The Good HorsePerson: 3/22/09

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Debbie McDonald will be Celebrity Guest Speaker at the 2009 PVDA Ride for Life

The Potomac Valley Dressage Association announced last week that they have confirmed Olympic Bronze Medalist and World Cup Champion Debbie McDonald as the Celebrity Guest Speaker at their annual Ride for Life competition on June 27-28th, 2009. The Ride for Life supports breast cancer research in coordination with John's Hopkins.

Ride for Life's Saturday night Dancing Horse Challenge and Gala features international quality exhibition performances, dinner options and a well stocked silent auction, which includes a riding clinic donated by McDonald. The event is held at Prince Georges Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. Tickets are available at the door starting at 6pm on June 27th, $15 per person.

According to PVDA, the Dancing Horse Challenge has become one of the largest and well attended dressage freestyle competitions in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

For more information about the show, visit Ride for Life's newly revamped website:

www.pvdarideforlife.org

Who is The Good HorsePerson?

The Good HorsePerson is the blog of dressage trainer and instructor Amanda Chambers. Amanda has been teaching and training in dressage and basic horsemanship for over a decade. Amanda earned her USDF Bronze and Silver Medals riding her Appendix Quarter Horse Gotta Love Me, who she trained and rode to multiple regional award wins, including USDF Regional Reserve Champion at Fourth Level, the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions FEI YR Individual Medal and USDF Regional Jr/YR Champion at Intermediare I. Today, Gotta Love Me is still going strong at age 21, competing successfully at Third Level with his amateur owner.

In 2002, Amanda rode the Holsteiner gelding Lombado to wins at both the CBLM and USDF Regional Championships at Second Level. Amanda was also Reserve Champion at Second Level with the Holsteiner mare Izabelle.

From 2004 to 2007, Amanda rode the Thoroughbred gelding Grande Finale (trained by USEF "S" judge Elizabeth Madlener) to year-end high score awards at 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Levels. In 2006, Amanda and Grande Finale were Virginia State Champions at 3rd Level and in '07 they were Reserve State Champions at 4th Level. Also in 2007, Amanda rode two other Thoroughbreds who placed in year-end awards at Training and First Level, including Parker's Way, who scored up to 69% at 1st Level and 1st Level Freestyle including a win at First Level, Test 4 in a 15 horse class at a licensed PVDA show. A junior student of Amanda's was Reserve Champion at year end awards at Training Level riding Thoroughbred gelding Alchemist.

In 2008, Amanda rode the Thoroughbred mare Star Style to seven wins at Training and First Level, including High Score of a licensed PVDA show with 73%.

In 2009, Amanda rode the Trakehner gelding Golden Hour (by Happy Hour) owned by Fred & Debbie Ellis and trained by Elizabeth Madlener. Golden Hour won 9 Training Level Open Classes with a high score of 78% and placed 3rd nationally for Trakehners at Training Level.

Amanda holds a B.A. in English Literature from Franklin & Marshall College. When she is not riding, teaching or competing in dressage, she works as a marketing manager and does freelance writing for equestrian publications.