President’s Letter
By: Leslie Martien
Dear USAWE Members,
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 – our Judges, Technical Delegates and provisional TDs are going to be kept busy.
In fact, many shows struggle to find qualified TDs. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a licensed TD but have been intimidated by the process, the Licensed Official’s Committee has an excellent Provisional TD program. The experience you get as a Provisional TD can be applied towards your TD license and that experience helps you learn the sport “from the inside out”.
To that end, our Licensed Officials Committee continues to work hard to develop their educational programs and just recently held their first, online educational webinar that was hugely successful. They are committed to providing our Licensed Officials with the best educational opportunities possible until the time comes when we can gather in person.
After the disappointing year we had last year, I hope each of you finds plenty of opportunities to compete in shows, ride in clinics or simply introduce your horses to new obstacles. Reach out to your Regional Directors to find out what’s going on in your area.
As Working Equitation continues to grow it will be easier and easier to find events near you. And remember – your continuing education is important too. Volunteer, scribe, TD or audit an educational seminar. No matter how much you know there’s always something new to learn. After all, isn’t that what keeps Working Equitation interesting and exciting?
Leslie Martien
USAWE President
president@usawe.org