WE News Category: President’s Letter

President's Letter By: Leslie MartienDear USAWE Members, It is time to...

President's Letter By: Leslie Martien Dear USAWE Members, For many of us...

This is an exciting time for our organization. Nearly a year has passed since WE United and the Confederation for Working Equitation merged to form USAWE. As we begin our second election process with a call for candidates,

This year is flying by, and we are rapidly closing in on the time for another election! As per our bylaws, several USAWE Board of Director positions are opening up for 2022.

As USAWE moves into the second half of our first year I am amazed at how far we’ve come and how much we’ve accomplished. But I’m also reminded of how new we are and how much we have left to do.

Our committees continue to work quietly behind the scenes. The Awards Committee recently purchased some beautiful medals for year-end awards and are busy keeping track of scores.

As of May 30, 2021, members in three different regions have self-organized and applied for licenses to host Regional Championships this year. The first to get on the books was the Region 6 Championship being hosted by our Affiliate Organization New England Working Equitation in Pennsylvania.

The continued growth and development of USAWE is inspiring, and I am constantly amazed at the amount of time, energy, and enthusiasm our board and committee members commit to the organization.

Snow, rain, mud and shedding – sure signs that spring is right around the corner! And with it is the anticipation of shows and clinics and the opportunity for many of us to dig out our obstacles and begin to train our horses in earnest. So far there are 76 shows scheduled across the country…

February 6th was a momentous occasion – USAWE held its first Annual Member Meeting! We had nearly 70 members “Zoom” in for the meeting, and our Board of Directors and Committee Chairs did their best to answer questions that were presented ahead of time or during the meeting.

Most of us were universal in our feeling that 2020 couldn’t end soon enough. Like many of you, I felt some optimism while ushering in the new year and had the belief that 2021 would be better. While it’s early in the year and perhaps too soon to say for sure, I’m cautiously optimistic.

This is the time of year that many of us begin to look forward to celebrating the holidays with friends and family. We decorate with beloved family treasurers and our homes fill with the smell of freshly-baked cookies and the sounds of singing and laughter. For many of us, this year may look a little different; our circle may be a little smaller and our celebrations may be quieter.