Hello FEI Officials, Riders, Coaches, Owners, Organizers, and Equestrian sport supporters,

I attach a recent magazine article and a Petition.
There are FEI Dressage and Eventing Officials included as they too have a serious concern about the current illegal rule and the manner in which it is being imposed by FEI Headquarters. This illegal rule is also against Human Rights and effects ALL FEI Judges (not all FEI Officials).
This email has been sent to the Equestrian Canada President and a Board Director, FEI Dressage Officials, FEI Eventing Officials, competition Organizers, FEI Headquarters, Ingmar DeVoss, FEI President, FEI Headquarters staff, Chairman FEI Dressage Technical Committee. It has also been sent to IDOC requesting it be posted on the IDOC Website.
If you are in support of this matter being abolished by the end of this year, please Share & post in as many places possible.

By now you are attending the FEI AGM in Tokyo. I sincerely hope you have begun the discussions for the removal of this rule. According to the article Ingmar indicated the FEI is addressing the replacement of this rule with a competency based testing system, but it will take some time!!! How much time does one need to remove a rule proven to be both illegal and against Human Rights??!!

The FEI put their Officials Working Group together and charged them with finding an alternative to the rule in 2015, Mark Samuel Chairman of this Group and now 1st VP FEI announced clearly the following year 2016 at the Sport Forum in Lausanne, the rule was illegal! That was almost 3 years ago!! By the time FEI gets anything done the entire current top tier of FEI judges in ALL disciplines will be gone!

I list the link below to access the recent article written by Ken Braddick:
http://dressage-news.com/2018/11/12/age-limits-of-fei-officials-to-be-abolished-replacement-with-competency-system-promised-by-fei-but-to-take-some-time/

The time has come for action NOW, not just lip service and cautious words of needing time! I as do others respect the need for a clear pathway and possible limitations, but this already has been mentioned on many occasions by the top tier Judges, so why not invite a group of these judges to present a proposal?
I am certain this will be achieved a lot faster than waiting for FEI to hire people and get a program in place! Use the knowledge and experience the FEI has already carelessly discarded!

Respectfully but extremely frustrated submitted by myself and on behalf of ALL FEI Judges who are already affected or will shortly be affected by this archaic, illegal rule.

Sincerely,
Cara Whitham
FEI 5* Dressage Judge (retired)
FEI O Eventing Judge (retired)
FEI Dressage Technical Delegate (active)
FEI Dressage Course Director (active)
FEI Eventing Steward (active)
EC & USEF Senior Dressage Judge (active)
EC Eventing Judge (active)

Petition to Delete Mandatory Retirement Age for FEI Judges