There is not any solution to remaining in equestrian game with out a deep love for horses, says the brand new chairman of administrators of the Global Grooms Affiliation (IGA).
The IGA mentioned it used to be “very proud” to welcome John Madden to the function, as an “necessary signal of its expansion”.
John, who’s married to best US showjumper Beezie Madden, began as a groom and moved into an assistant teacher function. He began John Madden Gross sales in 1984 and has coached riders and horses to championship stage, in addition to maintaining various roles for US Equestrian and serving as FEI leaping director and vice-president.
IGA govt director Lucy Katan mentioned: “I’m so happy to welcome John Madden to take a seat as chairman of our board. He brings this sort of wealth of data and enjoy, and has all the time recognised the essential want for world horse game to be extra ahead considering and open to adaptation.
“Because the IGA enters its 3rd 12 months I think this appointment is a very powerful sign of our expansion; and presentations that the voice of the world grooms is being taken critically on the very easiest ranges. Having this sort of well-respected determine status along us to constitute the grooms is some other nice step ahead in bringing sure building for FEI grooms world wide.”
John mentioned it used to be his love for horses that led him to equestrian game, “just like maximum grooms I meet and paintings with”.
“This game and the horses call for such a lot of all people, and our grooms deserve a powerful organisation taking a look out for his or her best possible pursuits,” he mentioned.
“In the long run, the whole thing we do to enhance stipulations and schooling for our grooms betters the lives of our horses, which each horse individual can agree is an admirable objective. I’m honoured to function chairman of the Global Grooms Affiliation and be running with Lucy Katan and her mates to proceed their undertaking.”
The IGA used to be based in 2022, when a memorandum of figuring out used to be signed with the FEI, to be the voice of world grooms.
John mentioned he authorised the function as, having been a groom, he is aware of the game would no longer exist with out grooms’ “onerous paintings and diligent care”.
“The grooms deserve a powerful organisation just like the IGA taking a look out for his or her best possible pursuits,” he mentioned.
Requested what makes a perfect groom, he added: “First – it’s important to love the horses. There is not any solution to remaining on this game with out that love; it drives you to proceed at the onerous days. The second one maximum necessary high quality is a thirst for wisdom, a real want to proceed to be informed and enhance. Clark Shipley, who used to be a groom for us for many years sooner than his dying from most cancers in 2020, used to discuss how a lot he picked up at the highway simply from maintaining his eyes open.
“He had such a lot enjoy, however what made him a perfect groom used to be that he by no means idea he knew all of it. He sought after to continue learning, stay getting higher. That, and he had a perfect sense of humour, which could also be necessary at the lengthy, onerous days.”
John mentioned adjustments that want to be made for grooms come with “affordable” schedules, day off, a just right staff to lend a hand and a dwelling salary that lets them save for the long run.
“I feel maximum riders and homeowners would agree they would like the similar, however the calls for of the game and the desires of the horses continuously lead other people to stray in opposition to unreasonable expectancies,” he mentioned. “I’m hoping we will paintings to stay making improvements to stipulations for grooms with regards to schedules and dealing stipulations so the most productive of the most productive can keep on this business with out burning out.”
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