Word is that they will be discussing the COVID-19 issues and Pony Finals.
You MUST register in advance to attend.
Link to register:
(Be sure to delete my info if it comes up!!!)
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi…dIk1kS1ZlgL0vA
Em
FYI it appears they are recording this, so I’d guess it will be posted for viewing afterwards.
It’s been 7 minutes and I’ve already had a couple WTF moments…:no:
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I couldn’t listen. Someone must go get some inner city kids somewhere and get them to shows!!
@SolarFlare Yes… a couple WTF with Marena.
@OreoMom I mean there were some frustrating moments but we also got a lot of info from an actual Org President. And she stayed online for a LONG damn time and listened to great questions and ridiculous comments and still kept the meeting on course.
There were some great takeaways. I think the biggest for ANY USEF recognized competition of any discipline… be prepared. They all COULD cancel at any moment. While the USEF ladies were pretty tight lipped on the policies USEF is going by to cancel, they did say readily that it’s a known risk that these shows can cancel. So if you’re coming don’t think that you won’t have that happen to you. It absolutely could.
We understand for reporting people who are NOT complying there is an actual hotline for Officials.
They answered my question of who to report people to if we know of this but need to do so through email or phone calls.
Low and behold and answer complete with emails and phone numbers:
https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/XhKG…-for-operating - Go to Page 4
Katlynn Sacco and Debbie Sailing are the people to talk to:
Competitions (including licensing, scheduling, modifications, date changes, COVID-19 incident reporting, etc.) Katlynn Sacco ksacco@usef.org (859) 225-6981
Compliance (including any questions related to the protocols outlined in this document) Debbie Saliling dsaliling@usef.org (859) 225-6930
So that’s one great positive. And they are tracking folks with repeated complaints and they are working on a punishment system.
The USEF ladies (Kelsey Shanley and Katlynn Sacco) were extremely clear that for them you shouldn’t be getting second chances. It’s not about ‘asking’ you to put your mask on. It’s about reminding you once and if you fail again, you leave. Period. Mary had been a bit softer herself on this, but ultimately if you’re a non-compliant jerk you won’t be at the show long.
USHJA is looking very hard at the remaining big events on their calendars and particularly they are watching to try to make decisions before the refund dates.
Capitol Challenge is up in the air. They had a Sept 4 drop dead date. So watch for developments there. Zone 2 finals location due to PAHS going to Florida, in discussions. Have some possible locations and working on it.
Big push for all people to show closer to home to stay with the newer state quarantine guidelines.
Big reminders that there is a HUGE risk to cause more positives if you comply all day at the show and then ignore it all after you leave the grounds. And it’s clear if you spark a positive and have been at the show and it traces back to the show, even if you got it from being less compliant at nights, it will likely still effect future showing.
Reminders that your personal family “bubble” (those who you live with) need to be protected with how well you follow the guidelines because you don’t want to infect someone at home because you got too casual around barn/show/horse friends.
A lot of call to actions that the trainers really need to do a better job leading and enforcing the guidelines. Doug Curry, a Steward, said clearly that teenage girls are the problem. Not wearing masks and congregated around their trainer who was wearing one but who didn’t enforce THEM wearing theirs.
There was a concern about judges being flown in from “hot spot” states to judge and how that was a bad idea. A couple officials replied that the names in the prize lists are largely inaccurate now BECAUSE the shows have moved heaven and earth to avoid using judges from the hot spot areas and are working very hard to use people who are from not elevated risk areas.
There were some discrepancies about what the reality was at Ky:
From one person competitor:
No Temp checks
No hand washing available in porta potties and very few if any hand sanitizing stations
From an official at Ky:
Had Temp check daily at entrance
Hand washing available in multiple bathrooms
Many hand sanitizing areas by every ring.
Mary jumped in to clarify that at KY they had asked each competitor to keep a log of their temps themselves. BUT all the officials and such were checked at the entrance daily.
We had an awkward couple moments where one braider said she felt ostracized as many folks were out there saying braiders were to blame, and she didn’t think that ALL braiders as a whole should be blamed at once. BUT…the grooms… how do we know what they’re doing? Many don’t speak the same language as their employers and we don’t know if they are being as strict as we are. It was a couple “OY” moments for sure. (Part of that is paraphrased, my notes slacked when my eyes were momentarily stuck in my head from eye rolling so much)
The official USEF response about why it cancelled PONY Finals was because they had 4 positives and they needed to stop to perform contract tracing and allow time for the KHP facility to be cleaned… It fell flat for everyone. For sure.
They answered some questions about Pony points carrying over into 2021 but it didn’t sound promising. Ditto for the green statuses of ponies.
I did appreciate that someone asked the new “Karl Cook influenced” question about whether we were trying to get ESPN to bring in more coverage and thus more sponsors since ESPN is covering video games on tv now. (I Laugh because though I get the basis for the question: https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2020/0…f1OTCHnDiFeHQw We already know from extensive research when trying to get equine sports on tv over the last 40 years or so that the biggest issue if the perception of the inability of Joe Schmoe to go out, ride a horse over a course of jumps in a month. The everyman issue. The litmus test that is: “Can an average person go out and teach themselves this sport on equipment they can afford, easily and cheaply? AND can they understand the game and the goals to win?” Horse racing, they understand the way to win, and syndicates are helping more average folks to play, but for the rest of English equestrian sports, the answer is always no.
But… Video games…yes. Cornhole…yes. Darts…yes. bicycling…yes. Running…yes. Tennis, Soccer, basketball, Baseball, football, hockey…yes. Bowling…yes. Skiing…yes. Sailing…a little harder. Golf… yes.
We cannot find a way to keep people’s interest reliably until we find a way to mitigate the elitism and costs. And even Mary commented that we have no clue how to do this, but that we need to work on it. I will tell you when I worked in Los Angeles at the NBC affiliate on the NBC main studio lot…in the sports department. I couldn’t convince one ego driven sports guy that the horse didn’t do all the work.
Sooooo that’s my recap. I’m sure I missed a couple more detailed hunter things but that’s what I know.
Em
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As a person in Ky showing the last two weeks
- zero temp checks for non employees
- constant mask patrol
- constant glove patrol for warm up ring jumps
- constant 2 people per jump in warm up ring patrol
- constant social distancing at rings patrol
- little/no single guardian patrol
- Generally good patrol of who was allowed in the facility, including alternate routes in to the show from the camp ground, and checks at the gate for if you belonged.
- hand sanitizer available at office, ribbons, and porta potties all the time.
- No approaching the in gate.
I know a ton of people have reported seeing photos of non masked, non socially distanced groups, but honestly I just didn’t see it when I was there. Zero belligerence, and good use of face covering was what I witnessed.
The biggest disaster was the cluster on Sunday when the show was cancelled. Everyone trying to ride, pack, leave all together. It was chaos and much less managed than the show ever was. And the only time I felt nervous on the grounds.
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What was said about Green incentive and Derby finals?
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Board meeting tonight I believe. They told vendors/trainers laying over at the KHP that an announcement would be made by midweek.
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Guys, thanks for adding your observations. This forum is a great source of information to me, and I appreciate the summaries - I was working today and not able to attend.
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@Xctrygirl , deeply appreciate the time and effort for the recap.
As far as the question about judges, I keep wondering how many judges we’ll end up losing to COVID-19 if they’re out and about traveling.
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It’s a serious concern for licensed officials. I’ll only go places I can drive and isolate at night in a hotel room. Lots of times you’re expected to share a house - don’t want any part of that now.
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I think a lot of judges and stewards are canceling big trip to stay closer to home.
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COVID is spreading like wildfire through the Hispanic communities on the East Coast and their infections are comprising a large number of the positive cases, so Grooms are definitely a vector for infection and spreading the virus to others.
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Derby Finals canceled as well. 
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They are trying to run bluegrass & KHJA next week, though. No word on Junior Hunter Finals.
They just sent out an email notification that all of those have been cancelled too. Plus others have tested positive. That’s at least three shows this week that have announced positive tests.
USEF needs to just go ahead and cancel any kind of championships/finals, because those are only going to encourage interstate travel.
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I wonder if Gold Cup will still go. Talk about another event attracting people from all over.
Has anyone found this town hall posted online somewhere? I missed part of it.
Thanks in advance.
Why do these conversations tend to assume next year will be “normal”? There is no evidence to suggest we won’t still be in a pandemic next year. Maybe instead of worrying about carrying things over until next year, we should be considering ways to run shows in a pandemic. I am frustrated that the associations all seem to be ignoring that changes may be needed for the next year or more. I think it should be a catalyst for change. For example, pony finals: hold regional finals with all rounds videoed. Have the top ponies’ videos judged for the national finals (as an example). Think about how much more (financially) accessible this would be, as well as safer pandemic wise. Why are EC and USEF so slow to adapt?
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I’ve noticed that as well. The assumption that somehow, in 2021 life will return to a pre-COVID normal, is not a realistic expectation. if you read what Scientists and public health experts are writing and listen to what they are saying (outside of the political arena) it is clear that we aren’t there yet and this will be a hard slog for quite awhile.
The belief that everything will magically return to normal on Jan 1st 2021 is not one that is unique to the horse community. Many other sports organizations seem to take it to heart.
I understand the urge to be optimistic, but we really have to be realistic and to give science the time it requires to figure this out. We haven’t done so yet, and that is why we are in such dire straits.
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Mary said the USHJA doc is thinking 2022
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