Is Sweden’s New Age Rule Really Protecting the Kids?
Sweden wants to stop under-13 riders from competing at elite level, a rule meant to “protect children,” but one that risks sidelining ambition, shrinking the grassroots, and throwing breeders and pony producers under the bus.
The Swedish Equestrian Federation has announced a shiny new reform, no elite competitions for riders under 13. Not nationally, not internationally
Not even if the kid is talented, motivated and ready. It’s all in the name of welfare, because nothing says “healthy sport” like limiting opportunity.
The rule aims to give young riders a gentler start.
But ambitious kids don’t vanish just because you raise a minimum age. They don’t become instantly less driven, less skilled, or less ready.
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Cause the FEI divides youth classes by age bands, the Children category is part of that and is for riders aged 12-14, riding horses, not ponies!
Personally I love the children's format, and I followed plenty of Children's classes in person, including European Championships.
These kids are so well prepared, they ride well, and have so much fun at these big events, and for many it's a once in a lifetime experience.
Now, don’t get me wrong, protecting children is good. Protecting horses is good. Protecting common sense on other hand, is apparently optional.
However, this is not only about the children, there will also be ripple effects, and may be the dead of the ever so loved, B-pony.
Who would ever even consider to continue to breed b-ponies in Sweden when the market is being unofficially, officially shut down?
Other sports that tried the “let’s protect them by restricting them” approach have actually seen numbers decline, because shockingly [not], fewer opportunities rarely creates more athletes.
Practically a mess
But here’s another twist Sweden might want to consider, the good old fashioned nationality shuffle.
It’s already happening, pony riders competing under one flag during their pony years, even bringing home medals for their [current] home team, and then BAM.
A window of opportunity opens up, and while they cling on to their shiny medals with one hand, the other one hands over their nationality for a better future with greater opportunities.
Sweden have a couple of team swappers themselves.
One is Sofia Sjöborg, an eventing rider who started her career riding for Great Britain, but then went to Sweden to get on a team for the junior Europeans back in 2015. More recently she competed in Paris 2024.
There's also Philip Carey (IRL) who made two pony European Championships under the Swedish flag, and later two junior ones for his current nation of Ireland.
For sure families with dual nationalities will start to explore these options just like these two riders did back in their younger days.
We might even see a surge in rediscovered dual citizenships, when parents realise that grandma’s side of the family was, in fact, part Italian [just an example], and just go for it.
If Sweden truly wants to support children and younger young riders, brilliant, fine by me, invest in coaching, education, and qualification standards.
But don’t padlock the entrance to opportunity and call it welfare.
Cause this is more like putting leg wraps on the wrong legs. Technically protective, but practically a mess.
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