British Dressage members will receive ballot forms to vote for a new chairman by the end of this week.
Members can vote for either Jennie Loriston-Clarke (pictured right) or Dane Rawlins (pictured below right) and have until 18 May to submit their forms. The forms will arrive in the post along with the April/May edition of British Dressage Magazine.
“The ballot forms couldn’t be more straight forward – all you need to do is tick the name you want to be chairman,” said a spokesperson for British Dressage.
Current chairman Desi Dillingham is standing down after nine years as chairman at the 2007 AGM on 6 June. The unpaid chairman position involves overseeing every area of dressage and heading the board of 10 directors.
Jennie Loriston-Clarke has been one of the most influential dressage riders, trainers, judges and breeders in the history of British dressage. She received an MBE in 1979 and was awarded the first ever Queen’s Award for Outstanding Services to Equestrianism in 2006.
“I feel I have the knowledge to move the sport forward because I know it both nationally and internationally,” said Loriston-Clarke.
South Londoner and former amateur boxer Dane Rawlins is best known as the founder and organiser of Dressage at Hickstead, which hosted the 2003 European Championships. He is the creator of the premier league series and co-developer of the British Young Rider Dressage Scheme, known as BYRDS.
“If you have an opinion then you should stand up and be counted. I was on the BHS Dressage Group main committee for 10 years and would be returning with a fresh set of views,” he said.
