Hi everyone, here I am again with a few messages from us at Equestrian Sport NZ. Hope your week is going well and your horses are enjoying the spring sun and behaving in the spring grass!

Just a couple of things to cover today.  Make sure you check your registration is up to date well before you head off to the show – you would be amazed at how many people phone from the event because they’ve forgotten and they’re in  a panic. Our approach is that we want you to compete so we will make it work but its much better if you don’t have to worry about it.

If you’ve got a horse that is going well and, you’re thinking, in the next few months it might step up to a level that requires an FEI passport, then you need to get in touch at least a month before the event. 

FEI passports are quite a process, require vet sign offs and FEI approvals so last minute just doesn’t work.  The website has really good FEI process charts which will help you figure out what you need and at which level.  ESNZ/membership registration/FEI information.

In other news, we are very pleased to welcome Sue Hobson as our new President and thank outgoing President Richard Sunderland for his service to the cause. 

Richard was one of four stalwarts of equestrian sport honoured at the AGA last week with an honorary life membership, the others were legend Blyth Tait, long time Dressage supporter Marcia Bayley and our Steward General Susan O’Brien.

We cannot thank these people enough for the time and energy they put into our sport.

Change the Rein posters, with our awesome key messages, have been distributed to lots of events around the country,  if you’re on an organising committee and you want your event to be part of the Change the Rein movement to support a great culture in our sport be sure to get in touch with the office and order your corflutes to put up at your event, ESNZ will pay for them and get them shipped to you. email [email protected]. Or you can download posters from the website to print out.

Were also looking for “Game Changers: – send us any examples of people who represent “Game Changers” in this campaign, those who help newcomers, someone who was generous with their time to help others, or someone who was truly gracious when things didn’t go so well. 

Our new “Game Changers” will be announced monthly or more often if we can.

This week’s Change the Rein message is “Own your own journey” Be proud to be out and about on your horse no matter what level you are competing.

 The fact that you are passionate about your pony and you want to have a go is good enough reason to own your journey!

Have a great weekend in equestrian sport. Look forward to seeing some of you soon at the Gisborne and HB A and P shows. Good luck and best wishes.