Equestrian Coaches Network Plan Wins Award.

Equestrian Coaches Network Plan Wins Award.
 
The strategic plan to set up an equestrian coaches’ network for the top of the south island has received and award. The plan was submitted as an assignment set to the Equestrian Sport NZ (ESNZ) Coach Educators conference in July.
 
Bruce Blaire – International High Performance Executive set the scope of the assignment to enable the coach educators to write about ‘their ideal equestrian environment’. Jeanette Garret challenged this title and said she wanted to work on a living document to be used to create a coaches network rather than just writing about an imagined dream. She also asked Blair to mentor her as well – agreed to do.
 
The outcome of this exercise has meant working with Regional Sport Tasman  to create a Equestrian Coaches ‘Coach Assist’ Course which will be delivered to all coaches from any discipline or horse activity at a low cost. It will also count for registration points for all ‘Riding for the Disabled’ coaches and updating hours for NZ Pony Club Association’s coaches both of these originations now require this. It is hoped that this will help fulfill the need for busy coaches to do this in their own area without travel costs and time away from home.
 
The Equestrian Coaches Network now has a website page with free articles about coaching, with a selection of books and DVD’s  ideal for coaches and a regular coaches comment newsletter.
 
Funding and sponsorship applications are now being completed and it is hoped that in time international coaches will be able to meet with this new group. Until then there is much that we can learn and share from each other about coaching and horse experience in a friendly, supportive non threatening environment.
 
Jeanette said “Equestrian coaches often work in isolation with little opportunity to come together. Forming a network of coaches will open up opportunities we would never have by staying on our own”.