The Night of Nights at the USEA Convention

The last leg of the USEA Annual Convention in Nashville, TN featured the awards dinner hosted by eventing legend Jimmy Wofford. While Buck Davidson took home most of the loot, we managed to snag a couple of awards, most notably with super groom Lindsey Taylor walking away with the 2011 USEA Christine E. Stafford Groom of the Year Award last night, along with lucy Beard of Kalispell, MT. There are two winners for this award - a professional and amateur. Lindsey won the jacket, shown in the photo below, and $500.(This is not to be confused with the PRO award, which Lindsey also won!) Jimmy noted in his presentation that Lindsey groomed for me at all 175 of my eventing starts this year.
My good mate and vet, Dr Kev Keane took home the Advanced Amateur Rider of the Year and the Adult Amateur Rider of the Year which landed him a brand new saddle.

I received the Advanced Rider of the Year thanks to a lot of success with a large pool of Advanced horses that I rode throughout the year, including the indomitable Neville Bardos, Otis Barbotiere, Ying Yang Yo, Cold Harbour, Last Monarch and Remington XXV. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to ride this great group of horses this past year.
I was surprised at the end of the evening to win an award for showing courage and resilience in the past year of eventing. Jimmy spoke very kindly of my ups and downs in 2011 and talked about Neville's comeback to top level competition at Burghley after the fire. It is a magnificent trophy that weighs a lot!

All in all it was a brilliant convention.
Boyd