Downeast Medal Finals

May 2020
Downeast Medal Finals
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


Message From The President
Moving Forward:

We here at DMF hope that you are all well. We wanted to touch base with you to let you know that we are monitoring all notifications from the Federal, State, and local authorities as well as NEHC, USEF, and the Skowhegan Fairgrounds as far as resuming horse shows. We have decided that because of the hardships that the COVID-19 shut-down and stay at home restrictions have put on everyone, for 2020  any rider who showed at DMF 2019 will automatically qualify for DMF 2020. Also, any qualifying points earned in 2020 will count for 2021 as well. We will also look at adjusting the qualifying point total required based on when showing resumes for those riders who did not compete at DMF 2019.  When it is deemed safe to resume showing, we highly encourage riders to support and compete at their local shows this year as the points will count towards 2020 and 2021. We also want to thank our show hosts, without you none of this would be possible. 

Scott, Kate, and I along with the rest of the DMF team hope that we will all be together soon at shows. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns, and juniors please send some questions in for your Horsemanship exam!

Be well,

Ginger 

2020 DMF Scholarships
We are pleased to announce a new scholarship for 2020, the Lynch Family Scholarship! Juniors in their last year of showing are eligible for up to $500 towards their stall, warmups and entries for DMF 2020. More details can be found on our website on the scholarship tab. Thank you to the Lynch family. We also wish to thank Meadow View Equestrian Center, Belmont Boatworks and the Tynan family for their continued support of the DMF riders with their scholarships.

If there is any way for you to support our riders with a scholarship, this year would be a great year to start a scholarship fund. Any amount will help someone to be able to ride at finals. Also remember that we have the reusable shopping bags made from grain bags for sale in order to fund another scholarship. Please contact ginger@downeastmedalfinals.com for information on how to get some. They are wonderful!

With all of the shutdowns during COVID-19, many small businesses are struggling. Please take a moment to look at our sponsors and see if there is a way for you to support them. For years, they have given a lot to us in order to make DMF what it is. Now is the time for us to try and give back.

Many thanks for your continued support!!
Rider Spotlight- Abby Raynes
The 18" Hunter Derby at the 2019 Downeast Medal Finals was won by Shanghai ridden by Abby Raynes. Here is what Abby had to say:

"Riding has been a huge part of my life since I can remember. I started bugging my parents at age 3 to “go see the horses.” At age 7, they finally let me start taking lessons. I rode at a small farm in York, ME for most of my childhood and then started riding under Kate McDaniel about 11 years ago. Growing up I was fortunate to have leased some incredible horses and rode my first time at Downeast Medal Finals in 2010. Since then I rode on the Equestrian Team at Endicott College for 4 years competing in IHSA. I took a short hiatus after college and then went back to doing what I love most, riding. 

I started leasing Shanghai in the fall of 2017 and worked mainly on getting my confidence back in the saddle. After showing with her for two years, we came to Downeast Medal Finals in 2019 and were able to show off how handy Shang truly is and win the 18” Derby. It was one of my proudest moments to have come so far after all these years. I know it would not have been possible without this horse (lovingly known as the barn unicorn). I also want to give a huge shoutout to Kate McDaniel for her coaching, both in life and in the ring, and constant support- without her I would not still be riding. Here’s to hoping for another fantastic Downeast Medal Finals in 2020!"
Rider Spotlight- Taylor Moon
The 2'3" Hunter Derby at the 2019 Downeast Medal Finals was won by KT Kicero ridden by Taylor Moon. Here is what Taylor had to say:

"My name is Taylor Moon and I competed at DMF for the first time in 2019. I moved to New Hampshire in August of 2018 after finishing my PhD in Immunology at the University of Rochester. I began my teaching at the Derryfield School just three days after moving east, and my husband, Matt, and I got married September 15th, 2018 (during finals - little did we know!). At the time I owned two lovely horses, Duke and Sport, and I had been horse showing with Seery Hill for about 9 years. I attended St. Lawrence University (where I met Matt) and rode under Mary Drueding and Cate Wagner there, and once I started riding and showing in the Seery Hill group I was hooked! While completing my PhD, I would trailer Duke to meet the Seery Hill crew at various horse shows - biding my time until I could ride with them full time. Moving to New Hampshire meant getting closer to the horse show family I had already come to know and love. 

In the spring of 2019, Matt and I had the opportunity to purchase Kevin, my DMF horse. He belonged to a friend and classmate of ours at St. Lawrence, Casey Zuraitis, and he had already proven he could show in the hunters, jumpers, and equitation. My goals include the adult equitation division, and the Seery Hill team was confident this horse could take me safely around smaller jumps while teaching me the skills to move up when we’re ready. We are so thankful for everyone who supported us as we moved Kevin to New Hampshire and started our partnership. 

Kevin and I tackled two foot equitation divisions most of the summer, earning blue ribbons at both GMHA and HITS. The idea of attending Downeast Medal Finals didn’t come up until a little later in the summer when it became clear that Kevin and I were getting more comfortable and ready to handle a bigger challenge. We attended a Back Bay Farm horse show where we won the qualifying class and committed to making the trip to Skowhegan. 

Upon arriving at DMF 2019, we were greeted with so many friendly faces. The management did a great job of having stalls set up so we were able to get unpacked efficiently and start the lunging/schooling process. The days of finals were busy; the early schooling mornings were hard but the ability to school in a safe, quiet ring was worth it. DMF serves as a great opportunity for riders like me looking to challenge themselves in a finals atmosphere but not necessarily jump equitation division sized jumps. The ribbons are big and the prizes are many, so all the Seery Hill youngsters and adults were proud to walk away with tokens of our weekend in Maine. Kevin and I jumped to a win in the 2’3” derby which was a huge highlight for us and a real confidence boost for me as this height was a little bigger than I had jumped at shows most of the summer. We also earned the Reserve Championship in the modified adult medal, and I am so proud of the rounds we laid down at finals this year. We are enjoying a less demanding riding schedule right now, but Kevin and I have our sights set on more equitation finals in the future!"
Become a Downeast Medal Finals Sponsor:
All levels accepted and appreciated! 
Visit  www.downeastmedalfinals.com  for more information.
For more information or to become a sponsor, please email Ginger at  ginger@downeastmedalfinals.com .

Thank you to Spotted Vision Photography and Riitta Fortier for providing us with many wonderful photographs from the Downeast Medal Finals.
Bernard Klingenstein/Euclide Albert Memorial
The Cash Family
Lucky Clover Stables (207-651-1881)
Maggie Mae Memorial
My Horse Heroes Memorial
Peter N. Thompson Memorial
SeaHorse Stables
Seery Hill