Fédération Equestre de la Principauté de Monaco (FEPM): Monaco’s National Equestrian Federation
Fédération Equestre de la Principauté de Monaco (FEPM): Monaco’s National Equestrian Federation
Equestrian sport in the Principality of Monaco is a small but internationally connected world, and at its center sits the Fédération Equestre de la Principauté de Monaco (FEPM). Described on its own site as “une jeune Fédération qui a vu le jour en 1995” — a young federation that came into being in 1995 — the FEPM is a member of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), linking Monaco’s riders directly into the global equestrian sport system despite the country’s compact size.
The federation operates under the high patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, with H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover serving as honorary president — a royal association that underscores the standing equestrian sport holds within Monegasque public life. Its creation is credited to the initiative of President Madame Diane Fissore-Wattelet, working alongside the late Secretary General Eric Wauters, an internationally renowned figure in the equestrian world.
The Role of FEPM in Monaco
Since its founding, the FEPM’s signature achievement has been building and sustaining Monaco’s place on the international show jumping calendar. It organized the first Jumping International de Monte-Carlo from April 20 to 22, 1995, and has “régulièrement organisé ce rendez-vous International” — regularly organized this international event — in the years since, with consistent success. For a principality of Monaco’s size, maintaining an FEI-linked international jumping fixture year after year represents a significant and sustained institutional commitment.
The FEPM’s activity centers on show jumping (“saut d’obstacles”), and the federation works closely with the Club Hippique de Monaco, the affiliated riding club referenced on its site, to support riders, training, and competition logistics within the Principality. This close relationship between a single national federation and a single affiliated club is characteristic of how equestrian sport is organized in micro-states, where centralized coordination replaces the layered regional structures seen in larger countries.
What Fédération Equestre de la Principauté de Monaco Does
| Function | With FEPM Affiliation | Without FEPM Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| FEI competition eligibility | Riders can be entered in FEI-recognized international show jumping events | No pathway to FEI-sanctioned competition through Monaco |
| Jumping International de Monte-Carlo | Access to Monaco’s flagship annual FEI-linked jumping event, organized continuously since 1995 | No organized route to participate in this fixture |
| Club-level support | Riders supported through the affiliated Club Hippique de Monaco | No structured local club backing |
| National recognition | Riding activity recognized under the Principality’s official equestrian federation | No official standing within Monaco’s equestrian sport structure |
3 Real-World Scenarios
- A rider based at Club Hippique de Monaco preparing for FEI competition eligibility through the FEPM’s affiliation with the Fédération Equestre Internationale.
- A show jumping competitor entering the Jumping International de Monte-Carlo, the annual event the FEPM has organized in the Principality since 1995.
- A young Monegasque rider joining the Club Hippique de Monaco to begin training within the structure supported by the national federation.
2 Monaco Equestrian Facts
- The FEPM was founded in 1995 and organized the first Jumping International de Monte-Carlo that same year, from April 20 to 22.
- The federation operates under the high patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, with H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover as honorary president.
What is the Fédération Equestre de la Principauté de Monaco (FEPM)?
When was the FEPM founded?
Who patronizes the FEPM?
Who founded the FEPM?
What is the Jumping International de Monte-Carlo?
Is the FEPM affiliated with the FEI?
Which discipline does the FEPM focus on?
What club is affiliated with the FEPM?
Can Monaco-based riders compete internationally through the FEPM?
Does Monaco also have a national kennel club?
Related: Learn about the Principality’s dog registry and breed standards in our guide to the Société Canine de Monaco, Monaco’s National Kennel Club.
