United States Eventing Association

South Woodstock, VT: The Green Mountain Horse Association, South Woodstock, Hitching Post Farm, South Royalton and Huntington Farm, South Strafford, VT teamed up to create a new program for event riders for 2012. The Vermont Eventing Challenge is a year end awards program for riders competing in Vermont’s USEA recognized Horse Trials. Annie Penfield owner of Strafford Saddlery Shop was pleased to support the goal of the program to promote event competition at many levels in the state of Vermont, and to provide riders with a season-long goal, attainable within the area. The VT Eventing Challenge shows for 2012 were Hitching Post Farm Horse Trial (May 19 - 20) GMHA’s June Horse Trials (June 2- 3), Huntington Farm Horse Trial (July 14 - 15) GMHA August Horse Trials (August 10 - 12) Huntington Farm Horse Trial (August 18 - 19) and GMHA September Horse Trials (September 15 - 16).

This exciting new program was open to any horse and rider combination participating in the challenge events. Competitors had to declare a horse and rider combination, level of competition, and pay a nominating fee in order to be eligible for the Vermont Eventing Challenge. Horse and rider combinations are only eligible at one level per season; riders may declare multiple horses. The program was administered by the Green Mountain Horse Association in cooperation with Hitching Post Farm and Huntington Farm.

Once a horse and rider combination has been declared, the low score from each competition counted towards the Vermont Eventing Challenge. The best four out of six scores at the declared level of competition will be averaged to determine the winner of the Vermont Eventing Challenge.

Ribbons and awards were presented at the USEA Area 1 Year end Annual meeting on January 13, 2013 at the Marriott Hotel in Springfield MA.

Beginner Novice Junior: Olivia Smith and Vanderbilt, Skowhegan, ME 167 points

Beginner Novice Senior: Jan McGarry and Siseio, Chittenden, VT 163 points

Novice Senior- 1 - Cristen Roby and Top-Sider, Lyme, NH 180 points

Novice Senior – 2 – Ashley Brunell and Snowford Bellman’s Clancy, Norwich, VT 246 Novice Senior – 3 - Kiersten Wright and Jim Dandy, North Granville, NY 279 points

The Green Mountain Horse Association, founded in 1926, is a 65-acre equestrian facility in South Woodstock, Vermont. It is a non-profit 501(3)(c) organization fully committed to serving five equine disciplines including: trail riding, hunter/jumpers, dressage, eventing and driving. With approximately 1,500 members, GMHA is a vital community of equestrian enthusiasts. Each event season contributes over $4.2 million dollars to the local economy. In addition to competitions and pleasure rides, GMHA offers many educational activities and is a leader in trail and open space preservation. Member support helps to ensure that GMHA will continue to exist for future generations and preserve its legacy in the equestrian community.