During the 2021 FEI Sports Forum, federation president Ingmare de Vos said recognition for grooms is long overdue, but now there is a clear way forward. H&H finds out what this will mean
THE FEI has admitted its “huge oversight” in the lack of recognition for grooms, as it moves to formally recognise and support the backbone of the global equestrian industry.
H&H has reported the FEI’s aim to formally recognise grooms along with the formation of the independent International Grooms Association (IGA). But the plans have moved forwards and a lively panel discussion at the 2021 FEI Sports Forum (1–2 June) further highlighted why and how this needs to happen.
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"}
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