Feb 11, 2009

USET Foundation Awards Jacqueline Mars Training Grant to Jennie Brannigan

Gladstone, NJ – The USET Foundation is pleased to announce that the Jacqueline B. Mars International Competition and Training Grant has been awarded to 21-year-old Jennie Brannigan of San Diego, CA. The grant is given to an Eventing rider who has been identified and recommended by the USEF Eventing Selectors, with an impressive record and potential to represent the United States in future international competition.

Brannigan began competing in three-day eventing when she was 11 years old with Allison Springer. She later became a working student for Canadian eventer Mike Winter. Brannigan was named to the Developing Rider List in 2007 with Cosmo and in 2008 with Cooper. She has a list of national awards from the past year with Cooper. They won the US Eventing Association’s Intermediate Gold Cup Series, Brannigan was named Young Rider of the Year, and Cooper was the Intermediate Horse of the Year.

Perhaps Brannigan's biggest and most meaningful win, however, was at the 2008 CN North American Junior/Young Riders Championships presented by Gotham North at the Colorado Horse Park. She drove cross-country back to California months before the summer event to help her team raise funds to travel to the championships.

"I was really involved to help get sponsorship for our team and was active in our area," she said. "The young rider program is very important to me. In my last year, I really wanted to give it my all."

Brannigan and Cooper helped their team win the gold medal, and they were the individual gold medalists in Eventing.

Brannigan has worked with Cooper for more than three years, bringing the now eight-year-old up through the levels from Beginner Novice to Advanced.

"Cooper is a phenomenal young horse. He's been a pleasure to bring up through the levels," she noted.

While he is owned now by her family, Brannigan is in the final stages of setting up a syndicate for the talented young horse.

Brannigan is currently working for Olympic gold medalist Phillip Dutton. She plans to use the grant to travel with Cooper to the Bramham CCI*** in England in June, which will be her first international competition. The grant will help pay for the airfare for Cooper and can offset expenses like entries, fuel, accommodations, and more. She hopes to represent the United States in the future with the experience that she gains from this trip.

Of winning the grant, Brannigan said, "It's amazing. I'm really honored because a lot of amazing people have gotten this grant. I'm thrilled to go to England hopefully and get international experience on a horse that's as talented as Cooper. It means so much to me, and I'm so excited. I don't financially have the backing to do this alone; I definitely wouldn't be going to Bramham this spring if I didn't get the grant. It's huge."

The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (www.uset.org) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America's elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.

For more information on the USET Foundation, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.

Dec 23, 2024 Education

Saddle Fit Simplified

Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?

Dec 22, 2024 USEA Foundation

Top Tips for Applying for a USEA Foundation Grant

Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!

Dec 21, 2024 Education

3 Ways to Help Eventing Thrive in 2025

With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.

Dec 20, 2024 Sponsor

“Happy Horse Equals Happy Judge”: Ask An Expert with Dressage Judge Peter Gray, Brought to You by Ride iQ

Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.

Official Corporate Sponsors of the USEA

Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA

Official Feed of the USEA

Official Saddle of the USEA

Official Equine Insurance of the USEA

Official Forage of the USEA

Official Supplement Feeding System of the USEA

Official Competition & Training Apparel of the USEA

Official Horse Boot of the USEA

Official Shockwave of the USEA

Official Horse Wear of the USEA