#GameChanger – Jill Pedersen!

Juliet Iremonger sent us this heart-warming story about #GameChanger Jill Pedersen who is a Taupō dressage rider.

During competition on the Saturday of the Oro Equestrian North Island Championship show hosted by Dressage Waikato, the fire alarm went off in the indoor arena at the NEC. This meant immediate evacuation. It was very loud and disruptive!

Jill was either just about to start her test or was actually riding her test when the alarm started. There was another horse and rider in the indoor arena warming up ready to go next. Jill could see the other rider’s horse getting very worried and upset by all the noise and people running around. Jill’s horse was not phased at all. Despite Jill being very firmly instructed that she needed to leave the indoor arena immediately (there was no fire, therefore no danger) she could see what was happening with the other horse. So, she took a wee bit of extra time and she and her horse went to the other horse and rider and stayed with them so they could leave the arena together. Her calmness and her horse’s calmness settled down the other horse and potentially prevented an accident in the making.

Jill acted calmly and sensibly and thought of others in a high pressure situation that was not helped by the loud fire alarm, yelling and running about as everyone evacuated. 

Thank you Jill, you’re a perfect example of what we mean when we talk about a #GameChanger: someone who is helpful, supportive and kind. These are the values which our Change the Rein campaign is all about.

#GameChangers, as part of our Change the Rein campaign, encourages people to tell us about acts of kindness or helpfulness by ESNZ members that made a difference to someone’s day.  So, please keep your eyes and ears open when you’re out and about and nominate someone you witness doing something kind, supportive, helpful for someone (or a horse) that demonstrates the sort of inclusive, supportive, safe and friendly culture we’re working towards with Change the Rein.  We will make sure people are aware of what great people we have in our sport.

If you want to nominate an ESNZ #GameChanger, this is what you do:

Please email to [email protected],nz the following information (#GameChangers in the subject line):

  • Person nominating the #GameChanger – your name, contact details (email & phone number)
  • Who is the ESNZ member being nominated as a #GameChanger (name, discipline, area group/club and role eg official, rider, volunteer, parent)
  • Photo of the #GameChanger person (not necessarily in the act, so to speak)
  • What was the #GameChanger behaviour witnessed and the outcome (this doesn’t need to be heroic – just a kind, considerate, helpful, supportive, inclusive, welcoming, friendly act)