Thursday Morning Feed from Fleeceworks

One of my favorite things about the horse community, and one of the motivating principles of Horse Nation, is our shared understanding of the importance of supporting one another.

It’s a mentality that trickles down through every level of the sport. And, more than anything else, it’s what makes me proud to call myself an equestrian.

It also makes me proud to have sponsors like Fleeceworks, whose passion for horses and horsepeople is evident in everything they do. From their products, designed with the comfort and well-being on the horse in mind, to the organizations they choose to support, it’s clear that the company isn’t in it for the bottom line. They’re in it because they love it.

This week in particular, that passion is shining through via Fleeceworks’ support of several teams competing at the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships, taking place this week in Lexington, KY. Fleeceworks has been providing the riders with products, cheering them on via Facebook and promoting them on the Fleeceworks blog, giving this talented group of young athletes a much-needed confidence boost going into a competition they’ve spent years preparing for.

2012 NAJYRC Fleeceworks riders will be using:

Area X: Baby pads

I’ll let Fleeceworks founder and CEO Judith McSwain explain her motivations for doing so.

It is the week before the Olympics and so many eyes are turning that way. However, if we could refocus, it is also the week of the 2012 FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships held at the Kentucky Horse Park. This is an important competition for many of USA, Canada and Mexico’s young equestrian stars. For some it may mark the most important equestrian competition in their life, as they may go on and choose careers outside the equestrian industry. For others, it may be a stepping stone to a life as a professional within the equestrian industry.

Fleecework’s sponsorship this year of Teams and Riders from Area 5, 6 and 10 has provided me with a better understanding as to some of the behind the scene preparations. A huge amount of work goes into the months, week and days leading up to the competition and in the running of the event. A tremendous amount of VOLUNTEERS (an almost unimaginable amount): parents, brothers, sisters, friends, coaches, grooms, vets, and other area riders, work to get the young riders to Kentucky and support them during the competition.

Area 5 has sent us profiles on the riders and their grooms as part of their team effort. We will be posting through the next few days here, and on our website blog. We hope you enjoy, the behind the barn insight.

Fleeceworks wishes GOOD Luck to all the Young Riders, in all the disciplines. GOOD luck and thank you, to the hundreds of VOLUNTEERS who helped make this happen and …… HAVE FUN!”

Judith, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Check out the Fleeceworks “Events” page to read all about the young riders who’ll be riding under the Fleeceworks banner this weekend, and to keep up with their adventures as the competition progresses.

Go NAJYRC, Go Fleeceworks, and Go Riding!