United States Eventing Association

Stable View Introduces the Mary Alice Brown, DVM Amateur Master Rider Series

Established in 2017 by Lynn Coates Holmes, The Amateur Master Rider Series honors Dr. Mary Alice Brown (1938-2011) who was an inspiration to our Master Rider competitors. At the time of her passing in 2011, Dr. Mary Alice Brown was one of only two riders who had competed at multiple levels of Eventing for 55 straight years, focusing on the Beginner Novice level towards the end of her riding career.

In addition, she was an accomplished veterinarian and produced many wonderful horses which she competed and were ridden by top riders in the sport, such as Bruce and Buck Davidson, Mike Plumb and Denny Emerson.

The legacy of Dr. Brown is being honored by her friend Lynn Coates Holmes who has generously donated this perpetual trophy. Lynn Coates Holmes is a rider, trainer and an instructor in the Aiken, South Carolina community. For a period of 40 years, Lynn has had the thrill of being part of the eventing world, competing herself at all levels of the sport and assisting riders with the training of their horses.

Below are reflections from Lynn on her heart-felt reasons for establishing this award in the name of Dr. Mary Alice Brown. We are truly grateful for her dedication to her friend and the honor it will bring to the Master Rider competitors here at Stable View.

“I have worked with riders just learning to ride and aiming for their first event as well as the more educated rider who’s preparing for a larger event. I have trained riders for the Young Rider Championships, their first three day event or reaching that next level they have been striving to achieve.

“Throughout the years I have always been fascinated with the hard work and dedication people put into preparing for that fabulous thrill of going to an event. There is nothing quite like a great cross country run! My heart beats faster just thinking about it.

“Mary Alice Brown was the perfect example of a horse person with a goal. She loved to event and like many she had to balance a full time job as a veterinarian and find time to care for her horses and prepare for the next event. She was a true ironman. Whether she won at an event or just completed, what meant the most to her was being out there with her horses having fun.

“She was a wealth of knowledge on breeding and competed many of her own homebreds. If you were ever able to have a conversation with her, you would walk away smiling!”

The Mary Alice Brown, DVM Masters Award is an annual prize dedicated in her honor, and a nod to all the Amateur Master Riders who balance riding and training with a busy personal and professional life. This is their reward for all the hours of training, hard work and practice necessary to get out to compete.

Good luck to all of our Master Riders, it is your turn to shine!

Master Rider Series Rules:

The Dr. Mary Alice Brown Perpetual Trophy will be awarded each year by Stable View to the individual Amateur Master Rider in the Beginner Novice division with the lowest cumulative penalty score from 2 of the 3 horse trials within the annual series. Each competition year, the series will run during the late January, March and June Horse Trials. Competitors must hold their Amateur status and be 50 years old by the beginning of the first horse trial in the series. The Perpetual Trophy will remain on display at Stable View, but the winner will take home a crystal trophy as a keep sake and our sponsor, Attwood Equestrian Surfaces, has generously donated a cooler for the 2017 season!