Dressage Letters February 2020

February 2020 ~ Dressage Letters ~ Page 4 SAFE SPORT Michael Henry from the U.S. Center for Safe Sport explained the procedures of the Center, noting that there were half a dozen employees at the opening in 2017, with 40 currently and a planned expansion to 80. They oversee 52 national bodies that have jurisdiction over various types of sports. Mr. Henry tried valiantly to defend the procedures of Safe Sport in view of the hammering they have received in several high profile cases. He insisted that the “respondent” is in on everything from the time the complaint is received and that the much criticized temporary suspensions comprise fewer than ½ of 1% of overall equestrian complaints. He insisted that there are significant differences between the normal legal system and the procedures one can expect when dealing with charges against an individual by an organization. These cases CAN have ramifications in the civil or criminal legal system but do not begin that way. There did not seem to be a good response to the question of how they are able to weed out the complaints that arise from using the Safe Sport process as a weaponizing tactic. Specifically, “I don’t like you, therefore I will make an anonymous complaint against you”. The presumption is that the investigation process will mitigate the possibility of this happening and we were assured that complaints were stricken off when there was no substantiation found. Sonja Keating, USEF General Counsel, begged everyone to ignore social media. Reading the Safe Sport Code and the USEF’s version as it applies to equestrian, would be a preferred reference point. Notably, the Safe Sport section of the USEF website (www. usef.org) is designed to respond to the membership’s concerns with FAQ, Myths and Facts, Resources. We were told that USEF offers a 24/7 mental health hot-line as a membership benefit. Up to three counseling sessions are available to members. THE FUTURE OF EQUESTRIAN: LEVERAGING DATA & TECHNOLOGY This rather lofty title translated to several presentations by self- styled data nerds on how various technologies can make a safer support for horses and, presumably, humans. The presenters were from very different backgrounds but of a like mind; the data can be tracked and used. One example was the footing issue. Trainer A takes ten horses to a show. Four of them show in Class X in Arena 1. Of the trainer’s ten horses, those four come up with lameness issues. Was it the footing? If the other 20 horses in the class had no lameness issues, was there something else? Was it the nature of that class? Do the horses compete on a different footing at home? Endless questions. Data can be a tool to identify issues that might compromise horse health and safety. One of the presenters informed us that in the sport of sky diving, video is ALWAYS used. That is how they are judged in competitions, and more importantly, 100% of beginners use video. Making progress five times faster. The sky diving video people are revered for their work, even to the point of being included as part of the team in award ceremonies. MEDIA If I was hearing correctly, LandRover/Rolex primetime NBC coverage (since 1999) is the gold standard. The challenge is to distill four days into 44 minutes. Most of us will never be faced with this problem, but if you ever are, be aware that there are companies that are specifically positioned to lead you through the process. The blogger behind “Warmbloods and Wine” was a reminder that one does not have to have NBC prime time presence to be able to connect with like minded individuals through social media. Listening to her interactions with the media professionals on the panel, it seemed as if they were picking her brain for nuggets of wisdom. What she offered was her genuine experiences of being a working single person with a taste for wine and horses. Very relatable. Somewhat appallingly, it was stated that the NFL rule changes were responsible for an increase in popularity of football, the implication being that this is one means to an end. Specifically, equestrian has women competing equally versus men and how cool is that? Why then the rigid jacket codes that do anything but draw attention to this? Triple Crown racing winners – who remembers the jockey? And how about the name “Eventing”? Sounds like a party planning organization? Marketing the rider, the horse, or both when appropriate needs to be the focus and the trick is to figure out the best approach. For any media, the “up close and personal” stories are attractive, but you probably knew that. GOVERNANCE During the one hour open part of the meeting, we learned that despite monthly meetings the Committee did not get through their agenda. Out of the conversations, it appears that training for people on Councils and Committees is needed as the members often do not understand what are the expectations (job descriptions) for their positions. USEF already has training for Board members. EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY’S IMPACT ON GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL ISSUES Aregrettably small audience was treated to a solid and compelling presentation that was sponsored through the generosity of Mars Equestrian. After learning that the Snickers Bar was named after a pony – love it! – we heard from people who spoke under the following headings: Improving Lives of Working Donkeys and Equines Helps Lift People Out of Poverty Addressing Carbon Emissions Supporting Farmers with Land Management Best Practices Equestrian Community Unites to Support Families in Underdeveloped Nations Manure Removal and Decomposition: Best Practices and New Technologies The session is available on USEF’s website with a summary available under press releases. This topic needs a separate article to do it justice and it is a shame that there were so few present. Hopefully that is not indicative of lack of interest but more of conflicts with other meetings. There was good information for all, not just equestrians, and information on how to tune into resources that help. This meeting put the fussing over horse show licenses into perspective. The best illustration of all of how to tackle these enormous problems was given by a woman who took up rock climbing. She