Mar 12, 2019

Inside the Life of a VIP: Vicki Reynolds, the 2018 Volunteer of the Year

By Claire Kelley - USEA Staff
Vicki Reynolds (left) receiving her award for 2018 USEA Volunteer of the Year. RedBayStock.com Photo.

“I am definitely a morning person,” emphasized Vicki Reynolds, the 2018 USEA Volunteer of the Year. “Growing up in Vermont, I was in bed by 7:30 p.m. so I could wake up early to ride before school." A life filled with horses, racing motocross, competitive rowing, and volunteering, Vicki Reynolds has stayed on the go. By being a morning person, Reynolds was able to clock in 330 volunteer hours and 35 minutes to secure the 2018 USEA Volunteer of the Year title.

Learning how to ride on a Shetland pony named Dondi, Reynolds described how she got into horses. “I got into horses as my mother loved horses. I got a Shetland pony named Dondi when I was 10 years old and the love affair started.” Transitioning from eventing to racing motorcross, Reynolds spent her 20s and early 30s racing, and, “At 36, I stopped racing motorcross to go to college.”

While attending school, Reynolds spotted an advertisement for rowing, and she quickly caught on to the sport. “[Riding] horses gave me the feel of listening to something underneath me, so it was natural to listen and feel the boat. I started racing and was winning. I was asked, 'Who taught you how to row?' [and] I replied, 'My boat taught me,' and then going to races I listened and learned.”

“I was fortunate enough to race rowing shells in the Czech Republc, Spain, Belgium, Germany, and France,” said Reynolds.

Reynolds riding her Shetland pony, Dondi (left) with her friend Ginger Lipponer (right) in Sowe, Vermont. Photo courtesy of Vicki Reynolds.

As for Reynolds favorites, “My favorite color is coral. My favorite food and drink are chicken wings and beer! I am a salty person over sweet. [I prefer] dogs over cats. I have had Borzois and Greyhounds because I love their elegance and grace."

“Just do it,” is Reynolds’ one piece of advice to volunteers. “Learn, listen, and try different jobs as you might surprise yourself with what you discover. Watch the different riders and see how it is done well and also how it is done not so well. A great learning experience is right before you, so enjoy!”

“Live life, not your age,” is Reynolds' life motto and with that she’s able to live every day to the fullest. Thank you to Vicki Reynolds for all of her hard work and don’t forget, “There is no eventing without volunteers!”

About the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program

Volunteers are the lifeblood of our sport, the unsung heroes, and the people who make it possible to keep the sport alive. In efforts to recognize the dedication, commitment, and hard work that volunteers put into eventing, USEA formed the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) in 2015. In 2017, an online management portal was designed for volunteers, organizers, and volunteer coordinators at EventingVolunteers.com (available as an app for iOS and Android).

Volunteer incentives include national and area recognition, year-end awards with ribbons, cash prizes, and trophies, a top ten USEA Volunteer leaderboard, and a Volunteer of the Year award which is given to the volunteer who tops the leaderboard by accumulating the most volunteer hours over the USEA competition year. Click hereto learn more about the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program.

The USEA would like to thank Sunsprite Warmbloods for sponsoring the Volunteer Incentive Program.

Jan 20, 2025 News

Echoing the Dream: Small Acts of Kindness in Eventing

Today, we pause to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and reflect on the powerful moment in 1963 when he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and shared his vision for a better future. Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech was more than just words; it was a call to action that transcended time, culture, and boundaries—a beacon of hope that continues to inspire.

Jan 19, 2025

That “Forward” State of Mind

We’ve all been there—on the horse who pokes his way around the warm-up ring, needs leg, leg, leg coming into the combination, or brings up the rear on every trail ride. None of us wants each and every ride to be a lower-body squeezefest, nor do we wish to do anything with our crop except maybe wave it at that annoying deerfly. In this excerpt from his book The Sport Horse Problem Solver, former international eventer Eric Smiley explains the essential quality of forwardness and how to prepare the horse to expect you to look for it in all that you do together.

Jan 18, 2025 Interscholastic

Stars of the Interscholastic Eventing League Shot to the Top of the 2024 Leaderboards

The inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championships may have been the pinnacle for program members of the IEL last year, but that’s not the only exciting achievement that occurred in 2024. A total of 41 events offered IEL Team Challenges for over 360 program members, and in the end, a year-end leaderboard champion was named at every level from Starter through Intermediate. The following IEL members worked tirelessly with their clubs and on their own competitive journeys in 2024 to earn the title of Interscholastic Rider of the Year at their respective level. Join us in congratulating these up-and-coming eventers on their success!

Jan 17, 2025 Volunteers

2024 USEA Volunteer of the Year Susan Hart Makes USEA History with Gold Medal Achievement

Veterinary pathologist Susan Hart has been trapped in an “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” loop on the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) Volunteer Leaderboard since 2022. After two years of chipping away at the leaderboard, 2024 was finally her year to proverbially walk down the aisle. With a total of 691 and a half hours, Hart topped the leaderboard to become the 2024 USEA Volunteer of the Year, sponsored by Mrs. Pastures, and win the first gold medal in USEA VIP history, which is awarded for achieving over 2,000 lifetime volunteer hours.

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