July 2020 Issue

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EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN July 2020 Page 27 East Coast Equestrian P.O. Box 8412, Lancaster, PA 17604-8412 (717) 509-9800 E-mail: PAEquest@aol.com www.eastcoastequestrian.net Published by Pennsylvania Equestrian, LLC Stephanie Shertzer Lawson, Editor and Publisher Contributors Marcella Peyre-Ferry, Suzy Lucine, Suzanne Bush, Kimberly French, Lois Szymanski, Sylvia Sidesaddle Advertising Manager Debbie Reid Advertising Sales Manager Phyllis Hurdleston Published 11 times a year. Submissions of articles, events and photos are welcome and should be received by the 10th of the month preceding publication. Please call (717) 509-9800 for advertising rates or visit www.pennsylvaniaequestrian.com. We cannot accept copyrighted photos without permission from owner. You must have permission before reprinting anything from East Coast Equestrian. For permission please call (717) 509-9800 or email steph@eastcoastequestrian.net June 9, 2020 Dear Equestrian Community, The protests and political unrest ignited by the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis have dominated the news throughout the world and motivated hundreds of thousands – including many of our employees – to protest peacefully against racial injustice. This has been a difficult and emotional time, and we wanted to share with you the steps US Equestrian is taking to listen, learn, and do more. Last Tuesday, US Equestrian participated in #BlackoutTuesday and issued the following statement: We pause in solidarity and support of the black members of our community. We are committed to listening and learning from you. We hear you. We stand with you. We can and will do better. Black lives matter. We are energized by the overwhelming amount of support from this commu- nity for Black equestrians and your desire for us to do more. We believe it is important to be very clear: Black lives matter to US Eques- trian . We stand firmly against racism and discrimination of any kind and are taking steps to further educate our staff and create a more inclusive and diverse commu- nity for all staff and participants. (We encourage) members to take some time…to educate themselves on the history and importance of these issues. Educating ourselves is the first step. Going forward, every employee will be required to take Diversity and Inclusion training, as well as Unconscious Bias training, each year. As we work to schedule these trainings, there are many resources immediately available to our entire equestrian community. We are asking our employees and Board approval and implementation of a US Equestrian Diversity and Inclusion Commitment Statement andAction Plan. Over the past several months, Ashley Swift, a dedicated member of our Communications Department, has been leading this work and her recommendations will be presented to the Board of Directors at the Mid-Year Meeting. There will be opportunities for members and staff of US Equestrian to engage with and contribute to this program. Increased communication to members on US Equestrian’s commitment to do its part to fight against racism. This includes providing members with edu- cational resources – including training on Diversity and Inclusion, and Unconscious Bias – and ways to work to end racism. We know we cannot do this alone, but we can – and will – do our part. We understand this is an emotional and difficult time for many. Remember, US Equestrian paid fan and competing members have access 24/7 to a mental health first aid hotline at 1-800-633-3353. Please do not hesitate to reach out and take advantage of these free services. Thank you all for your efforts to spread the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible, and for advancing our goal of increasing diversity in equestrian sport through an educated and open equestrian community. Respectfully, Bill Moroney Chief Executive Officer, US Equestrian USEF CEO Issues Statement on Racism By Sylvia Sidesaddle Hello again darlings and welcome to the summer of 2020! As the pandemic continues to kill thousands and protesters take to the streets Syl is feeling strangely hopeful. A national conversation about racial injustice and aggres- sive policing is underway and this time it feels different. With almost 76% of the American pop- ulation supporting the protests as Syl writes, and organizations from the USEF to NASCAR tak- ing steps to recognize and rectify ingrained racism, a long overdue change might be actually coming. In this strange year, cars have replaced horses at Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds. Yes darlings—the showground is hosting drive-in movies this summer. Organizers are still hop- ing to hold the Labor Day show but without the country fair or spectators. They expect to decide July 1, which is still in the future as Syl writes. More cancelations, sadly, darlings. No Devon Fall Classic this year. No Keystone Interna- tional Livestock show. No Dres- sage at Devon or Maryland 5 Star or Ag Progress Days. It’s easier to talk about what’s still on—as Syl writes, the Fair Hill Thor- oughbred Show, Plantation Field International, Ludwig’s Corner and Harrisburg, though judging by what’s happened to the shows directly preceding it, Syl will be amazed if Harrisburg happens. Oh well sweet things—there’s always next year! The pandemic has made horses visiting nursing homes sort of a thing. Recently Thoroughbred Retirement Retraining and Careers (TRRAC) took their 2020 Retired Racehorse Project Makeover hopeful Cinco YCinco to Poco- pson Nursing Home in Chester County, PA to visit the residents, who have gone months without outside visitors. Cinco, who is a gorgeous dapple gray, peeked in each window, smushing his muzzle on the window for “kisses” and quietly watching each resident, some of whom were former riders, blow kisses and wave. Congratulations to Shariah Harris , who graduated from Cor- nell University with a degree in Animal Science in this weird year of virtual graduations. Shariah has so many ‘firsts’ to her name: first in her family to graduate college. First African American woman to be named Polo Training Founda- tion Interscholastic female player of the year. First African Ameri- can woman to captain the Cornell Polo team. First African American woman to play high goal polo. First Work to Ride graduate to attend an Ivy League university. And so much more. We can ex- pect great things darlings! As Syl writes, racing has resumed at Penn National. Customers must wear masks and answer a health survey before entering. No trackside access – races must be watched from the third-floor indoor seating area that overlooks the oval. The track expects to race Wednesdays and Fridays for the first three weeks before resuming a three-day per week schedule, according to the PHBPA. Parx was planning to reopen on June 22, with racing Monday through Wednesday with average daily purses reduced from the pre-pandemic $270,000 to $180,000. Presque Isle Downs was still in limbo as Syl writes. Condolences to the family and friends of Robert Kinsley , who died June 10 at the age of 79. A prominent steeplechase owner, whose Incomplete was the 2012 timber champion, he was a successful self-made business- man, President Emeritus of the Elkridge-Harford Hunt, a director of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show and so much more. Keep your eyes open, darlings, for missing horse SNF Kiss This, also known as Newt. A stallion owed by Joe Marisa , he is missing from his pasture in Davidsville, PA (near John- stown, Somerset County) and believed to be stolen. The stallion is a buckskin AQHA registered Quarter Horse with a distinctive freeze brand on his left hip that says SHF with a rafter, which looks like a roof of a house, above the lettering. He also has a cloudy dot in his right eye from an old injury. Any sightings can be reported through Stolen Horse International’s website, netposse. com. And there’s a $2500 reward offered. The therapeutic riding orga- nization PATH Intl. has funded 12 therapeutic riding participants who would otherwise be unable to participate in equine-assisted activities and therapies. Among them are Ariana Garde , who rides at Leg Up Farm, Mt. Wolf, PA and Zayla Griffin , who rides at The Therapeutic and Rec- reational Riding Center, Glen- wood, MD. Zayla’s instructor, Lisa Sowers, said, “Zayla has not been able to participate in lessons or equine assisted therapy following her initial sponsorship. One of my best young students, she quickly learned and can now build upon her character, talent and resilience as an experienced equestrian.” This is a good time for Syl to remind her sweet things that nonprofits really need their help right now!! The INVEST in America Act package, H.R. 2, is headed for consideration in the House of Rep- resentatives. Provisions in the bill would create safe passageways, including bridges and tunnels, for wildlife moving across landscapes to find food, water and shelter, adapt to changing environmental conditions, or migrate. It also bans shipping horses in double decker trailers, which Syl thought was already illegal?? Anyway darlings, Syl thinks it sounds like a good one to support. And that’s it for Syl for an- other month! Until next time, wear your mask and always remember to S.S.S. (Send Syl Scoop) at PAEquest@aol.com . And…be careful where you step!