Baku (Azerbaijan), Dec 15 (IANS): Belgium's Ingmar De Vos has been elected the president of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to replace outgoing chief Haya Bint Al Hussein.

De Vos, who had served as the FEI's secretary general since May 2011, won an overwhelming victory in the first round of voting Sunday to defeat his three European rivals, Swiss businessman and horse breeder Pierre Genecand, FEI vice-president John McEwen and French Olympic show-jumping champion Pierre Durand, reports Xinhua.

His 98 votes out of a possible 131 at the FEI general assembly here saw him become the first non-royal president of the FEI since 1954.

He will start his four-year term following the conclusion of the general assembly and also announced he will resign as secretary general Sunday.

Current FEI director of governance and executive affairs Sabrina Zeender will take over as the secretary general of the organisation until a permanent replacement is found.