Felix Vogg and Colero led the field after dressage at Les Etoiles de Pau 2022
5* competitor, Switzerland’s Felix Vogg has called for a review of the use of MIM clips after Les Etoiles de Pau 2022
Switzerland’s Felix Vogg has publicly queried on his Instagram account if the time has come where ‘all of us now (riders, federations, experts) maybe sit together and find a solution for the love of the sport!’ regarding the use of MIM clips on cross country
Felix and his horse Colero led the CCI5* field at Les Etoiles de Pau following the dressage phase but were one of eight combinations to activate the MIM clip at Fence 21B, a corner coming out of the Clear Channel water following a drop fence in
“I'm totally with it that the sport has to get safer for riders and horses” says Felix “And it's good that there is progress in it.
For sure Safety systems helped already a lot of times to protect riders from bad accidents. But in the last few years there didn't happen more. There is not enough research at the moment - we just take a system & penalise the riders if they activate it, doesn't matter how many horses touched it before”
Felix was one of several riders who incurred penalties from activated MIM clips at Tokyo 2022, along with his mentor and leader after dressage at Tokyo, Michael Jung.
“It’s the second time that happens to me but this time it is costing me the lead in a 5*” says Felix
“Every event we have frustrated riders, owner, etc. because of MIM Clips which shouldn't have got activated”
The eventual winner at Pau, New Zealand’s Jonelle Price queried the line at this fence during the Saturday evening Press Conference where course designer Pierre Michelet acknowledged that some of the riders may have been harshly penalised but added that ‘Safety is paramount’ and ‘The riders have to ride with the MIM clips in mind’
The FEI has responded to the rider concerns regarding Fence 21B at Les Etoiles de Pau, saying that the frangible safety device 'provided the expected release’.
FEI Responds to concerns over safety device at Les Etoiles de Pau
