Jerri Lance began volunteering the same way many people do – as a horse show parent who “wanted to be there if my daughter needed me, but didn’t want to get in her way.”
She and her daughter Courtney volunteered together for several years as jump judges, score runners, ring stewards, etc. Volunteering kept Jerri busy while Courtney competed, and allowed them both to better understand the rules of the sport.
Courtney was in training with Erin Kellerhouse at Galway Downs and that put Jerri in the sightlines of organizer Robert Kellerhouse and his eagle eye for good people who might agree to up their involvement. About 20 or 21 years ago, Jerri first stepped into the volunteer coordinator role.
Honored for service to the sport with the USEA’s Governor’s Cup in 2015, Jerri took a Galway Downs hiatus while living in Texas to help care for her mother. She couldn’t quite stay completely away from the volunteer life, however. When Robert organized the American Eventing Championships at Texas Rose Horse Park in Texas and Tryon Equestrian Center in North Carolina, he asked for Jerri’s help and she stepped up.
A Coordinated Effort
Jerri worked fulltime as a business analyst when she was first recruited for the coordinator role, and her organizational skills came in handy. She’s quick to clarify that coordination is a team effort and everything accomplished is through the work of the team.
“Over the years, we have had fantastic coordinators,” she explains. This year, the coordinator team has grown to 5 – Jerri, Bernie Low, Laura Jaeger, Karin Dewald and Dani Trinowski. “We hope to expand the coordinator team so that we can share the load of the five shows at Galway. The bigger team concept is the more we have trained, the better for all.”
What makes a good coordinator?
“Organization is important,” Jerri states. “Also, someone who can relate to people, make quick decisions and keep a calm demeanor when situations change.”
Appreciating that volunteers are, in fact, volunteers, is critical.
“They’re doing us a favor by being there, and it’s important that they feel our gratefulness,” Jerri notes. “We try and cater to their needs as much as possible. Anyone interested in being part of the team, please let us know!”
Going With The Flow
The coordinators usually start working on an event two to three weeks in advance. “We talk with Robert and members of his team to get an idea of what’s going on with each show.”
Each competition has nuances that can affect volunteer needs. A few years ago, for example, the cross-country course usually required crossing guards at places where pedestrians needed to walk in the galloping paths. Another year there were vendors situated on the berm near the water tower.
More recently at the Spring International, torrential rains caused multiple schedule and arena changes, some of them changing on the fly based on the weather forecast. “That was a crazy one! We didn’t know what was happening because we didn’t know if or when the sun would come out!”
Hence, an ability to “go with the flow” is another important coordinator trait.
Volunteer Pipeline
Jerri is optimistic about the volunteer pipeline after some discouraging trends in recent years, especially during COVID. “This year it seems like people are coming back,” she says. Galway Downs’ Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) has been very well received. “On one of my first shows this year, I ran into a volunteer who I hadn’t seen in 8-10 years. It was fun reconnecting.”
The VIP provides $30, $60 and $90 eVouchers that can be used for Galway Downs swag, to reserve seats in the VIP, toward entries or schooling. Twice a year, the Program has a prize drawing in which all volunteers are automatically entered. Prizes include gift certificates for the La Cocina Mexican Restaurant, a 2-night stay at the Pony Homes and a round of golf at Temecula Creek Inn.
A Volunteer of the Year award and a Trainer incentive are additional VIP perks.
Most volunteer posts are at the forefront of the action. This year’s volunteers, for example, had a front row seat to see the Land Rover Kentucky winner in Tamie Smith and the Central American and Caribbean Games champion Lauren Billys whiz by on their shift. Golf carted deliveries of snacks and waters to those spread around the course are the norm, along with a generously stocked volunteer gathering area and lovely lunches.
Learning On the Job
Learning about the sport is the greatest reward for volunteering, Jerri asserts. Volunteering for most posts starts with training or briefings from officials who’ve seen just about any circumstance that can arise during a competition. “It really helps you learn the sport and the rules and the more you understand it, the more you appreciate it.”
Also, it’s fun! “You make a lot of friends volunteering,” concludes Jerri.
To learn more about the volunteer coordinator opportunities, or volunteer posts at the Aug 4-6 Early Bird Galway Downs Horse Trials, visit the volunteer page on Galwaydowns.net