After a succession of Victorian EFA CEO's have trundled through the front door at Werribee Park with introductions to the membership which showed no care for the equestrian sport, Victoria has a dynamo!!!

Jackie Woodhead - remember the name because once you have met this woman you will never forget her and in a few short months in the job there have been huge changes and all of them are good, pointing to a bright and positive future for the Victoria Branch of the EFA.

On coming back to Victoria for our annual Christmas visit, I kept hearing stories about the Victorian EFA Branch and that there was a new CEO, yet again! Then the stories began to circulate "oh the new CEO isn't any good, she is nothing more than a pony club mum", "oh not a chance of things in Victoria improving, the new CEO is a dressage person", "well there goes my chances of anything, the new CEO is the mum of a dressage rider" and these were just some of the stories on the street.

By chance I was seated next to Jackie Woodhead at the Barastoc dinner some weeks ago and all I can say is WOW did she make an impression - first up she was attending a function (not something Victorian CEO's were known for doing) and secondly was happy to chat all night about all things equestrian, with a no holds barred on asking the questions everyone wants to ask!

Instantly I decided that maybe there was a future for the Victorian EFA with this woman at the helm...so a date was made for us to come and visit with Jackie in the office.

To all our Victorian readers I would like to say at the beginning of this article that your future is in good hands, so get out of your saddle and get involved with your Federation because for the first time in a very long time YOU, THE MEMBERS, ARE IMPORTANT and will be heard - but to be heard you must speak so don't let apathy kill the enthusiasm of the people who work for you, the membership!

Our allocated interview time was set and so my research began - I sat with riders from dressage, jumping and eventing and posed them the question "If you could have anything from the Victorian EFA on a wish list what would it be? Tell me what it is that bothers you the most?"

I explained to all those interviewed that I had a meeting with the CEO, Mrs Woodhead and I would put their cases to her and see what the response would be.

All up I chatted with 48 riders and owners and pretty much the same message came through - the membership wants transparency, they want to know that their Federation cares about them.

Another issue which bothered almost everyone was that Victoria was the most expensive state to be a member of and the other overwhelming message was that the riders and owners felt that the selection process for squads and teams was extremely flawed with

many examples of what appeared to be nothing more than good old fashioned nepotism in all disciplines. The true amateur riders were also unhappy about feeling that everything was done for the very small number of elite riders and these elite riders give nothing back to the grass roots membership - they didn't want their money spent sending Olympians on more training camps with imported coaches unless those Olympians were prepared to put something back in to the sport.

So prior to meeting jackei in the office I sent her the list of things bothering her members so that she would have a chance to give me some answers for you, our readers, if she felt so inclined!

Well Jackie certainly felt inclined and it now seems the membership have to come up to the mark because your leadership certainly is!

Naturally we began with a discussion about EI and the mess it has made of the Australian Equestrian industry - a matter for stress (judging by Mrs Woodhead grabbing for her favourite stress management toy - pictured right)!

EI hit Australia in August 2007 and on October 1st it was announced that Jackie had accepted the position of CEO. Mrs Woodhead explained that she had listened to the membership who said they did NOT want to see vaccination come in but rather wanted to see eradication regardless of how long this would take and this is the position Jackie conveyed to the Federal office.

It certainly appeared that Federal office was pushing for vaccination but as Jackie explained, the Federal office is there to represent the FEI and bring their views to the State branches, who in turn represent the membership and have their views taken to Federal.

So the State branches are incredibly important to the membership

and they must feel confident that their wishes will be represented. So the question is, can we all trust Jackie Woodhead and does she give a damn or has she just accepted the job so she has "CEO" on her CV for the next step in her career plan!?

Ok - the stories are true - Jackie is a "pony club mum" - but she was not content with taking her daughter to rallies, she got involved on the committee of Officer, where she became President and from there she moved onto Zone level.

And further truths - Jackie's daughter Jade was introduced to Dressage as a 12 year old, at a clinic at Werribee, with mother assuming horses would "wear off" when Jade "found boys" but this never happened!

And still more truths - in 2001 Jackie Woodhead took on the position of Dressage Chair for the Young Rider Squads!

Why did Jackie do all this? Because she was frustrated at the lack of information and available knowledge - does this sound like you!? Yes Jackie has had the same frustrations as all of us through the years - and to those who saw her rise through the pony club and into the EFA as a negative, maybe look at it from the point of view that we finally have a CEO who has slept in her truck at shows, has tried to get answers, has tried to register her horses, has tried to find out what is required to get on teams and all the other frustrating things we have all lived with for many years!

Jackie did not come from a horse family and at 12 years of age took her first job to save for a horse but as Jackie grew up "life got in the way" but she never lost her craving for the lifestyle which comes with horses - being in the fresh air, with horses and all that comes with that. So Jackie was delighted when 7 year old Jade came to her wanting a pony - but there was to be no spoiled brat here! Jade had to do the 45 mins of mucking out, grooming, filling waters etc, for the 15 minutes in the saddle!

So that is the how of Victoria's first female CEO came to us - now we want to know "how dedicated are you Mrs Woodhead - what sacrifices are you making to do this job, which the members are paying you for?"

Well the Woodhead family live in Garfield, South East Victoria which is the other side of the countryside to Werribee and so Jackie made the decision to move to Werribee from Monday to Friday to be able to work the hours she believes the job requires. When asked whether this wasn't a bit rough on her and her family, Jackie answered "Jan the CEO's job cannot be done without full committment - you have to put yourself on the line, that is the only way to do the job".

CEO Woodhead has a thirst for knowledge and she never rests - "Jan if I don't get something, then I figure it must be me not understanding and so I want to learn more".

Question: So ok let's get down to the tin tacks here - where does the $1 levy dressage riders are being asked to pay, go to?

Answer: The levy is being used to pay for the running of the major events run by the Victorian EFA - these events are the State Championships, Dressage With the Stars, Young Rider Champs and on several occasions the National Dressage Championships.

Question: Why is the Victorian Branch fees the most expensive in the country?

Answer: Because Victoria is the only Branch that runs a full office rather than an Administration centre. Other Branches have specific councils for each discipline whereas in Victoria the EFA run shows,

trainings camps, young rider squads etc. All of this costs money and that money is raised partly through subscription fees and Jackie understands the members concerns that the money is not being spent wisely - and she quietly admits that perhaps it has not been spent totally appropriately but she promises this will change and that the changes will happen quickly. And it needs to be remembered that the fees include National levies.

Question: How will the members see things change in the early days of your reign?

Answer: One of the first things we have done is source a super whizz bang printing machine (pictured below) which is now home in our office. This machine will be used to dramatically drop the huge printing bill the EFA accrues each financial year. For runs under 2000 pieces we will be printing in house - and in real terms this means things like the EFA Handbooks for each discipline will cost less to print and this saving will be passed on to the members - and yes showjumping will have a Handbook in the future (says Jackie with a cheeky twinkle in her eye).

The times they are a changing - and if you need proof then check out the Victorian Branch website - click here - it has its own character and no more free plugs for companies - you want your name there, it will cost! And the money will be used for squads, training sessions and competitions.

Question: Jackie what changes have you implemented in the office to immediately indicate to members that things have changed already?

Since I have been in the job (Jackie tells us) many have been surprised when she has answered the phone herself, assuming they have rung the wrong extension somehow. In fact Jackie has a policy that, if possible, all phones must be answered within 3 rings and if they are not she herself will answer them and try and help sort out any queries!

From personal (and not so happy) experience I can say this is a novel approach for the Victorian EFA office. The office girls have always been fabulous to me and have always tried to be more than helpful, especially understanding when I have stayed up till all hours of the morning to make the call to them from the other sie of the world - shame the same could not be said for previous CEO's - but times have changed so much for the better!

But Jackie Woodhead, the human dynamo did want her message passed on to the membership during our interview - and that message is "my door is always open so please get on board or stop whingeing! If you have an issue come and see me - I am happy to discuss your worries but I cannot address them if I don't know about them other than through gossip. I am up front and would like my members to be the same!"

Question: What would you like to say to the Eventers, Showjumpers, Show Riders etc. who fear that everything will be done for the Dressage riders and the other disciplines will be left out?

Answer: Sure Dressage is Jackie's passion but she is adamant that she is there to represent all disciplines. Having knowledge of Dressage gives her an advantage in that she knows about horse sport competition and now she is setting about learning about all the other disciplines. The way Jackie is doing this is by meeting with the sub-committees who run the other disciplines, and by coming to competitions of each of the disciplines to meet with the riders, owners and supporters within.

Question: What is the run down of the various disciplines in Victoria and how many members does Victoria currently have? There are many rumours that members are leaving in their hundreds as they become more and more disgruntled with their governing body.

Answer: There are roughly 4,500 members in Victoria and this number has remained relatively stable for some years - Jackie hopes the numbers will increase as people gain more faith in their State Branch.

Currently there are 9 dressage clubs, 9 showjumping clubs, 5 eventing clubs, 11 hunt clubs and 55 show societies which collectively represent equestrian sport affiliated with the EFA in Victoria.

EI has been a disaster for our sport and of that there is no question, but Jackie used the time productively. During the lock down a new strategic plan has been established to help rural areas and the lacking in these areas showed the problems when Jackie put together a board - pictured below left - which shows the areas serviced by the various clubs.

This pin map shows, all too clearly why the outer rural areas feel neglected - it is because they are!

When you then add to this map the further map - pictured below left and right - Jackie put together of where coaches are based you can see clearly what one of the basic problems is!

And it is Jackie's intention to visit every area which has EFA members - so any areas who are thinking of beginning an EFA affiliated club know that you have a CEO who will come to you and discuss with the potential members what the EFA can offer and why it is valuable to be an EFA affiliated club - she is just a phone call away!

One of the most telling things Jackie said during our interview was "Jan I can't be blamed for history but I have to take responsibility for it and make sure things never go sour" and she then went on to say "we don't have rules to piss you off - we have rules to make the sport run fairly" and both points are very valid!

It is time to move on from the times where we all mistrusted everything about the EFA and where we believed that they were there to take our money and give nothing back!

Jackie Woodhead is determined to make sure that under her leadership the Victorian Branch of the EFA will not only be a professionally run organisation, it will be a profitable one where transparency is easily seen and where the money is put into improving the business of horses for all concerned.

In closing Jackie pointed out that for all those who like to complain about their membership and how they get no value for money, they should remember that their membership includes a 24/7 insurance policy which covers them at horse shows, when riding at home, and for those who might get injured at a horse show while not in the saddle - and for that alone the membership is worthwhile!

I would like to thank Jackie Woodhead, personally, for restoring my faith in our Federation in Victoria - I came away from my 3 hours feeling enthusiastic and positive about the future of my sport in my state of origin and for the first time in many years I want to be involved again and am keen to put in again to showjumping - inspite of our pony club, dressage mum running the show!