United States Eventing Association

2014 Annual Meeting Preview: Sponsor Relationships with Gina Miles and Christie Tull, and Rider Fitness Bootcamp with Daniel Stewart

Developing Sponsor Relationships for Organizers and Riders with Gina Miles and Christie Tull

Gina Miles won the Olympic Individual Silver Medal in Equestrian (3-Day Eventing) in 2008 with McKinlaigh, an Irish Sport Horse owned by Thom Schulz and Laura Coats of Creston, California. Other accomplishments include the Pan American Gold and Bronze Medals in 2007, Bronze Medal at the 2003 World Cup Final, 2006 USEA Gold Cup Champion, 2006 USET Fall Champion, 2006, 2007, 2008 USEA Advanced Horse of the Year and the 2008 Chronicle of the Horse Overall and Eventing Horsemen of the Year.

Gina operates a full-service equestrian business – Gold Medal Equestrian (GME) – which offers training for all ages in 3-Day Eventing, Hunter/Jumper, and Dressage. She is a member of the USEF Eventing Technical Committee, past Chairmen of the USEA Professional Horsemen’s Council, a Pony Club national examiner and Level IV USEA certified instructor. Gina graduated in 1997 Cum Laude from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in Crop Science and Ag Business and was recently inducted in to the Davis Senior High School Hall of Fame. Gina and her husband, Morgan have two children Austin and Taylor.

Christie Tull was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and rode cow ponies, fox trotters, show hunters, fox hunters, and point-to-point races from Wyoming to Maryland for over a half century until her 2008 retirement. She was introduced to eventing as a teenager on the Vanguard riding team at Emma Willard School in Troy, New York, and received further eventing training at the Morven Park summer program when she owned a farm in Lucketts, Virginia. She moved to Texas with her former husband in 1981 and established Greenwood Farm, Inc. in Weatherford, where an English riding school and Pony Club was developed with Jimmy Williams’ first wife, Margot Loos.

Christie’s riding education includes Curragh’s British Horse Society Stable Management course, Centered Riding Instruction with the late Sally Swift and Peggy Fleming, classes with the late Joaquin Perez, and the many talented clinicians who continue to share their expertise at Greenwood. Recent equestrian awards include a Centennial Hunt Horse Award from Masters of Foxhounds of America 2006, staff whipper-in for the Brazos Valley Hounds 2007 – 2008, Weatherford “Mid-Size Business of the Year” award for Greenwood Farm, Inc., 2009 and the USEA Ironmaster Trophy, 2009. Christie organized unrecognized open shows and horse trials for 10 years before launching the Greenwood Farm, Inc. Horse Trials in 1995, which now include a spring CIC 1*/2*. The horse trials will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2015.

Rider Fitness Bootcamp with Daniel Stewart

Author of the equestrian sport psychology "Tip of the Month" on the USEA website, Daniel Stewart has been a successful international riding instructor and trainer for over 25 years. In addition to the US, he’s trained riders in Spain, Portugal, England, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Belgium, United Arab Emirates, Greece and the West Indies. From 1999 to 2007 he coached riders on several US Equestrian Teams to success at World Championships, World Equestrian Games and Olympics.

Coach Stewart has a degree in Sport Science, and as the internationally acclaimed author of the equestrian sport psychology book "Pressure Proof Your Riding”; rider fitness book “Ride Right”; and equestrian fitness bootcamp DVD, “E-90—EQ”; he’s widely considered one of the worlds leading experts on equestrian sport psychology, athletics and performance. He teaches clinics and seminars to thousands of riders each year - including a summer clinic-tour that visits up to 51 cities in 60 days. He’s a sought-after guest speaker at many national conventions, has been the subject of countless magazine and newspaper articles and is the Equestrian Sport Psychology expert for the Horse Radio Network and many equestrian associations.

Coach Stewart lived in Andalusia Spain until recently but now resides in Naples, Florida. When he's not traveling to teach his sold-out clinic-tours around the world he teaches online instructor certification courses to riders wanting to teach equestrian sport psychology and fitness clinics, seminars and workshops