Molly Pellegrini would volunteer at competitions even if she weren’t President-Elect of the US Eventing Association. And even if she weren’t the mom of a rising star, 20-year-old Meg Pellegrini, now a confirmed 3* competitor.
“I really enjoy doing it!” shares Molly. At the USEA’s American Eventing Championship, presented by Nutrena Feeds, she’s signed up to volunteer three days. During the August 27-31 national championships, she will spend one day as a dressage scribe and two as a jump judge on cross-country. Molly loves both roles but is happy to do anything else if Galway’s volunteer leaders need her in another spot. “I’ll do anything that needs to be done!”
Molly has enjoyed and learned from volunteering through every phase of her eventing involvement. While helping at Plantation Fields in Pennsylvania recently, “I met a 70-year-old woman who was doing her first event. It was so cool to be around that.” Rule nuances and how the sport plays out at progressive levels are among many subjects uniquely illuminated while volunteering.
As a key player now in the sport’s administration and growth, Molly sees more benefits to volunteering. Interacting with and observing competitors and fellow volunteers gives insights into why they’re attracted to the sport and how that might be capitalized on by the USEA. “I learn something every time I volunteer.”
Watching competitors at the lower levels reminds Molly of why almost everybody gets into eventing in the first place.
“We all know that the sport is grown from the base, not the top,” she notes. “Seeing people take on their first event and then moving up a level is really great. Their looks of pure joy give me that perspective of appreciating where we came from.”
After serving in various sport-wide volunteer positions, Molly became the USEA President- Elect at the USEA Annual Meeting in December of 2024. She doesn’t introduce herself that way when meeting fellow volunteers. “I like to go under the radar and just be there doing a job like everybody else. Of course, I’m always happy to be a resource to anybody. More than a few people have been that for me over the years.”
National Needs
Attracting enough volunteers to ensure a safe and successful event has been a challenge for organizers for many years. “It’s a struggle to the point where organizers panic a couple of days out, but it always seems to be OK because people dig deep into the wells of their community,” Molly observes. “I do wish that volunteering – and planning to volunteer — was at the forefront of more people’s minds.”
She puts the role of volunteer coordinator almost on par with that of the event organizer. “It’s a big job!”
Galway Downs is fortunate to have a seasoned volunteer coordinator team – Jerri Lance, Bernie Low, Laura Jaeger, Danielle Trynoski and Thamar Draper. Galway’s compelling volunteer incentive program helps fill the pipeline and it aligns with the USEA’s nation-wide Volunteer Incentive Program. Several of Galway Downs’ regular volunteers are found on the high rungs of the USEA VIP year-end leaderboard.
Attracting groups to volunteer is a smart move, along with countering the entrenched idea that experience is needed to volunteer at an equestrian event. “It’s not!” Molly emphasizes.
(Sign up to help at the American Eventing Championships here.)
Coming Home
The Pellegrinis lived in Southern California when Meg began eventing and ascending the Young Rider ranks. “Galway Downs was our home venue then,” Molly shares. Since relocating to Pennsylvania in 2020, they’ve only been back once and are excited to return.
“The level of organization that Robert (Kellerhouse) has, and the people supporting the property and the event, are legendary,” Molly says. “That’s why they won the bid to have the AEC. We are excited to see how things have changed.”
Meg started riding when the family lived in Oklahoma. When they moved to Southern California, the Pellegrinis were lucky to land with Brian and Lisa Sabo, who ran the Newport Mesa Pony Club in Orange County’s Costa Mesa.
“The Pony Club background and the Sabos’ coaching gave Meg a base of horsemanship and confidence that has been huge,” Molly reflects. At 12, Meg and her super pony Ganymede successfully moved up to Preliminary competition. “I always say that ignorance is bliss,” Molly laughs. She fully trusted the Sabos’ support for Meg’s move up but also recalls “having no appreciation for what a barrier that step is for most pairs.” (It was before the Modified division was available.)
The Sabos also influenced Molly’s path from parent to sport leader, making the most of her desire to help within and beyond the horse world. Molly served on the USEA Area VI Board of Directors and the USEA Board of Directors. A former USEA President, Brian recognized and encouraged Molly’s potential to lead the USEA early on. After a year as President-Elect, Molly will step into current President Lou Leslie’s shoes at this December’s Annual USEA Meeting.
Understanding the USEA’s 13,000-person membership – their needs, challenges and priorities – is the most important thing for every USEA president’s leadership, Molly notes. And volunteering provides great insights about a critical segment of that membership.
