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2017 Fritz Recipient: Rebekah Mingari

First, I would like to begin by thanking The Dressage Foundation for the support they have provided me through the Young Rider Graduate Program. I am humbled that they gave me the ability to be part of such an essential program, and learn from professionals who were once in my shoes not long ago. Learning during those two days was fast and furious. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to interact, as well as network with others who are in a similar stage in their careers as I am.

Saturday morning started with an inspirational discussion with Allyn Mann from Adequan. He told us that we should never be afraid to be ourselves, and that we should always have an attitude of gratitude. He said, “You are more likely to be successful overall, if you participate joyfully with projects and goals, and do not think your life depends on achieving that mark.” He said we should also know and understand our horses and what they need, as well as why we are giving them whatever supplements or medications we provide. Finally, he explained how important it is to portray ourselves in the best possible light when meeting with potential clients or sponsors; by wearing proper attire, being prepared with business cards, and having a goal of what you would like to accomplish in the meeting.

During the marketing and social media segment with Alex Stark and Johnny Robb, we explored numerous ways to present and market ourselves. I found it interesting that we all have unique selling propositions (USPs) that we use to market ourselves as unique assets. We learned that when sharing about sponsors, you have to be sincere, and remember to be enthusiastic about what you can do for them, since sponsorship and ambassador programs should benefit both parties.

Hilary Moore spoke about the importance of balancing your personal life with equestrian life. She said it is always important to focus on the end game, so we won’t be distracted by the obstacles that block the way of your goals. She told us to plan or visualize our day around what the best version of yourself looks like. In order to be the best version of yourself for the day, you must get enough sleep, eat well, and drink lots of water. She also said to make sure to give back to the people on your team so they know you appreciate them. But most importantly, we need to make sure that we never put ourselves in a situation where all we have is whatever goal we've just achieved. If you don’t have any family or friends to share the success with, was it really worth all of the trouble?

Then we then heard from Andy Thomas who specializes in human physiotherapy. I've had the opportunity to work with him before, and it's really incredible to me how he can help someone who has an obvious tightness somewhere that results in asymmetrical riding. Within a short time he can have you noticeably more symmetrical before your ride even begins in just a few minutes. Thomas emphasized, “Due to the fact that we compete in a very symmetrical sport, it is very important that riders try to maintain symmetry at all times or the horse is off balance.” Most problems derive from core weakness and hip flexibility that is absolutely crucial to being able to ride balanced and harmonious state.

Beth Baumert and Jenny Johnson presented various grant opportunities that the Dressage Foundation offers. I have been very blessed by The Dressage Foundation giving me opportunities such as these in the the Young Rider Dream Program. This year, I had the opportunity to attend the Young Rider Graduate Program, where I met and networked with some of the up and coming young professionals in dressage.

Next up was Gardy Bloemers, who spoke to us about finance and business management. She walked us through how we would go about starting our own business, beginning with a business plan and working through a financial report. She reiterated how important it is to always overestimate expenses, and underestimate revenues. It was very interesting to hear all the steps it takes to get a business off the ground, and if you are lucky enough to do that, what it takes to keep your business viable.

After learning about what it takes to start a business, we heard from Laura King on how to focus on concentration. I've heard Laura speak several times before, and it’s amazing to hear her elaborate about the various ways you can make your brain work. "Concentration is the effortless ability to stay focused." We learned that when you aren't able to concentrate, your body tends to get stiff, but if you concentrate on being supple, you and the horse will be harmonious and able to perform to your trained ability.

The final session on Saturday was with Yvonne Ocrant who is an equine lawyer. I found her talk to be very fascinating, and learned how important it is to have yourself legally covered to keep your business operations safe. Make sure to have contracts and liability forms available and accessible. It would be ideal if the liability forms were drawn up by someone who has equine industry experience. In the most basic sense, it is vital to have the proper insurance (liability) coverage, both for you and your business, to protect it.

Starting off Sunday morning, Hallye Griffin spoke to us about the various programs USEF offers: The Elite Program, the Development Program, and the Emerging Athlete Program. Each of these programs not only look very exciting but are essential to maintain the pipeline of viable athletes! There are numerous opportunities and ways to get help and assistance while enrolled in these programs. I was fortunate enough to have been selected to be part of the Emerging Athlete Program this year.

The session I believe I learned the most from was with Ali Brock and David Marcus. They spoke about how their careers developed over the years. Although they took very different paths as dressage professionals, both ended up on the international stage and in Olympic arena. Some tips are vital: whoever your clients or sponsors are, make the relationship mutually beneficial, and always have a horse you can learn on. It is important to invest in yourself and your own education and remember, no one owes you anything, you have to continually prove yourself to those around you to make yourself invaluable. It would come as no surprise that this is an expensive sport and you can’t financially strap or bankrupt yourself. Ultimately you have to make sure to keep things in perspective, while trying to keep a proper work and life balance.

Kristi Wysocki, Jennifer Baumert, and Rita Brown spoke about all the USDF programs that cover essentially all aspects of the sport. There is the sport horse and breeding side of it, which should be really exciting for American breeders, as well as those interested in the breeding side of the sport. There is also the “L” Program and Instructor/Trainer Program that helps further education for future judges and instructors. All of these programs are essential for those looking to get a bit ahead or just to further expand your dressage knowledge.

The Customer Service Principles that Roz Kinstler discussed was also very enlightening to me. Roz emphasized that as a professional, if you accept a horse into your training program, you owe it your best, as with every other horse in your program. It is important to know that you can’t be everything to everyone, and to remember that most of your reputation is what you produce.

Our final session was Pam Goodrich and Ali Potasky talking about the importance of going to Europe. In 2015, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Germany, and was able serve as a working student for several months before school started. It was really fun for me to hear from Ali about her experiences, which allowed me to completely relate my experience to the ones she had. As a general rule, when contemplating the idea of training with other instructors, it is essential to remember that the horse comes first, you need to pick a program that suites you and your horse, and not to compromise on the training style you strive to work toward.

I had a wonderful time at the Young Rider Graduate Program and learned more than I can begin to explain here. I know I will be referring to the notes that I took for years to come. Thank you so much to USDF, USEF, and The Dressage Foundation for putting the conference together in an educationally packed two days. I am grateful to have been part of all these sessions. I am also thankful to The Dressage Foundation for providing me the financial support through the Captain Jack Fritz Grant. I would like to thank The Dressage Foundation for supporting the Young Rider Graduate Program, as well as for giving me the ability to attend and learn life long lessons from professionals who were once where I am now. Learning what works and the landmines that exist along the way are essential to avoiding others mistakes. I cannot stress enough my gratitude for the individuals that have spent their valuable time not only financially, but through their life experiences, stories, sweat, and tears to make the future of dressage an awesome opportunity for all of us.