Why join the GEA?
Thinking about all of the
interesting and exciting pieces to be included in the newsletter, the
realization is
that our membership drive belongs at the very top of the list. Because
if we do not elicit the support of our members, none of the rest of it
is possible. Not an original thought, true, but one that led me to the
question, "Why join the GEA?"
Writing down just a few words, our own answers to that
question are: beauty, excitement, tax deductible/non-profit, pristine,
programs, respite, commitment, social, escape. Yes, they came out in that
order, and we'd like to talk about them a bit.
With several friends in the
non-profit industry, we are frequently somewhat chagrined to match our
arcane sport to their community outreach or other charitable functions. We
who are involved in them know that equestrian sports are not "a rich
man's (woman's) game," but that image is difficult to shake. Is it as
important to help forward the sport of combined driving as it is to contribute
to, say, your college alumni association, or cancer research? In its own
way, we think it is.
The 1990s particularly are a
time when reality has a sharp edge, when other demands seem to be made
on all of us every time a new day dawns; our lives have become so frenetic,
we are so regularly and thoroughly pounded with more and yet more information.
All of us occasionally have to turn off the lights and say, "enough."
We can't always be worrying about looking after the children, doing a
good job, paying the bills, feeding the cat. There's got to be time to
go out and have a little fun! And there is quite a substantial population
here in America for whom fun spells Horses.
Why is it important to support
the GEA? Because equestrian sports enrich the fabric of our lives, and
supporting them is much like sponsoring the arts. The traditional nature
of carriage driving - harkening back to what civilization was like hundreds
of years ago, when the horse symbolized commerce and transportation and
was a vital part of our daily lives - is a unique added dimension.
At the GEA, our goals and means
are quite serious and rooted in the practical world. The business of our
Board of Directors and Committees is transacted in a professional manner
and to the very best of our abilities. And with very few exceptions, it
is the work of volunteers. We do our utmost to ensure that our clinics
and events are fulfilling our mission to improve the level of driving
in the U.S. We love what we're doing, and that helps us remember that
most people are looking for a good time with horses. Whether they are
competing with them, ensuring their safety by working at our events, or
simply standing on the sidelines and cheering as they perform, we are
committed to making our equestrian events an enjoyable experience for
everyone.
The beauty and power of horses
is overwhelming, and their graciousness in allowing us to share it with
them even more so. There are few things in life so precious to a horseman/woman
as spending time with his/her equine friend, whether it's giving them
a good grooming or taking to the trails for a ride or drive. We have heard
grown men who have achieved a good measure of success in their business
lives chat with their horses as they would with teammates on a baseball
diamond, when they thought they were alone; I've seen ladies in fur coats
and mucky boots pick stalls clean with their gloved hands; We have watched
the expression in the eyes of an equine athlete so often as he catches
sight of his two-legged partner; moments like these and hundreds more
like them are what help keep us focused.
The Spring Clinics are open to
all levels of competitor, and helps drivers get a good start on the competition
year. The Spring Event and Clinic concentrates on the safety and education
of the beginner driver. The CAI Gladstone
brings all the "bells and whistles" to bear on the competition, helping
to acclimate the Advanced drivers and horses to the kind of added fanfare
they will encounter at other FEI events and World Championships. It is
a natural, annual progression from the bottom to the top. And every step
of the way there is a GEA program pointed to achieving success at that
level.
We hear politicians ask whether
this will be the first generation that does not enjoy a better quality
of life than the previous one. What a fearful thought. We may not be able
to do much about the economic index at the GEA, but when we wrote that
phrase "quality of life," we realized that it contained the one word that
we'd missed when we made our list, and one that has always been the keystone
of everything we do: quality. Your support will help us maintain that
degree of excellence you have come to expect at Gladstone. We hope we can
count on you again.
