Get ready for an incredible journey as US Equestrian reveals the main attractions with the biggest yearly meet of the season?where star power and horsepower collide! Last year, the Chief of Sport, David O’Connor proposed a question to an enthralled audience at the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s Annual Meeting, “Can we train with current practices in the middle of Central Park in New York City and defend your actions?”

This difficult question prepared the audience for a crucial conversation that took place in Lexington, Kentucky, on January 12?14. During the two days, attendees deliberated on the wider social acceptance of the use of horses in sports, examining the central query of whether present methods are in line with the expectations. Another year, another conference announcement, and everything there’s to know.

Equestrian community’s next gathering!

The 2024 US Equestrian Annual Meeting is now accepting registrations updated by @usequestrian’s Instagram story. The conference is set to take place on January 12?14, 2024, at the Omni Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The Annual Meeting will continue to follow the popular format that was unveiled the previous year, with a two-day interactive workshop format. With the theme ‘Our Future Is Now,’ the three-day program will build on the conversations from the previous year about social license and horse welfare in the context of equestrian sports.

Reputable workshop facilitators Drs. Camie Heleski, Jim Heird, and David O’Connor will cover a wide range of subjects, from biosecurity to ongoing discussions on the well-being of horses. The Bluegrass state’s rich cultural activities and friendly Southern hospitality are sure to make the Annual Meeting more enjoyable than just horses!

The workshop registration process is first-come, first-served, so those interested would need to hurry to guarantee their position. Attending the sessions is free of charge. Notably, a peek into O’Connor’s investigation from last year became crucial to examining how the equestrian society adheres to the notion of “social license to operate.”

Insights of the 2023 US Equestrian Annual Meeting

The focus of the conference’s first day was the equestrian side of social license. A substantial international study that the Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission performed was presented by Dr. Camie Heleski, a specialist in equine behavior. In addition, Dr. Roly Owers, CEO of World Horse Welfare, spoke beside her and offered insights into the state of social license in modern times. In the equestrian world, Heleski brought up the contentious episode from the Tokyo Olympics with a German coach abusing a horse used for modern pentathlon.

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Following the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, show jumping was eliminated from the five-phase sport as a result of this highly publicized occurrence. Heleski emphasized that the general public may not be able to distinguish between different horse sports. This could directly lead to problems with the impact of other equestrian activities as a whole. Now, hopping onto another year of serious discussion on the table,

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