US Equestrian’s 2019 Annual Meeting kicks off on Wednesday, Jan. 9, at the Hilton West Palm Beach in Florida, with the theme Members Make It Happen. This year’s meeting is set to be better than ever, with the important General Session hosted by US Equestrian President Murray Kessler and a schedule packed with interactive and educational opportunities, free Safe Sport training sessions, lively panel discussions, and more. We’ll also be celebrating equestrians’ achievements at the Pegasus Awards Dinner presented by Adequan® on Thursday night and the Horse of the Year Awards Dinner presented by AON on Saturday night.

Get all the news and a peek behind the scenes right here with Equestrian Weekly’s special Annual Meeting daily editions.

And don’t miss these special 2019 Annual Meeting highlights:

• On Wednesday, Jan. 9, join President Murray Kessler for poolside cocktails and appetizers at the Welcome Reception from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the outdoor lawn.
• On Thursday, Jan. 10, at 8 a.m., catch the centerpiece event—the General Session: “Members Make It Happen"—with President Murray Kessler and US Equestrian’s senior staff. Hear about the year’s key achievements, get a progress report on the Strategic Plan, discover how US Equestrian is facing its challenges, learn how members can power action and change in horse sports, and look ahead with us to 2019. The General Session also will be streamed live on USEF Network and will be available afterwards for on-demand viewing, as well.
• Wednesday, Jan. 9, and Friday, Jan. 11, be sure to check out the many educational opportunities, including the following panel discussions (click here for the meeting schedule with individual panel dates and times):
  • Safe Sport: What You Need to Know

Panelists will include Olympic jumping medalist and Hall of Fame athlete Anne Kursinski and filmmaker Jennifer Fox, both survivors of childhood sexual abuse. It also will feature clips from Fox’s acclaimed film “The Tale,” which stars Laura Dern and tells the story of a documentary filmmaker and professor who was sexually abused as a child by her riding coach. Panelists: Anne Kursinski, Jennifer Fox, W. Scott Lewis, Sonja Keating (moderator)

• • Competition and Member Summit

Panelists: Rob Burk, Thomas O’Mara, Howard Pike, Bill Moroney (moderator)

• • Buying, Selling, and Leasing Horses with Confidence

Panelists: Debbie Bass, Lisa Blackstone, Elisabeth Goth, Debbie Hanson, Armand Leone, Kate Levy, Janine Malone, Judy Sloan, Steven Tarshis, Judy Werner, Amelia Sandot (moderator)

• • Para-Equestrian Dressage: Launch of the Coach Certification Program and Building for the Future

Panelists: Michel Assouline, Ali Brock, Laureen Johnson, DiAnn Langer, Will Connell (moderator)

• • Building a Successful Equestrian Business

Panelists: Noel Asmar, Alexandra Cherubini, Ashley Holzer, Lisa Lourie, Lisa Roskens

• • Growing the Grassroots

Panelists: Mary Babick, Lisa Blackstone, Elisabeth Goth, Frank Madden, Bill Moroney (moderator)

• • The Power of Media and Membership

Panelists: Andrea Evans, Preston McClellan, Taylor Rea, Caroline Roche, Jamie Unseld, Vicki Lowell (moderator)

• • Major Rule Changes: News to Know
• Live streams on USEF Network. We’ll be live and on-demand streams of all the Wednesday and Friday panels, as well as the General Session on Thursday. Tune in to USEF Network’s 2019 Annual Meeting coverage here.
• Still need to complete your Safe Sport training? We’re offering two free Safe Sport training sessions: an early-bird session on Tuesday, Jan. 8, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., before Annual Meeting begins, and another free session on Wednesday, Jan. 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

For more details and a complete, updated Annual Meeting schedule, visit US Equestrian’s Annual Meeting page here.