Denny Emerson

Last updated
Emerson in his "Pink Coat". Denny Emerson.jpg
Emerson in his "Pink Coat".
Emerson during the Victory Gallop at the 1974 World Championships where he helped the US team capture the gold medal. 1974 World Championships.jpg
Emerson during the Victory Gallop at the 1974 World Championships where he helped the US team capture the gold medal.

Denny Emerson (born August 20, 1941) is an American equestrian. He is the only equestrian to have won both an international gold medal in eventing and a Tevis Cup buckle in endurance. [1] [2] [3] In 1972, Emerson was named United States Eventing Association's Rider of the Year. He was a member of the United States Three Day Eventing Team that won the gold medal at the 1974 Eventing World Championships. As of 2015, Emerson operates as a clinician and trainer. He is a regular contributor to The Chronicle of the Horse 's "Between Rounds" column. He and his wife, May Emerson, run Tamarack Hill Farms in Strafford, Vermont and Southern Pines, North Carolina. [4]

Contents

Riding career

Emerson riding his first pony, Paint, in the 1950s. Emerson riding Paint.jpg
Emerson riding his first pony, Paint, in the 1950s.

Emerson grew up in Massachusetts and began riding around the age of nine at the Stoneleigh-Burnham School in Greenfield, Massachusetts, where his father was headmaster. [5] Emerson began competing in gymkhanas in 1954, at the age of 12. [5] At the age of 15 he rode in his first 100-mile endurance ride at the Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA) in South Woodstock, Vermont. [6] He began eventing in 1961 at the age of 20. His first event was a preliminary three-day at GMHA. [7]

Emerson on the Morgan Lippitt Sandy in 1956 Lippitt Sandy.jpg
Emerson on the Morgan Lippitt Sandy in 1956

In 1965 Emerson moved up to the Intermediate Level on his first event horse Lighting Magic, [8] and by 1971 he had moved up to the Advanced Level on Cat. Emerson and Cat competed in their first advanced three-day at Dunham, Quebec. [9]

Emerson on Cat at his first Advanced Event in 1971 at Dunham Emerson on Cat.jpg
Emerson on Cat at his first Advanced Event in 1971 at Dunham

In 1972, Emerson was named the United States Eventing Association's Rider of the Year. [4] Two years later, in 1974, Emerson and his part-Morgan horse, Viktor Dakin, rode a clean cross country round at the Burghley Horse Trials World Championship Three Day Event, that helped secure a team gold medal for the United States Eventing Team. The team included Bruce Davidson on Irish Cap, Michael Plumb on Good Mixture and Don Sachey on Plain Sailing. [8] In 1976 Emerson and Viktor Dakin were named to the reserve team for the 1976 Montreal Olympics at Bromont. Viktor Dakin had strained a ligament just before the competition. [8] [10] That same year Emerson and Viktor Dakin won the National Three Day Event Championships at Radnor. [11]

Emerson on Viktor Dakin on the cover the November 1976 edition of USCTA News Viktor Dakin.jpg
Emerson on Viktor Dakin on the cover the November 1976 edition of USCTA News

Emerson won the National Three Day Event Championship again in 1979 at Chesterland riding York. [8] [12] York was then named USEA's 1979 "Horse of the Year". [13] In 1982 Emerson placed fourth at the US National Three Day Event at Chesterland, riding Farnley Rob Roy. [14] In 1992, Emerson won the Bromont CCI** event. [15] Emerson competed at his final advanced three day at Groton House Farm in South Hamilton, Massachusetts in 1999 at the age of 58. [16] His advanced career lasted 29 seasons.

Emerson riding Speed Axel at the Groton House Farm Horse Trials in 1999. This was Emerson's last Advanced event. Emerson and Speed Axel.jpg
Emerson riding Speed Axel at the Groton House Farm Horse Trials in 1999. This was Emerson's last Advanced event.
Emerson doing an endurance ride on Rett Butler. Emerson on Rett Butler.jpg
Emerson doing an endurance ride on Rett Butler.

In 2004 Emerson earned a Tevis Cup buckle for completing the 50th Anniversary of the Western States Trail Ride, a 100-mile endurance race. [2] [3] Emerson has also shown Morgan horses, [17] and competed in dressage and jumper shows.

In 2011 Emerson completed his 50th consecutive season as an entry in the Preliminary or Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) CCI* level. [18] That same year, however, Emerson broke his C1 vertebrae after falling during the cross country phase of an event at the Stoneleigh-Burnham School Horse Trials in late July. [19] Emerson made a full recovery and, as of 2015, continues to regularly school horses and compete in both jumper and dressage shows.

Emerson served as USEA president from 1982-1984 and again from 1991-1992. He also served as the United States Equestrian Team's Vice President of Eventing for seven years, and was a member of the United States Eventing Association's Executive Committee, and the Chairman of the Breeder's Committee of the American Horse Show Association (AHSA). [4]

As of 2015, Emerson operates as a trainer and clinician. Former pupils include Kelli McMullen Temple, a member of Canada's equestrian team at the 1996 Summer Olympics; [20] [21] Dorothy Trapp, the 1994 Individual World Championship silver medalist; [22] David O'Brien, the 1996 winner of Bromont; [23] and Nancy Bliss, a team bronze medalist at the 1982 World Championships. [5]

In 2004 Emerson hosted his first week long "Adult Camp" at his farm in Strafford, Vermont. [24] The Adult Camp program expanded since its start, with programs being run throughout the year at both farm locations. [25] [26]

Personal life

Emerson and his wife, May, live on and run Tamarack Hill Farms in Strafford, Vermont and Southern Pines, North Carolina. They have owned the Vermont property since 1969. They have two sons, Rett and Jamie, and one granddaughter, Abigail. [5]

Emerson's Vermont Farm Tamarack Hill Farm, Vermont.JPG
Emerson's Vermont Farm

Emerson graduated from Dartmouth College in 1963 with a degree in English. He later taught high school English in New Jersey and Vermont. [5]

Emerson is a descendant of Revolutionary War General, Israel Putnam. [27]

Honors and awards

2022—Named as one of the 100 greatest Dartmouth College athletes of all time.

Writing

Emerson has been a regular contributor to The Chronicle of the Horse 's "Between Round's" column since its inception in 1989. [5] In conjunction with feature articles he authored, Emerson appeared on the cover of Practical Horseman magazine in 1982, 1991 and 1999. Emerson also wrote the forewords to Sally Swift's Centered riding ; [31] Priscilla Endicott's Taking Up the Reins; [32] Donna Snyder-Smith's The All Around Horse and Rider; [33] and the United States Combined Training Association's (USCTA) Book of Eventing. [8] He has written chapters and sections to several books, including Riding For America; [34] Burghley – The Three Day Event; [35] Lexington, 1978; [36] and Kentucky, Three Day Event. [37]

In 2011 Emerson published his first book, How Good Riders Get Good, through Trafalgar Square Farm Books. The book centers on stories of 23 of the world's top riders from different equestrian disciplines and sports – including dressage, reining, driving, show jumping, endurance, hunter/jumper, and eventing – and how those included overcame significant challenges and setbacks to reach the top. [38]

Breeding

Since the early 1970s the Emersons have kept stallions for stud. Their first was Core Buff, purchased in 1970. Some of their former and current stallions include Forfeit, Right of Light, O'Hara, Epic Win, Wintry Oak, Loyal Pal, Goliad, Not Surprised, Prussian Blue, Silver Comet, Reputed Testamony, Aberjack and Formula One. [39] [40]

Tamarack Hill Farm Stallions: Prussian Blue, Loyal Pal and Reputed Testamony Stallions.jpg
Tamarack Hill Farm Stallions: Prussian Blue, Loyal Pal and Reputed Testamony

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dressage</span> Equestrian sport and art

Dressage is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined by the International Equestrian Federation, dressage is described as "the highest expression of horse training" where "horse and rider are expected to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strafford, Vermont</span> Town in Vermont, United States

Strafford is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,094 at the 2020 census. The town of Strafford was created on August 12, 1761, by way of a royal charter which King George III of Great Britain issued to Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. The town was named after the Earl of Strafford. Its town house is one of the most famous in Vermont, sitting atop a hill at the end of the historic town common.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horse show</span> A judged exhibition of horses

A horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and international championships. Most shows consist of a series of different performances, called classes, wherein a group of horses with similar training or characteristics compete against one another for awards and, often, prize money.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pippa Funnell</span> British equestrian

Philippa Rachel "Pippa" Funnell MBE is an equestrian sportswoman who competes in eventing. In 2003, she became the first person to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. She also won Badminton in 2002 and 2005. At the European Championships, she has won two Individual golds (1999–2001) and three team golds (1999–2003). She is a three-time Olympic medallist, winning team silver in 2000 and 2004, and an individual bronze in 2004. She also competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kentucky Three-Day Event</span> Eventing competition

The Kentucky Three-Day Event, currently the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event due to sponsorship, is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Land Rover Kentucky is a CCI5*-L eventing competition. Five stars is the highest level of competition in the sport, the same level of competition as Eventing at the Olympics and the World Equestrian Games. The event is sponsored by Land Rover. Prize money of $400,000 is distributed among the top placings with $110,000 as well as a Rolex watch awarded to the first place horse and rider. The winning rider also gets a 12-month lease of a Land Rover

David John O'Connor is a retired equestrian who represented the United States in the sport of three-day eventing. He competed in two Olympic Games, winning a team silver at the 1996 Summer Olympics and an individual gold and team bronze at the 2000 Summer Olympics. At the 1999 Pan American Games, O'Connor took an individual silver and team gold and at the 2002 World Equestrian Games he assisted the US team to gold. After his retirement from competition in 2004, he became involved in the administrative side of international eventing. O'Connor has held top coaching roles for the US and Canadian national eventing teams, and was president of the United States Equestrian Federation from 2004 to 2012. During his career, O'Connor and his horses were awarded many honors, including equestrian and horse of the year awards from several organizations. In 2009, he was inducted to the United States Eventing Association's Hall of Fame, and two of his horses have been granted the same honor. O'Connor is married to fellow international event rider Karen O'Connor, and the pair operate two equestrian training facilities in the eastern United States.

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is the organization responsible for organizing, promoting and adjudicating equestrian eventing in the United States. Formerly known as the United States Combined Training Association, the USEA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Custom Made was an Irish Sport Horse standing 17.1 hands who was ridden by American David O'Connor at the international level in the sport of eventing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen O'Connor</span> American equestrian

Karen Lende O'Connor is an American equestrian who competes in three-day eventing. Although she did not come from a family of equestrians, her interest in horses started at an early age, and she received her first horse for her 11th birthday. O'Connor began competing internationally in the late 1970s, and in 1986 began riding for the US national eventing team. Since then, she had ridden in five Olympic Games, three World Equestrian Games and two Pan-American Games, winning multiple medals, including a team silver at the 1996 Olympic Games and a team bronze at the 2000 Olympic Games. She has also posted numerous wins and top-10 finishes at other international events. As of 2013, O'Connor is not competing, having suffered fractures to two thoracic vertebrae during a fall at a competition in October 2012.

Erin Go Bragh was a Connemara stallion who competed in the sport of eventing at the highest level. Also known as "The Little Horse that Could", Erin Go Bragh stood 14.3 hands.

James Cunningham Wofford was an American equestrian who competed in many international competitions in the sport of eventing. He was most known as a trainer of both horses and riders, and as a retired president of the AHSA and vice-president of the USET.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hills Horse Trials</span>

The Red Hills Horse Trials is held in Tallahassee, in the U.S. state of Florida and is one of the equestrian world's top events. It is an annual major eventing competition held by the United States Eventing Association, Area III and the 16th event held in Area III consisting of Dressage, Cross-country, and Show jumping.

Windfall II is a retired Trakehner gelding that competed internationally in the equestrian sport of eventing.

Torrance Watkins is an American equestrian and Olympic champion. Formerly known as Torrance Fleischmann, she won a team gold medal in eventing at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and finished 4th in the individual contest.

Gina Miles is an American eventing rider. Riding McKinlaigh, owned by Thom Schulz and Laura Coats, Miles won a silver medal in individual eventing at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

John Michael Plumb is an American equestrian and Olympic champion who competes in the sport of three-day eventing. He holds the title of the US Olympic competitor who has competed in the greatest number of Olympics, winning two team gold medals, three team silvers and one individual silver.

Jack Louis Joseph Marie Le Goff was a French equestrian, best known as the coach of the American three-day eventing team from 1970 to 1984. He coached the team to multiple international championships, winning 18 international medals, including several in the Olympics. Le Goff is known for having a large impact on the American eventing world, and the era in which he coached has been called the golden era for American equestrianism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boyd Martin</span> American equestrian

Boyd Martin is an Australian-born, American equestrian competing in the discipline of eventing. He has participated in four consecutive Summer Olympic Games and is a two-time Pan American Games team gold medalist and individual gold medalist. He is a two-time CCI5*-L winner.

William Coleman III is an American equestrian. At the 2012 Summer Olympics he competed in the Individual eventing and Team eventing. At the age of six, Coleman's family moved to Charlottesville, VA where he started riding in the hunt fields of Virginia Piedmont Hunt. His father was an avid fox hunter and became his first show jumping coach. After Coleman began to focus on eventing he started training with Karen and David O’Connor, beginning an apprentice with the pair after his graduation from Woodberry Forest School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Pamukcu</span> American equestrian

Caroline Pamukcu is an American equestrian competing in eventing. She is a Pan American Games individual gold medalist and silver team medalist. As a youth competitor, she was named United States Eventing Association Young Rider of the Year four times.

References

  1. ↑ "Profiles in Courage: Never Say Never". Arabian Sport Horse Magazine. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 11 Aug 2015.
  2. 1 2 "2004 Tevis Cup Official Results". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Tevis Cup Buckle Recipients". TevisCup.Org. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Edward E. "Denny" Emerson". USEventing.Com. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cooke, Sandra (March 1997). "Still Eating the Elephant: A day With Denny Emerson" (PDF). Dressage and CT: 26–30. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  6. ↑ Cooke, Sandra (April 2001). "For the Love of All Horse Sports". Practical Horseman. 29 (4): 98.
  7. ↑ "Denny Emerson". Tamarack Hill Farm. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 O'Connor, Sally (1982). The USCTA Book of Eventing. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc.
  9. ↑ "Quebec Three Day Championships". The Chronicle of the Horse. September 1973.
  10. ↑ Linehan, Kate (19 Aug 2004). "Strafford's Olympic Connections". The Herald of Randolph. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  11. ↑ "1976 Archive Event Results" (PDF). USEventing.Com. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  12. ↑ "US Eventing Results Archive" (PDF). US Eventing. Retrieved 11 Aug 2015.
  13. ↑ "Horse of the Year" (PDF). USCTA News. 1983. Retrieved 11 Aug 2015.
  14. ↑ "1982 Archive Results" (PDF). USEventing.Com. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  15. ↑ "Edward Emerson". Hippomundo. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  16. ↑ "Groton House Farm Horse Trials II". EventingNews.Com. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  17. ↑ Gould, Rodney (July 1960). "New England News" (PDF). The Morgan Horse. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  18. 1 2 "63 Alumni Magazine Class Notes". Dartmouth.Org. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  19. ↑ Their, John. "Good News: A Denny Emerson Update". Eventing Nation. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  20. ↑ "About Kelli". KelliTempleEventing.Com. Retrieved 10 Aug 2015.
  21. ↑ "Kelli Temple". Olympic.Ca. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  22. ↑ "Dorothy Crowell (née Trapp)". Hippomundo. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  23. ↑ "Kea'ora". HippoMundo. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  24. ↑ Edelston, Clarissa. "We Ride While They try to Find Their Socks". The Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  25. ↑ Collucci, Ashley. "Perfect Timing for a Week with Denny Emerson". Eventing Nation. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  26. ↑ Spickard, Sally. "Jessica Hart: What I learned at "Denny" Camp". Eventing Nation. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  27. ↑ Mixsell, Sally. "A Tribute to the Emerson Family". SBSchool.Org. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  28. ↑ Sorli, Janet M. "AMEA Annual Meeting" . Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  29. ↑ "Anson Taylor Award". Equine Land Conservation Resource. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  30. ↑ Church, Stephanie L. "Most Influential Horsemen Announced". TheHorse.Com. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
  31. ↑ Swift, Sally (1985). Centered Riding. North Pomfret, Vermont: Trafalgar Square Farm Books.
  32. ↑ Endicott, Priscilla (1999). Taking Up the Reins. North Pomfret, Vermont: Trafalgar Square Books.
  33. ↑ Snyder-Smith, Donna (2004). The All Around Horse and Rider. Hoboken, New Jersey: Howell Book House.
  34. ↑ Jaffer, Nancy (1990). Riding For America. Doubleday.
  35. ↑ Buxton, Anna (September 1978). Burghley - The Three Day Event. London, UK: Threshold Books.
  36. ↑ Bezugloff, Ivan I.; Keays, Candace M. (1978). Lexington, 1978. Xenophon Press.
  37. ↑ Bauman, Marty (2003). Kentucky, Three Day Event. Equestrian Events, Inc.
  38. ↑ Emerson, Denny (April 1, 2011). How Good Riders Get Good. North Pomfret, Vermont: Tafalgar Square Books.
  39. ↑ "The Chronicle of the Horse Contributors". The Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved 3 Aug 2015.
  40. ↑ "Stallions". Tamarack Hill Farm. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.