Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

Sisters Horsing Around, the dynamic content creators also known as Emily and Sarah Harris, have been doing an excellent job this month featuring trailblazing Black equestrians in honor of Black History Month. “Our parents always taught us to appreciate and love who we were as Black people, to remember the struggles and celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of our people, and to honor their legacy,” they wrote on Instagram. Be sure to give Sisters Horsing Around a follow to learn more about the history of Black equestrianism!

I found this slide on Tom Bass – aka “the Black Horse Whisperer – who you may recognize, among many other reasons, for his namesake on the Tom Bass Seminar on Diversity in Equestrian Sport hosted each year.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Fresno County Horse Park H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Full Gallop Farm February H.T.: [Website] [Volunteer]

Ocala Winter I H.T.: [Website] [Volunteer]

Pine Top Intermediate H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Show Photos] [Volunteer]

Wednesday Reading List:

The fundraising effort to save the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event has reached over $500,000, with private donations now being worked into the running total. The fundraising deadline to reach the initial goal of $750,000 has been extended to Wednesday, February 10 at 6 p.m. EST. Click here to make your tax-deductible donation.

If you pre-ordered a copy of Kareem Rosser’s memoir, Crossing the Line, you’re in for a real treat! Kareem will be doing a virtual Author Talk free on Zoom in partnership with the National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg, Va. The talk will be held on Thursday, February 25 at 6 p.m. EST. Click here to sign up.

We’re seeing a heavier level of investment into the athletic programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), and the polo team at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. has just reached a huge milestone with an official invitation from the U.S. Polo Association to be involved in competition. “First and foremost, [the team’s existence is] historic,” team cofounder Miguel Wilson said. “I think we as a people aren’t used to seeing ourselves playing this game. For a black institution to be involved with polo, it’s sure to inspire a whole lot more people.”

Only a few more days before our nifty Patreon promo ends! Sign up as an EN supporter on Patreon by Sunday, February 14 and we’ll send you an EN Tumbler or wine mug! We’re up to 50 Patrons and growing fast – you’ll get access to the party private Facebook group full of community and cool ideas as soon as you join. Click here to sign up!

The USEA has released the competition calendar for its New Event Horse program. These classes are open to horses four years and older and are a way for inexperienced riders to gain more mileage. Check out the calendar and make your plans here.

So, are the Olympics really going to happen? The short answer is: no one knows (still). But the organizing committee did release detailed official Playbooks outlining the procedures that will be in place to keep the Games Covid-free. ESPN breaks down the latest information here.

In other Olympic news, Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori is in hot water after recently making a questionable comment about women. The International Olympic Committee promptly released a statement affirming their commitment to gender equality in the Games.

Can you have competitive success with kissing spines? Advanced eventer Meg Kepferle has had success managing kissing spines with her partner, Anakin. Learn more in this informative piece from Practical Horseman.

Want to explore the concept of becoming a sponsored rider?For budding and established professionals alike, the skill of marketing is one that must be honed in order to secure sponsors and supporters. The West Equestrian gathered some advice on becoming a sponsored rider in this recent article.

Wednesday Video Break:

Want to work on your lower body strength? Improve your strength and stability in the saddle with this quick video from British Eventing and Nicola Stuart: