The equestrian world is championing the cause of inclusivity and accessibility for people of all abilities. While most other sporting event organizers place this on the last of their priorities, one equestrian event in Germany has taken a bold step in the right direction. With this step, they are hoping that riders of all abilities can take part in their favorite sport and give delight to the fans.

The FEI Dressage and Para Dressage European Championships in Riesenbeck are leading the way in promoting inclusivity in the equestrian sport. The organizing committee has made sure that all participants and attendees have an equal opportunity to enjoy the event. In this regard, they have sought the assistance of an iconic Paralympian and Para Dressage World Champion.

Stinna Tange prepares handbook for equestrian event

Danish legend Stinna Tange is a fixture in the equestrian community. As a Paralympian, she has shown the world that disability is not a limitation to pursuing glory in the sport. She worked closely with Verena Gravemeier, the event manager, to create rules to ensure everyone felt welcome. In correspondence with HorsesDaily, she congratulated the organizers, saying, “The level of consideration and the attention given to accessibility and inclusion here in Riesenbeck has impressed me greatly”. With the help of her consultation and advice, the FEI created a handbook that established certain standards of inclusivity.

This handbook guided the staff to plan the event according to the mobility requirements of the participants and the spectators. The results made Stinna Lange very happy, saying, “As a wheelchair user, it has been an absolute pleasure to be able to move around the venue as freely as any abled bodied person”. She recommended that this handbook become the norm for all equestrian events going forward and commended the organizers’ efforts. But, it was not an easy task, and they faced a big hurdle.

Troubles for the Organizing Committee

The committee soon realized that they did not know where to start as none of them had personal experience with disability. They did not even have a clear idea of the problems a differently-abled person faces. Therefore, finding out a solution was out of the question. Stinna Tange showed them a clear path ahead. She made it easy for them to design the course of the event with proper insights. Andrea Milz, the North Rhine-Westphalia’s State Secretary for Sport and Volunteerism, was also glad of the end results.

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The organizer left no stone unturned in their preparation. They also contacted the individual national federations to learn of the specific requirements of their athletes. If the venue’s blueprint becomes the standard in the future, differently abled riders will be able to compete side by side with non-disabled participants. With this level of attention to detail, the FEI has shown promise for inclusivity in the equestrian world.

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