Shelby French

The process may seem overwhelming, but it’s not arbitrary.

Every year I used to receive the “white book” from American Horse Shows Association in the mail and be stunned by the number of rule changes that were going to be considered at the convention.

I would just shake my head in bewilderment and wonder where they all came from and why. Just looking at the book would make me think about the mind-numbing meetings during which we would go through them one by one at the AHSA convention.

In early August the Chronicle’s online forums hosted a lively thread about the goals and administration of the U.S.

In early August the Chronicle’s online forums hosted a lively thread about the goals and administration of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association titled, “What Has The USHJA Done For You Lately?” In response to this discussion, the Chronicle invited USHJA Chief Executive Officer Shelby French to answer questions submitted by forums users.

In early August, the Chronicle’s online forums hosted a lively thread about the goals and administration of the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association titled, “What Has The USHJA Done For You Lately?” In response to this discussion, the Chronicle invited USHJA Chief Executive Officer Shelby French to answer questions submitted by forums users.

Our partnership is already having an effect, and we expect that there’s much more to come.

The U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s mission statement says that we must “offer broad-based education for our members.” And the USHJA’s leadership has taken that directive seriously, as demonstrated by two programs we’ve created in our first six years: the Trainer Certification Program (and the trainer symposiums and clinics that are part of that program) and the Emerging Athletes Program.

Historically, the road to becoming a professional horseman has been based on the apprenticeship model.

Learning to train horses or to teach and shape riders so that they reach their full potential are skills that develop over a lifetime and are best learned from watching and working with those with greater mastery of the craft.
This emphasis on learning by working with a mentor is the cornerstone of education in our sport. The top horsemen have spent time in the trenches, and they never hesitated to expand their edu-cations and to seek evaluation and feedback.

Whether finding a mentor, attending a clinic or reading a book, continuing education is the cornerstone of being the best horseman you can be.

Historically, the road to becoming a professional horseman has been based on the apprenticeship model. Learning to train horses or to teach and shape riders so that they reach their full potential are skills that develop over a lifetime and are best learned from watching and working with those with greater mastery of the craft.

Our columnist reminds us that respect and compassion for our equine partners are two critical components to equitation.

Our columnist explores the similarities and differences between the major riding programs, such as IHSA, NCAA and ANRC.

Intercollegiate riding opportunities have really evolved since the Intercollegiate Horse Show Associ-ation was established in 1967 and the American National Riding Com-mission, founded in the 1940s, began offering a championship in 1978.

Our columnist believes you can make a difference to your sport by knocking on the door.

I was always taught that the best way to create changes in an organization was to work from within rather than to grumble about problems and point fingers from the outside.

Over time I found this to be good advice, but when it came to my own sport, about which I’m very passionate, I couldn’t figure out how to get “in” to be able to put this advice to work!