Hi, I’m Abbie, I am the current secretary of the University of Derby Equestrian Society and I’m running to be president for 2022/23. I am currently in my second year of studying Sport and Exercise Science here at Derby and I have always loved knowing how our bodies work and seeing how far a body can be pushed in sport and the effects of it.
As I am currently the Secretary for the society, I know the daily running’s well and understand the needs of the riders as I have worked under the president for the past year. During this time, I have arranged multiple charity events for RAG and organised a stall for Blorange in which we raised money for Student Minds.
Part of my current role is to complete risk assessments and communicate with recreational riders. The skills that I have gained whilst being secretary will help me in the role of president as I can support the rest of the committee and they can aid me in making the right decisions for the society.
As well as being the secretary of the society, I am the current Student Representative for the Sport and Exercise Science course and have held this position for 2 years, so I know how to assist students with their concerns and raise them with the appropriate people, something which I will continue with if I become President!
I started riding when I was 3 years old and have loved it ever since. I have been lucky enough to travel round the country competing in BSJA and so far, I have gained the titles of Southwest champion three years in a row, and I have come both in the top five and top three at the National Championships. I have been in the Equestrian societies A and B team since I started university and I have learnt so much from the array of horses we get to ride. My favourite is Eos even though he threw me into a fence!
I feel that my achievements can benefit those already in the society and any new members we gain through sharing my experiences, and helping those who are struggling with the pressure of competitions or trying to build up confidence.
I think that I would be a good fit for the role of Equestrian President for 2022/2023 because:
- I feel I can help the riders to get the most out of their experiences by supporting them.
- I will support riders during competitions.
- I will assist the rest of the committee to raise awareness of the society and our teams, which will ultimately result in more Union support and more members, something that the VP Activities is also wanting to achieve.
- I will oversee the smooth transition of the committee and members to ensure that we have an easy start to the new academic year.
- I want to try and make the society as inclusive as possible by bridging the divide between recreational riders and team riders by setting up team building days and interclub competitions with the support of the VP Activities.
I also feel that the society would benefit from having a charity secretary to help us raise as much money as we can in relation to other sport societies as this is close to my heart.
I hope to have your support in this election!
Thanks, Abbie.