I’m going to be spending the next couple of days working on an online article to be published later next week on Horse-Canada.com (don’t worry, I’ll be sure to put a link here on the blog as soon as it’s up so you don’t have to go hunting).

The bylaws proposed by EC have caused sufficient heated reactions from all quarters that I believe it’s my journalistic duty to turn over all stones that are willing to be turned and to share with you a fair representation of all sides of the issues. In the meantime, for those of you who aren’t members of Jump Canada, I’d like to share the announcement sent out by JC Board Chair John Taylor this week. JT has always been a voice of reason in my experience, and a go-to person when I wanted a common sense perspective on a range of controversies in EC, JC and even DC. I can’t find the JC announcement on the JC website, so I’m just copying and pasting the whole thing here. Keep in mind that this is just one of the many positions taken by various entities (this one a discipline committee whose membership is probably close to 100% EC sport license holders – so loss of voting privileges is of little consequence) , but I think you will agree that the tone is one of sober contemplation, as opposed to a rabid spittle-flying outburst.

 

Dear Jump Canada Members:

You have been receiving various correspondence on the subject of the proposed Equine Canada By-law changes.

We felt it was important for you to know that Jump Canada participated in the discussions on these changes and strongly expressed our opinions as a Board to EC.

We did not see everything we suggested get included, nor did we see everything that we disagreed with, excluded. However we did, as a Board, feel that we support the By-law amendments enough to vote YES.

The alternative, seeing the By-law proposals fail, is unpalatable and certainly not in the best interest of our organization and our sport.  In the current version all Sport Members in all Provinces WILL retain their vote.  A new By-law negotiation between EC, Provinces and Sport is not likely to produce an outcome any more attractive than this one and we feel that would be a waste of collective time and energy.

We hope that these thoughts will help you to decide on how to cast your very important vote.

Regards,

 

John Taylor, Jump Canada Chair

On Behalf of the Jump Canada Board