Christian Baillet named as Chairman of the Jumping Owners Club

Christian Baillet, owner of jumping horses including Randgraaf and Jadis de Toscane, Ideal de Prissey and Lauterbach, has been named as only the second Chairman of the Jumping Owners Club (JOC).

At the JOC General Assembly, staged during the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final in Geneva, Mr Baillet, formerly the Vice President of the Club, was unanimously voted-in by his fellow members. During the Assembly, the founding Chairman, Carles Vilarrubi, was proposed by FEI Director of Jumping John Roche to become the JOC Honorary Chairman, which was accepted by the members.

Mr Baillet said, “Carles has shown passion and commitment to the development of the JOC, and I must thank him for proposing me as the new Chairman. Under his Chairmanship, the Club has forged important links with both the FEI and Rolex that has given it strong foundations on which to grow.

He continued, “I am deeply honoured to have been selected as Chairman and will devote my energies to growing the voice of the owner in all aspects of Jumping.”

During the Assembly, Mr Baillet delivered an Eight-Point Programme of objectives he hopes to achieve during his time as Chairman. These were as follows:

1. Grow the number of members from the current 35 in four continents

2. Stage a minimum of two meetings involving all members per year

3. Facilitate positive interaction amongst all the members

4. Increase the information flow to and between members

5. Continue the close relationship with the FEI and be included on all FEI Committees and Taskforces

6. Remain an active partner to Rolex

7. Build the voice of the JOC within the equestrian media

8. Contribute towards the overall welfare of the horse

During the Assembly, JOC members were updated by John Roche, FEI Director of Jumping, on the role that the FEI World Cup™ has played in the international growth of the sport, plus the importance of its flagship competition the Meydan FEI Nations Cup™. Members also received an update from FEI Veterinary Director Graham Cooke on the findings and recommendations on the Ljungqvist and Stephens Commissions, plus the recently launched Clean Sport website and banned-substance database.

Formed in 2005 and supported by Rolex, the Jumping Owners Club is an exclusive organisation of international owners which works towards growing the popularity of the sport around the world. It is the only body which represents the views and opinions of the owners, and works closely alongside the FEI in building the profile and inclusiveness of Jumping.