Equine Affaire Press Room - Equine Affaire

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Jan 25, 2024

FIND YOUR STRIDE AT EQUINE AFFAIRE

LONDON, OH, January 23, 2024 – Depending on where you live, January weather may not be prime riding weather – but it can be prime planning weather! It’s time to get excited about going riding again. While you’re stuck inside and thawing out from your morning barn chore regimen, start working on your riding applications for Equine Affaire in Ohio. Application materials are now available online for Equine Affaire’s ever-popular Ride with a Pro clinic program as well as the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition. Bring your horses and get the best seat in the house – literally – by riding in a clinic or competition at North America’s premier equine exposition and equestrian gathering, happening April 11-14, 2024, at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OH. This year’s event promises to be extra special, as it will mark the thirtieth anniversary of Equine Affaire in Ohio. Don’t miss your chance to participate in an extraordinary event as we celebrate both our history and our future on horseback.

This year’s schedule features multiple unique opportunities to participate in clinics, seminars, and demonstrations presented by clinicians hailing from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines, including dressage, driving, English pleasure, eventing, hunter/jumpers, mountain trail, Western dressage, and others. Equestrians from all corners of the industry will enjoy the opportunity to learn something new in a clinic, whether it’s an eventing clinic by seven-time Olympian Phillip Dutton, a dressage intensive by two-time US team medalist Lauren Sammis, or a colt-starting demo by modern-day cowboy Mike Major. Riding, training, or participation slots are available with the following presenters:

Operation Horses & Heroes…Interactive activities for veterans

Kristine May…Barrel racing

Daniel Stewart…Biomechanics and sports psychology

Brendan & Melanie Wise…Classical horsemanship and bridleless riding

Mike Major…Colt starting

Lauren Sammis…Dressage

Stacey Giere…Driving

Duane Esser…English Pleasure

Phillip Dutton…Eventing

Ken McNabb…General training and horsemanship

Pat Parelli…General training and horsemanship

Chelsea Canedy…General training and horsemanship

Steve Lantvit…General training and horsemanship

Cynthia Hankins…Hunters/jumpers

Mark Bolender…Mountain trail

Tanner Keith…Ranch sorting

Dave Treharne…Roping

Solange…Stable riding system

Lynn Newton…Western dressage

Equine Affaire is also proud to announce the debut of a brand-new educational feature this year in Ohio: Cowtown in Cooper, sponsored by Western Life Today! Embark on a two-day tour of cattle-oriented Western events, which will also feature opportunities for applicants to ride in clinics and learn firsthand about roping, boxing, ranch sorting, reining, cutting, and more from Steve Lantvit, Tanner Keith, Ken McNabb, Dave Treharne, and others. Wear your cowboy hats and cowboy boots and take part in an authentic Western experience. Cowtown in Cooper will take place on Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13 in Cooper Arena.

Application materials and clinic summaries are available online at https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-participate/ohio-ride-in-clinics/ohio-ride-with-a-pro-2/. The deadline to apply is February 15, 2024. Clinic fees are $105 and include clinic participation, event admission, 24 hours of stabling for your horse, and a T-shirt. Clinicians will make their selections based on applications and videos from applicants, so make sure to read up on all the details on our website so you can put your best foot forward for this year’s Ride with a Pro.

Or if you’re looking for something to bring out your competitive side, applications are also open for the Versatile Horse & Rider Competition. This beloved mainstay will take place on Friday, April 12, during Equine Affaire. Competitors must navigate a challenging obstacle course under the watchful eye of an expert judge and the pressure of a ticking clock. Riders don’t know what the course will consist of until they check in on site, but past obstacles have included jumping, backing through patterns, pole bending, roll backs, gymkhana games, and other creative exploits. With a field capped at 25 pre-selected horse and rider teams, don’t miss your opportunity to vie for $5,500 in cash and other prizes, as well as the honor of being named the 2024 Versatile Horse & Rider Champion! Application materials are available online at https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-participate/ohio-compete/ohio-versatile-horse-rider-competition/. The deadline to apply is February 15, 2024.

If you’re interested in participating in Equine Affaire in a non-riding capacity, we’ve got an exciting opportunity or two available for you! Consider competing in the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge, sponsored by Boot Barn! This fun new venture is arriving just in time to help commemorate the 30^th anniversary of Equine Affaire in Ohio. The GEFC will feature three events: a barn chores marathon, a bouncy pony race, and a horse nugget relay. You can sign up for the event of your choice on site – no horses needed and no entry fee required, besides general admission! Prizes will be awarded to the top ten participants in each event, as applicable. Whether you decide to compete or just want to watch, you’re guaranteed to have a fabulous time at the GEFC! Flex your barn rat muscles, bring your work boots and gloves, and get ready to compete.

Attendees are also invited to apply to work as volunteers at this year’s event. Volunteers who work a certain number of hours can earn free admission, free four-day passes, and fun souvenirs, all while getting a backstage pass to one of the industry’s most well-run and expansive horse expos! Apply by February 26, 2024, by filling out our application form, available online: https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-participate/ohio-help/ohio-volunteer/.

Tickets for Equine Affaire and Fantasia, the musical celebration of the horse, are available for purchase online any time (https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-attend/ohio-general-information/tickets/) or by calling our office at 740-845-0085, M-F, 9 am to 5 pm EST. General admission tickets are $16 in advance for adults or $10 for children, ages 7-10. Four-day passes are $52. Children (ages 6 & under) get in for free! Tickets to Fantasia, sponsored by Equine Medical & Surgical Associates, are also available online or by phone. Tickets for Fantasia range from $16 to $25. Show dates are Thursday, April 11; Friday, April 12; and Saturday, April 13; at 7:30 pm ET in the Coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center. Club, organization, and association discounts are available for Thursday night’s Fantasia only – to receive this discount, call our office at (740) 845-0085.

Equine Affaire gratefully acknowledges the sponsors that help make this event possible: Equine Medical & Surgical Associates, Rod’s, GGT Footing, US Equestrian, Western Life Today, and Boot Barn. For more information about Equine Affaire, please visit equineaffaire.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We’ll see you at Equine Affaire!

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Jan 8, 2024

CELEBRATE 30 YEARS OF HORSES WITH EQUINE AFFAIRE IN OHIO

LONDON, OH, January 8, 2024 – Equine Affaire invites horse lovers everywhere to join in an extra-special milestone celebration on April 11-14, 2024! This spring, make the pilgrimage to North America’s premier equine exposition and equestrian gathering and celebrate thirty spectacular years of Equine Affaire in Ohio. This landmark event will take place at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OH, and include four days of everything the horse industry has come to know and love about Equine Affaire – plus a wealth of exciting new features, fun giveaways, and special guests. Elevate your equestrian experience this spring and saddle up for the equine event of the year.

Like all great movements, Equine Affaire first began as an idea. In 1993, founder Eugenia Snyder set out to create a first-class, education-oriented horsemen’s exposition, where horse people from all breeds and all disciplines could convene in a non-competitive environment and share their passion for horses with each other. The very next year, Eugenia and her staff produced the first Equine Affaire at the Hara Arena Complex in Dayton. Just three years later, the expo outgrew the Dayton facility and relocated to the Ohio Expo Center, where it has been produced annually ever since. In 2024, Equine Affaire is proud to continue celebrating its traditions by uplifting and uniting the horse industry. With a little over three months to go until the first horses set foot into the arenas of the Ohio Expo Center, now is the perfect time to begin exploring your options for joining the celebrations! Whether you’d like to attend, ride, participate, compete, volunteer, or exhibit, there’s a way for you to become part of Equine Affaire.

For three decades, equestrians have traveled from all over the globe to attend Equine Affaire and give themselves – and their horses – the gift of better horsemanship through education. This spring, attendees will enjoy clinics, seminars, and demonstrations by such spectacular horsemen and horsewomen as Mike Major, Ken McNabb, Pat Parelli, Steve Lantvit, and Chelsea Canedy, who will present on topics relating to general horsemanship and training. The event’s discipline-specific educators will include Daniel Stewart (jumping, fitness & sport psychology), Phillip Dutton (eventing), Mark Bolender (mountain trail), Cynthia Hankins (hunter/jumper), Lauren Sammis (dressage), Stacey Giere (driving), Solange (stable riding system), Lynn Newton (Western dressage), Duane Esser (English pleasure), Matt McHugh (trailer driving), Karin Bump, PhD (college/career fair), Jerry Paulsen (equine-assisted activities), and the Mid-Ohio Marauders (mounted shooting), plus many more to be announced in the months to come.

Many of these clinicians will be searching for horses and riders to participate in their clinics and demos at the event. Interested riders are welcome to apply to Equine Affaire’s clinic participation program, Ride with a Pro! Application materials and clinic titles and topics will be available online in mid-January. The deadline to apply is February 15, 2024. Clinic fees range from $85 to $350 and include clinic participation, event admission, and 24 hours of stabling for your horse. Clinicians will review applications and videos from applicants. Whether you’re hoping to improve your dressage scores, tackle a new discipline, fine-tune your communication skills with your horse, or something else, there is a spectacular learning opportunity waiting for you at Equine Affaire!

And speaking of learning opportunities, Equine Affaire is pleased to introduce a brand-new educational feature this year, focused on highlighting the Western way of life: Cowtown in Cooper. Get ready to embark on a two-day tour of Western cattle-oriented disciplines in the Cooper Arena on Friday, April 12, and Saturday, April 13. Attendees will enjoy learning from – or riding with – some of the industry’s finest clinicians in roping, boxing, ranch sorting, reining, cutting, and more. Wear your cowboy hats and cowboy boots and take part in an authentic Western experience. Stay tuned to our website and social media channels for more information about Cowtown in Cooper, including our featured Western clinicians and clinic titles, in the weeks to come.

Looking for something to bring out your competitive side? The Versatile Horse & Rider Competition may be right up your alley! This hugely popular feature will take place on Friday, April 12, during Equine Affaire. Competitors must navigate a challenging obstacle course under the watchful eye of an expert judge and the pressure of a ticking clock. Competitors don’t know what the course will consist of until they check in on site, but past obstacles have included jumping, backing through patterns, pole bending, roll backs, gymkhana games, and other creative exploits. With a field capped at 25 pre-selected horse and rider teams, don’t miss your opportunity to vie for $5,500 in cash and other prizes, as well as the honor of being named the 2024 Versatile Horse & Rider Champion! Application materials are available online at https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-participate/ohio-compete/ohio-versatile-horse-rider-competition/. The deadline to apply is February 15, 2024.

Equine Affaire is also proud to announce the return of Fantasia, the musical celebration of the horse. With just three performances, Fantasia is can’t-miss entertainment that serves as the perfect bookend for a day spent at Equine Affaire. Sponsored by Equine Medical and Surgical Associates, this two-hour extravaganza is bursting at the seams with gorgeous horses, talented riders and performers, and great music. This spring, enjoy performances by 2020 PRCA Dress Act of the Year and 7-time NFR performers Rider Kiesner and Bethany Iles; Brendan and Melanie Wise’s fantastical bridleless jumping; a touch of Pony Magic from the Pegasus Riders; a fast-paced, patriotic drill team routine by the Young Guns; a dressage freestyle by Lauren Sammis, and more! Tickets for this special show are available online at https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-attend/ohio-general-information/tickets/. Buy your Fantasia tickets early because seats are selling fast!

In addition to riding and educational opportunities, the 2024 Equine Affaire in Ohio will showcase a sprawling trade show; a Breed Pavilion and Horse and Farm Exhibits; an Adoption Affaire; a college & career fair; an Interscholastic Equestrian Association Horse Show; and lots more. Booth spaces on the trade show floor are going quickly, so if you would like to exhibit and share your products, company, and brand with the tens of thousands of attendees who will be coming to Equine Affaire, act today! Application materials for the trade show are available here: https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-attend/exhibit/trade-show/ohio-exhibitor-information/.

If you own a farm, specialize in a particular breed of horse, or provide industry services, we welcome you to exhibit with us in the Breed Pavilion or the Horse & Farm Exhibits! These features are beloved elements of Equine Affaire and allow attendees to meet and greet with you and your horses in order to learn more about you, your horses, and the service and value you provide to the industry. Breed and Horse and Farm exhibitors are welcome to visit https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-attend/exhibit/breed-exhibits/breed-pavilion/ or https://equineaffaire.com/events/ohio/ohio-attend/ohio-breed-exhibits/ohio-horses-and-farm-exhibits/ to learn more about these fantastic opportunities.

Part of this year’s anniversary celebrations will also include the debut of the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge in Ohio. If you’re the king or queen of the barn chore list, a master stall mucker, or a true barnyard athlete, you’ll want to come to Equine Affaire ready to compete in the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge. This fun new competition will feature three events: a barn chores marathon, a bouncy pony race, and a horse nugget relay. You can sign up for the event of your choice on site – no horses needed and no entry fee required, besides general admission! Prizes will be awarded to the top ten participants in each event, as applicable. Whether you decide to compete or just want to watch, you’re guaranteed to have a fabulous time at the GEFC!

And that’s not all. In the days and weeks to come, stay tuned to our website and to our social media channels for announcements of new features, special guests, and schedule details for Equine Affaire in Ohio.

Equine Affaire gratefully acknowledges the sponsors that help make this event possible: Equine Medical & Surgical Associates, Rod’s, GGT Footing, and US Equestrian. For more information about Equine Affaire, please visit equineaffaire.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We’ll see you at Equine Affaire!

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Dec 1, 2023

HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU MISSED AT EQUINE AFFAIRE

W. SPRINGFIELD, MA, December 1, 2023 — Last month, Equine Affaire in Massachusetts celebrated its 25^th anniversary at the Eastern States Exposition – and what a celebration it was! Filled with endless opportunities to celebrate the horse, North America’s premier equine expo and equestrian gathering drew tens of thousands of eager equine enthusiasts from all over the globe to the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, MA, on November 9-12, 2023. Attendance at the 2023 event increased compared to last year’s event, in large part due to the excitement of celebrating the expo’s milestone achievement.

Attendees brought their families, friends, and horses to Equine Affaire to commemorate the expo’s silver anniversary in style. They attended hundreds of educational clinics, shopped an extensive trade show, participated in exciting interactive workshops and activities, savored thrilling competitions, and engaged with horse lovers from across the industry. Visitors also enjoyed extra-special surprises, such as fun new competitions like the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge, sponsored by Boot Barn, and the Best Booth Award Contest; screenings of HorseWeek.TV, courtesy of the Equine Network; signings from Olympians Steffen Peters and Phillip Dutton; and sold-out performances of Fantasia, sponsored by Absorbine!

“This year’s event in Massachusetts was a true celebration,” said Coagi Long, president and owner of Equine Affaire. “We’re proud to have reached the twenty-five-year mark of our event in New England, and we simply couldn’t have done it without the support of all the people who help make Equine Affaire great. Many volunteers and contracted staff have been working with us since the beginning, not to mention all the attendees who have faithfully attended every event over the years, and of course, the incredible staff of the Eastern States Exposition. It was wonderful to get to celebrate with all our friends, both old and new.”

Equine Affaire was incorporated in 1993 by Eugenia Snyder, a keen horsewoman with experience in both marketing and event production. She wanted to create a first-class, education-oriented horsemen’s exposition, where horse people from all breeds and disciplines could convene in a non-competitive environment and share their passion for horses with each other. The very next year, Eugenia and her staff produced the first Equine Affaire at the Hara Arena Complex in Dayton, OH. In 1997, the expo relocated to the Ohio Expo Center. Then, in 1998, a second Equine Affaire debuted at the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, MA. Twenty-five years later, attending North America’s premier equine expo and equestrian gathering has become a beloved tradition in New England, uniting horse lovers of all ages and from all corners of the equine industry.

“It doesn’t matter which event we’re talking about – Massachusetts, Ohio, or California – people attend Equine Affaire because they want to learn more about what they love,” says Cheryl McLeod, who has been working at Equine Affaire events since 1997. “I think gaining knowledge about horses transcends anything that might make people different from one another.”

This year’s Equine Affaire featured a wealth of educational clinics presented by Mike Major, Julie Goodnight, Jason Irwin, Brandi Lyons, and Chelsea Canedy, plus Phillip Dutton, Steffen Peters, Greg Robinson, Jeanne McDonald, Mark Bolender, Bronwyn Irwin, and many more of the industry’s best and brightest instructors, coaches, experts, and practitioners. In between clinics, attendees browsed acres of shopping on sold-out trade show floors and enjoyed networking and connecting with representatives from hundreds of equestrian companies, including Absorbine, US Equestrian, GGT Footing, Horizon Structures, Fair Hill Saddlery, LRP Matting, Triple Crown, Tribute Nutrition, Espana Silk All Natural Grooming Products, Sentinel, Saddle Up Clothing Company, Equine Network, and others. The ever-popular Breed Pavilion and the Horse and Farm Exhibits presented opportunities to engage with breeds as familiar as the Morgan and the Haflinger and as exotic as the Dales Pony, the Gypsy Vanner, the Irish Draught, the Icelandic pony, and the Swiss Freiberger.

The event also produced a slew of winners through mounted and unmounted competitions as well as a Best Booth award contest for trade show exhibitors, the annual Equine Affaire raffle, and a special award for clinicians.

On Friday, Nov 10, the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition, sponsored by Chewy, took place in the US Equestrian Coliseum as twenty-five pre-selected horse-and rider pairs raced the clock and each other to conquer a challenging obstacle course. Brittany Mayer of Cumberland, Rhode Island, won first place aboard My Sharoana’s Time to Shine with a score of 70. She also took second with her second mount, Copy That, with a score of 60. Rob West won third aboard Moonshine Lady, and Scott Keyes took home fourth aboard KC. Congratulations to all VHRC competitors! For full results, and to learn more about all the competitors and their mounts, please visit https://equineaffaire.com/press/.
On Saturday, Nov 11, attendees enjoyed the chance to compete in the inaugural Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge, sponsored by Boot Barn! The GEFC featured three fun events: the Barn Chores Marathon, the Bouncy Pony Race, and the Horse Nugget Relay. Winners included Lydia Bajus; Elsa Lately; Dylan McCoskery; Nicole & Kasey Czarnecki; and Miriam and Sarah Slate. The event’s master of ceremonies was equestrian fitness coach Ifa Simmonds, owner and creator of the Equestrian Fitness Academy. For a full list of competitors and scores, visit https://equineaffaire.com/press/.
In honor of the 25^th anniversary, Equine Affaire also hosted the first-ever Best Booth Award contest for exhibitors and vendors. On Thursday, November 9, the staff of Equine Affaire selected and submitted five finalists to our social media audiences to vote for their favorite. The out-and-out winner was EquestriYUM Bakery, owned and operated by Katie Friesema! Congratulations to EquestriYUM Bakery and the other finalists: The Impeccable Equerry, Horizon Structures, Erreplus, and Dubarry of Ireland. The Equine Affaire staff would also like to award Honorable Mentions to the New England Equine Rescue, Sarah Lynn Richards Art, Purina Animal Nutrition, ABI Attachments, and Taborton Equine Books.
During the final performance of Fantasia on Saturday, November 11, Jason Irwin of Jason & Bronwyn Irwin Horsemanship received the Exceptional Equestrian Educator Award in a special awards presentation ceremony. The Equine Affaire Exceptional Equestrian Educator Award was created in 2001 to recognize an individual within the horse industry who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to the education and training of horsepeople. Mr. Irwin is a lifelong equestrian and horse trainer from Ontario, Canada, who works with both western and English riders of all skill levels and ages. Congratulations to Jason Irwin!
The official Equine Affaire raffle also produced twenty-four lucky winners! The raffle, which was hosted online through November 13, 2023, offered prizes from Dubarry of Ireland, Back On Track USA, October Design Equestrian Décor, Blue Seal-Sentinel, US Equestrian, and Equine Affaire. A full list of winners is available on our website at https://equineaffaire.com/events/massachusetts/mass-other-features/mass-free-raffle/. Review the list to see if you won, and then check your email for a winner notification. Special thanks to all of the incredible companies who donated to this year’s raffle!

Attendees also enjoyed plenty of hands-on and interactive educational activities. The Whispery Pines Percherons team offered three chances for visitors to learn how to “Drive a Draft” on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the event. With supervision from Sam and Kellie Rettinger, owners of Whispery Pines, participants took the reins – literally – and learned how to drive either a pair of draft horses or a single draft horse around the ring. Ifa Simmonds partnered with Equine Affaire to offer Equestrians in Motion, sponsored by Blue Seal-Sentinel. These three special interactive workshops provided participants with the chance to learn about different exercises to increase their balance and mobility from Mr. Simmonds, who offers special coaching and workout programs designed for equestrians through Equestrian Fitness Academy.

Sponsored by Absorbine, Equine Affaire’s musical celebration of the horse, Fantasia, returned for three spectacular performances, November 9-11, in the US Equestrian Coliseum at the Eastern States Exposition. The Friday and Saturday evening performances both sold out. Attendees were treated to a fabulous and varied display of equestrian performances, including bridleless dressage and jumping by Brendan Wise and Melanie Ferrior-Wise; drill team exercises by the Friesian Heritage Drill Team and the Young Guns Drill Team; a drive-off between the Whispery Pines Percherons and the Morrisville College Belgians; liberty and trick-riding by the Pegasus Riders; a liberty performance by Melissa Barnett; and an incredible Wild West trick-roping finale by Loop Rawlins. Loop Rawlins’ performance was sponsored by Espana Silk Natural Grooming Products. Each evening also included a solemn tribute to American veterans, POWs, and MIAs by Jerry Paulsen of Operation Horses and Heroes, who presented the audience with a special reading and a Remembrance Table display.

The staff of Equine Affaire are thankful for the opportunity to celebrate twenty-five great years in Massachusetts and look forward to celebrating twenty-five more – at least! Save the dates for the 2024 Equine Affaire in Massachusetts, happening November 7-10, 2024, at the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield.

Equine Affaire is also looking ahead to celebrating the 30^th anniversary of its event in Ohio, which is happening April 11-14, 2024, at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, OH. Tickets for that event – and for Fantasia in Ohio, sponsored by Equine Medical and Surgical Associates – will go on sale December 6, 2023, at equineaffaire.com.

To learn more about our event, visit our website (www.equineaffaire.com) or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X @equineaffaire. We’ll see you at Equine Affaire!

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Nov 12, 2023

THE INAUGURAL GREAT EQUESTRIAN FITNESS CHALLENGE RESULTS, MA EDITION

W. SPRINGFIELD, MA, November 12, 2023 — Sponsored by Boot Barn, the very first annual Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge took place at Equine Affaire in Massachusetts on Saturday, November 11. Equestrians of all ages enjoyed competing in the GEFC — or cheering on for their friends and barnmates — while equestrian fitness coach, Ifa Simmonds, coached and announced the three parts of the competition.

Participants could sign up for the Barn Chores Marathon, the Bouncy Pony Race, or the Horse Nugget Relay. The Barn Chores Marathon consisted of a challenging obstacle course filled with common — but challenging — horse care tasks, like hauling hay, carrying full water buckets, tying up a full hay net, moving bags of feed, and more. The Bouncy Pony Race featured a good old fashioned race on inflatable bouncy ponies. The Horse Nugget Relay — a teams event — consisted of teams racing to pick up as many horse nuggets as possible with a manure picker and filling a wheelbarrow.

FULL 2023 COMPETITION RESULTS – THE BARN CHORES MARATHON

1. Lydia Bajus – 2:24:80
2. Amy Thompson – 2:32:90
3. Owen Gay – 2:41:83
4. Dawn Brown – 2:43:14
5. Sheila Jones – 2:43:19
6. Amanda Damour – 2:50:25
7. Tracy Wood – 2:56:74
8. Emma Gooden – 3:16:30
9. Tatyanna Warschel – 3:23:09
10. Heather Worshel – 3:46:87
11. David Lawrence – 7:01:00
12. Brandon Price – 3:21:55 (penalized for bucket spill)

FULL 2023 COMPETITION RESULTS – THE BOUNCY PONY RACE #1

1. Elsa Lately
2. Meghan Foster
3. Alexis McCauley
4. Harleigh Nealon

FULL 2023 COMPETITION RESULTS – THE BOUNCY PONY RACE #2

1. Dylan McCoskery
2. Susan Barrows
3. Aeva Snyder
4. Shyanne Thomas

FULL 2023 COMPETITION RESULTS – HORSE NUGGET RELAY #1

1. Chaos Acres: Nicole Czarnecki and Kasey Czarnecki
2. Mucking Maniacs: Dana and Steph Smolyn
3. Horse Moms: Christina Snyder and Karla Barrows
4. Thrall Farm Thunder: Dylan Sharp and Angela Lent

FULL 2023 COMPETITION RESULTS – HORSE NUGGET RELAY #2

1. Blossoms Team: Miriam Slate and Sarah Slate
2. The Paints: Nicki Pakkala and Kaija Pakkala
3. Mucking Maniacs #2: Kelly Benedeth and Ella Shattuck

Thank you all for helping to make the first Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge such a success! And start training for next year… you could be our next GEFC Champion!

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Nov 11, 2023

MEET THE CHAMPIONS OF THE 2023 VERSATILE HORSE & RIDER COMPETITION, MA EDITION

W. SPRINGFIELD, MA, November 11, 2023 — Sponsored by Chewy, the 2023 Versatile Horse & Rider Competition in Massachusetts was a fabulous hit on Friday, November 10. The event took place in the US Equestrian Arena and featured 25 hopefuls who competed for $5,500 in cash and other prizes over a challenging obstacle course that featured carrying a garrocha pole, a ground tying obstacle, a narrow bridge, a counter canter, a grain scoop toss, and more. Brittany Mayer of Cumberland, Rhode Island, took first and second place with her mounts, My Sharoana’s Time to Shine and Coppy That. Congratulations to Brittany on two splendid rides! As first place finisher, Brittany won $2,500 in cash, received a Champion rosette, and is the Equine Affaire Versatile Horse & Rider Champion. As second place finisher, she also won $1,500 and received a reserve champion rosette.

Third place finisher Rob West won $1,000 and a rosette on Moonshine Lady, while fourth place rider Scott Keyes won $500 and a rosette aboard KC.

Congratulations to all our competitors! Keep reading to learn more about Brittany and to see a full list of results and scores.

Brittany Mayer

First Place Horse: My Sharoana’s Time to Shine, 19 year old grade American Quarter Horse mare

Brittany is a trainer and a riding instructor from Cumberland, Rhode Island, and has competed in the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition three times. This would be her third time competing aboard “Roanie,” and her first time back with Roanie since 2017. Brittany and Roanie have been a team for more than 12 years and enjoy showing Western pleasure, ranch versatility and English pleasure. When she isn’t in the show ring with Brittany, Roanie is used as a lesson horse and as a confidence booster for young horses to be ponied.

Brittany Mayer

Second Place Horse: Coppy That, 8 year old Mustang mare

This is her second time to ride “Copper” in the event. Brittany has known Copper for three years, but has been working consistently with the horse for the last year and a half. They enjoy showing ranch classes at pinto shows, working cattle, trail riding, and jumping.

FULL 2023 VERSATILE HORSE & RIDER COMPETITION RESULTS

1. Brittany Mayer – My Sharoana’s Time to Shine – Score: 70
2. Brittany Mayer – Coppy That – Score: 60
3. Rob West – Moonshine Lady – Score: 53
4. Scott Keyes – KC – Score: 53
5. Susan Mallery – Ayel YES – Score: 50
6. Mackenzie Kunz – A Little Touch of Pine – Score: 46
7. Hilary Dorazio – One Smart Red Pine – Score: 46
8. Anya Emmons – High Stylin’ Bobcat – 45
9. Francis Veillette – YCC Sophia-Montana – 45
10. Olivia Giuffrida – Tiny – Score: 45
11. Cheyenne Vaillancourt – Just Gonna Send It – Score: 44
12. April Baronas – I Can’t Even – Score: 43
13. Christina Morin – JMF New York Windfall – Score: 40
14. Kayla O’Leary – Wildfire – Score: 37
15. Rob West – Ranger – Score: 35
16. Melanie Davidson – Willow – Score: 33
17. Amanda Malone – Turbo – Score: 33
18. Jessica Knapp – River of Dreams – Score: 31
19. Gina Lamb – Chocky – Score: 31
20. Danielle Gauvin – Put A Little Pep In Your Step – Score 28
21. Amanda Malone – Amora – Score: 20
22: Lily Germano – Super Star Express – Time Out
23. Jessica Hogan – Bandit – Time Out
24. Katie Kortright – Foxwillow’s Blue Angel – Time Out
25. Jason Wooldridge – Chili – Time Out