Downeast Medal Finals

September 2022

Presented by Dover Saddlery

September 15-18, 2022

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

Welcome to DMF 2022

Message from the President

In just 2 short weeks we will be seeing all of you in Skowhegan! We are excited to bring you another fun weekend of horse showing and Medal Finals competition. The ribbons are here, the picture frames are waiting for your winning pictures and the trophies just need to have the names of our 2022 Medal Champions added. We have some amazing awards again this year thanks to our wonderful sponsors, please be sure to support them and mention that you see them at DMF.

A few important things for you to know before you arrive at the fairgrounds:

(any questions, please contact Ginger 207-329-0514 or Scott 978-490-0873)

All paperwork needs to be complete before entries will be accepted, this includes all Covid forms and emergency contact information.

The stall charts will be posted on Facebook and via email (please sign up for the newsletter on the website to be sure to receive the charts). All shavings, stall mats and hay must be ordered and paid for through McCarthy Enterprises (207-474-8952). Be sure to order early so that they can have it at your stalls when you arrive.

Camper spots will be assigned by email. Please be sure that the rental company has the location to drop off your camper. You will also need to go to the office and get the tag for your window. Please be sure to have the tag displayed where it can be easily seen.

Just like last year we will operate the office via the window, and will be following all CDC guidelines related to Covid-19. If you have not been feeling well please stay home. Please help us to keep everyone safe and healthy.

We will provide any updates for the show via email or Facebook so please make sure that we have your email address by signing up for our newsletter. The courses will be emailed as well first thing in the morning. Class counts can be found on horseshowing.com. The Livestream Link will be posted on Facebook and our website, as well as emailed.

Trainers: There will be a meeting Thursday afternoon after the warm up, by the entrance to the covered arena at 4:30pm. We ask that all trainers attend this meeting.

Team Challenge riders will be notified that they are in the class in their welcome packet. Those riders will need to attend the meeting during class #27 on Friday. We will also post a list of the riders outside of the office.

Class #18, the Professional Open Hunter O/F, Friday morning, is for professionals only at this time.

A reminder that the warm up Saturday morning is for Derby horses only, please.

Exhibitors' Party: Once again we will be offering a complimentary BBQ and ice cream social during the Team Challenge. Everyone is invited to come enjoy some great food and ice cream along with some live music in the Sheep Barn. Please note the new location.

All bicycle riding by those under the age of 18 is limited to the area between the stabling and the camper sites and in the sheep barn only. The bikes can be hand walked anywhere else.

We still have a lot of names IN RED on the points page. Please get your address to katie@downeastmedalfinals.com so that we can get your qualifying medal and letter out to you.

The DMF team is looking forward to seeing everyone soon. Thank you for showing with us this year. There are a lot of shows out there and we appreciate you choosing to show with us. Please be sure to come and say hi, and anyone new to the show please come and introduce yourselves to Ginger, Scott, and Kate. Please be sure to let us know if there is anything that we can do to make your DMF experience better.

Let’s get ready to Horse Show!

Hemphill's Horses, Feed & Saddlery

Thank you to Hemphill's for sponsoring Downeast Medal Finals!

Here at Hemphill’s Horses, Feed, and Saddlery, we are proud of our heritage and of the reputation we have built over the past six years. We have had the opportunity to sponsor and set up shop at Downeast Medal Finals since year one! Hemphill’s was founded by Creighton and Margaret Hemphill and grew to become an iconic institution in North Vassalboro, Maine over 30+ years.

The new “Hemphill’s” is family owned and operated by Emily Mitchell and Bill Rafuse. Our children, Elliott, Willa, and Maggie, are growing up enjoying all things equine! Together with our family, staff, and the community at large, we aim to create a mecca for horse lovers across Maine and New England. We are stepping into a tradition of providing a one-stop-shop for all things equine with the sale of horses, tack, and feed, as well as a camp horse rental program. We have expanded our offerings to include educational clinics in a variety of disciplines, seminars on veterinary care and nutrition, a traveling tack shop, competitions, and fun family-friendly events.

Our brave and wonderful staff kept things rolling without missing a beat during the entirety of the shut down in 2020 since our feed business was deemed essential and our sale horses needed daily tending, too. The societal slow down in many areas has really turned into an uptick in our part of the horse industry with more people finding time for outdoor activities and time to add horses into their lives. We love playing matchmaker for many horses and ponies all up and down the east coast.

One of our favorite things about show season and Medal Finals is seeing horses that we have had the pleasure of selling or leasing out in the show ring shining with their new people. We'll look forward to doing that again this year at the Downeast Medal Finals! In the meantime, follow us on Facebook or come see us in North Vassalboro. We're open six days a week and we'd love to help you find your next horse or get you outfitted with tack and equipment. We do offer horse leasing programs in summer and winter as well as in-store specials for IEA, IHSA, 4H, and local barns, so be in touch if you'd like to find out more about what we have to offer!