Lexington, Ky. – Mary Coldren is a lifelong equestrian and a dedicated eventing volunteer at Maryland’s Fair Hill International. Now, thanks to NTRA Advantage Equine Discounts, Coldren is also the owner of a new John Deere TS GatorTM as the winner of NTRA Advantage’s “Share How You Care” Contest.
NTRA Advantage Equine Discounts asked US Equestrian members to nominate someone who has had a positive impact through horses and equestrian sports. Entrants submitted a written essay or video sharing an experience that illustrates how their nominee cares for the equestrian community and how a John Deere TS Gator would help them in their work.
Coldren, who is the competition director for the new Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, was nominated by Kaitlyn McNerney and the Fair Hill Organizing Committee. In their essay, they wrote:
“Mary’s enthusiasm, kindness, and expertise have been an immeasurable asset. With over 30 years of eventing experience, Mary has worn many hats as a competitor, volunteer, and organizer, and is recognized as fun-loving and extremely hard-working.
“On any given day, Mary can be found walking the grounds of the Fair Hill Special Event Zone’s 225 acres, inspecting the property and its improvements to ensure an ideal setting for competition. On event day, she is at the ready to greet competitors, owners, and volunteers, always making them feel welcome with her sunny demeanor…a John Deere TS Gator would allow Mary to more effectively continue her amazing work as the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hills’ competition director.”
“Driving home from Fair Hill yesterday it hit me how much it meant to me that Kaitlyn wrote such nice words about me, and that out of all those applications, you all chose me! I feel truly honored,” said Coldren. “I am already making the list of things to go check out on the cross-country course as soon as my ‘wheels’ arrive. I can’t put into words how much having a Gator to use every day will make my life easier!”
“We are absolutely thrilled for Mary, and thank Kaitlyn for nominating such a wonderful person in the USEF community to win this John Deere Gator," said Fritz Widaman, VP of NTRA Advantage. "With hundreds of submissions and deserving people, picking just one winner was incredibly tough. Without being able to give Gators to each entrant, we focused on finding someone that has had a large impact on the equestrian sport, as well as someone who could use the Gator to continue to provide care and support to the sport we all love so much.
"We would like to thank everyone who participated in this contest," Widaman continued. "It was an honor to be given a glimpse into the lives of so many amazing equestrians. We can’t wait to see Mary cruising around local events on her new ride, and look forward to working with the USEF on more promotions that highlight great USEF members!”
About NTRA Advantage Equine Discounts
NRTA Advantage Equine Discounts began as a Thoroughbred industry purchasing program and now represents more than one million members and numerous equine breeds, including Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses and Standardbreds, as well as all sport horses and pleasure horses. The program surpassed $1 billion in sales last year and has provided more than $180 million in savings to participants. Equine Discounts affiliates include the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), the United States Trotting Association (USTA), the United States Polo Association (USPA), Equestrian Canada, the American Paint Horse Association (APHA), the American Horse Council (AHC), and dozens of state and local Equine organizations. NTRA Advantage delivers substantial cost savings – through local dealers – on products and services relevant to their business. The roster of nationally known participating vendors includes John Deere, UPS, Sherwin-Williams, Office Depot and Big Ass Fans. Find out more about your Equine Discounts by calling 877-576-6872 or visiting www.equinediscounts.com.