Downeast Medal Finals

December 2019

September 17-20, 2020

Visit our website for more information about Downeast. We welcome all feedback and suggestions: please email Ginger at ginger@downeastmedalfinals.com

Thank you to all who attended and supported the 2019 Downeast Medal Finals!

Check out this video for highlights from the 2019 Downeast Medal Finals!

DMF News

It’s hard to believe that it is already December 1st. The year is almost over and we here at DMF are already planning for 2020! DMF 2019 was an incredible success thanks to our wonderful sponsors, exhibitors, host shows, and our tireless staff. Thank you to all of you.

For 2020, we are looking at some scheduling changes to make your days flow even more smoothly. Also new for 2020, we will be allowing horses to ship in on Wednesday afternoon (additional fee applies), stay tuned for more information. We will still be offering the ever popular Team Challenge (be sure to get your entries in early as first entries received will be the first in), Pro-Am and the Horsemanship Challenge. We will still be offering the three Derbies on Saturday, but fewer classes leading up to them. Also for 2020, DMF is partnering with the Waterville Humane Society to host an adoption event on Friday, September 18th. They will have dogs and cats that are looking for their furrever homes!

Sponsors please contact Ginger at ginger@downeastmedalfinals.com with your intent to be on board for 2020. That way your link/logo will stay up on the homepage of the website (and go out with the monthly newsletter) and we can reserve your level. All logos will be coming down at the end of December.

Please consider becoming a sponsor. You can see the various levels on the tab located on the homepage. If you don’t see something that fits your needs, please let Ginger know as she is more than happy to customize a level for you. This show is a huge effort and needs the help of sponsorship of all levels.

Finally, the DMF family would like to wish everyone a wonderful Holiday Season. We hope that everyone gets a chance to enjoy the spirit of this time of year amidst all of the hustle and bustle. Be sure to tell those wonderful horses how great they have been all year and fill their stockings with all sorts of carrots and peppermints!

Thanks again for a fantastic 2019 and we look forward to seeing all of you in 2020!

Reminders:

2020 Downeast Show Dates: 9/17/2020-9/20/2020 . Please remember to fill out our application for shows wanting to host 2020 DMF qualifying classes and report results using our online results reporting form !

We would like to feature all of our Medal Finals winners as well as the Derby winners, High Point Maine Riders, all special award winners as well (Overall best horse of DMF, Best Maine Horse, etc). Please send your contact information and which award to Ginger at ginger@downeastmedalfinals.com and she will let you know what we need. Thank you!

Rider Spotlight- Lucy Parmelee

The 2019 Short Stirrup Medal Final at the 2019 Downeast Medal Finals was won by Lucy Parmelee. We will be highlighting the winners of our 2019 Medal Finals classes as well as our Hunter Derbies and special awards. Here is what Lucy had to say:

"My name is Lucy Parmelee and I live in Manchester-by-the-sea, Massachusetts. I started riding at the end of first grade at Back Bay Farm in Ipswich. I’m in 6th grade now and have been leasing Scottie for about 8 months. I am so lucky to ride Scottie.

When I'm riding I feel so lucky to be doing this sport. When I jump on Scottie I think about how much I have improved from when I went to Downeast Medal Finals. I’m doing jumps higher than I have ever done before because of the help and support I have gotten from my wonderful trainers, Robin Peterson and Megan Piermarini.

I look forward to going to the barn each day as I think of Back Bay Farm as my happy place. Every time I walk through the front door, I get a nice greeting from one of my friends or one of the trainers. Also Scottie gives me a nice greeting with a little whinny."

Rider Spotlight- Sylvia Lee

The 2019 High Point Maine Rider at the 2019 Downeast Medal Finals was won by Sylvia Lee. Here is what Sylvia had to say:

"Hi! My name is Sylvia, and this past year at Downeast Medal Finals I won the Highest Point Maine Rider award, thanks to Dominion Saddlery. I currently ride with Megan Oathout, at SeaHorse Stables in Belfast Maine.

My mom put me in the saddle as soon as my first ever barn would allow (two years old to be exact). She had been riding her whole life as well, and I'm very thankful that she made the decision to start me young. It was a good four years later when I began to trot off the lead line. I would go over single trot poles, on this tiny grey gelding, and I thought it was the best thing ever. It was then when I learned about DMF, and that I was already qualified through the few at-home shows I had done. I went to my first DMF, and my first off-property show, when I was eight years old, on a pony named Jellybean. I remember being so proud of us, even if I didn't do as well as I would've liked.

Eventually I moved to a new barn that my mom’s friends were opening up, and we went with them. Here, my friend and I met new girls, and we all became best friends. We also were getting real jumping lessons, with real jumps, not the purple blocks and handmade jumps, built by my mom.

It was from here that I found my passion, hunter jumpers, and I began going to every DMF since then.

I soon moved to my current barn (SeaHorse Stables), it's a long drive, but it's worth it. This past May I started leasing a horse named Jimmy. He is so educated, and he has already taught me so much.

I am so grateful that I have been given all of the opportunities I have been given, by amazing equestrians I look up to. Through all of the ups and downs, I have found just where I want to be, and I am thankful for that."