Elated and deflated at Blenheim

Our Executive Director, Lucy Katan, took a rare day out from the British Grooms Association (BGA) office.

"It is not often that I get the time nowadays to hang out in the stables at a competition… but that is exactly what I did at the 2019 SsangYong Blenheim Palace Horse Trials.

The sun was shining, the lorry park was not knee deep in mud, and the eventing grooms were on fine form.

To have the time to chat and (hear) listen to their views was so important. I really wish I had more time to get to events, competitions and a wider variety of yards – but we are a small team, there is only one of me, and I am permanently time poor.

Sure, we have a long way to go, but the awareness of who the BGA is and the support we offer is certainly far greater than the last time I stepped out from behind the laptop.

There were still a few comments that we must learn from.

“I have been meaning to do it for ages. I am so busy, I just haven’t got round to it.” This is a phrase we hear so often, and I heard it three times in just one day at Blenheim. I would love to find a way to make it easier for grooms to take just 5 minutes out of their crazy busy life to join their professional association – and do something for themselves.

We are in fact in the middle of a meaty project of revamping our new members joining pathway and hope this will help a bit with this challenge. I wonder what else we can do, or is it in fact for the grooms to prioritise themselves and this small, yet important task?

Once the accident has happened, there is little point in calling the BGA in tears asking if your salary will be covered and if you can take out insurance…. I am afraid it is too late. (And yes - we receive at least one phone call just like this most weeks).

Another groom commented to me that she “wished working in eventing was more like racing where it's structured" and asked me "what will take for it to change?” She worked for a high-profile rider, didn’t receive National Minimum Wage, didn’t have a contract and sounded somewhat fed up.

My response was simple. At the BGA we are working so very hard on our members behalf to raise awareness, educate and campaign for change, but ultimately if the grooms continue to work in such circumstances of illegal employment, the riders will continue to kind of get away with it.

Sound harsh? It is alas a sad, but true fact. If everyone stood together and said 'No' then the industry would have to change almost overnight.

Having said that, if riders do wish to run that gauntlet, they must be aware that times are changing, and the risks are far greater than ever before.

We are also working hard with the Equestrian Employers Association to educate those employers who want to get it right. The Equestrian Employers Association is there to support and help all employers to protect their businesses and livelihoods by becoming Good Employers.

But back to the very experienced groom, who was somewhat fed up.

I can really understand her struggle. She loves the horses, she loves being on the top class circuit, she dreams of an ultimate British Team place… so why should she quit where she works? Surely it is her rider’s responsibility to adhere to all UK & NI (and EU …) employment legislation?

I wish I had a quick fix answer to this ongoing dilemma.

One of the reasons for being at Blenheim was because we desperately need a bunch of new photos for using on our website and social media. We had some fantastic models, both two and four legged (dogs and horses) and a thank you to everyone that posed so professionally.

If you are a BGA member, pleased do send us an email and we will send you copies. If you are not yet a member, please join up, and then we will send you the beautiful photos we took of you : )

Our fantastic new photographer, Janos Borbely was stunned with how friendly everyone was and what a strong ‘family’ the grooms are. He was also slightly mesmerised by the lorry park and the shinny pop out wagons… Thank you Janos for taking so many fabulous images, the grooms certainly appreciated the lens on them for once.

At the end of the day, I urged Janos to stay for just 30 more mins to snap some pictures as the sun lowered and the grooms led out to hand graze. I always feel that this is the best time of the day for piccies and chats.

Over the next 30 mins I felt both elated and deflated. The former as nearly every groom I spoke to was a BGA member, and they got it. Insured, educated, smart, professional, and holding a wide view on the industry – I was truly impressed.

However, I was also deflated. This was due to one comment that was fed back to me by one of our most loyal and long-term BGA members:

“ I can’t get XXXXXX to join. He says that he doesn’t need to belong to the BGA, and he just can’t see the point of it. He moans and groans about what he earns, grumbles about he lack of recognition he gets, and wishes for more grooms prizes etc.”

We discussed this at length. The reason for me feeling deflated, is that I know how hard we have and are working for all grooms but there are still quite a few grooms that share this view.

They don’t see it. Nor do they get that by coming together as one unified representation, everything is possible and will be achieved.

We will work harder.

We will listen even more to our members, and soon to be members, and we will continue to trot towards becoming the 10,000 groom’s membership organisation that we aspire to be.

Finally, be proud of your profession, be proud to be a groom and be proud that you have a association that has got your back.

Without our brilliant members (and sponsors) non of the work we do would be possible, so if you're that groom who thinks 'I must get round to doing that', make now your time to join us."

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