Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) in conjunction with the Eventing Owners Task Force (EOTF) has launched Experience Eventing,
www.ExperienceEventing.com, to bring the thrill of eventing to a wider audience. Experience Eventing is the first website of its kind that gives riders and potential owners the opportunity to connect. As syndicate ownership has evolved to be more affordable and more inclusive the prospect of owning eventing horses has become appealing and plausible to more and more people. Being part of a syndicate will allow people like these to experience eventing like they never have before, as owners. Many riders now have horses they are looking to syndicate and Experience Eventing strives to introduce these riders to interested syndicates.
Woodstock was competed by Amy Tryon under the ownership of The Woodstock Group in 2006 and 2007 (Mike McNally Photo)
To see what Experience Eventing is all about please visit: www.ExperienceEventing.com
Without passionate owners, there would not be horses to represent the US internationally. For years riders in this country have been lucky and had the unwavering support of wonderful horse owners, people who have allowed American riders to stand on podiums around the world. With the expanded ownership base that syndication creates the sport is sure to grow and be stronger for the future.
“Wow,” said Sharon White, a CCI4* rider with syndicated horses. “The people that worked on [Experience Eventing], their love for our sport is incredible. For people to want to help us riders out like this is huge. What a wonderful thing – they have made it so that anyone who loves eventing can now have a chance to be involved. It’s an amazing sport with amazing people – and it is because of things like this that it will be accessible to more people. They have made it very clear and easy – that even we, the riders, can understand it!”
Experience Eventing was created to expand the ownership base in the United States. The syndicate model on the Experience Eventing website is proven and the Eventing Owners Task Force has been successful in helping a number of riders syndicate their horses already.
Allie Slusher, an up-and-coming rider based in Kentucky, recently syndicated exciting 5-year-old Trakehner mare Komik. Komik is now owned by an LLC bearing her name.
“For me its really exciting,” said Slusher. “I feel like everyone would like to get involved but no one knows how. I feel really lucky that I got hooked up with Tim (Holekamp) and he showed me this path. This was a daunting project but it hasn’t been difficult at all. Having this website and having the information all there in one place and the knowledge people available is an incredible resource. This will actually make a big difference for a lot of riders that can’t afford multiple horse themselves and don’t have a big owner yet. This website covers every aspect and simplifies this process.”
For riders Experience Eventing is an opportunity to put their profile in front of potential owners, without the pressure of having to ask directly. Because professionals,
amateurs, and young riders have all utilized syndication in the past anyone can post to the website. This helps to make the rewarding experience of ownership more accessible than ever before.
For existing owners Experience Eventing allows the scope of their involvement to increase.
Ann Jones is a longtime owner in the sport. She has owned horses for Phillip Dutton and Bruce Davidson and her ownerships have included CCI4* superstars TruLuck, The Foreman, Cayman Went and Woodburn. She recently has begun owning horses in partnership. “I am very excited about the potential impact the launch of Experience Eventing can have on our sport,” says Jones. “The quality of horses and the number of well trained and talented riders today far exceeds the levels of qualified combinations
who were competing when I first became involved twenty years ago. In addition, expenses have risen exponentially, making it more difficult for an individual to buy and support a top horse. I believe that the trend toward syndication will provide a means for more people to become involved as owners, to enjoy the camaraderie of their fellow syndicate members, and to support elite and up-and-coming riders as they pursue their dreams.”
Visit www.ExperienceEventing.com to learn more about syndication, the importance of syndication, available syndications and the Eventing Owners Task Force.
