THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

to the 2013 Volunteers for the MCTA Horse Trials at Shawan Downs

Organizers Patti Fenwick and Ami Howard want to thank all the people who volunteered in so many ways before, on, and after May 4^th and/or 5^th. There are two fundamental equations in combined training:

 NO VOLUNTEERS = NO EVENT
GREAT VOLUNTEERS = GREAT EVENT

 And the TD thought all of you were pretty great because things ran so smoothly all weekend—despite a few inevitable hiccups. It’s just amazing, isn’t it, how 138 people (plus a few more we’ve undoubtedly missed) from all walks of life can come together in a beautiful setting on one weekend in May to pull off something as complicated as a 6-level horse trial apparently seamlessly.

Competitors, please take note: It took 141 people working very hard for free so that the 316 of you could ride in this event. That’s a ratio of ONE volunteer to just over TWO riders. Have you done your share of volunteering???

So thanks again to the whole gang:

CO-ORGANIZERS: Patti Fenwick and Ami Howard
SECRETARY: Edna McNemar
ASSISTANT SECRETARY: Cynthia McNemar
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR: Brenda Herzog
PUBLICITY and SPONSORS: Leslie Bertram
CROSS COUNTRY SET-UP: Kerry Foster, Joyce Young
CROSS COUNTRY MAPS: Amy Oosterhout
CROSS COUNTRY DECORATOR: Connie Bison
SAFETY OFFICER & HORSE AMBULANCE/EMTs: Jamie Maher
EVENT CONTROLLER: Pat Mansfield
ANNOUNCER: Steve Fulton
STADIUM SET-UP AND SATURDAY JUDGING: Cathy Tucker Slaterbeck
SUNDAY FARRIER: Brooke Danneker
SCORERS: Chris Donovan; Nancy Morris, Mary Klein
SCORE SHEET COLLECTORS: Sean Duncan, Greg Merrill & grandson
AWARDS: Mardi Herman and Leslie Bertram; Jean Gore
AWARDS TRAILER and EQUIPMENT: Cathy Tucker Slaterbeck
MASSAGE THERAPY: Joyce Young
“SNACK WAGON”: Maggie Dannenfelser and Tom Robertson
GENERAL ASSISTANCE: Tim and T.J. Donovan

DRESSAGE—Katie Kindley Novotny, steward: Setting up arenas, cleaning arena fences, picking up letters, gate-keeping, bit-checking, scribing, and more—all to get the important first phase off to a smiling start. . . .

STADIUM—Alexa Regula, steward: Despite the steward (with a car load of volunteers) getting seriously rear-ended on the way to the event, everyone pitched in for a seamless experience for all competitors.

START BOX—Renee Blazek, steward: The Olney Farm crew and friends came through once more, getting everyone on and off the course with aplomb.

CROSS COUNTRY—Ruth Frey, steward: Nothing—not even a herd of deer racing across the course in the middle of the day—could deter this intrepid volunteer army from its appointed duties.