The International Federation of Equestrian Tourism (FITE) celebrates its 50th anniversary
Just 50 years ago, on 13 May 1975, the Fédération Internationale de Tourisme Equestre (FITE) was created on the initiative of France, with the support of Belgium, Italy and Switzerland. Today, with 23 member countries and chaired by the Frenchman Frédéric Bouix, who is also President of the Fédération Française d'Équitation, it represents the interests of national equestrian tourism organisations (NETOs) at European and international level and promotes outdoor riding. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
The origins of the FITE lie in the desire for a European organisation to promote equestrian tourism.
In 1965, the first annual international equestrian tourism rally was organised in Nancy, in eastern France, with delegations from neighbouring countries attending. It was an event that inspired Raymond Henry, founder and chairman of the Association Nationale pour le Tourisme Equestre (ANTE) at the time, to work towards the creation of an international organisation to develop and promote outdoor equestrian activities.
10 years later, on 13 May 1975 in Dublin (IRL), the Fédération Internationale de Tourisme Equestre (FITE) was born, bringing together the Association Nationale Belge d'Hippotourisme, the Associazione Nazionale per il Turismo (Italy), the Association Nationale Suisse pour le Tourisme Equestre and the French ANTE, whose then president, Jacques Gendry, became the first president of the FITE.
Elle rassemble les Organismes Nationaux de Tourisme Équestre (ONTE) à travers le monde, les représente, coordonne leurs actions afin de contribuer au développement de toutes les activités touristiques liées à l’utilisation des équidés.
50 years on, a presence on 4 continents
The FITE is now active on 4 continents (Europe, America, Africa and Asia) and in 2025 will have 23 members working together to organise, develop and promote equestrian tourism and related activities: Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
First elected president of the FITE in 2015, Frédéric Bouix has since continued his commitment to leading international equestrian tourism, alongside the secretary general, Canadian Frédéric Pierrestiger, and the vice presidents, Belgian Véronique Dusyburgh and German Thomas Ungruhe. Alongside the other members of the Board of Directors - Spain's Raquel Antonio Garcia, Italy's Loredana Fani, Luxembourg's Ingrid Helmes, the Netherlands' Mei Hwa Khoe and China's Justin Tseng, while Ireland's Adrian Flynn completes the office as Treasurer - they set the annual guidelines and coordinate the work of the various committees, including the sporting committees led by technical delegate Thierry Maurouard.
‘As my predecessors have done over the last 5 decades, the FITE has continued to structure and develop itself to gradually become a recognised player on the international equestrian scene. Particularly involved in issues relating to nature activities and equestrian itinerancy, our federation has also developed its public influence at European level. It plays an active role in the work and debates initiated by the various institutions involved. Alongside other organisations responsible for ‘horse’ issues around the world, the FITE brings its equestrian, tourist and cultural dimension, which is the very essence of the inspiration of its founders 50 years ago today. On this anniversary, I can only think fondly of Hervé Delambre, whom I succeeded and who accompanied me in giving me a taste for this commitment to equestrian tourism’., exprime Frédéric Bouix, président de la FITE.
Chronology of FITE Presidents
- Jacques Gendry, (1975 – 1979) – France
- Vittorio De Sanctis (1979 – 2003) – Italie
- Hervé Delambre (2003 – 2015) – France
- Frédéric Bouix (2015 – aujourd’hui) – France
Successful missions
Since its creation, the FITE's missions at international level have mainly concerned the training of professionals in the sector, guides and tour leaders, as well as the promotion of equestrian tourism.
Bringing together
From the outset, the major gatherings of trekking riders organised by FITE members were at the heart of discussions, notably Equirando in France - the 55th edition of which in Bagnole-de-l'Orne this year is still organised under the aegis of the FITE - and Equiraduno in Italy. FITE also worked early on to create a transnational itinerary, the Via Francigena, linking Canterbury (UK) to Rome (Italy) via France and Switzerland. In 2014, a consortium of 12 public-private partners was created around a project for a transnational equestrian route linked to d'Artagnan. The FITE is promoting coordination between equestrian stakeholders in the 6 countries involved (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands), in conjunction with the Fédération Française d'Équitation, which is piloting the project. On 19 May 2021, the Route Européenne d'Artagnan, developed by the Association Européenne de la Route d'Artagnan, will be the first transnational equestrian route to receive ‘Council of Europe Cultural Route’ certification.
In 2022 the FITE obtained participatory status with the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe. This appointment consolidates the FITE's recognition as an expert in the development of equestrian tourism and itineraries internationally, and as a key player in the tourism sector.
That same year, the first International Equestrian Tourism Meeting was held in Denmark, following on from the various European and international congresses previously organised by the FITE or its NETOs over the decades. The second edition was held in Italy in 2024, with the declared aim of making it a biennial event.
Training
In 1990, France, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium signed an agreement on the equivalence of diplomas for equestrian tourism managers, joined in 1995 by Quebec and the United Kingdom. Successive Presidents have continued to promote the recognition of diplomas, and in 2008 Hervé Delambre initiated the first rapprochement with the IGEQ (International Group for Equestrian Qualifications). Today, the IGEQ recognises various equestrian tourism management qualifications from several FITE NETOs.
Opening up to international competition
As well as equestrian tourism - its primary vocation - the FITE manages and regulates a number of sporting disciplines on an international level: TREC (Technique de randonnée équestre de compétition), TREC in carriage driving, working equitation, joëring and archery on horseback.
As well as equestrian tourism - its primary vocation - the FITE manages and regulates a number of sporting disciplines on an international level: TREC (Technique de randonnée équestre de compétition), TREC in carriage driving, working equitation, joëring and archery on horseback.
TREC has been a unifying element within the FITE since the late 90s. International championships have been organised under its aegis since 1989 and the first world championship was held in Saint-Pierre d'Albigny (Savoie) in 1997. In 2005, working equitation became the FITE's second discipline, under the impetus of certain NETOs such as Spain, Italy and France. The first European Championships were held in 2016. With the aim of opening up the sport to as many people as possible, the inclusion of the Juniors category in 2019 for TREC and in 2023 for Working Equitation is a step forward in developing these outdoor riding disciplines.
Through a memorandum of understanding signed in 2017, the Fédération équestre internationale (FEI) exclusively recognises the FITE for its missions to promote, regulate and organise international equestrian tourism, both leisure and competition. It also mandates the FITE to manage outdoor riding disciplines including TREC (Techniques de Randonnée Equestre de Compétition) and working equitation.
Passion, always
Gatherings of travellers on horseback, training of equestrian tourism staff and competition officials, regulation of outdoor riding disciplines, representation of the interests of those involved in equestrian tourism to international organisations, promotion of equestrian tourism, development of tools for NETOs, etc. The FITE is a world-renowned organisation that continues to work towards achieving the objectives set by its founders back in 1975.
The FITE currently has a number of priorities on its agenda. These include :
- development of equestrian routes (signposting, paths, rest stops, accommodation, etc.),
- training for managers and riders,
- equestrian tourism products,
- international exchanges,
- equestrian tourism events and competitions.
FITE partners
In addition to the FEI, the FITE can count on the European Institute of Cultural Routes, the European Horse Network, the European Network of Outdoor Sports and the Rurality-Environment-Development Network to carry out its various activities.
A word from... Valérie Dalodier, President of the FFE-CNTE
‘A founding member of the FITE, the Fédération Française d'Équitation and its Comité national de tourisme équestre play a major role in the development of international equestrian tourism and outdoor disciplines. As a pioneering nation in equestrian tourism, France shares in the heritage forged over the last sixty years, both in the structuring of the movement and in the development initiatives it has taken on a national and international scale: training for those involved, harmonisation of regulations, coverage of the territory and labelling of equestrian itineraries, etc. It actively contributes to the influence of equestrian tourism in France and beyond our borders.’
Crédit photo intro ©FFE-ED
