The German National Federation of Professional Riders (BBR) is the next official body which has publicly voiced their opinion against Matthias Alexander Rath's decision to train with the Dutch rollkur/LDR/hyperflexion sympathizer Sjef Janssen.
The BBR, which includes more than 4,000 German professional equestrian riders, stated that "the BBR can not accept that an A-team rider joins a flawed system and considers it a "widening of his horizon". The BBR "deeply regrets" Rath's decision.
In their statement the BBR zooms in on the arguments Team Totilas has used to justify their decision. The board of the BBR considers the argument "Success proves him right" unacceptable. This may have led some people to be coached by the Dutch national team trainer, but this did not eliminate the discussion between modern and classical training methods.
"This discussion about the questionable, animal-unfriendly training methods has led to a heightened awareness for the use of a riding style based on the classical example. And there are plenty of examples which have come to top performances with real training methods on happy horses," the BBR wrote in their statement.
"The BBR does not want to critize Matthias Rath for engaging a foreign trainer. The focus is on Sjef Janssen's training method. The Dutchman is virtually considered the inventor of the rollkur, against which the BBR has vehemently been for years. Already since 2006 the BBR has sent flyers nationwide to point at the abusive method of the rullkur and has spoken against the method in several articles and statements. The BBR can not accept that an A-team rider joins a flawed system and considers it a "widening of his horizon"."
In the brochure "Ethics and Morals of Professional Riders" (published by BBR) Riding Master Günter Festerling unmistakably points at the importance of professional riders: "He will be responsible to uphold classical riding and preserve our modern equestrianism. With growing urgance his task will be to turn away from the anything but the correct basis of riding and to continue to prove the validity and inevitability (of classical riding)." The BBR is totally commited to this creed.
Source: ST.GEORG
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Klaus Martin Rath: Sale of Totilas to Austria is "Ridiculous"
Janssen Not to Train Matthias Rath Until after 2012 London Olympics
Xenophon Society Makes Statement on Rath's Trainer Choice