Guestbook

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On the 23rd, the Korea Racing Authority's Busan Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters held an inauguration ceremony for its newly appointed head, Choi Won il. The inauguration ceremony, held at the main auditorium of LetsRun Park Busan-Gyeongnam, was attended by Vice President Jung Young sik of the Busan Gyeongnam Owners’ Association, Director Min Jang gi of the Busan-Gyeongnam Trainers’ Association, President Kim Nam-seong and Director Kim Eo su of the Jockey Association,

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If training means cutting and chopping wood to make materials, then training refers to the process of carpenters shaping and assembling those materials.That is how important the role of horse trainers is in fostering the horse industry.I think the horse industry is currently in a slump. This applies not only to equestrianism but to all sectors of the horse industry following the preferential treatment scandal involving Jung Yoo-ra. In this situation, the horse industry must come together.

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Many changes are already happening worldwide, but our country's training technology has yet to keep pace. We must quickly adopt advanced technologies in line with the flow of change. Above all, I think the most important thing is to introduce and promote new training techniques and methods in the country. Therefore, I try to take an interest in that area and provide school children with as many opportunities as possible to learn about the evolving methods of discipline. I think that is what I should be doing and should pay attention to.

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First of all, I don't think recruiting members will be a major problem. Although the number of members is small at the start, I believe it will gradually increase through various events and projects. Because everyone is interested in horse training. The biggest challenge is that we must lead the divided horse training divisions together.There is a concern about how to unify the two, given that trainers are scattered across the country and the two industries horse racing and equestrianism are divided

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In the second half of last year, we held the founding members’ meeting and inaugural general assembly of the Korean Language Trainers Association, and just two to three weeks ago, we held an office plaque unveiling ceremony in Cheoin-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.The goal is to receive official approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs by early March.I have already completed all the necessary paperwork for the approval, and I plan to visit the Ministry of Agriculture,

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He is also actively engaged in training the next generation as a current assistant trainer at LetsRun Park Pukyong and a professor at Seorabeol University. In particular, last November, he was elected as the first president of the Korean Speech Therapists Association in recognition of his significant contributions to its founding. We met with Kwon Seung-joo, president of the Korea Horse Trainers Association, at LetsRun Park Busan-Gyeongnam, to discuss his ambitious vision of establishing

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Just as men’s ambition drives them to drive supercars, equestrians also feel the desire to ride fine horses; this is a shared trait. There are many car companies with horses as their logo, and some Korean cars in the past also had horses as their theme. And just as there are various types of cars work, sport, transport, and so on the same goes with language. Just as car enthusiasts cherish and decorate their vehicles, grooming horses and giving them a nice haircut shows that there are many similarities.

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We plan to hold the Horse Industry Education Expo again this year and further deepen its impact. A roundtable discussion is planned at this meeting on ways to hold winter youth equestrian camps utilizing the excellent riding facilities of institutions specializing in equine industry training. We have requested Professor Jang Seok-am of Dankook University, the current president of the Chungnam Equestrian Federation, to lead a meeting.

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Former Student Equestrian Association President Lee Jong-eun also personally funded and conducted training related to the “Hunter” event for student equestrianism, and the trainees at the time were the current association directors. To develop it to fit Korea’s circumstances, we have held symposiums, conducted tests, and continuously organized referee training sessions.Previously, the course was kept private, but since student equestrianism emphasizes educational purposes,I don't think that is necessary.

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Student athletes selected through this competition will also be given opportunities to observe international matches by utilizing a reserve team system. Some associations are assisting to provide many opportunities to observe overseas competitions. Rather than concentrating benefits on a few players, we will give advantages to more players.That is why the role of the international director is so important.This is because a large amount of high-quality information must be gathered to promote youth equestrian development.

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Many aspects are used purely for exercise and educational purposes, regardless of money, but it is unfortunate that the media focuses too much on some of the negative sides of equestrianism. The story of the Imjado Youth Equestrian Team in Sinan, Jeollanam-do, was even broadcast, but that should be brought out into the wider public.Last year, a tournament that would leave a mark on Korean student equestrianism was held at Daemyung Vivaldi Park in Hongcheon,

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At every tournament, seeing the association directors working hard from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., the children would say goodbye, saying they were the first to give up. The children also realized that the Student Horseback Riding Association was working hard for them. Since most families today have only one or two children, they may lack social skills and empathy, but through education mediated by the animal, horses, children can become more refined and develop empathy.

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You can watch the youth competition held on Imjado, Sinan, Jeollanam-do, without having to travel there yourself from Gangneung, Gangwon Province, as a student equestrian athlete.The Student Equestrian Association does not intend to lead the competitions; instead, we plan to have each regional association take the lead. The Student Equestrian Association also intends to provide substantial support for organizing competitions held in each region.The Korea Racing Authority currently operates a website called Hospia,

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Because he was said to be close with Executive Director Park Won-oh and Director Park Jae-hong, he was pushed and manipulated until he had, at some point, become Choi Soon-sil's man. But that is not true at all. I hardly met Executive Director Park Won-oh, and since Director Park Jae-hong and I are senior and junior in the equestrian world, I just greeted him. Since taking charge of the student equestrian association, I have hardly made any contact. It was being blown out of proportion that he was close to Executive Director Park.

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Ultimately, the plan was changed to hold the event within the Korea Racing Authority, and the association decided to handle everything directly, from organizing the event to setting up the venue. There seemed to be criticism of lax management during the execution of a budget that had been secured for installing stands, LED lighting, and other necessary equipment for holding the event at a different location.And I can somewhat agree with the shortcomings in management. Since most student equestrian association officers juggle multiple roles,

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Regarding this, the Student Equestrian Association believes that, focusing on youth, they must work harder to turn this crisis into an opportunity.Since I run a business, I want to introduce a 'management mindset' to the operation of the student equestrian association as well. It is a kind of concept of mutual understanding. We will seek consulting from experts and, if there are talented individuals, recruit them to work with us. In the past, the Korea Racing Authority commissioned a sports marketing expert to analyze ways to revitalize equestrian competitions.

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Choi Byung-wook, who was elected in a by-election following the resignation of the previous president and began leading student equestrianism, is a former equestrian athlete who has held various positions across the horse industry, including executive of the National Student Equestrian Federation, the Owners’ Association, and as an outside director of the Korea Racing Authority, earning a reputation as the right person for the role. During his two years as president of the Student Equestrian Association,

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Rural horseback riding centers that produce horses should focus on hands-on experiences, while leisure activities should be offered as horseback trekking courses. There could be rest areas and lodging facilities to rest at the relay stations, as well as local agricultural product shops, making it a space that harmonizes well with the equestrian industry and rural communities. Therefore, this should become a hub for local leisure and the horse industry.I am grateful for the award, especially since I have not contributed much to the horse industry.

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One solution is the Olle Trail, a network of horse trails connecting the country. The road in front of our equestrian center’s reservoir was once the site of a relay station connecting Seoul and Gangneung. In the past, when horses were the means of transportation, there were relay stations all across the country. We have to save this. While it may not be possible to preserve the old path as is, the station could be modernized and repurposed as a horseback leisure center. Rural equestrian centers should form cooperatives here,

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Last year, our equestrian center also held a grassroots equestrian competition with support from the Korea Racing Authority, but there is a need to continuously expand support for regional equestrian competitions. We will develop it into a local festival through regional equestrian competitions. Children participating in the equestrian competition will showcase their skills, and from parents to grandparents, many will attend to watch them, making it a festival that brings the local community together.

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First of all, in most schools, the principals and vice principals are ignorant about horseback riding. Therefore, it would be beneficial to include equestrian education in principal and vice-principal training. By allocating part of the resources spent by the Korea Racing Authority on equestrian development to each metropolitan and provincial education office, principals and vice principals could learn to ride horses themselves and develop the belief that it would be effective for children.

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By signing an MOU with a local education office, all students in the relevant grade for that region must ride horses for at least two hours per week for one year. There are education office statistics showing indicators, so efforts should be made to promote the program using data such as how much students’ bodies grow over a year of horseback riding and how much school violence decreases. It is necessary to promote such initiatives together with EBS educational broadcasting and others to shift public perception of equestrianism.

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Seeing that, I feel that the murals of the Goguryeo Tomb are not a lie but a fact. If the horse industry is nurtured well, it will become a tremendous industry. The employment effect is expected to reach 300,000, and including related industries, the total is anticipated to be 500,000 to 600,000. And it also fits the trend among young people these days that they always do it if they like it. It could be a decent line of work where I earn money while enjoying horseback riding, teach children, and even compete.

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There are limits to direct financial support. If government support is merely a catalyst, then now is the time to pour that catalyst where it is needed.To turn 40 million won in support into 400 million, 4 billion, or 40 billion won in effect, the government must present a clear vision and guide frontline workers to act accordingly.Blind flattery won't do. It is by no means an attempt to feed frontline riding centers with a free pass to keep them afloat.The government should present a vision, and equestrian centers on the front lines should plan projects accordingly and work to realize them.

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Although it is called the 'horse industry,' there is no broad framework for which path or how it will proceed.Even if the present is tough and challenging, businesspeople with a vision and hope for the future endure it, invest, and wait for what lies ahead. On the other hand, no matter how good today's reality is, they won't invest without a vision for the future.This is a message for horse industry operators. Still, since this is only a passing cold wind for now, I think if you don’t be too surprised and wait a little, the spring breeze will blow.