The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) might not be directly involved with the production of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, but the Games have certainly been keeping everyone at Lori Rawls' office mighty busy.
"Early on, we determined that we could be of help in actually fielding calls for the World Games staff," explained Rawls, the executive director of the USEF. "We've got 10 staff members dedicated to answering the phone, and without having to transfer the caller, being able to answer any question that they might have about the Games."
Other USEF staff members have been traveling around the country, seeking out the best riders and horses to represent the United States during the WEG competition. And Rawls' job is to make sure that everything comes together.
USEF is a membership association comprised of equestrian competitors, leisure riders, coaches, fans and enthusiasts who each share a personal bond with the horse. The federation, which was born in 2003 from a partnership between the American Horse Shows Associations (which moved to Lexington from Manhattan in 1998), and the United Stated Equestrian Team, is the national governing body designated by the U.S. Olympic Committee to represent the equestrian sport - meaning all competitors in the Olympics and in the FEI World Games go through the USEF.
Rawls doesn't hail from an equestrian background but is very passionate about sports and athletics.
"That's one of the great things about my job - it's a sport, and it's a lot of people's hobby, their lifestyle," she said. "I get to work with a lot of people who bring a lot of passion to the table. It's been an amazing environment for me to grow in."
A former accountant with KPMG Peat Marwick in Nashville, Rawls' career has evolved from her number-crunching days, though she insists an accounting degree is "a great foundation for anything you want to do in business."
"It's just easier to run a business if you know how to budget for it," she said. Her initial position with USEF was as financial controller, a job she acquired after making connections as treasurer of the Junior League of Lexington.
Rawls' professional career has been quite accomplished and rewarding. Last year, she attended the Olympics in Beijing with USEF, and this year she will see the team she has helped lead compete in the world's largest equestrian event - in her own backyard. But she doesn't hesitate to say that her life's biggest accomplishment lies outside the professional realm.
"There is no hesitation in saying that experiencing life as the mother of three daughters tops my list," she said.