SHELBURNE, VT - Team Morgan 2010 is the proud gold medal winner of this year's hunter seat equitation competition that took place at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, November 18-20. The team competed against the college's equitation team and it was Team Morgan's first hunter seat competition.

Team Morgan 2010 was coached by Mary Carlton of Marshall, Michigan, and Suzanne Haberek of Broadalbin, New York. Members of Team Morgan 2010 were Sara Cleland, 15, of Granite Falls, Washington; Sarah Harb, 16, of Plaistow, New Hampshire; Emily Gill, 15, of Louisville, Ohio; Kendra Peeples, 16, of Oxford, New Jersey; Maggie Shaughnessy, 20, of Norman, Oklahoma; Linda Sieverkropp, 19, of Ephrata, Washington; Shannon Tulloch, 15, of Lake Stevens, Washington; and Alexandria Warner, 17, of Pomfret Center, Connecticut. Sasha Klein of Orange, Connecticut, served as the Team's business manager.

The total scores were 2,542 for Team Morgan and 2,474 for Team Stephens. In individual competition, Morgan riders Emily Gill won the gold medal in each round and Linda Sieverkropp earned the bronze medal following Round 1. The three-member equitation judging panel was comprised on Jim Brown, Sharon Gonzales, and Cheryl Manahan.

"This was a delightful event," said AMHA Executive Director Julie Broadway. "The competition was very tight and everyone had a great time. Team Morgan showed the local community they are fine equitation riders." Show Horse Tack, Inc., Corcel, and Mod Jods are proud sponsors of the 2010 Team Morgan competition.

"Being the coach of the first hunter Team Morgan was an honor and a privilege," Carlton said. "Stephens College was a gracious host and provided our team with spirited competition. I was proud to work with the wonderful girls who made up Team Morgan and coming away victorious was the perfect ending to a great competition."

In 2007, the American Morgan Horse Association and the American Morgan Horse Educational Charitable Trust approved "Team Morgan," an international, multi discipline equitation competition program for Morgan youth ages 14-21. Past Team Morgan competitions have included saddle seat competitions in South Africa and the Massachusetts Morgan Horse Show, as well as a competition in North Carolina in August 2009.

Founded in 1909, the American Morgan Horse Association is a non-profit organization serving more than 50,000 Morgan horse owners, breeders, exhibitors, and enthusiasts throughout the United States. AMHA serves as a parent organization to more than 90 recognized Morgan horse clubs and national service organizations.

For more information on America’s original horse breed, contact the American Morgan Horse Association, Inc., 4066 Shelburne Road, Suite 5, Shelburne, Vermont 05482; (802) 985-4944; www.morganhorse.com.