For The Next Generation

For those who come after us and for what those who have come before us have gone through… THIS IS FOR YOU.

“We will transform the equine industry across the world FOR THE NEXT GENERATION”

I have spent the last few days working at our first ever event for Equitas here in Ireland shooting content. As always, I am late with my article. I am always the last to submit it. It is something I am ok with due to the current schedule we have leading two hugely scaling brands being read across 42 countries and with thousands of subscribers. I have to say though it is down to my patient partners and our incredibly dynamic and patient design team led by my partner, Marie, that it’s ok at times if I am late. They get it; I get it; we move forward as one.

This is one of those times I am very happy this time though that I was the last to submit my piece. I have spent the last 3 days at the Irish Pony Society Summer Championships in Necarne, Fermanagh in Northern Ireland.

We have seen some amazing young talented riders and some simple beautiful horses and ponies. I am here with the one and only Mike O'Flynn, my partner in The Grassroots Gazette and one of our Co-Founders here at Equitas. As I write this we are pulled up in his jeep after finally getting wifi and I now have a chance to write this as Mike works and posts and listens to me heavily typing beside him.

One of the things that has really gotten to me these past few days and kept me awake at night (In a positive way) was the talent we have seen and what the future may hold for these young people and the obvious potential they have. To see young girls doing their first ever interview with us, two guys, and being comfortable and happy as they follow us on TikTok already and love the fun nature of our interviews. We’ve been inundated with rising stars wanting interviews and that both humbles us and makes us incredibly proud.

“We need to teach the next generation of children from day one that they are responsible for their lives.” ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

We feel it is our responsibility to educate the next generation as leaders of the grassroots movement and the equitas generation. We feel we need to give them experience on camera and we feel that by doing this we are helping them prepare better for the life coming next as competitors. Either way, we are helping the next generation build their confidence.

But we want to do more. Yes, that will include launching a brand for young people down the line but it is more than that. We need to give them hope, we need to give them the chance at a better future, we need to support them to feel confident in themselves and who they are, we need to teach them that you have to stand up for what is right and be fearless in the pursuit of excellence. We NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THE GENERATIONS BEFORE US HAVE GONE THROUGH… THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH!!

This is our moment, this is our chance. A big thing I have noticed here is they are watching us and learning from us. They see how we are on camera and follow our behaviour.

Now let's go a little deeper with that. You are a role model… even if you don’t realise it yet… YOU ARE 100%!!! As a parent, a friend, a teacher, a family member, a coach etc… You are a role model.

There are people from The Next Generation looking up to you. So what are you going to do and how are you going to behave now that you know you have that power or that influence? With great power comes great responsibility.

“I think leading by example is important, as I know the next generation is watching us.” ~ Michael Skolnik

For all of us I believe in my heart and soul it has to be about improving the present and redesigning the future with what we are both learning and understanding now. We need to create the societal behaviours that we want to instill into the next generation as young as possible. We are role models; we are leaders and we have a chance now to redesign the future.

“LET'S TAKE THAT CHANCE TOGETHER… FOR THE NEXT GENERATION”

We should be trying to always learn from the people around us, the communities and movements we are building and the mistakes we make. We need to educate, we need to inspire and we need to push boundaries for those coming after us. We need to understand the power and influence we have and the impact our actions how ever big or small they are, can have.

My question to myself throughout this Irish Pony Society Summer Championship event is pretty simple and aligns to a famous quote from Ruth Bader Ginsburg - “Who will take responsibility for raising the next generation?”

US!!! That is my answer!! And I really hope that is your answer too. We will take responsibility for raising the next generation. We are the current custodians of the equine industry around the world… many have come before us and many will come after us BUT we are here right now in the present… with the chance and opportunity to change it all for The Next Generation.

I would love the next generation to live in a world where Justice, Fairness and Equity is available to all. Where we can Empower Change, Together through the global communities and worldwide movements we can build. But this will only be possible if we realise that we are all role models, that we all have power and influence and that by coming together in a meaningful and positive way that we can reshape the world we live in currently and redesign the world for The Next Generation.

I’ll leave you with this to think about “We need to teach the next generation of children from day one that they are responsible for their lives.” ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Until Next Time,

Shane