Directors’ Day: 100 years of KNHS with positive promotion of equestrian sports

At least four riding associations within the KNHS were started in 1923. For this reason, the oldest associations LR Neta from Winschoten, ONS Jenogen from Prinsenbeek, Juliana from Ramsdonk and Rijd Peled from Teteringen received a beautiful souvenir from the KNHS and of course flowers from the board member Mr. Okje Krondike. Krondic had previously mentioned “fair play” as a main goal of the sports federation that was created after the merger in 2021. Of course, “fair play” also relates to the welfare of horses, which was the topic of yesterday’s conference.

Former Board Member Kroondijk also received a warm congratulation to the KNHS on its centenary from former KNHS Director John Birling and now NOC*NSF Business Director. Beautiful sports videos briefly shown with great successes by Anke van Grunsven, Jeroen Doppeldam, Albert Voorn, I. Gisbrand and Bram Chardon, among others, still give goosebumps to those present.

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In his lecture, John Birling described equestrian sports and horses as a “closed sector”. It’s no wonder other people or other athletes don’t understand their sport. Therefore, we must be more open! Outsiders also typically don’t know how much the horse world impacts the economy.

Burling said the equestrian sector is very professional, with all the events and everything that surrounds it, but the sector needs to think carefully about being more open and explaining that. Horse owners need to learn how to deal with resistance better, Berling said. “We are doing such wonderful things with our 600,000, including all the little ponies, with all the joy associated with it and all the health implications for people who come into contact with it, keep explaining it and inviting people!”
Burling gave some advice to associations keeping up with the times, including posting “reviews” on the websites of riding schools or riding associations. “It’s really strange that we don’t know that at a time when everyone is relying on recommendations on the Internet,” he said. Burling also confirmed the second approved sports agreement. If your organization is sound, you can gain greater reach through your special association and thus more visible relevance. “Each federation can look at the possibilities in their local municipality. Equestrian sports don’t benefit much from this, which is unfortunate because there are opportunities there,” Burling said.

Express positively
In her wonderful lecture, Ms. Professor Marjan Olfers went a step further regarding the expressions that equestrian athletes make: on the Internet. “Unfortunately, this communication with other equestrian athletes is often very negative! Why? This does not help anyone at all, and it does not help the equestrian sport either,” she said.
As a lawyer, Olfers was involved, among other things, in the implementation of new laws within the KNHS based on the new Law on Management and Supervision of Legal Entities (WBTR). She stressed, among other things, that managers should keep simple matters such as making decisions well in meeting lists. “You only need rules when problems arise, and it’s good to have them to fall back on.”

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Trend watcher and futurist Jean-Pierre “Gimpy” Moens nicely emphasized that polarization helps no one. What helps: Communicating and doing things together. He also said that on the well-known wave line that runs between self-confidence and fear, the turning point after confidence after Corona has now arrived. This means that there is a need for authority, for positive leadership, for passion. “This requires board members to be more ‘up front’ and not explain anything beyond that,” he advised. “The essence of leadership is trust. You have to be transparent, you have to be empathetic, you have to be logical. And you also dare to be vulnerable.”

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In the afternoon after lunch there was a list of options in smaller groups with lectures where the morning could be applied. The play on positive training about greater satisfaction, which also increases performance, was very nice. And in sports too!
The essence of this Driver’s Day is also being considered at a regional level. So watch the news.

There is now one last seminar remaining: the Dressage Coaches Seminar tomorrow, November 5th. It’s crowded but the space is big enough.