I attended last month’s U.S.Equestrian Federation convention in Louisville, Ky., as a new member of the Board of Directors. What a refreshing change we have, thanks to our leaders!

David O’Connor seems to have become more relaxed in his first year as president. His leadership is for the horse first and the sport in each discipline second. I don’t see the hidden agendas from the ghosts of the past. I saw people speaking out without being afraid they would be removed from a committee because they didn’t agree with the leaders. Many of the diehards from many years past were there contributing their knowledge. Self-serving agendas were put aside.

Over the past six years, many of us have hung in there through all the changes; we stayed because of our love of our horses. They were tough years, and many very capable and hard-working people were driven away in droves.

Nevertheless, I have written two columns on apathy, and here we go again. It’s time to get to work! You can make a difference.

We hunter people now have a voice through our affiliate, the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association. The zone committees have elected people to committees, and those committee members must attend a certain amount of meetings in a year or they’ll be replaced.

As I have said before, “It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work!” The USHJA affiliate has appointed new committees and there are many new faces. And the same attendance requirements will apply to those committees.

All of us who are part of this sport, whether as an exhibitor, owner, trainer, rider, judge or show manager–at any level–owe it to the sport to participate in conference calls and meetings.

One of the meeting’s highlights for me was seeing Chris Kappler receive the USET Whitney Stone Cup. He gave a wonderful and moving speech about his wife, Jenny, his trainer and mentor, George Morris, and his amazing horse and friend Royal Kaliber.

Darren Chiacchia, Kim Severson, John Williams, Robert Dover and Chris were the only 2004 Olympic riders there. We have to make these high-profile, elite riders understand how important it is for them to participate in person or on conference calls, or by just showing up when asked to represent their sport. We cannot sell the sport to the public if these people, our stars, don’t want to give their time.

The U.S. Olympic Committee requires 20 percent of all committees to be active athletes. But it’s kind of a standing joke when the roll call happens at any meeting–it’s all too rare when any of them are there. This has got to stop.

My Nov. 26 column (p. 87) was about the schooling at the indoor shows and how dangerous it has become. I have spoken to the leaders at the Pennsylvania National and Washington (D.C.), and all parties involved with those shows are aware and willing to make any needed changes. The lines of communication are open, and those leaders want to present the best conditions possible.

And all of that has come about because many people participated and we had an open communication line. If we do not participate in making situations better, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

I’ve been reminded lately that for many years people have believed that they don’t need to go to the USEF convention because nothing gets done. Now that our hunter affiliate has its own convention too, we can debate and improve the rules that pertain to our discipline and then go forward to the USEF convention. It’s a new concept for all of us, but one that has been part of the other USEF affiliates for many years.

It requires time, and it requires work on all our parts. We cannot say we don’t have time to go–this year’s USHJA convention will be in December and the USEF convention is always in mid-January.

There are always growing pains and flaws in any new organization, and there are a few of those in both organizations. You can agree with how it is being run or you can disagree with it. But you cannot change it and make it stronger if you don’t attend.

For instance, there are always complaints about the Hearing Committee and the Drugs and Medications Committee. The complaints always happen after someone has had a hearing and received a penalty they didn’t like. David O’Connor is in the middle of changing how the Hearing Committee will function. (He plans to have a Hearing Committee for oversight and a number of panels with semipermanent members to hear the cases.) Now is the time to give him your input.

The Competition Date Task Force worked long, hard hours to deal with some flaws in the plan. They worked with show managers and affiliate leaders, and those voices were heard. It can be done!

As a result, some major changes are coming for our shows, so now is the time to make your voice heard to help make it even better.

Our sport is very healthy. The winter circuits are full, from the biggest circuits in California and Florida to schooling series all over the country. But we cannot just be comfortable with the numbers and say we must be doing something right–we have to say we can do it better.

The rule requiring everyone jumping at hunter/ jumper shows to wear ASTM/SEI-approved helmets has been causing some controversy since the convention. But safety is hard to rule against, whether it’s children or adults.

And the rule requiring anyone driving a golf cart on the showgrounds to have a valid driver’s license was applauded by all the disciplines as a tool for show managers to police their shows. Watching a horse almost hit by a child going for a joy ride is not something any of us should have to witness.

Please do not come to the people who did attend the convention and ask, “How in the world did this rule pass or not pass?” Please do not wonder why you were removed from a committee when you never got on a conference call or never attended a meeting. Try to understand that all of us have to participate to make changes and make our sport better for the horses. The excuses have got to stop–we’re all busy.

John Long, the USEF’s chief executive officer, and David are trying to lead us in a positive way. Stop complaining; start participating.