meaningful. Meaningful can be described as being posi- tive and significant; finding a way to bring into focus the “greater good” of the sport and how the participation on an individual level can have a positive impact within and outside of the industry. Having a clearly defined mes- sage of purpose aligned throughout the organization and programs will increase the relevance of our sport to future generations. It won’t be easy, however; it will take a creative cross-pollination of industries, sectors and ge- ography to make it happen. Horses will always play a large role for humankind.
Finding new and innovative ways to create spin-off ef- forts from our sport will be key in assuring future suc- cess. Some examples are: compassion programs for individuals or youth in
need that would lead to employment possibilities, collaboration with organizations and individuals
to help sport horses find a secondary career, such as therapy programs, alignment with universities and research institutes on the scientific effect participation with horses can have, from neurological development in young children to increasing white brain matter in adults to help delay Alzheimer’s disease or dementia,
studies on how participation in our sport can posi-
tively impact speech-delayed children or others with spectrum disorders. These are all exciting initiatives that could breathe
new life into our sport. After all, the need for meaning and purpose is an intergenerational and universal hu- man desire, something all of us relate to no matter our age or experience. It is time we all re-examine our own mindsets toward our sports and the horses we love. Only by doing this will our horse sports thrive and be relevant for generations to come.
About the author: Summer Stoffel is the CEO and founder of Equicore, an IT company specializing in the development of data platforms and solutions for the equine industry. As the owner of Silver Creek International, she breeds Warm- bloods that are competing both nationally and internation- ally. She also works with the breed regis- tries, national equestrian federations, the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses and the World Horse Identification and Recording Data Exchange Commission, as well as serving on the USEF Horse Identifi- cation Task Force Committee.
82 January/February 2019
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