March Board Update

31 March 2021

Dear Members, 

As we find ourselves on the eve of Easter, the start of school holidays and the end of daylight savings, there is still so much to look forward to as we move towards the end of the 2020/21 financial year.

We have been extremely pleased by the up-take of memberships through this COVID interrupted year, especially with the introduction of the Recreational Membership, allowing members to stay in touch, stay insured and be able to enjoy their horse sport as we return to the new normal.

In my role as chair of Equestrian Victoria, I have ensured that we have taken the opportunity to ensure that greater transparency is available through ongoing communications and strategy updates. The Board look forward to sharing the following;

• Youth Development Strategy;
• Eventing Victoria Performance Pathways Plan; and
• EV National Interschool Team Selection Policy.

Equestrian Victoria continues to be excited by the prosect of elevating our organisations performance, and we look forward to working with our national governing body Equestrian Australia as we move forward.

As such, the Equestrian Victoria Board, on behalf of its members, is writing to the newly appointed EA board to address matters which affect our everyday members.

These matters include:

1. A Review of the National Show Horse Rules;
2. The re-establishment of the National Interschool Committee; and 
3. EA’s recognition of the valuable contribution of the National Coaching Committee, by not down-grading the National Coaching Committee to an advisory function.

Additionally, the Equestrian Victoria Board has received a response to an earlier letter to the EA board requesting the full disclosure of the costs of the Voluntary Administration and Deed of Company Arrangement. We thank newly appointed EA chairman Mark Bradley for advising us that the current estimate is in the order of $700,000 and we appreciate his commitment to provide full details in the coming months.  Equally Equestrian Victoria advises that its cost of seeking professional advice on the voluntary administration and deed of company arrangement process , to determine the implications to all EV members and to meet our obligations as directors of a shareholder organisation, was $7,399.40 + GST. 

Organisational Culture 

The March EV Board meeting also included a detailed discussion on the culture of our organisation, exploring the sometimes inappropriate and/ or aggressive behaviour by members and non-members, particularly via social media. This is clearly unacceptable and the Board has made a collective commitment to providing a safe workplace for the Equestrian Victoria staff and volunteers.  

We wish everyone a safe and happy Easter, and I look forward to sharing some time with my children and friends camping at WPNEC for the Interschool championships.

Michelle Heagney
Chair, Equestrian Victoria