Farewell from FEI Solidarity Director Jacqueline Braissant

Dear National Federations,

After almost 29 years with the FEI, I am coming to the end of my professional life and will be retiring. I am leaving the FEI with the satisfaction of a job well done and with FEI Solidarity as a legacy.

It has been quite a ride, but the time has come to take leave of the FEI Family and all those who have accompanied me. Key figures have marked my journey, and I pay tribute to them here.

Where it all began…

In June 1992, I joined the Dressage Department of the FEI. Five years later, and with Michael Stone, we began to lay the foundations for development. My gratitude goes to him. An important building block I would like to highlight is the FEI Education for Coaches programme. A big thanks to Gerry Mullins for coming up with the idea and the content, and to Liam Moggan who helped train the initial “tutors”.

With the arrival of HRH Princess Haya as FEI President in 2006, a new vision of development was handed to me and the Development Department was created.

In 2010, a “Development Task Force” was set up to assess the work of the Department and how to improve its structure.

It was a year of intense work, but so rewarding! Thank you to the Members of the FEI Task Force and in particular to Manoj Jalan (IND), Pablo Mayorga (ARG), Kim Gueho (MRI) and Betty Wates (JAM) who have supported me by bringing their skills and experiences to this journey!

Today, Development exists at the FEI thanks to the vision of "the late" HRH Dona Pilar de Borbon, HRH Princess Haya and now, the FEI President Ingmar De Vos.

From unassuming and humble beginnings, the FEI Solidarity programme has grown and really come into its own. It is thanks to you Andreina, Céline and Jean-Philippe as well as past Collaborators (such as Cynthia Amami, Céline Kunz and our Farah) that we have been able to achieve all that we have, and I am grateful to all of you for the high quality teamwork that you have put at the service of FEI Solidarity.

I am of course not forgetting all my Colleagues from the FEI Headquarters. Thank you for your assistance, support and friendship.

The success of Solidarity also rests on the shoulders of many wonderful Technical Experts involved on the ground and without whom there would simply be no Development. May they be thanked. I have created friendships and I cherish them preciously.

To you National Federations, thank you for our excellent collaboration, your warm welcome during my many visits, your support, and your confidence. The FEI Solidarity programme is yours, make the most of it!

Development is all about people, and you have all taught me a lot.

Thank you and best wishes for the future!

Jacqueline Braissant

Director
FEI Solidarity

Supplied by the FEI