Starting in 2027 and no later than 2029, riders under the age of 13 are not allowed to participate in international competitions, national championships and nationwide series.
The Swedish Equestrian Federation recently made a decision.
"This is not about removing competition, but about letting children develop at their own pace," motivated chairwoman Sandra Ruuda.
Important for development
Peder Fredricson, Henrik von Eckermann and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson – all three previously ranked as world No. 1s – disagree.
In a debate post, they and some other national team riders write:
"The B-pony years are an important and natural part of children's development in equestrian sports. The competition phase should be seen as an entry into our sport... The qualifying stage that everyone goes through to reach the next level is intended to create a reasonable inertia in the system and ensure that the practitioner has time to further develop their skills in safe and age-appropriate ways, before the next level is reached."
The national team stars believe that B-pony riding at the highest level should not be considered "elite" or "elite effort".
“Long-term sustainability”
"It is still about children and young people in education, where the focus is on learning, development and long-term sustainability rather than performance at an elite level."
Therefore, the debaters do not want to see an age limit at, for example, the Swedish Championships for B-pony.
Jens Fredricson, Lisen Bratt-Fredricson and Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli are also behind the debate supplement.
TT is looking for the chairman, Sandra Ruuda.
