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84    S E P T E M B E R /O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0 | U N TAC K E D A WAY TO SAVE HORSES In the future, Dave Conlan sees his BackGate LLC app having capacity to build an equine-specific social network that he hopes will help keep horses out of the slaughter pipeline. With 117 million people in the U.S. self- identifying as horse lovers, Conlan believes the need for a specialized social media network is long overdue. It all started a few years ago. "We saved two horses from slaughter, and one was pregnant, so it ended up being three," says Conlan. "They were perfectly healthy, perfectly fine, smart and funny. [One of them] would come into the kitchen and learned to open the fridge. If we had not intervened, they would have been killed in a horrible way." Motivated to help more horses, Conlan struck on an idea: develop a mechanism to divert horses from kill pens to large ranches, where they could live out their days in safety, doing nothing more than being horses. Conlan's plan is to gather their manure and turn it into Life Saving Fertilizer™, offering agricultural producers an affordable, organic alternative to chemical fertilizers. "A horse produces 9.1 tons of manure per year on average, and that is some of the best fertilizer in the world," says Conlan. "Sick, not sick; lame, not lame; broke, not broke, all horses produce manure, all day long. This app is the steppingstone to make this social network. When someone has a horse they don't need anymore, they tap on a button, and we will show up. The horse will spend the rest of their life on a ranch eating as much as they like." Conlan hopes to see BackGate used internationally, drawing together equestrians across disciplines and continents, using its proceeds to invest in the Life Saving Fertilizer™ project. "Horse shows are a $68 billion per year business, $300 billion worldwide, and they are currently underserved," says Conlan. "My development team and I started to have fun with this and sort of went hog wild. Our intention was never to try to create a show management system—what we have is a show experience management system, trying to keep clients happy and having a good time, so they stay with the sport." that it's their turn," says Conlan. "BackGate became a social distancing app, by accident." BackGate is free for show management and trainers, but Conlan expects ultimately riders will pay a nominal subscription fee. "It's the exhibitor's time that is valuable," says Conlan. "I would totally pay to know what is going on at a horse show, to know that I can leave and get lunch and not miss my daughter's ride." BACKGATE TOMORROW Additional features and functionality are planned for BackGate, with most expected to debut before the end of the year. First up is the Marketplace, a patent-pending feature that will link to one or more popular online horse sales sites. Sales horses will be noted as such to BackGate users, with links to their ads and their class entry for that specific show, so prospective buyers will know exactly when a sales horse is expected to compete. Additionally, the Marketplace will connect braiders, grooms and other freelance providers with clients. But what Conlan is most excited about—and what will he hopes drive revenue to the app—is the introduction of micro-sponsorship opportunities for riders. "I have a patent pending for a marketplace system where brands can identify people high in social capital—people who are winning, people who are influencers—sponsor them, and then these people talk about those brands in a positive way," says Conlan. "Instead of a stranger on the radio telling you to buy something, you are following an influencer. This is a model that works and is growing quickly." Through BackGate, companies will be able to approach riders with sponsorship opportunities directly. If the rider accepts, every update that goes out about them through the show will identify that sponsorship. But word of mouth is the real draw for sponsors. "People are driven in life to tell everyone about what is positive," says Conlan. "They will tell everyone they know that they are sponsored, and people will ask by who and learn about the brand. Riders spend a lot on their sport, and you have brands looking to get access to the most affluent demographic in the world. It's their way of getting in." "With this technology, people are staying in the barn until they know that it's their turn." –DAVE CONLAN TECH SPOTLIGHT

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