7 good reasons to give back to your sport: Volunteering is good for you

Endurance rides are fabulous community events.  So many of us enjoy them and there are so many aspects to the event.

The truth is our sport could not happen without our valued volunteers.  Volunteers are special and we welcome them.

Whether you donate time, effort or sponsorship (rug, hand made items, or other contribution) giving back is beneficial--and not just for the recipients. Research has shown that the old adage, “it’s better to give than to receive” is true after all.

Most volunteers do it because they like doing something useful and helping out. Many others said they enjoy doing volunteer work and feeling good about themselves.

Besides feeling good about yourself for doing something for others in our sport, giving back is also good for your physical health. Volunteers are active people and rate their health as "good."  Volunteering  increases your self-esteem and has been linked to improved nervous and immune system functions too.

Volunteering can help fight depression. Helping others can help take your mind off your own problems and enable you to see the bigger picture. Once you see the difference you can make in another person's life, your own problems can seem smaller and more manageable.

Volunteering is one way to build a social life and improve your emotional and physical health at the same time.

Here are 7 More Reasons to Volunteer:

1. Develop new skills. Gaining skills, knowledge and expertise are common side effects of volunteering. Giving others your time brings you interesting and challenging opportunities that might not come along otherwise. This experience can be added to your resume and could result in a better paying job in the future.

 2. Make social connections. Volunteering is a marvelous avenue for making new friends and getting to know your friends better. Another thought is, why not invite a new friend into endurance.  They may be really interested to join in. 

3. Give back to your community. Doing something for the endurance community you are part of  and returning the favor to those who have helped you in your sport are strong motivators. Everyone, rich or poor, gets something from our sport, and volunteering is one way to show a sense of appreciation.

4. Develop and grow as a person. Volunteering is an excellent way to develop as a person….and you are never too old or too young. Volunteering has some nice surprises in unexpected ways. There is no telling what life will bring you when you volunteer.

5. Gain a new perspective. Life can be hard and when you’re feeling down, your problems can seem insurmountable. Volunteering can offer a new perspective—seeing people who are worse off than you are, yet still hanging in there, can help you see your life in a whole new light.

6. Know that you're needed. Feeling needed and appreciated are important, and you may not get that appreciation from your paid work or home life where the things you do are expected or taken for granted. When you volunteer, you realize just how much you are truly needed. Being a valuable part of the endurance community where your help is needed is a strong incentive to continue—people are depending on you. If you don’t do it, who will?

7. Boost your self-esteem. Many volunteers experience a sense of increased self-esteem and greater self-worth. Helping others makes you feel good about yourself, because you’re doing something for someone that they couldn’t do without your help.
 
When you help in our sport, you’re really making a difference. It’s a good feeling.

By Debbie Grull
 

NTARC Safety Communications

Please see the following document in relation to RFID Timing at the State Champs: Sc_RFID Timing.pdf

NTARC Safety Communications Update State Championships

We will be trialling a local version of the timing that was used by AERA in TQ16.

The Safety Comms team have been working with TEERA SMC to introduce the changes necessary to implement the trial.

The changes include the construction of timing races at the entrance to the Ride Base and the Vetting area. There will be a minor relocation of the Vet area to allow for the timing race. 160Km and 95Km riders will be supplied with lanyards that are attached to the RFID card. If anyone still has a helmet with one of the tags attached please remove it before the event.

We will also be setting up two display monitors in front of the Ride Office to display current competitors times through the checkpoints. One monitor will have the 160Km data and the other the 95 Km Data. The display will be updated at 20 second intervals. Proposed versions of the screens are in the attached photos.

OPTION 1, note that the checkpoint information is in reverse order i.e. the latest time for each competitor is in the column closest to the competitor’s name. Your comments on this would be appreciated.

OPTION 1, note that the checkpoint information is in reverse order i.e. the latest time for each competitor is in the column closest to the competitor’s name. Your comments on this would be appreciated.

OPTION 2 is designed to reduce screen clutter and is designed so that both events can be displayed on a single screen in PORTRAIT mode. The information on this screen is limited to the LAST REPORTED TIME & LOCATION.

OPTION 2 is designed to reduce screen clutter and is designed so that both events can be displayed on a single screen in PORTRAIT mode. The information on this screen is limited to the LAST REPORTED TIME & LOCATION.

I look forward to your comments.
My email is: safetycomms.ntarc@gmail.com
Thanks
Norm Thorley VK7KTN
NTARC Inc. Safety Communications Coordiator.

State Championships & SMC Notices

TASMANIAN STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
The information and entry page for the Tasmanian State Championships on November 25-27th is now online. See the calendar for more details.

SMC NOMINATIONS & AGM MOTIONS
Nomination and Motion forms for 2017 can be downloaded here. Both Nominations and Motions must be in the hands of the Secretary by 5pm Monday 5th December 2016.

BREAKFAST MEETING MINUTES
Minutes from the breakfast meeting at Gowrie Park on Sunday 2016-11-06 can be downloaded from the Newsletters page.

DRAFT RIDE CALENDAR 2017
A draft of the 2017 ride calendar is now online - see below the current 2016 calendar.

State Management Committee Notices

Apology to Shannon Hill

TEERA wishes to acknowledge and apologise for an error of fact in an article that appeared in the 2016 Tom Quilty Handbook. The article listed the winners of the 2015 Tasmanian State Championships but omitted to mention that Shannon Hill was equal first (with Debbie Grull) in the 160k middleweight division. This was unfortunate as Shannon's first place was her second big win in three months - she was also first across the line at the 2015 Victorian State Championships (160k).

Ride Organiser Discussions regarding costs and club viability

At the September State Management Committee meeting there was some discussion revolving around the need to consider the state-wide picture of ride organisers, some of whom are struggling to survive and continue to run their rides. It was agreed we need to organise an opportunity for representatives from each club and the SMC to meet and discuss strategies for moving forward for 2017. A democratic discussion is one that is needed, rather than anything being implemented from the SMC level.  

Club representatives have been asked to put together a rough draft of average costs they incur when running their ride and submit these to Sonia Hodgetts by Monday 24 October. TEERA will be putting on a hot breakfast and holding a breakfast meeting on the Sunday after Oss Foley – 8.30AM, 6 NOVEMBER 2016. We have asked for at least two representatives from each club to attend this meeting and have already received a number of submissions from clubs. Other interested members are more than welcome to attend. For catering purposes, please contact Sonia if you would like to attend: 0438 810 719

New Logbook Registrar

NEW LOGBOOK REGISTRAR
The new logbook registrar is Mrs Jill Hawkes, 38 Kings Road, Upper Natone 7321, phone 0427 790 918.

STATE CHAMP FUNDRAISER
The information and entry page for the State Champ Fundraiser on Saturday 2016-06-10 is now online.

TQ18 WORKING BEE
A working bee to help prepare the Santarena Park site for the TQ18 is scheduled for May 28 & 29 - see the Calendar.

SMC MINUTES
The March & April SMC meeting minutes have been posted to the website - see under the Newsletters menu item.

Wanted: Chief Stewards

Interested in becoming a Chief Steward? Read on.

There are currently only 5 active Chief Stewards in Tasmania: Pat Lamprey, Helen Bowkett, Greg Johnson, Denise Williams and Mark Dunn. Of these, three are still actively riding. None of them are (ahem) young.

There have been rides recently where there has only been one Chief Steward available to oversee the ride.

No Chief Steward = No Ride.

To try and ensure Tasmania does not find itself in a position where rides can't be run due to lack of a Chief Steward, a push is underway by TEERA to identify suitable candidates for Chief Steward and put them through the accreditation process. A high level of assistance and mentoring will be provided.

What do you need to do to get accredited as a Chief Steward?

  • Be a TEERA member and be 18 years of age or over
  • Be an active, accredited TPR
  • Possess suitable interpersonal skills
  • Submit an application detailing your endurance experience (riding, organising, officiating)
  • Sit a preliminary written exam - this is 'open book' with all answers obtainable from the rule book.
  • Act as Assistant Chief Steward at three rides
  • Undergo an oral exam where 21 ride scenarios are discussed - you get these in advance.

So far so good?

If you'd like to have a chat about this please come and see me at an upcoming ride (I will be at Kimberley and hope to be at all of the other rides in 2016 too) or email me for my phone number.

Please give this serious consideration.

As you all know, riding is a very satisfying, rewarding and enjoyable experience.

So is Chief Stewarding.

- Mark Dunn

Bushwackers Endurance Ride

Ride Information & Online Entry

  • The information and entry page for the BBRI Bushwackers Endurance Ride at Upper Castra on Saturday 2016-04-09 is now online.
  • A new online entry system is being used for this ride. Your feedback on the new form would be appreciated, and there are two feedback questions at the end of the form to facilitate this.
  • Please note that you will not receive an entry confirmation email with this new system. So long as you see the "thank you" message after submitting your entry, all is well - please do not submit duplicate entries because you have not received confirmation by email.
  • Before entering, please make sure you have read and understood the recent rule changes requiring a Horse Trainer's Declaration with each entry. See the news post below for more information.

Important Changes to Ride Entries

There have been some changes in the AERA rule book that will affect the way you enter rides as of 1 January 2016.  A trainer's declaration must now be completed for each horse entering a ride. For convenience, the declaration will be included on the reverse of the entry form that you sign when entering.

However, if you are riding a horse that you have not trained yourself then you need to have the trainer of the horse sign this form. If the trainer of the horse is not going to be at the ride then you must download the declaration (Form 35) separately, have it signed by the trainer of the horse and bring it to the ride where it will be attached to your ride entry form.

An important part of this rule is section 43.7  For endurance and marathon rides, the trainer must be a full riding adult or junior member of a division association.

If you ride as a ‘jockey’ for someone else this is important information.  Please note that the trainer’s declaration is already included on the second page of the entry form, so you would only need to use Form 35 if the trainer isn’t present at the ride

From the rule book:

27.6       A ride entry shall not be accepted unless the appropriate ‘Trainers Declaration’ for the horse is completed on the ride entry form or accompanies the ride entry form pursuant to Clause 43.5.
43.5       Every horse in every ride, shall require a ‘trainer’s declaration’ for the horse, which may be completed on the ride entry form or attached separately to the ride entry form using AERA Form 35 Trainers Declaration.
43.6       For introductory, intermediate, micro-marathon and mini-marathon rides, the trainer of the horse does not need to be a full riding adult or junior member of a DA.
43.7       For endurance and marathon rides, the trainer of the horse must be a full riding adult or junior member of a DA.
43.8       it shall be a serious infringement of this Rulebook for a person to lodge a false ‘trainers declaration’.
43.9       Where the rider is not the trainer of the horse, the rider shall make reasonable enquiry of the trainer of the horse to satisfy themselves that the horse will compete free of any Banned or Prohibited Substances pursuant to Section 5 EADCM Rules.