United States Eventing Association

Congratulations to Erica Larson, the USEA's 2008 editorial intern, who recently received one of the most prominent awards for up-and-coming journalists in the country, the 2009 Student Award Competition given by the American Horse Publications.

Erica, 21, of Howell, Michigan, interned with the USEA from August to December of 2008, helping provide coverage of the American Eventing Championships, Gold Cup events, Young Event Horse Championships, and also the Annual Meeting and Convention. In addition to her promotion of the USEA's many programs, Erica also wrote several outstanding editorial features for Eventing USA and the USEA blog.

Since leaving the USEA after the Annual Meeting, Erica has been finishing up her senior year at Michigan State University, working on freelance articles for the USEA (click here to read Erica's latest blog), and is also a contributing journalist for Warmbloods Today.

Erica also works as a riding instructor at Innisfree Equestrian Center and is with ARIA in both Eventing and Dressage. "I have a few more freelance jobs lined up (thanks to the AHP awards), so I'll be keeping busy this summer! I also am trying to get Dorado to at least one more event before the season ends," said Erica.

How did Erica get involved in such an exciting awards competition? "I found out about the competition almost by chance," Erica explained. "The scholarship coordinator at MSU, Lori Ann Dickerson, called my cell phone one day in March to tell me that the Director of the School of Journalism was notified about a competition from American Horse Publications. I had only met Jane Briggs-Bunting once, but I guess I stuck in her mind since we are both horse people! So I stopped by her office, picked up the paperwork, and got started on compiling my application!"

There were fourteen applicants from all across the country who vied for this prestigious award. "Of the fourteen, three were selected as Travel Award Winners," explained Erica. "We each received a complimentary registration for the AHP convention in New Orleans and $750 to cover our travel expenses to get down there. Once we were in New Orleans, a panel of three interviewed us as a group and then deliberated to decide the winner.

"On Friday night, AHP hosted the Student Awards Party. They even brought in a special guest: Molly The Pony! Molly is a Katrina horse abandoned by her owners and was adopted, only to be attacked by a pit bull! She had to have one of her legs amputated, but she fought through and now travels around - with an artificial leg! - to different celebrations and places with people in need of cheering up. Anyways, after dinner, we were all invited up on stage where they announced the overall winner. I received $1,000, an all-expense paid trip to Louisville to a two-day workshop at Publishers Press, and I was able to make some great contacts because I was selected as the 2009 Student Award Winner."

When asked if she's planning anything special to celebrate her "big win" Erica responded: "I'd rather go on a trip to the WEG than to Disneyland!"

You can look forward to more blogs and articles from Erica, as she'll be helping with our coverage of the Richland Park Horse Trials, part of the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup Series, and hopefully we'll see her at this year's Convention and Annual Meeting!