CEO Update - August 2023

I hope this message finds you all well and looking forward to the longer, warmer days ahead.

In the national office we are on a journey of continuous improvement, striving to enhance our processes in every aspect of our organisation to enable us to deliver the best possible service to our members. We trust that you have already found it easier to contact the desired department as a result of the new phone system and we certainly welcome any feedback on this.

We are working closely with our state branches to identify areas where we can streamline processes, eliminate duplication, and reduce unnecessary expenses. We firmly believe that by improving efficiency, we can better allocate our resources towards initiatives that directly benefit our members and enhance their equestrian experience.

As we move forward in the reform process, our members are forefront in all our decisions and over the coming weeks we will be communicating details in relation to the path forward for our organisation. Notice has been issued for the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held on Monday 9 October at 7pm. We invite all our members to participate in this meeting and more details will be provided in the coming weeks.

We have had international success last month, with Jodie McKeone taking out the Bronze Medal in a brilliant performance at the FEI Para Driving World Championships in Exloo, Netherlands. This is the first time Australia has been represented in Para Driving at a World Championships and we are very proud of Jodie and congratulate her on this outstanding result.

We are just under one year away until the Paris 2024 Paralympics and we look forward with much anticipation to our Para Dressage team qualifying in December. 2024 is going to be a big year and with teams now qualified across all three disciplines for the Paris Olympic Games, we hope to make great inroads into engaging the general public and building a wider interest in equestrian sport as we cheer on our athletes towards Paris.

I hope the month ahead brings you lots of enjoyment and success in your equestrian pursuits and I appreciate your ongoing support as we navigate this journey towards greater efficiency and financial responsibility. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the success and sustainability of our sport.