Message from President, Sandy Bell

Time passes quickly. I’m entering my third and final year as President of the AEF Board of Directors. The COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing when I took on this leadership role. “Zoom” took on a new meaning. It felt great, but surprisingly awkward at first, when our board could finally meet in person.

My first year meant getting my feet under me and helping the board implement some important Albertawide projects, such as emergency funding for horse welfare during COVID-19 and the economic impact study. We learned together how to adapt successfully to a rapidly shifting world.

During year two, I felt better situated in my role to support the AEF board’s discussion and determination of the future of the AEF. For example, we completed a solid strategic plan to keep us focused and working in concert.

Our overarching five-year goal is ambitious, and we want it that way. We are committed to the hard work it will take to achieve our goal and its specific objectives. As we build our membership base, we know we can become an even better service-driven organization.

As we hashed out our plan, we talked a lot about our values as an organization. They are the touchstones or the foundation for everything we do as the AEF. They define us.

I’ll end this message with the values meaningful for the AEF team – both board and staff alike. We trust they resonate for you too:

Passion: We are passionate about our equines, our people and our industry.

Community Driven: We exist to serve our community. We acknowledge our rich equine history and remain true to our grassroots origin.

Adaptability and Leadership: We are adaptable in our actions, and we are leaders in the equine community.

Caring and Stewardship: We prioritize the health, welfare, and safety of our equines and our members. As honest stewards, we know that the environment, animals and people are interconnected.

Accountability: We account for our actions and accept responsibility in an open and transparent manner. We invest our resources wisely. We build trusting relationships with our equines, our members, and our community.

Inclusive and Diverse: Together, we create an inclusive culture to encourage, support, and celebrate the diverse voices and experiences of our members. We are dedicated to experiencing authentic relationships with equines and each other. AB