Equestrian Life
Equestrian Australia: CEO Update Quarter 1 – July to September 2018

Horse legs - Shutterstock, no credit needed

 

EA CEO Update Quarter 1 – July to September 2018

Dear Members,

?My first day in the role as Chief Executive for Equestrian Australia (EA) was 24 August 2018. On this day Equestrian Australia (EA) hosted Sports Forum I. in Melbourne, Victoria bringing together Directors and CEOs from EA and the Branches. All Branches and EA finished the day agreeing “to continue to work closely over the coming weeks to develop key deliverables and outcomes in the lead up to the Annual General Meeting in November”. In addition, the meeting also agreed to work towards the reinstatement of the EA national coaching committee.

Since Sports Forum I. EA successfully pitched to Sport Australia for funding to support the cost of hosting further forums including Sports Forum II. EA also liaised with a number of Branch CEOs to determine the preferred facilitator for the day. It was supported we change to facilitator Roger Norton from Norton Crumlin & Associates for Sports Forum II. Another initiative by EA was to invite 1-2 representatives from the EA national discipline committees (NDC). This was received positively from the NDCs and all reports were that working closer together with aligned goals and plans must be achieved if we want a thriving and sustainable future for everyone.

An EA Coach Forum was coordinated with representatives invited from all states and territories. EA asked Tracey Ward to facilitate the Coaches Forum. Both EA Forums (sport & coaching) had preparation work including between 15-20 interviews with Equestrian people from around Australia to ensure the work had been done to achieve maximum results in Sydney on Thursday 22 November. As CEO I worked closely for the month leading in to both forums to ensure facilitators were aware of the agreed outcomes.

On Wednesday 21 November was the EA AGM, and part of the day included the Board and state Branch members, and NDCs, being invited to a series of informative presentations from Gow Gates on insurance, Sports Australia (formerly Australian Sports Commission) on good governance principles and how to achieve these within our sport, and a sport lawyer case study on how we need to improve all our EA policies for the benefit of our community, participants, volunteers, staff and directors. Complaints continue to remain higher than the Equestrian community would like and I believe we can work together with better policies and management in the future.

Other highlights during this time include Australia being represented in all 8 disciplines at the World Equestrian Games (WEG). Australia was 1 of only 5 countries in the world to achieve this milestone. As the EA representative attending WEG the experience enabled me to meet and speak with other National Federations, and speak with the staff of the FEI (PR/communications, legal and Secretary General). As the EA representative I supported all 8 disciplines during WEG. I also represented Australia at a FEI function with the International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. The result of Boyd Exell winning the World Championships for Carriage Driving was wonderful. Pleasingly Australia also qualified in all 3 Olympic disciplines for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. This result secured EA high performance funding through to 2020. I am very proud of the hard work and planning through to WEG performance of all the EA high performance team. Well done and congratulations to Chris Webb the EA High Performance Director.

EA and other parties are still involved with the inquest into the tragic deaths of Olivia Inglis and Caitlin Fisher in 2016. EA will be going to the coroners court next year. EA is offering to work with the community to offer support as and when needed. If anyone is having feelings of sadness and needs support please do not hesitate to contact the office and ask to speak with me. Behind the scenes a lot of work is being coordinated to improve safety and risk in Equestrian sport in Australia. Due to the generous donation from Terry Snow, and the Olivia Inglis foundation in NSW, funds are being invested in the best interests of reducing the chances of such incidents. We will continue to keep you apprised on new safety initiatives for Equestrian sport in Australia.

I have listened to the members asking for a presence from the EA CEO. In my short tenure I have tried to get out and, on the grounds, to as many Equestrian events as I can to meet our people. I have visited sponsor Terry Snow’s Willinga Park. I have been to the interschool championships and Australian Show jumping Championships at Boneo Park in Melbourne. I attended the recent Australian International 3-day event in Adelaide, and the NSW Dressage Championships at SIEC. I look forward to getting to more events in other states and territories next year.

EA will do a quarterly update to the Branches including CEO operations update, board outcomes and finance report in line with the FY. The next one is due in January 2019 for the period October to December 2018. On behalf of EA staff and board I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our Equestrian community a safe holiday period on the roads travelling to family and friends, and a happy Christmas. See you in the new year.

Lucy Warhurst

Chief Executive Officer

Equestrian Australia

Source: Equestrian Australia (EA) website

 

READ THE LATEST NEWS ARTICLES HERE 

  

M_Ad_out_now_45


 

© copyright. Equestrian Life. Friday, 29 March 2024
https://www.equestrianlife.com.au/articles/Equestrian-Australia-CEO-Update-Quarter-1-July-to-September-2018