Regional Youth Board Spotlight: Great Lakes Region

The Junior Leadership Council of the Great Lakes Region is currently composed of members ranging from the unrated level to the HA level. The JLC aims to increase communication between the Regional Board and its members, while providing member insight and bringing forward new ideas for future GLR activities. The JLC and Regional board benefit from their biannual meetings, where they discuss regional and club events which allows for feedback to the Regional Board directly from the members.

The JLC regularly puts on horse management and riding clinics that are taught by the upper level members of the GLR, as well as social meetings at national events. These provide valuable unmounted and mounted teaching experience for members and provides the opportunity for members to bond both in and out of the region. The JLC board and its members have organized and run the D-Event Derby Rally for the past three years. With an average of 18 D-level members attending each year, the JLC aims to mimic the environment of a regional rally, while allowing participants to learn the routine without the pressures that come with qualifying rallies. This gives the lower level members the opportunity to learn to rally and provides the upper level members the opportunity to grow into better leaders and teachers. “Every year we learn something new about organizing events that allow us to better our events and better our leadership skills for the coming years,” said JLC President Brenna MacLeod, HA, of the Huron Valley Pony Club.