United States Eventing Association

What Does the Future of Eventing Hold? Ensuring the Sport’s Viability

Jim Wofford welcomed a large crowd in this highly anticipated Open Forum. Before he opened the floor to discussion, he gave a brief introduction and presented three major topics.

“First of all – no space, no sport,” Wofford said. “One of the dangers I see is the shrinking open space that is available to us. Our sport almost uniquely provides participants with the natural world that more and more is missing from people’s lives. We risk not only losing our sport but man’s connection with the natural world.”

Another topic he put forth is the changing demographic. The millennial generation does not volunteer at the same rate as past generations. “This is a worry for a sport that is uniquely based on volunteerism. In the 1970s, Radnor took over 1,000 volunteers. Rolex is now 1,500 volunteers that put that on for the week…what steps can we take to retain the organic nature of our sport?”

Thirdly, there is a growing ability of science to play a part in competition, Wofford said. “We must not only provide a level playing field, but we must make sure the door to the leverage room remains locked.”

The leaders of three major organizations were present during the forum: Christine Tauber, President of the USEF; Dan Murphy, President of the U.S. Pony Club; and Jo Whitehouse, USEA CEO.

The hour-and-a-half discussion was lively but polite, and topics ranged from horsemanship to adult riders to, of course, costs. It was a productive session and it will be very interesting to see how some of these ideas come together in time.

“The major thing to hold in mind is the future is not required to look like the past,” Wofford said.