The Managing Director of WERC, Wayne "Ingwe" Lourens, has identified that the way forward for WERC for a sustainable future was embodied in the use of technology (which many people have in the form of smart phones, tablets, and computers) to continue the training and competitions for the Sport of WORKING EQUITATION as an ONLINE activity, specifically due to the ongoing lockdowns in many countries preventing the traditional Event being held.

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The Covid-19 "epidemic" lockdowns have affected Training Events, Clinics, and Workshops, which were the principle method of passing on the concepts of Working Equitation to those who have an interest in the Equestrian Discipline.

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As Managing Director of WERC and the Administrator of Fieldwork Equitation KZN AND South Africa, as well as being a life-long student in the Equestrian arts, as a Home Study and Mastery Entry Level Student on the burgeoning Equestrian Training modality called Straightness Training (founded by ex-Miss Netherlands and avid horsewoman, Marijke de Jong), Wayne has been assimilating various options for using technology to the best effect.

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Whilst facilitating Judges and Course Builders Training for the National Working Equitation Association's Council in the first part of 2019, he was instrumental in getting links established with private Working Equitation Judges in Portugal, who had been on the WAWE International Judges Training Panel. The idea was to cut costs of flying Judge Trainers to South Africa, by using video technology to get a "qualified" judging score on the 3 Trials, and then assessing the local Trainee Judges against the "qualified" Portuguese Judge Trainer's score and comments.

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This principle has now been in the process of investigation, using online meeting software and video assessments, for both TRAINING and COMPETITION Events for WERC, as well as private tuition, and is at the point of being ready for "going live".

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This may be the ONLY opportunity to keep the sport of WORKING EQUITATION alive during this global pandemic.

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In respect of the above, WORKING EQUITATION Training, Tuition, and Competitions is now no longer locally "bound" by travelling costs, rising ground levies, and other financial factors, and thus WERC has taken the bold step to "GO GLOBAL", promoting WORKING EQUITATION Training as WERC practices it, to ANY Working Equitation participant anywhere in the World. Wayne believes that our methods of training horses and riders rate as the BEST in Southern Africa, and ONE of the BEST in the world - aligned as it is to CLASSICAL methods of training horses and riders.

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New Zealand recently launched online competitions, and beat us to the punch in launching this online facility, however, our "added-value" approach with many more services offered, should soon establish WERC as a world leader in online Working Equitation practices.

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As a foundation principle of the WERC Working Equitation Training Program, the WELFARE of the HORSE is PARAMOUNT, with WERC continually seeking out ways and means to keep our animal partners (and two-leggeds) in the best health, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

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"Horsemanship Welfare" is an attitude that brings into focus the concern for the welfare of, primarily, the horse, and secondly, people.

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It is a well-known fact that horses are true "servers" of humanity, and that many horses are excellent remedial "practitioners" in their own right, being able to communicate at energy level with people who have issues resulting from traumatic experiences.

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It is also time for horse people to realise that horses are also our greatest "teachers", if we just take the time to learn how to listen to their opinions, learn their "language", become a part of their herd (we should know how to be the herd stallion and take that function on, in the absence of a "natural" horse herd), and not dictate our own will upon them - rather we should be looking out for the BEST INTERESTS of the whole herd, even if it just a herd of two (the rider and the horse).

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In this respect, WERC has the ability to offer the opportunity to everyone, rich or poor, young or old, to allow a horse to establish the relationship of trust and understanding with all who have the need, including  needy children in communities and schools. Horses and riding can develop into opportunities for anyone who chooses, as a profession or a sport, including the disabled - children and adults alike.

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It is hoped that this concept could in future be initiated, with the necessary funding sought nationally and internationally to assist in making this a reality. To this end, the Managing Director is in the throes of establishing paid positions for both internal (South African) and Internationally-based Fund Raisers, as well as Transformation and Development Officers - who will start with indigenous people who own horses used for stock-work, and expand this into an introductory program at schools, giving ALL people that are passionate about the welfare of horses the chance to practice it, under competent supervision.

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In addition, with Working Equitation in South Africa being an Equestrian Sport for EVERYONE, no person or horse should be excluded from becoming a part of the sport in whichever way they would choose.

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This principle opens the doors of opportunity, when the Covid-19 lockdowns are eventually lifted and countries get back to some form of social "normality", to resume the running of traditional Shows or Events, and re-integrate official duties balanced with active participation, where officials at any level could perform their organisational tasks as well as being able to participate at any level or category that they would choose. So many sports dictate that a person can only be an official or a participant - however, Working Equitation may become the benchmark in changing paradigms to reveal that being an official AND a participant is not only possible, but also fair and just.....