United States Eventing Association

LEXINGTON, Va. – Margot Popecki, the daughter of Carolyn Singer and Mark Popecki of Durham, and Hannah Salmon, daughter of Sharon and Tom Salmon, of Barrington, won bronze medals at the United States Pony Clubs (USPC) Championships East in Dressage in Lexington on July 23 -26. Both are members of the Wentworth Pony Club based in the Seacoast area.

According to the United States Dressage Federation, "dressage" is a French term meaning “training” and its purpose is to develop the horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to work making him calm, supple and attentive to his rider.

All riders competing in Championships 2009 previously qualified by attaining top scores at their regional USPC rallies throughout the country. They vie for national honors in the disciplines of: dressage, eventing, (dressage, cross-country and stadium jumping), mounted games, Polocrosse (a combination of polo and lacrosse), show jumping, Tetrathlon (riding, running, swimming and marksmanship) and quiz (an unmounted equine quiz bowl competition).

Salmon and Popecki (as well as Bryn Oliver, daughter of Stan Oliver and Janet Coo Oliver, of Barrington) qualified at the Dressage Rally held in June at the University of New Hampshire.

Popecki will be a senior at Oyster River High School and Salmon will be an entering freshman at Dover High School.

As members of the United States Eventing Association, Popecki and Salmon also qualified for the American Eventing Championships in Wayne, Ill. Sept. 10-13.

(Right: Hannah Salmon of Barrington rides in dressage event. Courtesy photo.)

Wentworth Pony Club member Phoebe Lamonte, daughter of Melissa and Robert Lamonte of Durham also represented Central New England at the USPC Championships East on the Senior D Quiz team. In answering progressively difficult questions about equitation, horsemanship and the care of the horse, Lamonte finished in 5th place over 70 competitors.

Lamonte will be a freshman at Oyster River High School this fall.

Popecki, Salmon,and Lamonte all train with Dawn Dascomb of Green Acres Stables in Madbury. Dascomb herself recently demonstrated an extremely high degree of ability in dressage by qualifying for a Bronze Medal with the United States Dressage Federation. Dascomb, a professional trainer, instructs riders of all ages in dressage and eventing at Green Acres.