ESC Network Expands Coast to Coast

Equine Sports Council Officer & Co-Founder, Shane Darnell

I am blessed to have met and volunteered with some amazing horse people. Just over 5 years ago, Jackie Hale from the Saddlebred world called me and we were introduced to Tamara Tucker, a well known equine sports attorney. Most recently Dr Liz Maloney, a veterinarian and A circuit hunter/jumper equestrian, has rounded out our not-for-profit venture, Equine Sports Council.

ESC is a non-olympic show horse governing organization for all levels of horse shows and equestrians, ranging from academy to seasoned riders winning national championship titles. ESC’s core business model has allowed for reinvestment in the show industry through class sponsorships, marketing grants, lesson horse donations, COVID relief to farms, and in January, we organized a sold-out educational conference for riding instructors in Nashville.

Our volunteer efforts have successfully provided governance to over 13,000 exhibitors and allowed us to donate approximately $30,000 to the Saddlebred, Morgan and Hackney show industry. The shows in the ESC Network this year will earn an estimated $20,000 in marketing grants and industry re-investments.

Equine Sports Council is honored to have been chosen as the governing organization for the Monarch National Championships, which hosts the UPHA Pleasure Equitation Challenge Cup National Finals and the Mid-America Main Event horse show, where the Good Hands National Finals are held.

Equine Sports Council continues to grow its network each year, having recently added the Cleveland Tri-State Invitational, Cleveland Tri-State Charity and the KY Spring Premier horse shows. For more information about our services and to learn how we can support a horse show near you, feel free to reach out to me at Shane@EquineSportsCouncil.org