Young, promising event horses are beginning to gear up for the 2021 Future Event Horse Program Championships, which will take place in the next two months. The 2021 USEA FEH East Coast Championships will be held September 25-26 at Loch Moy Farm. The 2021 USEA FEH Central Championships will take place at Haras Hacienda on October 9-10. The 2021 USEA FEH West Coast Championships will be held at Twin Rivers Ranch from October 29-30. To compete in the FEH Championships, a horse must earn a minimum score of 72% at any qualifier.
The Event at Rebecca Farm took place from July 21-25, 2021, in Kalispell, MT. Thirty-three horse-and-rider combinations entered the Training Three-Day division, while the Novice Three-Day saw 25 entries.
Shelby Murray and Reverie GWF (Rotspon x Chatari), owned by Laurel Ritter, took home the top prize in the Training Three-Day with 30.7 penalties. Second place honors were awarded to Kristen Davignon aboard her own Fürst Floid. The pair received 31.1 penalties. Avery Hughes and her own Faya rounded out the top three with 31.7 penalties.
Gary Snyder has been involved with horses for the past 50 years. “We had horses when I was a kid, so it’s been about 50 years,” recalled Snyder. “He married me almost 47 years ago, and he got me, an old dog, and a horse, and we have been in horses ever since!” added Snyder’s wife, Colleen.
Snyder is located in Tyler, Texas, Area 5, where he and Colleen own and operate a commercial farm. For about ten to twelve years now, Snyder has been actively volunteering at events for the USEA.
Michelle Wadley has had the horse bug since she could remember. “My mom swears my first word was 'horse,' way back when I was two years old,” she recalled. The rider now owns a horse of her own, and through volunteering for the USEA, she has grown her knowledge and love for eventing.
Wadley began riding at the young age of five in Fayetteville, Arkansas, at a local hunter/jumper barn. After moving between Arkansas and Texas, Wadley gained experience in the western, eventing, and Arabian disciplines. Although tough at times, she always found a way to keep the equestrian world a part of her life.