An unexpected invitation to Switzerland took our eventing columnist Jess Rimmer to the centre of equestrian sport, offering a rare insider’s look at its future
Three-day event rider Jess Rimmer wasn’t expecting an invitation to Switzerland. ‘I got an email from the CEO of British Eventing, asking if she could put me forward for the Youth Board,’ she says.
Jess, who writes a regular column for Dorset Life about the highs and lows of building her career from Olympian William Fox-Pitt’s yard in Hinton St Mary, says it was a rare opportunity to step beyond the regular routine of competition and into the room where the future of her sport is discussed.
‘I was sitting in a café at Bicton, and of course I swiftly said yes … and then had to immediately start typing my CV up on my phone!’
A few days later, the answer came back. She had been selected to attend the FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne – as the only British rider on the under-25s Youth Board.
The FEI – the Fédération Equestre Internationale – is the world governing body for equestrian sport, based in Switzerland.
‘Initially it sounded very proper and quite intimidating,’ she says. ‘But actually, it was just a group of people who really care about equestrian sport, trying to work out how to make it better.’
A proper conversation
The annual forum brings together representatives from across all equestrian disciplines – eventing, dressage, showjumping, endurance and more – to discuss everything from safety and governance to the long-term direction of the sport. Alongside senior figures and Olympic medallists, a small group of younger riders are invited to take part.
‘I was the only British rider there in the under-25 group,’ she says. ‘There were people from all over … it was pretty cool!’
What she hadn’t expected was how much they would be encouraged to speak: ‘I thought we would be a token presence,’ she says. ‘You know, allowed to be there, but popped in the corner with an “OK kids, sit quiet and let the grown-ups do the talking” attitude,’ she says. ‘But it wasn’t like that at all.’
In the opening session’s Q&A, hands went up immediately.
‘I think out of the 20 of us, ten hands shot straight up. Everyone wanted to get involved.’
So much so that the organisers changed the format on the spot.
‘They said: “We’ve seen how keen you are”, and they flipped it for the next session – less talking, more time for questions. It became a proper conversation. Every one of our group was so eloquent, putting their ideas across. I was really proud to be part of it. Though I did suddenly think, “I need to speak properly. These aren’t just horse kids!”’ she says.
Image: Courtenay Hitchcock
Over two days, discussions ranged from athlete pathways to marketing, safety and the wider perception of equestrian sport – which is increasingly under scrutiny.
‘It is in a bit of a vulnerable position,’ Jess says. ‘But it didn’t feel defensive. It felt proactive – people genuinely want to improve things and keep the sport moving forward.’
There was also time for more focused conversations. Younger riders were taken aside for one-to-one interviews outside of the forum. The sessions were recorded, with riders asked directly what they felt worked, what didn’t, and what they would like to change if they had a magic wand.
‘The group of us in the Under 25s cohort are all at that stage in our careers where we’re trying to make the leap from young riders into senior sport,’ she says. ‘So to be asked what we think – and to compare how things are done in different countries – was so interesting.’
The riders have all kept in touch since returning home: ‘We’ve got a group chat,’ she says. ‘We joke that we’re “colleagues, not friends”… but we’re definitely friends now.’
And there were lighter moments too. ‘As I was the only Brit, they were fascinated by tea,’ she says. ‘The first question was always “Do you really drink it that much?” So I just leaned into it and made everyone a cup!’
Mind the gap
Behind the fun, though, is a more serious outcome. Jess has already begun feeding back her experience to British Eventing, highlighting what works well – and where improvements could be made.
‘There are things we do really well in the UK,’ she says. ‘But there are definitely things we can learn from other disciplines and other countries.’
One of the key ideas to emerge from the forum was the need to keep younger riders involved beyond a single annual forum: ‘It can feel like there’s a big gap between athletes and the FEI as a governing body,’ she says. ‘We talked a lot about keeping the Youth Board, and maintaining this connection – even if it’s just a Zoom call every six months – so riders feel heard.’
For Jess, the whole experience has shifted something more fundamental.
‘I went there thinking the FEI is this huge, untouchable organisation,’ she says. ‘And actually, it’s just a large group of people who want to make the sport better. It felt really exciting: motivating and enabling, rather than protective, which I think is how it’s got to be. I walked away thinking, yes – equestrian sport is going to be fine.’
