July 29th is just around the corner and with it will come the official opening of the FEI Athlete Representative elections. Ten are the candidates running for the position, each with his own different ideas, goals, priorities, vaulting background and something unique that could give to the sport.
It is our opinion, though, that voting should not just be a matter of “this is more fun, or enjoyable or nicer than that” but rather to find the right idea that fits what everyone thinks to be best for the discipline. How to do that? INFORMATION IS THE KEY! That’s why we asked all the candidate to answer to the same questions explaining what they want to do, their goals and priorities should they be elected, to help THEM get more votes and to help YOU make the right choice finding and voting the one candidate that suit most what you think and what you would do for our beautiful discipline. I mean, that’s the principle of democracy, right?!

devon maitozo fei 1Who doesn’t know Devon Maitozo? Who has never admired his exceptional chorographical and artistic skills (he has a University of California degree in theater arts)? With over thirty years of experience in the sport on his shoulder, he has been engaged on every side of the sport life, having a great career (yet to be ended) as athlete, founding and coaching his own team in California, the Free Artists Creative Equestrians (F.A.C.E.), choreographing and preparing horse. “I love teaching others how to believe in themselves and to reach their potential. Vaulting simply brings horses, athleticism, and the arts together like nothing else, and is the craft I know best. I love performance, be it through theater, dance, music, or film, and I love nothing better than to express this passion in harmony with a horse.” Exceptional is also his longevity in the sport, still being an active vaulter now who hopes to vault with his son Nico before hanging up his vaulting shoes.

“I want to make sure that the athlete’s true interests (both human and equine) would be well represented and protected on the committee.”

What made you want to run as FEI vaulting representative?

When I really thought about it, I realized that this job is meant for me. I really care about the sport so deeply, and have for nearly my entire life. I’ve seen it evolve so much over the years and often did my best to play an active role in its evolution. I want my long history as a competitor within the sport to be put to greatest use by representing those voices that have felt unheard in the past. Those people with the greatest impact on our sport’s future should be truly accessible to the vaulting community, and I want to bridge that gap. I know that by speaking truth to power, and the powerful truth from the athlete’s voices, that we can keep the sport growing in respect and popularity around the world.

What are your main goals for the next four years?

I would like to help the FEI vaulting committee become much more transparent in it’s decision making process while making sure it is more responsive to the vaulting community at large.
I want to see FEI coach’s certification program become broader in its scope and outreach to enable people to work their way from the very basic level to an advanced level within a three-year span.
I intend to compete at least one more World Championships with my pas de deux before retiring as a competitive vaulter.
I would like to see a serious proposal formulated by the FEI to have vaulting accepted as an Olympic sport. I’m tired of hearing how this will never happen because horse sports are on thin ice already. It can happen, and it must happen. The sport of vaulting deserves it. So does the world.
I want to finally start shooting the film I’ve been dreaming about for ages with vaulting front and center. Its working title is “Center of Gravity”.

Do you have any particular proposal?

I would like to see the standardization of the 1 minute 20 second individual freestyle at the elite senior level of our sport. I have other more progressive ideas such as pas de trios and liberty vaulting, but I’ll save their official proposal for a later time after proper vetting.

Should you be elected, what are your priorities?

My priority would be to make sure that the athlete’s true interests (both human and equine) would be well represented and protected on the committee. I would prioritize any rule or change that would make our sport more horse and spectator friendly.

devon maitozo fei 2Do you have any proposal to increase and promote vaulting?

I think we need to consider ways to make vaulting as spectator friendly as possible at the elite level. Compulsories are fundamental to the proper development of our sport, but should be less front and center of the sport from an audience perspective if we want to gain popularity. I would like to work on finding a good balance where we can all benefit from the compulsory skills, but we consider presenting the sport without them at the elite individual level. I think the tech test is a good mix between artistic expression and standardized skill testing for the top of our sport individually. With all squads, compulsories serve an even greater purpose.
I believe we need to partner up consistently with other equestrians disciplines to showcase vaulting to audiences that aren’t usually exposed to it.
We need to lobby for our sport’s presence in the entertainment industry such as in film and television. We are at the tipping point of a huge increase in popularity, but we need a boost in exposure.

“A vote for me is a vote for your voice, as I will expect your call or message when you feel something needs to be changed or known. I want questions.”

Is there any downside you would like to improve or change?

I believe the sport is on the right path in many ways, but one that can always improve is horse welfare and horsemanship through better education and always horse friendly expectations put on our competitors. The new changes in the technical test are long overdue considering that the shoot up mount particularly was not a very horse friendly exercise. For every soft landing we see in elite competition, there were dozens of hard ones on the forehand and other dangerous attempts. I believe we should make sure that such decisions are subject to even more testing and public discourse before being written into rules. I am a big fan of the new jump to shoulder-stand and elbow stand since I believe they are kinder to the horse and better test the skill that they represent.
I really want to improve the connection between vaulters and judges, or create a connection that doesn’t even exist. Too often vaulters feel that they have no way to reach out to judges for input beyond scores in competition. People often feel bitter by what is seen as unfair or unjustified scores. We will never end disappointment in competition, but we could help foster a new and positive exchange between vaulters and the judges. They should be able to enter a common and appropriate web-based platform to share nuanced and constructive feedback with one another. After all, judges bare the huge burden of putting numbers to art, and vaulters deserve to understand why they are being penalized or rewarded.

How important should be, by your point of view, the vaulting representative inside the
FEI commission?

This role is such an important one. I would be in favor of introducing a second vaulting representative on this committee. This position is not just an opportunity for a vaulter’s perspective to be at the table when important decisions are being made, but should have a mandate to reach out to the vaulting community to represent the voice of the athletes devoted to our sport. Without this perspective and one that is not afraid to speak up, we are left with a top down system that alienates the competitors from feeling an ownership of their sport.

Burning question: why should your fellow vaulters choose you as their representative?

I am fully prepared to be that strong voice for the athletes. I have been actively involved in this sport as an individual, teammate, coach, horse trainer, and traveling clinician for enough years to remember clearly how far it has come. I have seen the highest of highs in the vaulting eyes of the sport, and also seen every kind of defeat. I believe my number of years as a competitor and my dedication to remain active for nearly four decades shows how dedicated I am to seeing it be at it’s best. A vote for me is a vote for your voice, as I will expect your call or message when you feel something needs to be changed or known. I want questions. I will open up this institution enough to help the vaulters see inside. It is long overdue.