May 15, 2024

Recipients Announced for MARS Bromont Rising U25 Grant Program 2024

By Michelle Dunn - Edited Press Release
2023 MARS Bromont Rising Grant Recipient Maya Clarkson with Maks Mojo C on the cross-country course at Bromont June, 2023. Michelle Dunn photo

BROMONT, QC - May 15, 2024 - The MARS Bromont Rising U25 scholarship program, administered by the USEA Foundation, is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s grant funding for riders aiming to compete in the MARS Bromont CCI (Quebec, Canada) taking place June 5-9. Each will receive $2,500 toward their travel and competition costs, and participate in an extensive educational component during the event.

The brainchild of Bromont organizer Sue Ockendon and the late Steve Blauner; the scholarship program was first offered in 2019 for riders competing at Bromont and at the time Ocala, and was expanded to include Galway Downs (Temecula, California) in 2022 and 2023.

Highlighting this year’s program is the return of three-time German Olympic team member Bettina Hoy, as a guest coach for 2024. Hoy will be coaching athletes on dressage days as well as providing course walks for cross-country and show jumping.

Program director, Olympian, and FEI five-star eventing judge Peter Gray also acts as a clinician at each event, including his “centerline sessions” on how to make the most of your warm-up and exactly what the judges are looking for movement by movement.

On release of the names Gray commented: “We were overwhelmed with the quality of this year’s applicants and are very excited for an amazing week of training and lecture presentations at the beautiful facility at Bromont. For many of the successful recipients this will be their first FEI competition and first time competing outside of the U.S.; it should be a memorable week! Thank you to Dr. Mark Hart, Carol Kozlowski, and Diane Pitts for joining me on the review committee to select this year’s recipients.”

The recipients for 2024 are:

  • Ivie Cullen-Dean, Newnan, Georgia, with Fernhill Cardevega
  • Olivia Dutton, West Grove, Pennsylvania, with Sea of Clouds
  • Julia Fanello, Ocala, Florida, with FE Quickly
  • Erin Farrell, Tallahassee, Florida, with Ataviuos
  • Colin Gaffney, Lexington, Kentucky, with Baymax
  • Jenna Levesque, Cochranville, Pennsylvania, with Born Ready
  • Megan Loughnane, Unionville, Pennsylvania, with Lynton
  • Rylie Nelson, Unionville, Pennsylvania, with Galloway Sunrise
  • Nicole Reynolds, Coldwater, Ontario, Canada, with Don’t Ask
  • Annabelle Sprague, South Royalton, Vermont, with DaVinci Code
  • Claire Strehlow, Lexington, Kentucky, with Seabanks Theygo

For more information on the MARS Bromont Rising program visit www.bromontcci.com.

Jul 02, 2024 Educational Activities

USEA Educational Activity Highlight: Sherwood Forest Hunter Pace | Sherwood Oregon | July 13, 2024

What’s a Hunter Pace? The Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center's Hunter Pace is a cross-country-style course around Sherwood Forest over various natural obstacles/terrain. The course ends with a final treat for riders to take in stunning views of Mt. Hood with a loop through the old Far Hill Farms field. The beginning of the course will first start with a warm-up loop around show jumping obstacles in the outdoor ring at Sherwood Forest and then riders will continue directly onto the course. Sign up as a solo rider, pair, or team.

Jul 02, 2024 Profile

No Longer Dreaming: Claire Allen's Goal of Qualifying for USEF Eventing Young Rider Championship is Now Reality

Claire Allen remembers when she was 11 years old, having just made the switch from the hunter/jumper ring to three-day eventing. She told her new eventing trainer that her goal was to one day compete in the United States Equestrian Federation’s Eventing Young Rider Championships.

Jul 01, 2024 Competitions

Alliston’s Busy Weekend, Braitling’s Reuniting with Five-Star Mount, & Kalkman’s Advanced Victory Highlight Twin Rivers Summer H.T.

As he was finishing tacking up his horse in preparation to navigate the cross-country course at the 2024 Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials, James Alliston expressed concern about navigating the 101 Freeway. That’s because as soon as he crossed the finish line aboard Intermediate level winner Addyson (Ampere x Nickerbocker) at 10:38 a.m. on Saturday—his fifth cross-country round of the morning with three at Preliminary and two at Intermediate—the West Coast-based five-star rider had to drive 185 miles on the 101 Freeway from Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, to San Francisco International Airport to catch a 4:35 p.m. flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

Jul 01, 2024 Education

USEA Podcast #364: All Your Grooming Questions Answered

There is so much more to proper grooming than keeping your horse picture-perfect for the horse inspection. Good grooming practices are critical to proper horse management, no matter if you are planning for your next FEI appearance or your Starter level debut. To help you maximize your knowledge of grooming practices, we opened up the opportunity for USEA members to submit any questions they might have on our Instagram and Facebook stories. In this week's episode, Host Nicole Brown sits down with three of the highest-regarded grooms in this industry, Max Corcoran, Emma Ford, and Stephanie Simpson, and asks them all of your questions and more to help you perfect the art of grooming.

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