January 2020
USEA Area 1 News
Annual Meeting Recap
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Area 1 Women featured in Keynote
Three dynamic speakers brought laugher and tears during the Area 1 Annual Meeting keynote address. We were so fortunate to have Arial Grald, Jane Hamlin, and Jessica Halliday, all hailing from Area 1, to share their trials and triumphs from 2019. Ariel thrilled us with her year of successful 5* competitions, placing at both Kentucky and Burghley. Jane gave us insight into judging at Badminton, the Pan Am games, and the test event for the Tokyo Olympics. Jess spoke of smiling through a challenging year filled with medical issues and the loss of dear friends, thanks to the support of the community and a positive outlook.
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Greetings Area 1 Members!
This is my first writing as Chair and I am thoroughly excited and a bit in awe to be stepping into Sarah (Adams) O’Sullivan’s more than capable shoes.
What folks don’t see is the how much Sarah has done for Area 1 as it’s Chair for the last few years. She has traveled throughout the Area, talking to organizers, keeping the Area 1 machine well oiled and moving forward. Her skill at team building coupled with a calming, joyful presence allowed the Council to broaden their thinking and bring more resources into the Area.
We are so lucky to continue having her expertise and dedication as she moves into the Young Rider Coordinator position. She is a visionary and I only can imagine how she is going to grow and improve our Area’s Young Rider Program.
You see… I am both excited and humbled to step into her shoes.
Having been the Area 1 Adult Rider Coordinator for the last five years, I feel like everyone already knows me. I’m a Master (old) Amateur rider who has competed through Novice. I currently have a new horse whom I hope to be “Out There” this season with my 5 year old Canadian Warmblood, Shanti (Anam Cara). What I am, is passionate about Eventing, deeply in love with Area 1 and all the great folks here. I will work tireless on your behalf.
Have a great ride!
Suzanne Adams
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Organizers Meeting
Having never attended an organizer meeting, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had visions of organizers fighting tooth and nail for dates and debating every proposed change. I was pleasantly surprised to find a very supportive environment focused on ensuring that all events in Area 1 had dates that were compatible with their farm needs and schedules, and making sure that event organizers understood the various rules and restrictions to prevent conflicts with events in the area as well as neighboring areas.
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Adult Rider Program - Sorcha Martin, Physical Therapist
At this year’s annual meeting, Sorcha Martin, an Area I competitor and physical therapist, gave a terrific talk about applying the science of motor learning to improving our riding. This talk was so helpful(and validating – did you know all the time you spend coordinating your tack actually helps you to be a better rider?) that we asked her if she would be willing to become a regular contributor to the newsletter. She has agreed; below, she outlines the science that is the foundation of her work, along with specific applications for riders.
“I’m perfectly happy with how well I ride,” said no eventer ever. Getting better in the saddle is important to all of us but it turns out that improving your riding, in all three phases no less, is really very hard. Fortunately, science has some ideas. People learn motor tasks, like riding, differently than how they learn new ideas. Learning how to ride needs a different approach than learning a new language or a new math concept. This series, which will appear in the Area 1 Newsletter, will include a “Trainer’s Tip” to maximize student success and a “Rider Reminder” to give riders specific science-based ideas to improve their riding.
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Upcoming Events in Area 1
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Isn’t there something totally magical about this time of year? Everything seems so fresh, and chock full of possibilities. Don’t you love a blank calendar and the fun of filling the dates in with seminars, clinics, lessons, and events? The Area I YR Program is excited to be rolling out some new programs this year, and they’ll be available on our website on February 15, 2020.
We will be having a Shadow Day at a few events this summer, where you can sit beside a dressage judge, course designer, technical delegate and veterinarian. See these officials working, by being able to watch and listen and ask questions of them for blocks of about 2-3 hours. What better way to learn about a sport we love, than by seeing it from all angles?
As we are gearing up for the riding season, Area I Young Riders is co-sponsoring a Trailering Clinic on Saturday, April 11
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– this is a pretty remarkable opportunity to learn from experts the ins and outs of trailering, so that we are prepared when luck doesn’t stay on our side! There will be more on this seminar in the coming weeks, but this is certainly a good one to mark on your calendar.
We will be hosting our annual Young Rider Clinic at GMHA on July 14, 15 and 16
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. We are really looking forward to building on the blocks of last years format, with a focus on “from the hoofs up” – so lots of horse management and a focus on riding that will aim to increase your confidence and decrease your score at the end of the day. Again, keep an eye out for the website update on February 15
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. This clinic is geared for every level, with a special focus on Beginner Novice, Novice and Training Level Riders.
We can’t share all the specifics yet………..yes, you’ll have to wait until 2/15/20 for it to be officially announced – but Area I Young Riders has SEVERAL EXCITING COMPETITION SCHOLARSHIPS in the works, so you might be in the running to put your Bucket List event on your calendar this year with a little financial help from us! Stay Tuned!
Sarah O’Sullivan, Young Rider Coordinator
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You asked & we listened
! If you would like one of these great long sleeve 100% pre-washed cotton shirts (that list all the area 1 events on the back) in Carolina Blue or Preppy Pink, sized XS-XXL, send a check payable to Area 1 for $41 no later than February 3rd to:
TREASURER AREA I
141 Tuck Drive
Fremont, NH 03044
We will mail our all the shirts by 2/6/20
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Area 1 Award Winners at the USEA Annual Meeting - Boston MA
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Congratulations to Denise Goyea and Meredith Scarlet of Scarlet Hill Farm in Groton, MA for receiving Cornerstone Instructors Awards. This award is given out annually to r
ecognize lower level instructors for their dedication to the fundamentals of educating well-rounded eventers.
Magdalene Meek of Portland, ME was awarded the Courtney C. Reeves Memorial Trophy, given to a young individual who exemplifies sportsmanship and the spirit of the sport and who gives back to the sport.
Ann Getchell of Groton House Farm in South Hamilton, MA received the Andrew H. Popiel Memorial Trophy, which recognizes the role of event organizers and their commitment to the sport.
Area 1 had several recipients of the Governor’s Cup, which honors those individuals who labor tirelessly behind the scenes at the many jobs associated with running the sport and whose services have contributed significantly to eventing.
Congratulations to Louisa “Wezo” Pierson of Pittsford, NY; John and Dianne Pingree of Hamilton, MA; Annie Eldridge of Duxbury, MA; Fernanda Kellogg and Kirk Henckels of New York, NY; Henry and Janet Schurink of Shaftsbury, VT; and Louise Meryman of Pine Plains, NY.
Huge congratulations and many thanks to the award winners from Area 1!
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Year-end awards were handed out at the Area 1 Annual Meeting - congratulations to all the ribbon winners!
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Area 1 members Jen Bagley and Jen Clapp are looking for your help as they produce the monthly Area 1 Newsletter. Please submit photos, articles, ideas, and event recaps to
USEAArea1newsletter@gmail.com
by the 15th of each month!
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Hi Area 1! I'm Jen Bagley, and I've been a local low-level eventer since 1995. I'm lucky enough to combine my love of horses with my job as Director of Merchandising at SmartPak. I have a 6 year old TB gelding named Intrinsic who I've had since he was 3. He has some exciting moves in the warm-up ring that you may have noticed (sorry!) but luckily he's all business in the show ring and just completed a successful year at Novice. This winter we'll be practicing socialization skills along with show jumping, and hope to move up to Training in the spring, preferably with less rodeo antics. I'm excited to work with Jen Clapp on the Area 1 Newsletter, and will be soliciting ideas, stories, news reports, and photos from all of you. If you have ideas, pass them on!
Hi! I'm Jen Clapp and I've been eventing in Area 1 since 1992, when I moved here from California to work at Stoneleigh-Burnham, where I saw my first event (other than the Olympics!) Two weeks later, I was taking my ex-equitation horse around our first novice. I've been an English teacher at Malden High School since 1997 and I live in Stow, MA with my horses in the backyard. I'm currently looking for my next event horse, as my partner of the last seven years, Sea Change, has given notice that she no longer jumps ditches above novice and would like to transfer to the show jumping department.
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