The Belgian dressage committee has appointed Alain Rauw as the new Belgian pony, junior and young riders' team chef d'equipe. He is succeeding Laurence van Doorslaer who has resigned from the post.
Van Doorslaer has been Belgium's pony chef d'equipe for more than a decade. Laurence took over the job from Carine Baton-Godefroid in 2002 and added the function of junior and young riders chef d'equipe to her plate in 2009.
Van Doorslaer has expressed her desire to dedicate more time to her role as an eventing judge and stepped down as chef d'equipe. She will, however, be supporting Rauw during the transition for a period of time.
"I wish to thank everyone, youth, parents, trainers, vets, the sport psychologist, and the federations for those fantastic years full of emotions that I spent with them," said Van Doorslaer. "A new challenge is knocking at the door and I want to invest myself fully into it. 2016 will be a new start."
The press officer of the Belgian equestrian federation said, "the dressage committee wishes to thank Laurence for her years of dedication and commitment to the young riders and dressage sport in Belgium. It hopes that she will continue to make an effort and assist the new chef d'equipe in getting acquainted to the new post next year."
Alain Rauw runs a dressage stable in Herselt, Belgium, and is a VLP dressage judge.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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