ACORD4RIDERS

"ACORD4RIDERS"

ACORD, American Competition Opportunities

for Riders with Disabilities, Inc.

an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation

Our "Core Website" http://members.aol.com/ACORDCOMP/

is still the place for lots of information on competition ...

but here on ACORD4RIDERS is where you will find all the "latest news".

We are grateful to Tim Shurtleff, our wonderful webmaster, for his contribution

of time and expertise with our Core Website. Continuing thanks, Tim!

Here's the current news in the world of riders with disabilities!

Email Judy at danivar@aol.com for more information on competition!

2004 CALENDAR

INDIANA YOUTH CHALLENGE on Saturday, September 18

The first annual Indiana Youth Challenge will take place at Sweet Charity Farms in Carmel, Indiana. The challenge will consist of 6 teams of 6 riders representing breed orgnizations, 4-H and riders with disabilities.

The event is coordinated with the Indiana Horse Council. Riders will compete in invididual classes for points going toward a cumulative team score. A lavish Awards Ceremony will be held at the end of the day.

This event will reach the equine community, youth and the general public to expose the positive nature and genuine benefits that horses provide to human beings. Hospitality, sponsors and vendors will be a big part of this event, as well as interaction between the riders of various abilities and their families and friends.

ACORD riders demo at the 2002 national conference of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association

Megan Giusti and Kebbie Cannon will ride their musical kurs (dressage) at NARHA's "Horse Fair" at the 2002 NARHA Conference. The Horse Fair will be held all day Saturday, November 23 at Morven Park, a prestigious facility outside Washington DC. Cannon and Giusti will be special guests of ACORD at the Saturday night awards banquet, always a highlight of this national conference.

The annual NARHA Conference is America's premier networking and educational opportunity for therapeutic riding professionals. ACORD is honored to organize a competition demonstration at this year's meeting. For more information on opportunities at the conference: www.narha.org

Report on the 2001 TEAM CHALLENGE at the NAYRC

On August 11, 2001, for the third year, ACORD riders between the ages of 16 and 23 competed as part of the North American Young Riders' Championships in the Team Challenge, named this year for our title sponsor SUPRACOR Equestrian Products. The Team Challenge combines riders from Dressage, Eventing, Show Jumping and Musical Freestyle (that's us) into four teams who compete during the week in their respective disciplines. The teams receive their awards at a lavish ceremony at the close of the NAYRC competition.

We were thrilled to be back at Tempel Farms, warmly welcomed by all our friends from the first Team Challenge in 1999. 2000's TC was held at High Prairie in Denver. This year's wonderful week of "Young Riders" was hosted by Howard & Martha Simpson and Vincent & Linda Bonnano of Tempel Farms in Wadsworth, Illinois, with an enormous staff of dedicated managers and volunteers. The NAYRC is a prestigious FEI event, attracting top young riders, and ACORD is honored to be a part of it each year.

Very high humidity and 103-degree temperatures kept us pretty miserable during the beginning of the week, but wonderful rain rolled in Thursday night and we enjoyed perfect summer weather for the rest of the week. We all worked hard and made a good impression in our team logo shirts every day.

TEAM RESULTS: Gold "Rhinos", Meghan Strigh (NJ); Silver "Raptures" Chris Lipe (GA); Bronze "Coast to Coast" Rebecca Hart (PA); 4th "Canadian Mounties" Jenni Rowe (CAN).

INDIVIDUAL SCORES: Chris Lipe 65.23%; Jenni Rowe 63.57%; Becca Hart 61.9%; Meghan Strigh 61.43%

Generous owners lent their talented horses for the Team Challenge. Our four young riders were able to clinic with Jerry Schwartz at the Variety Salute in May, and the same horses came down to Wadsworth for the NAYRC. We are grateful to:

ASHLEY owned by Ron & Kathy Coco; MISS JANE MARPLE owned by Linda Fritsch; RAFFERTY owned by Jennifer Kotylo; ROMULUS owned by Carol Aguellar; and CASEY owned by Lynn Taylor.

Team Leader Judy Serie Nagy and Chef d'Equipe Sandy Dota would like to thank our staff: Louie Dota, Mary Frankel, Linda Fritsch, Sandy Rafferty, Carrie Schwartz, John Stevenson and Jan Strigh.

Our sponsors were: Supracor Equestrian Products CA; Mills Corporation IL; Dan Nagy CA; Pacific Coast Designs CA; By the Bay Ad Specialties CA.

Our excellent judges were Marjorie Kittredge MA and Jessica Ransenhousen PA. 2002's NAYRC will be held at Tempel Farms, with the competition moving to Canada in 2003.