Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announces the winners of the Emerson Burr Horsemanship Awards Program which took place Saturday evening, August 18, at the USEF Pony Finals National Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park. With pony riders competing to win in each age division, the winners were: Annie Bolling, of Fairhope, AL, in the 8 and under group; Carly Reinsel, of Alpharetta, GA, in the 9-11 age group; Madyson Ward, of Zionsville, IN, in the 12-14 age group; Arden Cone, Landrum, SC, in the 15 and up group.

The Emerson Burr Horsemanship Awards program was created in 2002 by friends and family of the late Emerson Burr to promote and perpetuate good horsemanship in younger equestrians. In the past, the awards competition had been held solely at the USEF Pony Finals National Championships until 2006, when the program was expanded to include the Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show in Westport, CT.

The program consisted of two tests— a written test and a hands-on horsemanship test. The hands-on portion of the test was administered by trainer and horse owner Elaine Schott and the written portion of the test was administered by Lynn Dougherty. The young equestrians in each of the four age groups who scored the highest on the written test moved on to the hands-on horsemanship test. The highest scoring child in each age group received a $500 monetary grant for furthering their education or offsetting equestrian-related costs.

For more information, please contact Marion Maybank, USEF Director of Hunter and Collegiate Activities, at (859) 225-2033 or via email at [email protected].

Stacey Meier

ENDS