Membership Committee
Membership Committee Report – as of June 24, 2021
- Current number of USAWE members: 937
- Number of members added in the past month: 56
- Current number of Youth members: 92
- Number of recorded horses: 2691
- Number of Affiliate Organizations: 25
By: Mindy Finelli, Membership Committee Chair
Ethics Committee
Greetings from your USAWE Ethics Committee! The Ethics Committee is a group composed of six volunteers: Ali Kermeen, Cindy Branham, Adair Soho, Secretary Marcy Buffington, Co-Chair Dan Dahlke, and Chair Leesa Nero.
Our job is to look at situations in which a USAWE member or official might have acted in a way that is counter to the Ethics Policy, Social Media Policy, Community Code, or Code of Conduct. These policies and codes can be found on the USAWE website, along with the other policies, rules, procedures, and guidelines that help build this community and make USAWE a strong, transparent organization.
The Committee membership is a good representation of the USAWE membership. We have members from both coasts, Texas, Florida, and the Midwest. Committee members include equine professionals and amateurs.
Some of us have been involved in Working Equitation since its inception in the United States. Others have come to it more recently. I am a newcomer, having just discovered the discipline in the last 18 months, and enjoying introducing both myself and my young horse to this fun new sport.
We come from all walks of life professionally, but all of us have a commitment to serving our communities and the organizations we’re part of. That means USAWE Ethics Committee members have years of combined experience serving on boards and committees for public school districts, library systems, businesses, equestrian governing organizations, 4-H, Pony Club, and community associations.
Most importantly, each of us is dedicated to doing our part to help USAWE grow, and to fostering a true Working Equitation community.
We hope all of you will take some time to go over the Code of Ethics for Coaches and for Licensed Officials, the Social Media Policy, and the Code of Conduct for Officers and Directors.
These are the tools that will help guide USAWE as we become a bigger and better organization, helping us safeguard our equine partners and maintain a thriving, welcoming community of WE enthusiasts.
Keep in touch—we’re here to address your concerns!
By Marcy Buffington, Ethics Committee Secretary
Competitions Committee
June 10, 2021
We are in the height of show season now, with shows scheduled every weekend throughout the summer months.
Show licenses issued to date: 97
Shows completed to date: 25
Shows licensed by level:
- B-rated: 93
- A-rated: 1
Regional championships: 3
Shows licensed by region:
- Region 1: 19
- Region 2: 25
- Region 3: 08
- Region 4: 06
- Region 5: 22
- Region 6: 12
- Region 7: 05
By: Jeanne Bond, Competitions Committee Chair
Rules Committee
June 24, 2021
Rule Change Announcement
The Rules committee has released Revision 4.1 to the U.S. Rules for Working Equitation to be incorporated immediately.
This rule change, dated 16 June 2021, allows a veterinarian and a farrier to be on call at A-rated and championship shows, eliminating the requirement for them to be on site.
The veterinarian will be required on site for initial inspections only. B-rated shows, which constitute 95 percent of our show roster, have been operating without problem under this rule.
The timing for this rule change was necessary to support the organizers of the regional championship shows this year.
Incorporating this change reduces the cost to show organizers by an estimated $5000 for each show. Lower show costs translate directly to lower entry fees, which benefit our members as well.
The change pages for revision 4.1 are included separately on the rules page of the USAWE website – Rules and Dressage Tests, to enable easy replacement of the affected pages in revision 4.
By Jeanne Bond, Rules Committee Chair
Licensed Officials Committee
USAWE currently has:
- “S” judges: 5
- “R” judges: 4
- “r” judges: 6
- “L” judges: 2
- Licensed Technical Delegates: 21
By Doreen Atkinson & Christy Reich, LOC Committee Co-chairs
Coaches Network
About the USAWE Coaches Network
The Coaches Network is an opportunity to recognize our experienced trainers and instructors who are dedicated to working equitation.
The Coaches Network highlights these individuals on the USAWE website to promote the sport, not only in their area, but across the country. Coaches are individuals who have invested time and energy into their working equitation education. Their experiences can further the education of people new to the sport or those of us looking to refine our rides and improve our horsemanship.
USAWE is a new and growing organization. Coaches have their boots on the ground expanding this sport that we all love, helping our members achieve their goals. We are now accepting applications to join this program and become a recognized Coach!
The process is outlined on the USAWE website. This program allows for us to provide national recognition to working equitation professionals. A USAWE Coach will be promoted on the USAWE website including a bio, photo and link to your business website. We want to enable new USAWE members, as well as people curious about the sport, to easily locate dedicated, experienced professionals who can mentor them in the sport.
The Coaches Network launched March 1st and there are numerous inquiries moving through the application process. Coaches will be part of a diverse network of trainers and instructors committed to improving horsemanship through working equitation.
We are excited to recognize these individuals in the coming months!
Have questions? Contact us!
coaches@usawe.org
