“As youth of our nation and our Association, we sometimes feel as if our voice is not heard or that we don’t have an opportunity to express our opinion,” said Hynes. “Even though many of us are very educated in issues that face our industry, we sit in the back, not expressing our knowledge to anyone. While in Washington, I was given the chance to do the exact opposite.”

“Sportsmanship means that you win and lose graciously and are never mean to other contenders, even if you feel they’ve done better than you. You still need to be nice to them and congratulate them,” Amanda said. “If someone has a bad run, pick out the positives for them and let them know that sometimes things happen. There’s always next time—it’s just a horse show.”

Last year, Sport Illustrated reported findings from a study done by the Sport and Fitness Industry Association that amid concerns of an emphasis on sport specialization, more kids than ever in the United States are not playing sports at all. It was reported that inactivity among children approached 20 percent in 2014, continuing a six-year decline. The study cites the pressure on parents to place their kids on competitive teams, invest in expert coaching and skill development, as well as the cost required for serious programs to compete against one another, which has made youth sports a lucrative industry.

Rick McLain and Alison Umberger have been named as candidates for the Executive Committee’s sixth committee member spot by the EC Nominating Committee. They were among four candidates recently interviewed by the nominating committee.