Has the Maryland Horse Industry hit
Dictionary.com defi nes “the tip- ping point” as “the culmination of a buildup of small changes that ef- fects a big change.” T e Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge University Press defi ntes a tipping point as “the time at which a change or an eff ect cannot be stopped.” Has the Maryland horse indus-
try hit a tipping point? Yes, if the energy and activity of both the Maryland Horse Industry Board and the Maryland Horse Council are any evidence.
What is a Tipping Point?
T e tipping point is the critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible development. T e term is said to have origi- nated in the fi eld of epidemiology when an infectious disease reaches a point beyond any local ability to control it from spreading more widely. A tipping point is often considered to be a turning point. T e term is now used in many fi elds. Journalists apply it to social phenomena, demographic data, and almost any change that is likely to lead to additional consequences. Marketers see it as a threshold that, once reached, will result in additional sales. In some usage, a tipping point is simply an addition or increment that in itself might not seem extraordinary but unexpectedly leads to a big eff ect. A tipping point may occur simply because a critical mass has been reached. - From
whatis.techtarget.com
T e number of new initiatives and the number of enthusiastic, capable and committed volunteers is im- pressive. Something is in the air. Whatever this something is, it should make those who have been toiling away over the last two de- cades, laying the foundation for this sudden,
frenzied industry
building activity, very proud. What is notable is that there
have been, essentially, only one or two major accomplishments per year for the last twenty-fi ve years,
but now, in 2011, the list of ac- complishments for just one year is going to exceed the list of ac- complishments for entire decade. Have we hit the tipping point? Read on! For a list of these “small chang-
es,” please see
equieriy.com/ar- chives, select “Opinions” and look for “T e Tipping Point.”
Who IS the Maryland Equestrian Community? What IS the Maryland horse industry?
versation,
For the purposes of THIS con- the
industry” and the equestrian community”
“Maryland horse “Maryland refer to
the broader horse world of ALL horse sports and ALL horse breeds and ALL types of horse people and horse businesses. For far too long, “horse industry” has referred almost exclusively to the racing industry in Maryland– which is understandable,
given
that it was the only entity formally organized well enough to present
itself to the general media and to our politicians as one (albeit un- united) industry. And for well over a century, it was the racing indus- try that fueled all the horse sports in Maryland.
The Pendulum Swings
But “horse industry” is no lon- ger shorthand for “the racing industry.” Today, the “Maryland horse industry” and the “Maryland equestrian community” encom- pass ALL breeds, ALL sports and equestrian activities, ALL types of horse people. Racing is no longer the powerhouse that it once was. Leftover T oroughbred race horses no longer hold the dominance that they once did in the sports of show hunters, eventing, foxhunting and dressage (yes, remember when our country’s greatest dressage riders competed on T oroughbreds?), and in the lesson programs. Harness racing and its noble
Standardbred have faded from our awareness as tracks have closed
continued... MARYLAND COMBINED TRAINING ASSOCIATION
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12 | THE EQUIERY | JUNE 2011 800-244-9580 |
www.equiery.com
835119-110611
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