As though a fine line was drawn between the barely noticeable and the glaringly obvious, change/evolution, however you like to call it, is hard to put your finger on. The leaves won’t grow before your very eyes and yet the seasons just continue to pass you by… It’s an odd phenomenon, and it’s only when you look back at the change and evolution that you feel a little lost and astounded. Yes it’s autumn and nostalgia is setting in oh so very slightly.
Sport falls very comfortably into this hard to define category. So, carbon dating will confirm that ritualized archery took place 30,000 years ago, and records will show that ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations played organized ballgames with the odd human sacrifice, or we can pinpoint the time and place when chariot racing was at the height of its existence… World records, great achievements – these can all be neatly placed in chronological order, but the actual how and why are a bit harder to define. And generally, this suits the term evolution quite well, as “just because” is an entirely valid response.
All this in a round about way to say that at some point in our fairly recent history, “sport” became “the sports industry”, at the virtual head of a multi billion dollar industry – and while this has provided great opportunities for athletes, communities, enthusiasts, businesses and the like, it is also a reliable platform for charitable causes where a common interest can be used to benefit a common cause.
An example of this was recently brought to our attention as the New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix & Family Day celebrated its tenth anniversary just over one month ago on 30 September. The exceptional character of this annual fixture on the equestrian calendar rests precisely in the why of its existence.
Indeed, this one day event where top international fixtures attend year in and out for an international Jumping Grand Prix, national entertainment and activities for all ages was created in order to raise funds for the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence, a private non-profit organization founded by Abigail Wexner. Created to improve the way individuals and institutions in Central Ohio think about and respond to family violence, the Coalition is comprised of leaders from corporate, medical, law enforcement and social service agencies. And with 100% of the proceeds directly benefiting the Coalition, in ten years the New Albany Classic Invitational Grand Prix & Family Day has effectively raised nearly USD 15 million!
If by chance the name sounds rather familiar it may be because of the recent exploits of a 12-year-old gelding ridden by Beezie Madden named Authentic (currently eighth in the Rolex Rankings) also owned by Abigail Wexner. This is the story thus far, the leaves are now definitely falling and time is, as usual, testing the waters.
And to conclude, the statement on the homepage of the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence website sums it up rather nicely, “By fostering collaboration, we can raise awareness and develop large-scale initiatives for prevention and intervention”.
So perhaps, change is not about putting your finger on it, but about pointing [it] in the right direction…
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