Lexington, Ky. - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce Elizabeth “Lizzy” Traband as the 2016 Junior Equestrian of the Year. Growing up on a sport horse breeding and training farm, horses have always been a part of 18-year-old Traband's life. Despite being born with only one hand, Traband has not let anything limit her passion for horses. She has successfully competed in dressage, hunters, jumpers, and para-dressage. Traband is also an entrepreneur, having founded EPN Global and Taiji Horsemanship. A prime example of courage, sportsmanship, and dedication, Traband will be awarded the Ruth O'Keefe Meredith Memorial Trophy as the 2016 Junior Equestrian of the Year.

Over the course of her career, Traband has served as a clinician and bridleless performer at expositions in Canada and the U.S. Traband has earned top results in dressage, hunters, jumpers, and para-dressage, highlighted by top 10 placings at the US Junior Hunter National Championships – East Coast and in High Junior Jumper classes along the East Coast, and third overall in the Grade IV division of the 2014 USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship and Selection Trial for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team. She is also a member of the Penn State Equestrian Team.

Traband decided to combine her passion for horses with business. She founded her first business, Taiji Horsemanship, in 2009 with the aim of sharing knowledge with young riders. Her other business venture, EPN Global, has two projects set to be released in 2017: EPN GoPro is an equestrian competition stable management application and Equine.Global is an international platform for marketing sport horses.

Traband will receive her award at the Pegasus Awards Dinner held Friday, January 13, at the Hyatt Regency Lexington in Lexington, Ky., during the 2017 USEF Annual Meeting.

For more information on the 2017 USEF Annual Meeting, visit usef.org/convention.