“You can’t win a race by looking in the rearview mirror,” said Martin Richenhagen, 72, during his presentation to the Sports Advisory Board of the German Equestrian Association (FN). He quoted racing driver Michael Schuhmacher – one should probably see it as a motto for the coming term of office.
A new equestrian president was sought in Warendorf on Wednesday to bring the association, which has fallen into financial and personnel difficulties, back onto a safe path. The former manager Richenhagen is now the only candidate for the highest office in equestrian sport. With 110 votes, he clearly beat Hans-Jürgen Meyer, 71 (93 votes). The third candidate, Heinrich Bottermann, not unexpectedly withdrew his candidacy for “personal reasons”.
The new guy wants to bring a team of four external experts with him – for a “fresh perspective from the outside.”
On November 26th, Richenhagen will take part in an extraordinary general meeting to finally become president. Breeding representatives will also come, then he needs a two-thirds majority. If he misses this, a new election will have to be held in spring 2025, but that is not to be expected.
Richenhagen had previously described the FN as a “reorganization case”, but now he took a much milder tone. He spoke of “new business areas” that needed to be developed. The candidate will also bring with him a team of four external experts who will use “a fresh perspective from outside” to identify and remedy the association’s weak points. Free of charge, mind you. Many services could be provided more cost-effectively, efficiently and quickly, said Richenhagen. Because the equestrian sports association also lives from traditions, but not all of them have to stay. “I say what I think and I do what I say,” he promised.
