Conceptual Framework in Developing Malaysia Equestrian Sport Elite Development Pathway

Development pathways in sport are challenging and beset with multi-faceted issues of choice and obstacles in realising a sustainable outcome. Developing a framework into sport elite is an expensive investment and features expectational risk taken by individuals, advocating sport associations and Government indulging from the many phases and parameters of development and programming; interfacing early engagement or late specialisation, nurturing, structured training, competing and ultimately measured achievable performance and not least important the post active participative sustainable career. This paper outlines the frameworks and models pertaining to sport development and career pathway espousing the importance and relevancy in the contemporary environ particularly in the context of the equestrian sport organisation i.e. EAM. Successful equestrian nations have adopted the generic Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model to guide their elite pathway for their equestrian sport development. Successful sporting nations have set the standard for other aspiring nations to emulate. Nevertheless, nations using the benchmarks of other countries have frequently showed failure in attaining goals, suggesting the adaptational process is crucial. The contemporary view is that sport development and pathway should be moulded in frameworks as per contained in LTAD, DMSP etc. of a long-term structure rather than ad hoc or short-term perspective and the most successful sport development and career process theoretically must satisfy conditions and achievement of key critical success factors in relation to SPLISS framework. The findings reveal the stakeholder sport organisation i.e. EAM adherence is rather piecemeal and is suggested to practically takes on board exploratory study through communicative and adaptive processes toward formulation of frameworks in the form of development plan and blueprint for equestrian elite development pathway.