Lexington, Ky. – New in 2018, US Equestrian will be offering an opportunity to all members to attend the free Competition and Member Summit: Facing Challenges Together, just prior to the 2018 Annual Meeting in Lexington, Ky. The Summit will be held on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST at the Hyatt Regency. The Summit is open to all members free of charge and does not require registration at the Annual Meeting.
Moderated by US Equestrian board member Tom O’Mara, the Summit’s goal is to encourage an open dialogue between members, affiliates, competition managers, experts, and staff regarding a variety of topics that affect the equine competition landscape.
The Summit will include a series of expert panels, each exploring a separate topic. Each panel will provide a presentation followed by discussion and Q&A with attendees.
The topics to be presented and discussed at the Summit include:
- Competition organizer challenges: to include discussion regarding insurance, calendar management, and the number of competitions per breed and discipline with panelists Randy Melcher from ESIX Entertainment & Sports Insurance Experts, competition manager Tom Struzzieri, United States Eventing Association Executive Director Rob Burk, American Saddlebred Horse Association President Donna PettrySmith, and competition manager Kim Aldrich-Farrell
- Costs of competing and participating in equestrian sport: with panelists US Equestrian board member Elisabeth Goth, Arabian Horse Association President Nancy Harvey, US Equestrian official Cindy Mugnier, and competition manager Lynn Walsh
- Competition standards: to include discussion surrounding updating or establishing standards, points, ratings, and licensed officials with panelists trainer Frank Madden, competition manager Pat Boyle, US Equestrian official Charlotte SkinnerRobson, competitor and trainer Jimmy Torano, and competition manager Connie Davenport
- Prize money and bonus money: with panelists competition manager Stephanie Wheeler, President of Equestrian Sport Productions Michael Stone, and competition managers Andrew Philbrick and Bob Bell
For more information on the Competition and Member Summit: Facing Challenges Together, please contact Lisa Owens at [email protected].
If you wish to attend the 2018 Annual Meeting on January 17 -20, 2018 and have not yet registered, please click here. More information, including a schedule of meetings and hotel reservations can be found online.
Members of the press are welcome to attend the Competition and Member Summit without accreditation. However, for those attending the entire 2018 Annual Meeting, please contact Kathleen Landwehr at [email protected] for a press credential.