United States Eventing Association

This fall, the United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) made a callout to the membership to nominate volunteers that they think deserves as extra “thanks” for the hard work they contributed to the sport in 2025… and the USEA Members delivered!

Keep reading for some special shoutouts to dedicated eventing volunteers from across the country! Do you know someone else that you don’t see on this list that deserves an extra kudos? Contact Kaleigh Collett, USEA Staff Liaison to the Volunteer Committee, at [email protected] to submit a nomination. Thank you to all the volunteers who went above and beyond to make it another amazing eventing season in 2025!

“I'd like to nominate Dawn Thiel for the highlight. She helps immensely at the Sundance Farm Horse Trial in Area IV. It's hard to find her the weekend of the horse trial, because she is always moving around fixing whatever problem comes up. She's prompt on the walkie talkie and quick to action. If she doesn't know the answer to a question, she'll find or make the answer. She even jump judges on cross country day.

She is found the week before the horse trial organizing clipboards, charging and testing walkie talkies, hanging banners, collecting prizes, running errands, picking up food, and being the right-hand woman to the organizer. After the trial, she picks up garbage, packs up gators/motor vehicles, puts away decorations, puts away stadium jumps, and so much more.

She does not get paid for any of her time and even takes off at least a week of work to help.

In her free time outside of the SFHT, she often grooms for other competitors at our home show, and then even grooms at other horse trials also!

She is a gem. We are blessed to have her!”

-Nominated by Megan Walters

“John Olesh. He’s been volunteering for over a decade. Now he does control and announcing, but he still volunteers his weekends at our schooling shows every single month. He’s a retired colonel, the kindest man on the planet, who is supportive, and a true steward of the sport. John has done EVERY SINGLE VOLUNTEER JOB that eventing has to offer. Every rider in Ocala recognizes him and appreciates his hard work. I would LOVE for him to get a spotlight shoutout for all his ‘behind the scenes’ efforts over the years.”

-Nominated by Emily Holmes

“I know this will be complete and utter nepotism, but I would like to give huge recognition to my mom, Janet Goto, and my kids, Jakob and Jaxson Miner, for all the volunteering they have done in Area VI and Rebecca Farms this year. They step up at each and every show. My mom has been volunteering since I started evening in 1992, and my kids have been volunteering for three years now. They work long hours in whatever weather and come back early the next morning for more.”

- Nominated by Kim Goto Miner

“I want to shout out to Eva Elliott for being the volunteer coordinator extraordinaire. She pays attention to every single person and makes sure we have a darned good experience. Plus, she always has the very best food available for us; I live for Sausage Roll Sundays at the beautiful Aspen Farms Horse Trials. THANK YOU EVA!”

-Nominated by Sarah Airhart

“I want to give a huge shoutout to Kristina Worton in Area IV, she is literally the engine behind MACTA, and our region is absolutely blessed to have her!”

-Nominated by Lydia Gibson

“Mandy Weissmann for being an amazing show jumping announcer and dressage announcer at the Kentucky Horse Park for Area VIII events! ”

-Nominated by Kelly Rover

“Caiden Holling. Jennifer and Jonathan Holling’s son.”

-Nominated by Class Act Farm

“Evelyn Davis-Douglas is a college student who rides and competes in her spare time. She often volunteers in between her ride times and has always willing to help with whatever is needed around the competitions.”

-Nominated by Emily Holmes

“Louisa Ward from Area IV has been such a huge help this year! She has gone above and beyond to help shows run smoothly and committed her weekends to make that happen. I can’t think of anyone better who deserves the recognition, she is simply the best!”

-Nominated by Madelyn Reicher

“I'm suggesting that Jennifer Ferro of Area VII be recognized for all that she does for our sport. All of her time is donated as the organizer of schooling shows. Well-run schooling events are how we get more folks interested in our sport, i.e. XDerbies, dressage, Combined Tests at various facilities, but mostly at the Historic Lake Oswego Hunt Club in Lake Oswego, Oregon. She is the main organizer/awards person of TBEA (Thoroughbred Exhibitor Association), which is present at Area VII recognized events. She's an active competitor on her OTTB and still finds time to volunteer between her rides. And she's a full-time teacher of young teens. She gives a lot back to the sport that we all love.”

-Nominated by Marie Schofield

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 eventing alive. In efforts to recognize the dedication, commitment, and hard work that volunteers put into eventing, the 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, which is also available as an app for iOS and Android.

Volunteer incentives include national and area recognition, year-end awards, a top-10 USEA Volunteer leaderboard, and a Volunteer of the Year award which is given to the volunteer who accumulates the most volunteer hours on EventingVolunteers.com at recognized events throughout the USEA competition year. Click here to learn more about the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program.

The USEA would like to thank Horse Illustrated for their support of the Volunteer Incentive Program.