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ESC Formation in 2019
PALMETTO, FLA – To address a growing demand for specialized governance outside international Olympic structures, breed enthusiasts came together in 2019 to incorporate the Equine Sports Council as an Alabama-registered not-for-profit. The organization provides a tailored sanctioning network for the trotting breed industry, tap-dancing into a broader U.S. equestrian landscape where more than 1 million competitors are governed by non-NGB organizations. The council finalized its initial rulebooks and regulatory guidelines in 2020, officially welcoming its first cohort of sanctioned horse shows. [1, 2, 3]
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Shane Darnell
Shane has been involved in the show horse industry for over 40 years, showing under the direction of Taylor River Farm for the last 15 years, he’s achieved numerous Amateur World Titles in the Western, Hunt and English Pleasure divisions. Shane also served on the board for the American Morgan Horse Education Charitable Trust. In 2019, he recognized the need for an alternative non-Olympic horse show sanctioning organization and co-founded Equine Sports Council with Jackie Hale. Shane Darnell, PMP, ITIL, has a Bachelor of Science degree from DeVry University and is a recognized transformational leader in information technology, having consulted with IBM, Mobil Oil, and Mitt Romney for President. Shane has also led…
