Photo via MyCourseWalk.com.
The MARS EQUESTRIAN™ Great Meadow International (MARSGMI) and Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) are pleased to announce a partnership to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the sport of Eventing. MARSGMI is excited to be the first event to partner with SEE with the shared goal of proactively increasing awareness of and access to our sport.
“We are honored to be partnered with SEE,” said Darrin Mollett of Five Rings Eventing (FRE), the organizer of MARSGMI. “Sports, as in all things, are better when more people can belong. If we can encourage more participants in Eventing, we will be more competitive in the long run. Growing diversity and inclusion within the sport is important to me and to my FRE partner, David O’Connor”
Strides for Equality Equestrians is a non-profit organization developed by Eventers to promote the sport through inclusivity and allyship. SEE’s mission is to both create equitable opportunities for BIPOC equestrians and to foster an encouraging environment of inclusion and belonging within the sport. SEE provides access grants to community riding centers, has developed a professional pathways program that provides scholarships for equine career oriented individuals, promotes Allyship and team building within equestrian sport, and engages and educates about the historical culture and evolution of broader participation within the horseworld.
Recognizing that financial barriers might prevent interested folks from attending the event which requires the purchase of entrance tickets, the MARSGMI organizing committee has generously donated two tailgating spots for members of the local equestrian access program to attend the event at no cost. SEE is pleased to announce that riders from network member White Oak Stables have been invited to come out and enjoy the MARSGMI event, which takes place August 19 – 22. They will be able to watch the action up close with space provided by Great Meadow and will meet with International riders who are joining SEE to promote their cause.
White Oak Stables, located in Warrenton, VA, provides affordable, fun, and inclusive access to horseback riding for people from all walks of life. One of its guiding principles is that it’s important for people in minority and under-represented communities to know that horseback riding is an option for them. Raising awareness of the sport, making it more affordable, and providing inclusive opportunities, is pivotal to increasing diversity in the equestrian community,” (read more about White Oak Stables, their values, and their diversity program at http://white-oak-stables.com/about/diversity-program/).
