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About Us

African Confederation of Equestrian Sport

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WHAT IS ACES

The African Confederation of Equestrian Sport (ACES) is an international non-governmental not-for-profit entity in the form of a Trust which is duly registered in Mauritius.

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All National Equestrian Federations of Africa who are affiliated with FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale) may apply to be members of ACES.

Strategic Obectives

1. To coordinate equestrian sport in Africa and strengthen linkages and exchanges between North, South, East and West Africa Members.

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2. To ensure the highest standards are reached in Equestrian Sport with Olympic excellence in mind.

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3. To promote and advocate good governance with regional diversity throughout Africa.

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4. To increase ACES income by diversifying financial sources, therefore having a financially viable confederation able to provide value to its members.

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5. To investigate and understand with the view to resolve problems, including veterinary restrictions of horse movement across Africa.

Mission Statement

To develop and promote equestrian sport in Africa in close cooperation with the FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale), National Equestrian Federations of Africa and the representative African stakeholder organizations.

Overall Goal

To achieve excellence at all levels and all disciplines of equestrian sport in Africa by uniting, regulating, promoting and representing the shared interest of those who enjoy and compete in equestrian sport while putting the welfare of the horse first.

Relationships

ACES is the advocate for Equestrian interests in Africa with relevant bodies such as FEI and ANOCA (The Assosication of National Olympic Committees of Africa

History of ACES

2003 - The Egyptian Federation under Dr. A.F Ragab, circulated a Proposal for the foundation of the FEA - Federation Equestre Africaine. He invited members of Group IX to go to Egypt to view our sport there, discuss the basis for FEA and sightsee. About 6 NFs were represented. Mary Binks started working on the concept within Group IX and how it might work best for the whole African Continent.

 

2004 - At the FEI GA in Paris (FRA), a first meeting of the proposed FEA was held. 7 NFs attended, plus 4 by proxies - Jean-Michel Turlot (COD) and Mary Binks (KEN) attended the meeting). The Proposal to establish an FEA was not accepted by the FEI GA. It was agreed there was more to be organized and problems with copyright issues with the FEI rules being copied virtually verbatim. Dr. Ragab seemed to lose interest and there was no progress for five years.

 

2010 - A small group of NFs again started through the next two years making firm plans to establish an African Continental Confederation to include all FEI members in Groups VII and IX. We began the process of formulating our Governance and Financial structure with the help of Kim Gueho (MRI) and legal advisor - Chris Hodgeson (NZL). This was proposed to be structured much the same as for the Oceania Group of NFs, which was also seeking FEI approval.

 

2012 - At the FEI GA - Istanbul we had our first real (although unofficial) meeting. There we decided that our title would be the English - AFRICAN CONFEDERATION of EQUESTRIAN SPORTS (ACES) as opposed to the French - CONFEDERATION AFRICANE des SPORTS EQUESTRE (CASE). Initial proposal for Rules and Regulations as well as structure and plans for the Board and Governance.

 

2013 - At the FEI GA in Montreux (SWI) in November we had an unofficial Continental Meeting which was attended by HRH Princess Haya, FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos and FEI Board Members: HE Sheik Khalid Bin Babdulla Al Khalifa (Chair Group VII),  Mary K.B. Binks (Chair Group IX) and 11 ACES NFs. HE Sheik Khalid Bin Babdulla Al Khalifa was elected a Honorary Member of the ACES Board.

 

2014 -  At the FEI GA in Baku (AZE) in December, proposed ACES members met. Our Trust Documents and Rules and Regulations were signed and witnessed with an FEI Legal Representative and Mr. Christopher Hodgeson. An interim Board was elected of: Pres. Eng. Hesham Hetab (EGY), Vice President North Fahima Sebiane (ALG), Vice President South Mary Binks (KEN), and Corporate Treasurer Kim Gueho (MRI).

 

2015 – ACES held our final unofficial GA in Puerto Rico in conjunction with the FEI GA. The Rules and Regulations were proposed and passed by proposed members from Groups VII and IX both in attendance and by proxy.

 

2016 – On 11th March ACES held their First Formal GA in Sharm El Sheikh EGY in conjunction with the first ACES competition which was held at an Egyptian Show. The Initial Board was elected: Pres. Eng. Hesham Hetab (EGY), Vice President North Fahima Sebiane (ALG), Vice President South Mary Binks (KEN), Treasurer Gayle Hanssen (ZIM), Members were Kate (Riley) Tamen (SWA), Hussam Zummit (LBA) and Sean Irish (BOT). Kim Gueho (MRI) was appointed Secretary General.

 

2017 – The 2nd Formal ACES GA was held in Botswana. The formal MOU between ACES and the FEI was approved at that meeting and signed in May. Kim Gueho as a Founding Member of ACES retired due to pressures of her work and was applauded for all her efforts for ACES. Gayle Hanssen resigned as Treasurer and was appointed by the President Hesham Hatab as the ACES Secretary General.

                                                                                                                                                             

2018 – The 3rd Formal ACES GA was held in Algers ALG in July. Theola Barclay (ZAM) was elected as Treasurer and Wessel Strauss (RSA) to the Board.The interim Technical Jumping Committee was set up with Nazim Sebiane (ALG) and Chad Cunningham (RSA) in October.FEI GA and an ACES meeting were held in Bahrain in November. To aid rotation Mary Binks retired as Vice President South but was re-elected unopposed.  

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2019 – The FEI GA was held in Moscow RUS with a GA of ACES in November. Ibrahima Wade (SEN) was elected to the Board. At the ACES GA amendments to the ACES Rules and Regulations were proposed and passed.

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2020 – Due to Covid and impossibility of travel, The FEI GA was held online only and the ACES GA scheduled for December 10th was necessarily postponed.

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2021 - FEI Hybrid GA was held in November in Antwerp (BEL) with an informal Hybrid ACES meeting. This was well attended in person and online but no firm decisions were made.

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2022 – A Hybrid ACES GA was held in Oran Algeria in March. Eng. Hesham Hetab (EGY) was re-elected President as was Vice President South Fahima Sebiane and Board member Hussam Zummit. Newly Elected to the Board were Brigitte Mathias (NAM) – Chair of Group IX. Mary Binks (Vice-Chair South) having served her allotted two terms on the Board and being ineligible for re-election was elected to be a Honorary Board Member. She was replaced as Vice President South by Ibrahima Wade (SEN). Further amendments to the ACES Rules and Regulations were proposed and passed.

  The FEI GA was held in November in Capetown RSA. The first time an FEI was held in Southern Africa. ACES held a meeting in conjunction with the FEI GA. This was well attended but no firm decisions were made.

ACES SUPPORTS THE CORE VALUES OF THE FEI:

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The Big Picture

We Have a Dream

The ACES dream is to execute an African Continental Equestrian Championship and an Olympic Qualifier Event for our equestrian Athletes.

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Africa  has many hurdles that make this a challenging dream inclduding:​Vast distances between Northern and Southern Africa Especially, Major movement restrictions for horses between countries and African Horse Sickness quarantine and movement restrictions

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ACES is working hard at addressing these challenges and finding solutions to make our dream come true.

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Executive Board

President: Ibrahima Wade - Senegal

Vice President: Maher Berrachid - Tunisia

​Secretary General: Gayle Hanssen - Zimbabwe

​Treasurer - Theola Barclay - Zambia

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​Board Members:

Gigi Mathias - Namibia

Bertrand de Coriolis - Mauritius

Jeanine van Wyk - Eswatini

Khalid Hidaytalla - Sudan

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​Honorary Members:

H.H. Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Mary Binks - Kenya,

Kim Gueho - Mauritius

 

Trustees:

​Fahima Sebiane - Algeria

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© 2024 African Confederation of Equestrian Sport

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