Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and Vladimir Tuganov (RUS) are the two candidates up for election to become FEI Athlete Representative (2022-2026) for the jumping riders. One of them will be replacing Pedro Veniss (BRA), who has served as FEI Athlete Representative since 2020. 

There is one FEI Athlete Representatives per discipline; they play a vital role and provide a voice to the athlete community within the global FEI decision-making process. They sit for a four-year term (non-renewable) on their respective discipline’s FEI Technical Committee and are also a member of the FEI Athletes Committee with all the other athlete representatives.

Pessoa has previous experience from the role as Athlete Representative, and in his letter of motivation he writes: 

“I love our sport not only as an athlete but as a sportsman with the intent to always look to the future with farsighted and improving goals. This is also thanks to my previous experience as a member of the Jumping Committee, the commitment and aims of which I know in depth. Between 2016 and 2018 I was chef d’équipe for the Irish show jumping team, an opportunity that allowed me to learn about and address the problems and dynamics of NFs. I have been President of the IJRC and am still a member of the board of directors. 

I am committed to being constantly updated as far as change that occurs in our sport is concerned about regulations concerning all aspects of this sector, analysing in depth all evolution, and I am strongly motivated to increasingly elevate the show jumping community in every possible way through relations with institutions and with athletes, aiming to consolidate common objectives. 

My passion for horses is deeply-rooted and profound and I firmly believe in sport’s ethical values and respect for horses as absolute priorities.”

Click here for Pessoa’s full Motivation Letter.

Tuganov is currently serving as the Vice President of the Russian National Federation, and in his Motivation Letter he writes:

“If I could get that chance and be elected, I will use all my efforts, knowledges, skills for that very important activity for the further development of Show Jumping. It would be a great honor for me to represent the interests and opinions of athletes. I have enough energy and time to take an active part in the life of FEI. 

Over the years of my professional career as a rider and activity as NF functionary I was able to become acquainted with the experiences and best practices of Western European countries and North America. And I feel myself ready.”

Click here for Tuganov’s full Motivation Letter.

The voting period is now open and runs from 1 July 2022 to 31 October 2022 23:59 CEST. 

Click here to consult the voting process.