August 2020 Issue

Page 4 August 2020 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN USEF, Other Equestrian Organizations Strive to Reach Riders of Color Other leading equine sport groups too say they are aware of the challenges to diversify a sport that that is cost-prohibitive for people of all backgrounds and are working to address them. The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. has an explicit non-discrimination policy and has always structured programming to stress inclusion and education, said Shelley Mann, communica- tions director. “We continually work to expand diversity among members not based on ethnic- ity, rather based on equestrian education through working and engaging with others and the ability and desire to safely care for their equine partners,” said Mann. “Our mission is to deliver quality equine education to any and every potential equestrian in a safe and effective manner,” she said. “In an attempt to deliver horse care resources at a grass roots level, we have partnered some of our educational pro- gramming with several inner-city nonprofit organizations with similar missions and diverse members.” Rob Burke, chief executive officer of United States Eventing Association, said while his orga- nization has worked to expand its membership, work needs to be done to actively broaden the scope of its participants. “The image that we have projected over the years to the public has not necessarily been an image of diversity,” he said. “We can do much better and we recognize that. “ One Pennsylvania equine facility could be a global model; it was literally built on inclusivity. Since 1994 Lezlie Hiner has run the Work to Ride program in Fairmont Park, Philadelphia, connecting chil- dren from some of the city’s toughest neighborhoods with horses. Hundreds of students have passed through Hiner’s Chamou- nix stable doors, many of them going on to become members of its internationally acclaimed polo team, which has competed across the globe. Several of her top riders have won college scholar- ships. Hiner, who fundraises and generates income from public riding lessons to support Work to Ride, said she has long specifically entered her riders only in events judged by the clock or the number of goals, not where ribbons are based on the subjective interpretation of a judge. “Not the competitions where you have to have the right boots or the best jacket,” she said. “So, we don’t have the best horses. The kids have fun.” Once, years ago, Hiner recalled, an 11-year-old student rode a perfect hunter course and didn’t get pinned. Hiner urged the girl to ask the judge what she could have done differently. The judge apologized and told the girl, “I forgot about you.” “Was that because she was a kid of color? I don’t know,” said Hiner. Loman points out that the African American community is an “untapped market for our industry” and that equestrian sports organizations could do more to encourage new riders and bring people of color into the ranks of horse professionals in and out of the ring, whether as trainers, veterinarians, farriers, course designers, judges or show stewards. The USEF said it is looking beyond marketing and internal changes to reach non-tradi- tional groups, whether by race, socioeconomic status, veterans or the disabled, through per- formance-based grant funding opportunities. Swift said other ideas under consideration are need-based higher education grants and training with promi- nent coaches. “We want to set people up for success so that they might give back to the industry,” she said. “It’s a marathon not a sprint. We want to be as effective as possible. We want to continue pushing the needle on this and reach as many people as possi- ble.” (Continued from page 1)