On The Go With EMO - January/February Newsletter

January/February 2019 Newsletter

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'M GRATEFUL

I just returned to Virginia after attending the Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association awards banquet in San Diego, California, and I saw a person wearing a T-shirt at the airport that read, "The journey 'is' the destination."

I thought perhaps I was meant to read that phrase and use that as a mantra for the New Year!

Patience is not my strongest attribute. In this world of instant gratification, I've been in a rush to get my young horse to a certain level. And, upon reflection, I've not appreciated the milestones in his development. I'm so blessed to be able to participate in this sport, as well as make a career in the insurance industry. I value the relationships I have made through this business and the lessons I continue to learn. I'm grateful.

Wishing all of you 12 months of success, 52 weeks of laughter, 365 days of fun, 8,760 hours of joy, 525,600 minutes of good luck and 31,536,000 seconds of happiness!

Ride with the leaders!

Sue Bopp

EMO BY THE NUMBERS

EMO SUPPORTS THE INDUSTRY!

In 2018, EMO sponsorships included:

29 EVENTS & ASSOCIATIONS
12+ DISCIPLINES
15+ STATES

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

LINDSEY WILLIAMSON

The EMO Agency's newest licensed insurance agent is Lindsey Williamson. Growing up on her family's Step At A Time Farm in Reva, Virginia, Lindsey began her equine career in the hunt fields of the Commonwealth as an active member of the Rappahannock and Bull Run Hunts.

Her interest in how and why horses work led her to the Virginia Tech Animal Science department, where she specialized in Equine Nutrition and worked for the Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center as an undergraduate. Her tenure as a student allowed Lindsey the opportunity to travel the country as the captain of the Virginia Tech Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association Equestrian Team and a proud member of the Virginia Tech Horse Judging Team.

After graduation, Lindsey's love for travel and the equine industry led her to a job as the equine specialist for a national horse feed company. She traveled the East Coast educating consumers on advancements in the equine nutrition industry and diet planning for equine athletes.

When it was time for Lindsey to return to Virginia, she knew exactly where she wanted to go--The EMO Agency. "Working at EMO has allowed me to get back to my own horses, with a return to the show ring and hunt field right around the corner with my off-the-track Thoroughbred, Friday," she said.

Lindsey can't wait to talk to you about your horses and their insurance needs in the EMO office or ringside at your next horse show!

INSURANCE TIPS

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY COVERAGE ISN'T
JUST FOR PROFESSIONALS!

You might be surprised to learn that amateurs also have a need for this type of coverage. A judge presiding over a horse show or a person presenting her own horse for sale to a prospective buyer could become legally obligated to pay for bodily injury and/or property damage to a third party.

We all know that riding and working around horses offers inherent risks: after all, we're dealing with 1,200-pound animals with natural instincts and unpredictable behavior.

Yet, those of us who love being with horses understand that aspect of this special relationship and do our best to reduce those risks through responsible training, proper safety precautions and adequate insurance.

Unfortunately, accidents do occur, and sometimes they even happen despite the best oversight. If an incident happens and a person is legally obligated to pay damages due to any negligent act, error or omission, Professional Liability coverage can become vitally important. If you own a home, you should also check to see if your homeowner's policy includes liability coverage.

While most incidents do not result in bodily injury or property damage and subsequent legal processes, most of us are familiar with instances where a person was held liable for a rider or horse injury that occurred during training or competition. Be sure you understand your liability exposures, whether you're considered a professional or an amateur with the United States Equestrian Federation.

To find out if you could benefit from Professional Liability coverage, please contact us: 800.347.3552.

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

AMY LEONARD AND BONGO

EMO client Amy Leonard captured top honors during the 2018 United States Hunter Jumper Association Zone 7/8 Jumper Team Championships, held in Parker, Colorado.

Leonard, 18, and her Bongo, an Argentinian-bred gelding, returned home to Durango, Colorado, with the Children's Jumper team gold medal. Leonard was joined on the podium with teammates Alyson Ranucci, Kiley McCullough and Sydney Stephenson, led by chef d'equipe Laurie Grayson.

"I think that over the course of the two days I got better each day," Leonard said, crediting her horse and her trainer, Pie Lafferty, for enabling her to improve.

Leonard began riding and competing when she was 4 years old. She graduated from Southwest Colorado eSchool in Durango last fall and will take online classes through Southern New Hampshire University while she continues competing with Bongo in 2019 and beyond.

"My ultimate goal with jumpers is to perfect the basics," Leonard said in an article published about her win in The Durango Herald newspaper. "We'll see where it goes from there."

SPONSORSHIP SPOTLIGHT

Texas Super Series Group - Texas

The Super Series Group, established in 2012, is owned by partners Colleen McQuay, Patrick Rodes, Pauline Cook and Peter Pletcher. Joining forces to accomplish their common goal of growing the Texas Hunter industry, the group's first project was the Texas Pre-Green Super Stake Series (now called the Texas Super Series Green Hunter Stakes), launched in 2012 and a major success since that time. The series served as a pilot for the USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Program (now the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Program), which was launched in 2013.

Enrollees in the Texas Super Series Green Hunter Stakes have earned more than $908,000 as of October 2018.

Congratulations to Jamie Jarvis' Cazador, ridden by Peter Pletcher (below), winners of the 2018 Texas Super Series 3'/3'3" Green Hunter Championship. The team took home $6,322 as well as additional prizes, including EMO swag!

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

EMO Congratulates!

Mandy Porter, right, receives the EMO Grand Prix Rider of the Year and EMO Grand Prix Horse of the Year trophies from Holly Scapa and Paul Bennett.

Congratulations to the 2018 Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association Award Winners

EMO Grand Prix Rider of the Year

Mandy Porter

EMO Grand Prix Horse

Milano

Ridden by Mandy and owned by Abigail Archer

EMO Grand Prix Rookie of the Year

Natalie Dean

Photos Courtesy of Tish Quirk

The 2018 EMO High-Score Award Winners.

EMO's Mike Moran and the new EMO PCHA International Hunter Derby Horse of the Year Trophy, to be presented in 2019.

Congratulations to Nancy Granger's Coastline, ridden by Meg Graham. They won the 2018 Thoroughbred Incentive Program Championship for 3' Hunters in Kentucky and the High-Score Award for Thoroughbred Hunters, sponsored by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.