United States Eventing Association

Eventing couldn’t exist without volunteers, and according to Loch Moy Farm’s owner and organizer Carolyn Mackintosh, there’s a very simple answer to attracting and retaining them at her events—take an interest in the people.

Mackintosh tries to connect with each and every volunteer who takes time out of their weekend to come to her farm in Adamstown, Maryland, in the heart of Area II. With recognized and unrecognized events running almost every weekend from Intro through FEI levels, as well as recognized dressage shows and derby cross competitions, Mackintosh is always in need of volunteers, and she treats them with respect and appreciation and asks that competitors do the same.

“I like to go out on the course and talk to them and find out about them,” she said. “They really want to talk to you and connect with you. I try to really show that they're valued and how important they are and just appreciate them. They all enjoy each other's company. It’s just amazing to me that they keep coming back, but they enjoy it, and I just think it's really, really important that they know they're appreciated and they're included, and I tell them, ‘Hey, you know, this event is successful because you're here doing such a great job.’ ”

Loch Moy is celebrating 20 years in 2026, and Mackintosh remembers back when she first started the event, begging friends to come down from the Washington DC area. Now she’s built a small army of regular volunteers who are dedicated to keeping Loch Moy’s events running smoothly.

Leah Fleming is one regular who can be seen most often out on cross-country. She first came to Loch Moy 16 years ago to help a safety officer who she knew through the Red Cross. She’s done just about every job at their events and regularly volunteers at other events like Virginia, Fair Hill, and Plantation Field.

She finds that working with Mackintosh makes it easy to want to come back. “Good organizers like Loch Moy send out information a couple of days ahead of the event—briefing times, start/end times, food options if available, and any other pertinent facts so volunteers can come prepared. They also have jump assignments ready prior to the event, eliminating last-minute scrambling. That makes sure every registered volunteer has a role and no one feels superfluous or like an afterthought.”

“When the volunteer email goes out, it's really clear as to what exactly their job is, and when they're supposed to show up,” said Mackintosh. “I make sure I have all the jump assignments done in advance. In fact, if it's people I know, I'll go ahead and send their jump assignments out early. They can look on the Cross-Country app and see where they're going to be. I just think that makes it really easy.”

Fleming also appreciates that newcomers are assigned to roles that would fit their skillset and comfort. If a new volunteer wants to learn about different roles, they can be rotated to different positions.

“For newcomers who aren't comfortable yet, they won't put you at a water complex or bank jump—instead, they may start you at a straightforward steeplechase jump to boost your confidence. The goal is always to ensure that volunteers' expectations are met,” she said.

Liz Poole has been volunteering for the last couple of years at Loch Moy after moving from England where she was an experienced volunteer through the FEI levels and mother to an eventer.

She noted that being fed regularly and having bathroom breaks is a key factor to keeping volunteers happy, as well as being greeted in the morning upon arrival. “The first thing I think is communication—it’s getting told as early as possible when you're required to be there, and when you arrive, being acknowledged,” she said. “I've been to events where you turn up, and there's no one there to greet you or to show you where to go or anything, so it's just the clear instructions that Carolyn gives you.”

She also appreciates Mackintosh just being around and available. “Some of the big events you could be there for eight hours, and the only person you see could be the score collector,” Poole said. “But with Carolyn, every single event I've been to, she's come round and spent a few minutes chatting and thanking you and bribing us with ice creams—it's just that acknowledgement that she gives to all her volunteers.”

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Angie Leahy is a recent Eventing Volunteers VIP gold medal winner for 2000 or more hours earned. She’s been volunteering at Loch Moy for the last decade and has worked at events around the country.

“[Mackintosh just over the top makes us feel like we're appreciated and we're valued,” she said. “She says, ‘Spread the word; bring your friends. We always need help.’ There's a lot of competitions here, and it requires a lot of people, but she's just the master. She makes a personal appearance one on one with each volunteer. She'll drive around, and she'll get to everyone in a day, and she will personally thank them, and she will say how important it is for this sport to have all these crucial supporters of the sport, and how she really couldn't do it without them.”

From beginning to end, Leahy says Mackintosh and her team are as a class act. Communication is always good, even if you sign up for an event on EventingVolunteers.com a month ahead of time.

“Sometimes we won't hear from the organization until a couple days before, but it's different at Loch Moy Farm,” she said. “They will reach out a month before or a couple weeks before, a number of times, and say, ‘We're really looking forward to you coming. We're getting things ready, and if you have any issues or if you have any questions—if you need directions, if you need to order a vegetarian lunch, whatever it is, please contact us.’ ”

After the event, Mackintosh always makes sure to write an email to all the volunteers thanking them for their time and asking them for any suggestions on what to do better. She offers incentives to volunteers in the form of schooling passes, show entries, logo wear, and usually does a social gathering at the end of the day with pizza or tacos and beer.

While she has regular, passionate volunteers, they aren’t enough to cover every show at Loch Moy, so Mackintosh gets creative to find more. She’s currently getting help connecting with a Mom’s of Frederick, Maryland, Facebook group to try to get volunteers and spectators, and she regularly has Pony Clubs and local charities from outside the horse world help with parking. In exchange, they’re able to ask for donations as people drive in. She’s had kids from the local high schools who need to fulfill volunteer requirements come, and local barns often provide volunteers as well. She’ll even drop off flyers with a QR at the local post office.

Mackintosh is a big proponent of using EventingVolunteers.com for signups, which she had a hand in creating, and Leahy, Poole, and Fleming all appreciate how easy it is to use.

“One of the biggest improvements over the past 10 years has been Eventing Volunteers,” said Fleming. “It makes signups a breeze for volunteers and provides short descriptions of the various jobs, so the volunteer is clear what is being asked. It's also a huge plus for organizers—volunteers can sign up and cancel as necessary without relying on someone to read an email or text, and organizers have an always-current list of volunteers along with their volunteer history which helps when assigning more difficult positions.”

“It is so easy, and you can plan your year, because a lot of us volunteers are maybe retired, and I like to plan my whole summer events, so I know where I'm going and I know which weekends I've got off, and the app does that brilliantly,” said Poole.

Wherever you drive at Loch Moy, you won’t be able to miss the signs that read, “Thank A Volunteer,” and that continues to be Mackintosh’s philosophy. “We can't do the sport without them, and it's so important to just create a culture of appreciation,” she said. “They're really what drives the sport.”

About the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program

Volunteers are the lifeblood of our sport—the unsung heroes, and the people who make it possible to keep eventing alive. In efforts to recognize the dedication and hard work that volunteers put into eventing, the USEA formed the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) in 2015. In 2017, an online management portal was designed for volunteers, organizers, and volunteer coordinators at EventingVolunteers.com, which is also available as an app for iOS and Android.

Volunteer incentives include national and area recognition, year-end awards, a top 10 USEA Volunteer leaderboard, and a Volunteer of the Year award which is given to the volunteer who accumulates the most volunteer hours on EventingVolunteers.com at recognized events throughout the USEA competition year. Click here to learn more about the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program.

The USEA would like to thank Horse Illustrated for their support of the Volunteer Incentive Program.