After just three months as Executive Director, the Ontario Equestrian Federation has announced that Dominique Bosshart is no longer with the organization.
The previous ED, Dianne Graham, left last year under undisclosed circumstances at which time the OEF undertook a massive review of operations. The process culminated in a new strategic plan announced this spring dubbed “Lead Change” (see August Horse Sport for more information). In the new vision, the OEF commits to “enhancing the riding experience of all Ontarians regardless of age or skill level,” which includes the challenging task of developing programs for athletes who are striving for high-performance competition.
It is an ambitious undertaking that was developed before Bosshart’s arrival and implemented a month after she started. She came to the OEF from Taekwondo, a sport where she had earned an Olympic bronze medal in 2000 and went on to become the sport development manager. Although she is credited with navigating the OEF through the initial phases of the launch and her background would have been helpful with parts of the new mandate, her lack of experience at the executive level or in guiding a large organization through a radical change may have played a role in her departure.
In the interim, the OEF has contracted Tracey McCague-McElrea on a part-time basis to fill the role. McCague-McElrea is familiar with the role, as she was previously the interim-ED before Bosshart was hired and she was the ED for several years at Skate Ontario, an organization with 75,000 members. The OEF is reviewing how best to fill the role in the future before initiating a new search.
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