Choose To Challenge

Being from Norway, one of the 3 Scandinavian countries and amongst the frontrunners on the Global Gender Gap Index, I have grown up viewing men and women as equals. So it was perhaps a given (not taking my horse addiction into account) that I naturally gravitated towards the equine industry; an industry that for me is centred around a variety of sporting disciplines where men and women compete as equals.

2020 brought about challenges we never imagined, so it’s only fitting that the theme for 2021’s International Women’s Day is ‘Choose to challenge’. As they state on their website,

“A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change.
So let's all choose to challenge.”

The past year saw a tremendous shift in focus amongst equestrians internationally. Despite being further apart than ever before and restricted to the remits of our own yard during the heights of the Covid-19 pandemic, we appear closer and stronger than ever.

To me it became clear quite early on that individuals, stakeholders and organisations within our industry chose to focus on development rather than doomsday figures and nightmare-inducing stories about the pandemic. In fact, I stopped reading much more than the headlines of mainstream news nearly a year ago as the negativity was becoming too much to take in with my morning coffee. But skimming these headlines truly highlighted that rather than focusing on how the pandemic affected us negatively, we were having open and frank discussions! The leaf had been taken from our mouths, and we were talking loudly about important topics such as inclusion and accessibility.

We were pushing for change where we felt injustice was made, and we were recognising, respecting and celebrating differences.

We know that an inclusive environment can only be created once we are more aware of our unconscious biases and have learned how to manage them, which is where our governing bodies, businesses and sporting organisations should focus their efforts: There is a clear lack of knowledge amongst the audience standing on the outside of our industry looking in, and it’s time that we make our sporting disciplines and businesses accessible by educating them. Why? Because only by making transparent information that is truly representing us readily available can we make our industry and sport accessible.

Through conversations I have had with individuals in various roles in and out of this industry, it is evident that we do have an ‘accessibility’ problem. I’m not talking about the image painted by mainstream media of 'a sport only for the rich and famous’ as that kind of coverage does little but to further reinforce the view of those wearing rose-tinted glasses subjectively commenting on our sport without any knowledge of the humbling work that goes on at every single yard, every single day. I’m talking about accessibility what to me is the true meaning of the word:

"Equality is accessibility. If you don't have accessibility you don't have equality."

Now, I have always found the equine industry on a whole very inclusive, but I was lucky to predominantly be surrounded by supportive adults and individuals throughout my childhood and teenage years who all allowed me to carve my own way. I learnt that willingness to work and the ability to listen and learn from your mistakes will be valued not ridiculed, and that they are skills you need in life and business, as well as in the saddle.

Equality at its core means fairness, but it also means equality of opportunity. And whilst we continue to strive for accessibility on an outbound level, we must’n forget the work that is yet to be done within our industry itself.

Women in Racing published the outcome of a one year long project in November 2020. The findings of the report provides both employers but also employees with valuable insight into the challenges faced by as well as the opportunities present within the female population of our industry.

“With over 50% of our industry workforce being women it is important for us to all to understand the issues and collaborate on the solutions presented so we can attract and maintain a dynamic and diverse workforce which is essential if the industry is to grow and thrive.”

Although the research wholly focused on the racing industry in the UK, its findings will ring true for the industry at large and ‘highlights the opportunity we have to collaborate on the solutions and to improve our industry for all participants’. Perhaps this particular piece of research felt more important to me as I attended the event in 2019 after having had a baby eight weeks prior. Whether it was lack of sleep at the time or my now own experience of the topic discussed, I believe it gives a small insight to the opportunities we have available to us as an industry.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that women-led organisations score much better than their male counterparts in areas like fostering a culture of friendliness, providing mentorship, and promoting work-life balance; all of which in turn help in creating a more productive work environment. 2020 was the year where we chose to challenge and rally for change and togetherness despite facing unimaginable obstacles that quickly could’ve been at the centre of our attention and stopped us from focusing on the bigger picture. Let’s continue what we started - we can’t stop now!

Happy International Women’s Day!

X Christine