For a moment I thought that once the Olympic and Paralympic Games were over, life would return to sort of "normal". Wrong! If anything, with all the catching up to do, things have been much busier than expected. And year-end events are coming up thick and fast, not just with our finances and the AGM, but also a number of Australian Championships and various series finals. First, however, back to the previous e-news.
My apologies for getting Ben Cunneen's name wrong. Ben became a victim of the Hendra virus last month. I am not sure how the names got mixed up but they did and a number of proof readers did not pick it up, either. My apologies again to his wife Gill (nee Rogers) and family.
The other unfortunate thing was that because of a glitch in the broadband line, the August e-news was sent out twice, also resulting in twice the number of "undelivered mail" notifications, which can become quite a nuisance.
Paralympic Games
Congratulations again to our riders and their support staff for doing so well in Hong Kong. You can read more about their success in the news story below.
As you may know, the EFA will be taking on the High Performance section of the Para-Equestrian program, and a lot of details will need to be sorted out before the end of the year. In addition, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has joined forces with the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) to "develop a Plan for High Performance Olympic and Paralympic Sport (summer and winter)" including medal targets. This plan will be prepared in conjunction with the sporting organisations involved in these Games.
For a "wrap-up" of the Olympic Games, please download the "Beijing Bound" September 2008 issue, which you can find on our web.
Meetings, bloody meetings
There were a lot of these this month, including a National Board meeting, various sport committee meetings, an animal welfare conference plus a telephone conference on horse welfare standards, a web conference on the progress of the FEI21 IT project that will enable greater on-line access for Federations, Officials and Athletes including entries results (with a new results template to come), and an Equine Influenza review workshop that was really about whether to have ongoing vaccination in Australia (it seems not but amazingly there was an EI "scare" at Eastern Creek Quarantine Station on the day ...). More about some of these later when records of meetings and minutes are available.
Insurance
Just a reminder that renewals for public liability and associated insurances for clubs and coaches are now due. Charge rates are reduced again and there is a rebate for those that are renewing. You can find the relevant insurance "packs" on our web.
National Positions
As already advised in the last issue, we will soon be asking for expressions of interest for a variety of National positions including Team Management roles as they are due after the Olympic Games. With personnel changes and a number of staff on annual leave, we are running a little behind schedule but 'things' should be happening soon, so keep your eye on our home page.
Talking about staff changes, we are happy to welcome Tracey Lesslie, who joined us last Wednesday to take up the position vacated by Siobhan Lapthorne. Tracey is already making a good contribution and we wish her well in her new role. You can read more about Tracey on our web.
Immediate Eventing Rule Change
Eventing riders should note that effective immediately, a fall of rider at an obstacle during the cross-country test results in elimination.
Events in October
Horseland Australian Interschool Equestrian Championships, held in Toowoomba 03-05 October. Then we have an EFA Management Conference in Brisbane (06-08), the Australian RDA Championships in Werribee (06-11), the Australian Sports Commission's Sport Excellence Forum in Melbourne (09-10), the Australian Jumping Championships in Canberra (09-12), the Australian Vaulting Championships at SIEC (09-12), a meeting with Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke and Federal Sports Minister Kate Ellis in Canberra (15) and the Horseland Australian Dressage Championships at SIEC (23-26).
Survey of Members and Coaches
This is also a reminder that you still can complete the survey we are conducting on our web and go into the draw to win a new Bates saddle or Sony Ericsson phone. The survey will conclude and be withdrawn off the web on Friday, 03 October!
Supporters and Sponsors
 I would like to thank our funding agencies, sponsors and supporters for their continued assistance. I need to point out the additional funding that the Federal Government provided through the Australian Sports Commission to help us overcome the impact on Olympic preparations of the Equine Influenza outbreak. Thank you very much again! We would like to think that the funding made a difference to our results.
 Many thanks also to the Australian Olympic Committee and its staff and volunteers who helped us get ready for the Games, did meticulous research and planning and supported our Team so well throughout the Olympic campaign.
Our commercial sponsors also assisted in many ways with our Olympic effort, particularly Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and Ridley with their horse nutrition support. We hope our partnerships can be strengthened further in the next Olympiad.
So in summary, we would like to mention
 
 
For more news and other information, please visit www.equestrian.org.au or your State Branch web (www.[state].equestrian.org.au).
Make it a good day!
Franz Venhaus
Chief Executive Officer
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