As all eventers know, our sport cannot exist without the people who come out and volunteer at horse trials.  When you look at the number of people that are entering the sport of eventing it is very encouraging for our sport.  However, with this increase in eventers, there seems to be a decrease in the number of people that volunteer at horse trials.

I have talked to several organizers already this year and there is a deep concern with several organizers as to how to get people involved in our sport and encourage people to volunteer so that there are enough jump judges, timers, starters, scribes, etc.

I hope that all eventers will come forward and volunteer some of their time this year and volunteer at the horse trials they attend.  If you are a Preliminary rider, please offer to jump judge (or do another job) during the Beginner Novice rides, after you've ridden and put your horse away, etc.  If you are a Beginner Novice rider, maybe try to jump judge (or offer your services) during the Preliminary rides.  If you have a family member at the show with you, please ask them to volunteer.  Most organizers will try to insure that a family member is free to watch a rider's ride if they are willing to help out.

Get your USEA Code of Conducts in to Laura Pagles (contact info on Membership document) as soon as possible. Riders and parents must have this document on file in order to participate in the program. This is a new condition put forth by USEA for 2008.

NAJYRC Intent to Ride and Groom forms are posted on the website. They are to be received by Kelly Theisen no later than June 1, 2008 per USEF rules.

Midsouth Intent to Ride forms will be posted by mid-May. They are to be received no later than July 1, 2008.

Camp is filling quickly. Please send Kelly e-mail notification at ktheisen51@yahoo.com if you plan to attend. The sign-up document will be posted and e-mailed to members shortly. Camp will be at LamplightEquestrianCenter July 23-26. Clinicians (unless Beijing gets them!) are Allison Springer and Jonathan Holling. There will also be a dressage specialist if numbers warrant another clinician.

Thanks to Versailles Equestrian, Hunter Oaks, and Lamplight for donating the use of their facilities to host Young Rider clinics and camp.

NAJYRC candidates must either attend one of the Jonathan Holling clinics or do one of the following:

1. Have two lessons with one of the selectors (Jon Holling, Allison Springer, Erik Dierks, or Beth Stoker)
2. Attend one of the Buck Davidson clinics where Beth Stoker will audit and conference with Buck.
3. Attend the Allison Springer clinic at Timbercreek Stables.

Fundraising efforts are falling behind due to a lack of interest from members to organize and run silent auctions. Remember our ability to fund programs (NAJYRC, Midsouth, camp, clinics) is completely reliant on our members' fundraising efforts. Thanks to those of you already busy securing donations/sponsors for the program.

Timber Creek Stables in Shirley, Illinois will host a clinic with Area IV's own International Event Rider Allison Springer on June 18^th and 19^th 2008. 

 Allison has gone out of her way to make this clinic happen in the midst of her campaign for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China on her Advanced Horse, Arthur.  She chose this mid week clinic date so as to be available for clinic attendees preparing for the FRVPC Horse Trials on June 20-22^nd in her hometown of Barrington, Illinois. Allison will be headed to Barrington on Thursday afternoon to coach and school at the Horse Trials.  Group sessions for the clinic will involve one day of flat work and show jumping.  The second day will involve cross-country schooling on Timber Creek's new courses.  Private lessons will be available upon request.  Accommodations may be made for special requests.

Just 2 ½ hours south of Chicago, Timber Creek Stables is located in Central Illinois, 5 miles from I-55, I-39 and I-74 interchanges.  Please visit www.timbercreekstables.net for clinic entry form and accommodation/direction information.  Click on Events page to find other events hosted at Timber Creek Stables.  Questions may be emailed to timbercreekstables@verizon.net .

In 2008 the Heritage Park Horse Trials is going to offer competitors some great new opportunities.

The biggest challenge the Heritage Park Horse Trials will be offering to competitors in 2008 will be the Training Level Three Day Event.  We hope that many competitors will take advantage of this challenge and have a great experience. 

In order to help prepare competitors for this challenge, the Mid-America Combined Training Association will be offering two clinics with Buck Davidson in order to help riders prepare for the Training Level Three Day.  During Buck's clinic, steeplechase fences will be available so that riders can learn how to ride the steeplechase phase of the 3-day and the roads and tracks phases will be discussed.  Riders are encouraged to bring the questions that they have to the clinic.  MACTA (Mid-America Combined Training Association) also will offer education for riders so that they will learn the proper way to jog their horses for vet inspections as well as discussions as to stable management differences and expectations of riders at a 3-day that are not expected at a horse trial (ie. arrival inspections, 10 minute box, etc.).  This will be a great training opportunity for riders to come and get the "lay of the land" and get prepared for the 3-day.

MACTA will also be awarding completion ribbons to all competitors who complete the horse trial.  Competitors who make it through an event without elimination deserve to be rewarded the same as those who made 1^st through 8^th and in 2008 they will be at the Heritage Park Horse Trials.

June 8th- MACTA D/CT/HT at Heritage Park

USEA Area IV eventer Camie Stockhausen has been named the Iowa Horse Council's 2008 Horsewoman of the Year.  The criteria for the award include the "display of the highest attributes of sportsmanship, honesty and a genuine effort to improve the conditions of horses and/or horse people."  This prestigious award is not necessarily awarded annually and encompasses all disciplines.

In addition to training and competing her own horses and those of her clients through her business, Field Day, she coaches riders for eventing and foxhunting.  She instructs driven dressage for combined driving and volunteers behind the scenes for Catalpa Corner Charity Horse Trials.  She enjoys emceeing the Equestrian competition of the state's Special Olympics, and is currently undertaking the USEA ICP program.  Her website is www.camstock.net.

Riding For A Cure, an Illinois based equestrian organization that raises funds for the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation, will be the charitable beneficiary of the 2008 Wellpride American Eventing Championships, September 10-14, 2008. The competition, which attracts horses and riders from all over the United States who have qualified for their respective levels of competition throughout the year, will take place at Lamplight Equestrian Center and the DuPage County Forest Preserve's Pratt Wayne Equestrian Area, both located on North Dunham Road in Wayne, Illinois.

Riding For A Cure was founded in 2002, and since its inception, it has raised over $350,000 toward finding a cure for cancer. The organization's major fundraising activity is a 20 mile trail ride, silent auction and dinner/dance that will take place at Lamplight on Monday, July 14. Tom Moxley, who co-owns Lamplight, is also the named organizer of the 2008 Wellpride American Eventing Championships, and he called the partnership between the competition and the fundraising organization a "natural fit that will be beneficial to both parties." Lamplight is a multi-discipline equestrian show facility that hosts approximately 25 competitions each season and is perhaps best known for its lavishly landscaped grounds and convenient competitor amenities.

The Wellpride American Eventing Championships, which took placed at Lamplight for the first of three years in 2007, attracted over 500 horses competing in all six recognized levels of the three phase sport of eventing. It has been referred to as a national Olympics of eventing and is fast becoming one of the country's premier destination competitions.

For more information about the event, log on to www.aecatlamplight.org.