The Professional Riders Organization (PRO) hosted a press conference at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. The press conference came on the heels of the first day of competition and in the midst of an exciting membership drive at the competition.
“We are excited by the reception the Professional Riders Organization has received in Kentucky,” said Craig R. Thompson, a distinguished event rider and PRO founder. “Though PRO is a relatively new organization, the encouragement and excitement riders and spectators have expressed reinforces our belief that PRO will change the sport for the better.”
PRO was formed in 2009 by a group of leading professional riders, including Phillip Dutton, Buck Davidson, Laura VanderVliet and Allison Springer, who felt they had a special obligation to and interest in strengthening the sport of eventing. In addition to representing the goals and objectives of professional riders, PRO is also dedicated to elevating the level of competition, contributing to ongoing rider education, improving the standards of competition and promoting safety while working to attract new fans, sponsors and participants.
“Until now, professional riders have had no unified voice. PRO understands the unique interests and concerns of riders competing at the highest levels of the sport,” remarked Buck Davidson, an acclaimed professional rider currently competing at Rolex.
Among PRO’s chief goals are:
· Providing a strong, unified voice for upper level, professional riders with direct influence over policy making within the sport.
· Encouraging the free exchange of ideas and consensus building to influence current governing organizations of the sport.
· Increasing professional riders’ representation on boards and committees and providing clout to professional riders’ voting power.
· Working with event venues and sponsors to establish and promote professional guidelines.
· Providing the means to increase awareness and accessibility of benefit and retirement programs for professional riders.
· Establishing programs to increase community awareness and general fan interest in eventing.
· Encouraging ongoing safety through education and advocacy.
Though formed with professional riders in mind, PRO plans to work with the eventing community to increase spectators' involvement. As eventing grows in popularity, PRO will work with both current and prospective fans to raise its profile to that of more mainstream, high-profile sports. Through partnership with sponsors and spectators, PRO will work to make eventing more exciting and dynamic as it continues to evolve.
In addition to many of PRO’s riders competing at Kentucky, the organization launched a membership drive at the event. The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is one of the most prestigious events of the year, and PRO has already signed up several new members in the first days of the competition.
“We are thrilled to launch PRO during such an exciting time in our sport’s evolution,” said Phillip Dutton, Olympic Gold medalist and PRO founder. “Professional riders are passionate about eventing, and we can’t wait to harness that passion to strengthen our sport.”