Seeing the first warning signs of an aging membership, the U.S. Equestrian Federation is changing its name and launching a rebranding campaign in hopes of shedding its elitist reputation.
In a strategic overhaul spearheaded by the incoming board president, retired Lorillard Tobacco Co. CEO Murray Kessler, the governing body — now known as U.S. Equestrian — will undertake steps to offer more services for members, create a new $25 fan-only membership tier, and more effectively promote its sports in general.
The organization will kick off a series of print and digital/social ads with the theme “Discover the joy of horse sports.” Based in Lexington, Ky., U.S. Equestrian fields the Olympic team and manages and governs domestic competitions across 29 disciplines and breeds.
Kessler, a longtime horse owner and father to 2012 London Olympian Reed Kessler, says he thinks the governing body has ample room for growth by better serving and marketing to existing enthusiasts. The group counts around 80,000 members, but 3 million Americans own horses and 27 million say they ride, according to federation research.
“This is a CEO’s dream,” Kessler said. “It became clear to me there is an opportunity here, not to get people to love horses — there’s a huge number of people who touch and love horses already — but to convert people who love horses into people who love horse sports, and eventually become a competitor.”
Equestrian is a relatively obscure Olympic sport in the U.S., but its governing body has one of the American Olympic community’s largest budgets. In the last full year prior to the Rio Games, when it won one silver and two bronze medals, the organization posted a $256,000 surplus on $29.1 million in revenue. But there are signs that membership is starting to age up.
Kessler was elected board president in June, after he’d begun the strategic review that led to this new campaign. A few months later board member Vicki Lowell resigned to become CMO and lead the work.
Both said the organization has focused on governance and regulation to the detriment of serving members and growing equestrian sports. One key part of the coming changes is a digital “learning center” on its website, which will start with 30 instructional videos about horse ownership, leasing and riding basics.
Those will be available to anybody with one of the new $25 fan memberships, which Kessler notes is about one-seventh the cost of a single private riding lesson.
The print and digital video ads emphasize a lifetime connection to equestrian, from the simple joys of a child learning to ride up to an Olympic medal. While their goal is growing the organization and expanding the grassroots, Lowell said their efforts, if successful, eventually will lead to more medals, too. “By broadening the entry point, we’re going to strengthen the pipeline, by definition,” she said.
Kessler said they were inspired by the Dutch equestrian team and USA Swimming, both organizations that have excelled at serving all of their constituents, from managing domestic competitions to fielding an elite Olympic team, while also effectively marketing their sport.
The rebranding had support from agencies Allison & Partners, AFG, Gary Goldsmith, Noelle Floyd, Post Time Production Studios and EQ Sports Net.
