A Family Affair

Meet Jack Huang from Taipei, Taiwan. His journey into the equestrian sport came about in an unexpected way; bringing a second chance at life for his father...

Unable to walk, Jack’s father suffered from crippling arthritis.“He underwent various therapies and depended on painkillers. Worried he may have to live the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair, he decided to try therapeutic riding,” recounts Jack.“After the first time on a horse, he immediately felt better.”“To this day, at 82 years of age, he continues to ride. This is why I started riding and why I continue to be passionate about getting others involved - my father received a second chance at life. I want to give back what was given to my father.”

A family bonding experience...

Little did he know, Jack’s father began a legacy of three generations of equestrians in Taiwan, a first on this East Asian island, with Jack eventually show jumping on a national level.

He said: “I continue to ride, mostly on the weekends, along with my 14-year-old daughter.

"My mother rides recreationally and my two sons used to ride as well. This sport is an activity we can all do as a family and it’s a bonding experience we share."

Jack's appreciation for the horse sport is what led him to the FEI. Now the Vice President and Regional Group VIII Chair for the organisation, he remains passionate about promoting the horse sport.“As I work to develop the equestrian sport in my region, I try to promote riding at a grassroots level by strengthening pony club programs so riding becomes more accessible to youth,” he adds.Jack explains that the FEI has taken the initiative to change the sport to focus on universality, while also making the sport more exciting, leading to more riders in his region riding internationally.He said: “We have a record breaking number of teams and individuals from my region competing in the Tokyo Olympics. We have ten national federations represented, which is more than ever before. I am extremely proud of this achievement and optimistic about my region representing the podium."We reduced the number of riders per team - four down to three - which provided opportunities for more teams to emerge and added excitement with the new format, making all three rider scores count up to the last rail."I also helped organise the regional qualifiers to find the best facilities to promote accessibility for all riders and worked to ensure riders met their minimum eligibility requirements to compete.”

Not only is he an equestrian and advocate for the horse sport, Jack also serves an ambassador for charity.

In 2010, he took a pledge to help raise awareness and fund life-changing education and nutrition programs for children around the world via nonprofit, JustWorld International, also an “Official Charity Partner” of the FEI.“Education is the most important thing for children to escape poverty. I was blown away by JustWorld’s mission to connect equestrians to give children the tools they need to succeed in life.”In 2019, Jack visited the JustWorld partner organisation in Cambodia to see firsthand the progress being made.JustWorld is making education a possibility for countless impoverished children living at the site of a municipal garbage dump at the outskirts of the capital city, Phnom Penh.JustWorld funds the operational costs of a Kindergarten-Grade 12 school, providing qualified teachers, an on-site doctor, educational materials, daily lunches, and distributing rice allotments to families so their children can attend school.

“They have the world because they have education.”

Reflecting on his experience, Jack shared, "One big thing that had a lasting impact on me was the fact that no matter how little these children have, they are so happy; they always greeted me with the biggest smiles.

“I was impressed at the progress the children were making. In a school where 100% of the students are graduating and test results are out-performing state-funded schools, the JustWorld programs are working.

"I was able to speak with teachers who were once students of the school and are passionate about giving students the same opportunities they were given. To see the cycle of poverty being broken in front of my own eyes was amazing.”

Jack urges other equestrians to join him in supporting JustWorld and growing the impact to reach more children in more countries.He said: “It’s so easy to get involved. The little you give creates such an impact on another person’s life. Every dollar counts. I encourage everyone to visit a JustWorld project - I guarantee it will be the most memorable trip of your life.“My region consists of 63% of the world’s population.”Jack believes that the relationship with the FEI and JustWorld has great potential for growth. Region VIII extends from Pakistan in the West, Mongolia in the North, New Zealand in the South and Japan in the East.He said: “The sport and competition level in this region still has a lot of room for improvement. Together with the FEI, we can continue to expose riders from all around the world to JustWorld and the ways they can give back.”