German Equestrian Federation

What German Equestrian Federation does

The German Equestrian Federation (Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung e.V., operating as Pferdesport Deutschland) is Germany's official national governing body for equestrian sport and horse breeding, headquartered in Warendorf and founded in 1905. Structured as a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein), it operates as an umbrella federation for 7,031 equestrian clubs, 17 regional state associations (Landesverbände), 26 breeding associations (Zuchtverbände), and 3,216 horse operations, with 662,926 individual club members and a paid Club Pferdesport Deutschland membership tier of 51,896 as of 2026. Its functional scope spans standardization of competition rules (LPO, APO, WBO), trainer certification (qualifying approximately 1,000 trainers annually), national and international championship management, breeding evaluation, and continuing education for riders, drivers, vaulters, breeders, and leisure participants.

The federation operates a digital platform ecosystem centered on tournament management (TORIS.online, Nennung Online, Online-Startbereitschaft), a competition results database (FN-Erfolgsdaten), a horse performance-testing portal (Pferdeleistungsprüfung), a horse name search service, and an industry directory (Pferdebranchenbuch), all surfaced through the Pferdesport Deutschland website and mobile app. Content and education are delivered through the FNverlag publishing house (books, rulebooks, and the new July 2026 magazine "Pferd & Mensch"), online seminars, and a multi-channel marketing footprint spanning newsletter, TV, app, and social channels.

Revenue is generated through a diversified, non-equity model: personal and club membership fees, annual tournament licenses (Jahresturnierlizenzen), horse registration and ownership-transfer fees, FNverlag publication sales, event and seminar fees (€10–€65+), FN fee-schedule charges for official services, and institutional sponsorship from the Bundeswehr, the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) Sportehrenamt program, Sporthilfe, and commercial sponsors such as Pikeur and Höveler. The federation serves multiple customer segments including competitive riders, leisure riders (Breitensport), trainers, breeders, and equestrian clubs, with a community-led go-to-market that leverages the 7,000+ club network as the primary distribution channel.

Name

German Equestrian Federation

Legal name

Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung e.V.

Website

https://pferd-aktuell.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The German Equestrian Federation (Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung e.V.) is Germany's national governing body for equestrian sport and horse breeding, headquartered in Warendorf, serving 662,926 members across 7,031 clubs, 17 regional associations, and 26 breeding associations through standardized rules, certification, tournaments, and digital services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equestrian Sports Federation

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Horses and Other Equine Production (11292)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Racing Associations, Governance & Integrity Services (MPAEADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Jockeys, Drivers & Officials (Licensing/Representation) (MPAEADAK), Equine Veterinary, Welfare & Anti-Doping Services (MPAEADAJ), Sport/Show Horse Training & Performance Programs (AFAEAGAF)

Keywords

• Equestrian sports federation
• Horse breeding registry
• Tournament management software
• Trainer certification programs
• Equestrian publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Warendorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Personal and club memberships providing access to federation services, training, certifications, and events
2. Tournament Licenses: Annual tournament licenses (Jahresturnierlizenzen) for riders and drivers
3. Publications and Books: FNverlag publishes equestrian books, horse videos, and rulebooks (LPO, APO, WBO)
4. Event Tickets and Seminars: Fees for seminars, educational events, and championships ranging from free to €65+
5. Horse Registration Services: Ownership transfer (Besitzwechsel) and tournament horse registration services
6. Fee Schedule (Gebührenordnung): Various official fees within the FN fee schedule for services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The German Equestrian Federation serves as Germany's national governing body for equestrian sports and horse breeding, providing standardized competition frameworks, official rulebooks (LPO, APO, WBO), tournament management platforms, trainer certification programs qualifying approximately 1,000 trainers annually, horse registry and breeding evaluation services, and national championship organization. It operates a comprehensive digital ecosystem including the TORIS.online tournament system, FN-Erfolgsdaten performance database, mobile app, and online registration services for over 662,926 members across 7,031 equestrian clubs.

Product overview

Pferdesport Deutschland (German Equestrian Federation / Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung) operates as the national governing body for equestrian sports and horse breeding in Germany. The organization provides a comprehensive digital ecosystem centered around its member services and tournament management infrastructure. Key products include the Pferdesport Deutschland App for mobile access to sports information, the Turnier-Software Toris platform for tournament organization, and the FN-Erfolgsdaten portal for tracking rider and horse competition results. Additional digital services include FN-Regelwerke for accessing competition rules (LPO, APO, WBO), Nennung Online for tournament registration, Online-Startbereitschaft for declaring competition readiness, and the Pferdeleistungsprüfung portal for breeding performance records. The publishing division (FNverlag) produces equestrian books, videos, and training materials, with a new magazine "Pferd & Mensch" launched in July 2026. The organization also operates the Club Pferdesport Deutschland membership program with approximately 51,896 members and offers individual membership options, serving over 7,000 equestrian clubs with 662,926 members across 17 regional and 26 breeding associations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pferdesport Deutschland App Mobile application providing equestrian enthusiasts with access to tournament schedules, news, federation services, and member information through an intuitive user experience.
• Turnier-Software Toris (TORIS.online) Tournament organization and information system for event organizers managing competition schedules, registrations, and results for equestrian events.
• FN-Erfolgsdaten Online portal providing success records and tournament results for riders and horses, enabling performance tracking and historical data access.
• FN-Regelwerke Digital access to official equestrian competition rules and regulations including LPO (Leistungsprüfungs-Ordnung), APO (Ausbildungs- und Prüfungs-Ordnung), and WBO (Wettbewerbs-Ordnung).
• FNverlag / FNverlag.de Publishing platform offering equestrian books, horse videos, rulebooks, training materials, and educational resources for riders, trainers, and horse owners.
• Nennung Online Online tournament registration service enabling riders, drivers, and horse owners to enter equestrian competitions.
• Online-Startbereitschaft Online service for declaring and managing competition readiness and starting permission for equestrian events.
• Pferdeleistungsprüfung (Hengst- & Stutenleistungsprüfung) Portal providing schedules, catalogs, and results for stallion and mare performance testing and breeding evaluations.
• Pferdebranchenbuch Online directory with addresses and contacts for the equestrian industry, including farms, trainers, veterinarians, and service providers.
• Pferdenamensuche Name search service for finding and registering horse names within the equestrian competition system.
• Club Pferdesport Deutschland Membership club program offering exclusive benefits, events, knowledge resources, and networking opportunities for equestrian enthusiasts with approximately 51,896 club members.
• Persönliches Mitglied (Individual Membership) Direct individual membership option for personal involvement with Pferdesport Deutschland, offering access to training and continuing education programs.
• Pferd & Mensch – das Magazin für Pferdesport Deutschland New professional equestrian sports magazine providing knowledge about horses and the equestrian sport for enthusiasts.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~1,000 trainers qualified annually
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• PikeurminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEquestrian apparel brand shown as sponsor/logo on federation website. Pikeur is a German brand for riding clothing and equipment.
• HövelerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHorse feed and care brand shown as sponsor/logo on federation website. Höveler is a German manufacturer of horse feed and care products.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• British Equestrian: The UK's national federation for equestrian sports, governing dressage, show jumping, eventing and other disciplines. Directly comparable as a peer national federation with a similar membership, certification, and competition-management mandate.
• US Equestrian Federation: The U.S. national governing body for equestrian sport, organizing national championships, licensing competitions, and certifying officials. Closely analogous to the FN in scope, including breeding, licensing, and federation services.
• Fédération Française d'Equitation (FFE): France's national equestrian federation, organizing licenses, competitions, and training certifications across a large club network. Highly comparable continental European peer with similar regulatory and membership model.

Regional players

• KNHS (Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation): Netherlands' national equestrian federation with a strong membership and competition network. Comparable as a neighboring European federation with similar equestrian culture, though smaller scale.
• Swedish Equestrian Federation (Svenska Ridsportförbundet): Sweden's national federation for equestrian sport, governing clubs, competitions, and education. Comparable Nordic European peer with analogous membership and training-certification structure.
• Swiss Equestrian (Schweizerischer Verband für Pferdesport): Switzerland's national equestrian federation, organizing competitions, training, and breeding oversight. Comparable Alpine-region peer with similar governance and member-services structure.
• Horse Sport Ireland: Ireland's national governing body for equestrian sport including show jumping, eventing, and dressage. Comparable as a peer federation with breeding registration and competition governance functions.
• Equestrian Australia: Australia's national equestrian federation overseeing Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines. Comparable as an English-speaking peer federation with similar membership, licensing, and championship roles.

Broad incumbents

• Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI): The international governing body for equestrian sports. The FN is a member national federation of the FEI; comparable as the higher-tier umbrella body that sets international rules and sanctions championships like WM Aachen.

Others

• Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund (DOSB): Germany's umbrella organization for Olympic sports federations, of which the FN is a member. Comparable as the parent governance layer that distributes federal funding and provides political advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DeutscheReiterlicheVereinigung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deutsche-reiterliche-vereinigung-e.v.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about German Equestrian Federation