Vale Tom Ryckewaert Photo courtesy Eventing Waregem
Tom Ryckewaert (BEL), Event Director at the Belgian Eventing fixture at Waregem and one of the best known and respected FEI Officials in the Eventing community, has passed away at the age of 63.
A member of the FEI Eventing Committee from 2006-2009, Tom Ryckewaert was an event organiser, Technical Delegate (TD), Course Designer and Steward, acting as TD and Chief Steward at multiple FEI Championships and four Olympic Games – Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004.
He was due to officiate as TD at this weekend’s Longines CCI5*-L and the German National Championships in Luhmühlen (GER) and also at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships at the same venue in August. He had previously worked as TD at the Europeans 2011 in Luhmühlen, the European Pony Championships 2012 in Fontainebleau (FRA) and the North American Junior Championships 2016 in Parker (USA).
A former international Eventing athlete, he had also officiated at major Eventing competitions all over the world, including the CCI-4* (now 5*) at Burghley (GBR), Lexington (USA) and Pau (FRA), and the World Young Horse Eventing Championships at Le Lion d’Angers (FRA).
Tom Ryckewaert was at the helm of the Waregem event for 40 years and, under his leadership, the venue has hosted a leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup since the series’ inception in 2012.
He was also President of the Alliance of Eventing Organisers, an affiliate of the overall umbrella organisation, the International Equestrian Organisers’ Alliance and was an FEI Level III FEI course director.
“The Eventing world has lost one of its greatest supporters with the passing of Tom Ryckewaert”, FEI Eventing & Olympic Director Catrin Norinder said. “He was a life force in our sport and contributed so much as an organiser and an official, and also as a member of the FEI Eventing Committee. We will miss him for his incredible expertise and great sense of humour.”
The FEI expresses its sincere condolences to Tom Ryckewaert’s partner Florence, his four children - Thomas, Levi, Alice and Simon – his extended family and many friends in the Eventing world, the Belgian Equestrian Federation and the global equestrian community.
