This is an award that can be given to individuals who are not WIMA members. This award is described in our constitution but prior to 2020 it had never been awarded to anyone.
We were many who got involved in the Women Riders World Relay and saw how the women riders’ community benefited globally by the energy and enthusiasm. The attention on women riders in media and the networking that followed brought several new divisions into WIMA and new members and revived spirit into others. Trui Hanoulle, at the time president of WIMA Belgium, put all this into words and formulated a proposal for the WIMA Special Recognition to be given to Hayley Bell and the admins. Her proposal was approved but with the change that they are awarded a lifetime membership in WIMA World. For this to be possible a small change in the constitution was required, as previously membership was only possible in a national division. Now membership in WIMA World can be awarded through special recognition and this is what Hayley Bell, Liv Seuring, Liza Miller, Mar Gómez García, Maria O’Reilly, Michelle Lamphere, Sara Osterholzer and Shana Sanderson were awarded in 2020.
The award was handed over by Åsa Öhqvist, International President at the time, in London at the WRWR closing ceremony. All national presidents attending the event accompanied her on stage at the hand over.
The proposal is included here in full, and the copyright of the photos included are as follows:
Photo 1: WRWR, 2: Trui Hanoulle, 3: WRWR, 4: WRWR, 5: Trui Hanoulle, Dimple Chaudhary, Nirmali Nath, 6: Trui Hanoulle, 7: Haider Aleez, 8: Trui Hanoulle, Dimple Chaudhary, Nirmali Nath, 9: Ieva Kairiene, 10: Trui Hanoulle.
