and non-re-eligible, the process is back in swing in 2022 with an initial nominations phase where athletes can submit their candidacies followed by an online voting phase.

In an interview from the FEI, to the question “What are some of your goals as a member of the Athletes’ Committee?” Lukas said:“First of all, I have to find the right way to communicate with the athletes. The Committee should be used for all the equestrian athletes to communicate with the FEI and the members of the federation.”

You are interested in being the next FEI Vaulting Representative?

To be eligible, you must:

1. Be at least 18 years of age at the time of the vote;
2. Have either competed in one of the last two senior FEI World Championships or Olympic Games or Paralympic Games in the Discipline for which they are seeking election;
3. Have a clean anti-doping record with respect to both the Equine Anti-Doping & Control Medication Rules (EADCMRs) and the Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHAs) as of April 2010.

You can find more information on whether you are eligible here.

If you are on the list, this is how to apply:

Send the following three documents to the Nominations Committee Administrator by 1 May 2018 (23:59 CEST):

1. A letter of motivation from the candidate

2. A completed FEI Curriculum Vitae (CV) form

3. A signed “Code of Conduct for FEI election” document

Why this role is so important?

The vaulter elected will be a key person to:Be the link between active Athletes and the FEI and ensure that Athletes’ point of view are taken into account in the deliberations of the Vaulting Committee and of the Athletes Committee.

Support and actively endorse policies which arise from the FEI Bureau.

To assist the Chair of the Athletes Committee, the Chair of the Vaulting Committee and the Vaulting Director in the advancement of the Discipline internationally.

REMINDER: To be able to take part in the vote process, be aware that you must:

1. Be at least 18 years of age at the time of the vote;

2. Have competed in one of the last two senior FEI World Championships

Timeline & Deadlines

A quick overview of the FEI organization & vocabulary

1. The FEI Vaulting Committee

The members of the are:

Davy Delaire (FRA), National Coach for France

Suzanne Detol (USA), FEI Judge & American Vaulting Association Technical Committee member

Lukas Klouda (CZE), Ex International Vaulter – and very soon the new representative

Kai Vorberg (GER), Discipline Director for Germany

The Vaulting Committee Chair is John Eccles (GRB), and the Deputy Chair is Doris Knotter (AUT)

2. The FEI Athletes Committee

It was created in 2014 and is made up of one Athlete Representative per discipline – they work together on their common issues and also sit on their respective discipline committees to ensure the athletes have a voice within the global decision making process:

Chair: Maria Gretzer (SWE)

FEI Athlete Representatives Discipline
Anna Paprocka Campanella (ITA) Dressage
Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) Jumping
Daisy Berkeley (GBR) Eventing
Bartlomiej Kwiatek (POL) Driving
Valerie Kanavy (USA) Endurance
Lukas Klouda (CZE) Vaulting
Laurentina Tan (SIN) Para-Equestrian

3. The FEI Vaulting Director

Bettina de Rham

4. The FEI Bureau

The Bureau is responsible for the general direction of the FEI and for all relevant matters not consigned to the General Assembly.
The Bureau is composed of:

The President of the FEI;
The 1st and 2nd Vice-Presidents;
The Chair of Audit & Compliance Committee (without a vote);
The Chair of Athletes’ Committee;
The Chairs of the Technical Committees for:
Dressage, Jumping, Eventing, Driving, Endurance and Veterinary matters (Technical Chairs); and
The Chairs of the Regional Groups (which are established for promoting and coordinating the development and the activities with the Group area).

UPDATE (08/05/2018)

The candidates have been announced:

Please find more information on each candidate here.

And don’t forget to vote!!

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