Lexington, KY — June 16, 2016 — The United States Hunter Jumper Association Emerging Athletes Program, presented by Dover Saddlery, will hold regional training sessions in Texas and Virginia next week for nearly 40 riders from across the country. While the majority of riders are new to the program, eight are returning to the program to continue improving their horsemanship in and out of the saddle.
Clinician Candice King and Stable Manager Colleen Reed will lead the session at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, June 19-23. Clinician Kip Rosenthal and Stable Manager Anne Thornbury will guide riders at the regional training session at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon, VA. Each session will consist of five days of intensive stable management and mounted instruction. Athletes ride a horse they bring, and after all the sessions are complete, 16 regional training session riders will be selected to participate in the 2016 EAP National Training Session with Olympian Peter Wylde.
In addition to the EAP, the USHJA is offering a 3′ section at the Texas session, which will run concurrently with the EAP. While riders participating in the 3′ section are not eligible for EAP Nationals, they will experience all other aspects of the Emerging Athletes Program at a lower fence height.
The USHJA congratulates all the riders selected to attend the regional training sessions in Texas and Virginia, including the 3′ section to be held in Texas:
- Rebecca Bargainer, 16 (The Woodlands, TX)
- Caydee Dickensheets, 17 (Austin, TX)
- Makayla Harp, 19 (Tyler, TX)
- Johanna Jessen, 17 (Lake Charles, LA)
- Megan Majewski, 16 (Katy, TX)
- Caroline O’Brian, 16 (Houston, TX)
- Lara Shelokov, 17 (Dallas, TX)
- Jonah Sutton, 18 (Yukon, OK)
- Kyra Zerwick, 17 (The Woodlands, TX)
- Ali Calcaterra, 20 (Eureka, MO)
- Celeste Fazioli, 14 (Seabrook, TX)
- Madison Finster, 14 (The Woodlands, TX)
- Dravin Kennedy, 15 (Saint Louis, MO)
- Catherine Moorhead, 15 (Austin, TX)
- Emma Thomas, 14 (Spring, TX)
- Macy White, 11 (Aubrey, TX)
- Chloe Bellerive, 17 (Keedysville, MD)
- Virginia Bonnie, 11 (San Francisco, CA)
- Madison Busey, 16 (Ashburn, VA)
- Bailey Doloff, 17 (Sykesville, MD)
- Julianna Empie, 15 (Chester Springs, PA)
- Abby Grabowski, 15 (Alexandria, VA)
- Cary Hundley, 19 (Ellicott City, MD)
- Nicole Hylton, 19 (New Market, MD)
- Scarlett Kennedy, 17 (Apex, NC)
- Tess Lee, 20 (Potomac, MD)
- Madeleine Lohr, 18 (Warrenton, VA)
- Sydney Moriarty, 14 (Nokesville, VA)
- Anna O’Connor, 19 (Southampton, NY)
- Allyson Pace, 16 (Charlotte, NC)
- Grace Saad, 15 (Fair Haven, NJ)
- Franchesca Selhaver-Ramos, 18 (Amissville, VA)
- Chace Simmons, 17 (Fredericksburg, VA)
- Hanna Toering, 15 (Waterford, VA)
- Madison Warner, 17 (Bethesda, MD)
- Wynne Weatherly, 16 (Charlotte, NC)
- Cassidy Welshans, 18 (Dillsburg, PA)
- McKenna Welshans, 20 (Dillsburg, PA)
- Katherine Wiedmann, 20 (Wayne, PA)
The eight riders returning to the program include: Chloe Bellerive, Makayla Harp, Cary Hundley, Nicole Hylton, Johanna Jessen, Sydney Moriarty, Anna O’Connor and Lara Shelokov.
Nine riders were selected by their zones to receive travel grants to support their educational pursuits at these regional training sessions. Through a partnership with the USHJA Foundation, Zone 7 selected the following riders for travel grants: Rebecca Bargainer, Caydee Dickensheets, Megan Majewski, Jonah Sutton and Kyra Zerwick. Also through the USHJA Foundation partnership, Zone 3 selected the following four riders to receive travel grants: Chloe Bellerive, Cary Hundley, Nicole Hylton and Franchesca Selhaver-Ramos.
“I honestly would not be where I am today if these grants were not an option,” said Chloe Bellerive, Zone 3 grant recipient and returning EAP rider. “Receiving this grant has allowed me to participate in EAP for another year, where I can learn more about horsemanship as well as my riding skills. I am so very thankful for this opportunity…”
Franchesca Selhaver-Ramos, Zone 3 grant recipient, applied to the EAP to better her horsemanship.
“There are so many different ways to do one thing in this industry,” she said. “But it’s about gathering as many tools in your toolbox and being able to pick the best fitting tool for the current situation you’re in.”
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to learn from such great equestrians as Candice King and Colleen Reed,” said Jonah Sutton, Zone 7 EAP grant recipient. “I’m especially excited because unlike most clinics, EAP teaches us both riding skills and stable management. I’m also excited to meet other riders my own age with like-minded goals.”
Auditing in Katy, TX, is free and requires no reservation. Auditing at Frying Pan Farm Park is $15/day and reservations may be made by contacting Megan Look at (703) 437-8261.
The USHJA extends its thanks and gratitude to the gracious hosts of the 2016 regional training sessions: Rebekah and JR Swan and Whip N’ Spur; Bob Bell, the Classic Company and the Georgia International Horse Park; Natasha Klingenstein and Centenary College; Amy Uniss and the Great Southwest Equestrian Center; Meghan Look, Chris Munson and Frying Pan Farm Park; the Urban Family and Quail Run Horse Centre; Pat Boyle, Showplace Productions and Ledges Sporting Horses; Sharyn Antico and Mount Holyoke College; George Chatigny and the Los Angeles Equestrian Center; and Vivien Van Buren and the Colorado Horse Park.
The Emerging Athletes Program is supported in part by a generous grant from the United States Equestrian Federation, as well as individual donors through the USHJA Foundation. For more information, please visit www.ushja.org/EAP.