The International Jumping Riders Club since 1977 is the voice of the showjumping riders from around the world.
International Jumping Riders Club
The club IJRC
History
In April 1977 a group of 25 international riders, including David Broome, Raimondo D’Inzeo, Paul Schockomöhle and Nelson Pessoa were asked to create an establishment in the form of a club that could allow riders to form a group. On 24 June 1977 the IJRC was launched in Vienna.
The International Jumping Riders Club is the voice of show jumping riders from around the world. The IJRC is open, with right to vote, to all riders who have taken part in the Olympic Games, in World or Continental Championships, at least in five Nation Cups, and to riders ranked in the best 300.
Membership is open, without right to vote, to Supporters, Fans and riders ranked in the best 3.000.
In February 1999, former president Franke Sloothaak and secretary general Eric Waulter asked lawyer Gianrico Moor and Dr. Eleonora Moroni Ottaviani to prepare the club’s articles of association in a manner more suited to the times that would guarantee their practicality.
In June 1999 the general meeting of the Riders’ Club approved the new articles of association in Aachen. The meeting elected a new president, Cayetano Martinez de Irujo.
In August 2013 the IJRC appointed Christina Liebherr to take over as President, making her the first woman to become President of the Club.
At the end of 2017, Kevin Staut was elected President of the Club.
The 2023 IJRC Annual General Assembly had in its schedule the renwal of the IJRC President.
The outgoing President Kevin Staut, at the end of a satisfying term, opened the working session and greeted the chamgeover to François Mathy Jr. voted as new President
IJRC is recognized as the world’s premier riders’ association, representing the interests of all riders within the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and sporting institutions across the globe.
In 2008 with Pricess Haya of Jordan as FEI president, the IJRC and FEI signed an important agreement, recognising the IJRC as the owner of the ranking list formula.
In 2014 the IJRC signed with the FEI the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) thanks to which the IJRC works closely with the FEI to expand the Olympic disciplines of Jumping.
The same year the IJRC signed another important Memorandum of Understanding with the North American riders group, (NARG), thanks to which, the riders would have had a unique voice in front of the FEI and in the World.
The same year (2014) at the beginning of april, the club cooperated with a new program conceived for talented young show jumpers, under the patronage of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) and the support of Rolex, called: “Young Riders Academy” developed by Athenaeum, that involved a lot of former IJRC members.
The club strongly believes that the co-operation between the riders, the organisers and the federal body is the key in bringing equestrian sport to a higher level.
Aims
“The club is the voice of the International Jumping Riders at the FEI. Before the club was founded there was no communication between the riders and the FEI. The riders had no chance to influence the rules, shows and so on; the FEI made their own rules." Paul Schockemöhl, a founder member of the IJRC.
The IJRC strongly believes that the co- operation between riders, organizers and the federal body is the key to ensuring a high level future for equestrian sport.
Among its aims, the club lists:
To represent the riders opinions while working in cooperationwith the FEI and other governing bodies;
To stay current, involved, and part of the conversation concerning new rules and regulations;
To protect the image and interests of the riders who respect the Olympic Charter and the FEI rules;
To promote the image of show jumping;
To promote the ideals of sportsmanship and fair play;
To co-operate with the competent federal authorities towards new norms and regulations;
To support national and international associations and international show jumping organisers in all their efforts;
To put the riders’ views in matters of rules and regulations before the governing body.