World Class Performance Show jumping Manager Rob Hoekstra has announced that he is to leave his role at the end of this year. Having seen British show jumping through one of their most successful periods, amassing six Championship medals along the way, Rob departs to take up new challenges elsewhere in the sport.
Appointed World Class Performance Manager in 2010, he has led the team to numerous successes over his period at the helm, the highlight coming at the London 2012 Olympic Games where the team took gold. Beyond this his work with the Nations Cup teams has helped Britain to retain their Division 1 status and enabled new opportunities for up and coming riders to come forward, some through the Development Programme, to make their debut for GBR.
Gordon Burton, interim World Class Head of Performance said; “We’d like to express our sincere thanks to Rob for the significant contribution he has made to British showjumping and the World Class Performance Programme during his time as Performance Manager.
“When he came into the sport in 2010 his incisive style quickly unified our athletes as a team and provided vital coaching and leadership to enable them to achieve their full potential, the turning point coming at the European Championships in 2011. Since then he has transformed the outcomes of the discipline to inspire a new generation and his efforts will have a long reaching positive impact on the sport; we wish him well for the future.”
Rob commented; “I believe now is a good time for a new Performance Manager to take over to emulate and build on this success in the run up to Rio and beyond and give them adequate time to do so. They will be taking over a great Team; we are reigning Olympic and European Champions and have the no 1 in the World in Scott Brash.
“I would like to thank the owners that have given me so much support and inspiration over the last few years, without them this success would not have been possible; the invaluable support of UK Sport and the National Lottery; the riders that have performed so well and been instrumental in putting Great Britain back on top of the showjumping world and all the support staff that have been part of a fantastic team that enabled us to be so successful.
“I believe the sport at Performance level is in a very exciting phase. With our existing Championship riders and all the new talent coming through the future looks very bright for continued British Team success. It has been a fantastic journey but it had always been my goal to lead the Team to victory in London and then explore other opportunities and look for new challenges within our sport and I believe this is the right time to do that.”
Rob will step down from his role as Performance manager on 1st January 2015. A new Performance Manager will be announced in due course.
More from Horse Sport:
