ESNZ Jumping has followed its community’s wishes and aligned strategic priorities for the next year with an investment plan of $190,000 into projects and initiatives that will benefit all Jumping members.

The priorities include technology, NEC arenas and surfaces in both islands, area group initiatives and officials training.

Board chair Mandy Illston said it was extremely fulfilling to be able to invest back into the sport after two seasons of disruption and covid restrictions.  “We have been fortunate to have come through the covid pandemic largely uninterrupted. Sadly, we lost some great events, but riders have been able to get out and compete at all levels, and they have done so.”

She said careful planning and prudent financial management had meant the ESNZ Jumping Board had accumulated savings in a restricted covid environment and now the Board had a reasonable reserve fund available to invest back in the sport.

ESNZ Jumping has resolved to maintain a working reserve fund of $400,000 which is more than 18 months of administration if there was no income into the sport. “Its good financial practice to ensure you can continue if your funding dries up – and we have been able to put that money aside,” said Mandy.

After other commitments to the ESNZ Database and to assist the Showjumping team’s campaign to get to the Olympics, the Board set aside $190,000 for various projects.

At the 2020 AGM, Jumping Manager Marilyn Thompson announced the discipline would be looking to its community for its priorities. In late 2020 and early 2021, the Board identified its own priorities and sought feedback from its area groups and wider Jumping membership. All but three area groups responded and just under 10 percent of the jumping riders responded to the survey. Themes were clear across the different groups, they all wanted support for the area groups, better arenas and surfaces at the NECs, and importance placed on more officials and upgrading and training for existing officials.

Investment Priorities confirmed by the Jumping Board

A total of $15,000 was assigned to a set of new FEI timing equipment suitable to meet the stringent criteria for timing of FEI classes and FEI World Cup qualifiers.

The National Equestrian Centres at Taupo and Christchurch will both be asked to submit their priority projects with funds of up to $50,000 set aside for each centre with priority given to projects to improve arenas and surfaces. The Centres will need to show total costs, an investment plan for the total amount of the project, an asset maintenance plan and ongoing maintenance costs.

Throughout the past two years, upgrading of FEI level officials has been difficult due to the increased requirement for them to travel abroad for training and qualifications. There is an urgent need for more FEI Jumping officials at all levels of stewarding, course designing and judging.  The Jumping Board agreed that this was an urgent priority for the sport and assigned a fund of $40,000 to assist officials to urgently upgrade when the travel restrictions worldwide are lifted.

And the last project – never seen before – is a fund of $35,000 for Jumping area groups to apply to for assistance in grass roots sport promotion projects and initiatives. Whilst criteria are yet to be finalised by the Board this was seen as a really great way to support areas to do projects that bring new people into the sport in the regions.

 

For further information please contact Jumping Manager
Marilyn Thompson
[email protected] 

ESNZ Jumping Team
24 March 2021