De Vos to Head International Horse Sports Confederation

Ingmar De Vos, President of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), was unanimously elected as the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) President, and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), was elected as the IHSC Vice-President at the IHSC General Assembly in Hong Kong on December 6, 2024.

“It’s a big honour for me to serve as the IHSC President during the last two years of my term in office as the FEI President,” the newly elected IHSC President Ingmar De Vos said.

“I would like to thank Winfried for his leadership and for the many new initiatives that have been developed during his presidency and I look forward to continuing our excellent cooperation.

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“The need for both our organisations to work together in the framework of the IHSC and alongside the World Organisation for Animal Health is more relevant than ever before. The main focus for the coming years will be on preserving horse wellbeing and I look forward to the initiatives that we will develop together in this domain,” he concluded.

IFHA Chair Engelbrecht-Bresges is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), and the Chair of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF), which comprises 29 national racing authorities and racing-related organisations from across Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East.

“I am very pleased with Ingmar’s election as the new IHSC President and I strongly believe that the Confederation will benefit greatly from his capable leadership,” IHSC Vice-President Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges commented.

“The IHSC’s efforts have been vital to ensure the sustainable development of horse sports. I look forward to supporting Ingmar in continuing the important work done by the IHSC, in particular around equine welfare and international movement of horses, during what is an exciting, but challenging, time for both equestrian and racing globally.”

The IHSC was established in 2013, when the FEI and the IFHA joined forces to create the first formal vehicle for cooperation between the world’s leading bodies for equestrian sport.