Denny Emerson
Denny Emerson (born August 20, 1941) is an American equestrian. He is the only equestrian to have won both an international gold medal in
Riding career
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]
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]
In 1972, Emerson was named the
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.
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. shows.
Emerson served as USEA president from 1982-1984 and again from 1991-1992. He also served as the
As of 2015, Emerson operates as a trainer and clinician. Former pupils include Kelli McMullen Temple, a member of Canada's
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 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
- 1972 USEA's Rider of the Year[4]
- 1984 "Wearers of the Green", Dartmouth College Athletic Hall of Fame, inductee[18]
- USEA Wofford Cup for lifetime service to eventing[4]
- 1991 American Riding Instructor Certification Program (ARICP) Lifetime Achievement Award[4]
- 1998 Ayers-Hammett Award by the Equestrian Medical Safety Association[28]
- 1999 Equestrian Land Conservation Resource Anson Taylor Leadership Award[29]
- Named "One of the 50 most influential horsemen of the Twentieth Century" by The Chronicle of the Horse in 2000[30]
- 2006 USEA Hall of Fame Inductee[4]
2022--Named as one of the 100 greatest Dartmouth College athletes of all time.
Writing
Emerson has been a regular contributor to
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]
References
- ^ "Profiles in Courage: Never Say Never". Arabian Sport Horse Magazine. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 11 Aug 2015.
- ^ a b "2004 Tevis Cup Official Results". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Tevis Cup Buckle Recipients". TevisCup.Org. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Edward E. "Denny" Emerson". USEventing.Com. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Cooke, Sandra (March 1997). "Still Eating the Elephant: A day With Denny Emerson" (PDF). Dressage and CT: 26–30. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
- ^ Cooke, Sandra (April 2001). "For the Love of All Horse Sports". Practical Horseman. 29 (4): 98.
- ^ "Denny Emerson". Tamarack Hill Farm. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e O'Connor, Sally (1982). The USCTA Book of Eventing. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc.
- ^ "Quebec Three Day Championships". The Chronicle of the Horse. September 1973.
- ^ Linehan, Kate (19 Aug 2004). "Strafford's Olympic Connections". The Herald of Randolph. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
- ^ "1976 Archive Event Results" (PDF). USEventing.Com. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
- ^ "US Eventing Results Archive" (PDF). US Eventing. Retrieved 11 Aug 2015.
- ^ "Horse of the Year" (PDF). USCTA News. 1983. Retrieved 11 Aug 2015.
- ^ "1982 Archive Results" (PDF). USEventing.Com. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
- ^ "Edward Emerson". Hippomundo. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
- ^ "Groton House Farm Horse Trials II". EventingNews.Com. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ Gould, Rodney (July 1960). "New England News" (PDF). The Morgan Horse. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
- ^ a b "63 Alumni Magazine Class Notes". Dartmouth.Org. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ Their, John. "Good News: A Denny Emerson Update". Eventing Nation. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- ^ "About Kelli". KelliTempleEventing.Com. Retrieved 10 Aug 2015.
- ^ "Kelli Temple". Olympic.Ca. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
- ^ "Dorothy Crowell (née Trapp)". Hippomundo. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
- ^ "Kea'ora". HippoMundo. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
- ^ Edelston, Clarissa. "We Ride While They try to Find Their Socks". The Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- ^ Collucci, Ashley. "Perfect Timing for a Week with Denny Emerson". Eventing Nation. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- ^ Spickard, Sally. "Jessica Hart: What I learned at "Denny" Camp". Eventing Nation. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- ^ Mixsell, Sally. "A Tribute to the Emerson Family". SBSchool.Org. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
- ^ Sorli, Janet M. "AMEA Annual Meeting". Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ "Anson Taylor Award". Equine Land Conservation Resource. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ Church, Stephanie L. "Most Influential Horsemen Announced". TheHorse.Com. Retrieved 12 Aug 2015.
- ^ Swift, Sally (1985). Centered Riding. North Pomfret, Vermont: Trafalgar Square Farm Books.
- ^ Endicott, Priscilla (1999). Taking Up the Reins. North Pomfret, Vermont: Trafalgar Square Books.
- ^ Snyder-Smith, Donna (2004). The All Around Horse and Rider. Hoboken, New Jersey: Howell Book House.
- ^ Jaffer, Nancy (1990). Riding For America. Doubleday.
- ^ Buxton, Anna (September 1978). Burghley - The Three Day Event. London, UK: Threshold Books.
- ^ Bezugloff, Ivan I.; Keays, Candace M. (1978). Lexington, 1978. Xenophon Press.
- ^ Bauman, Marty (2003). Kentucky, Three Day Event. Equestrian Events, Inc.
- ^ Emerson, Denny (April 1, 2011). How Good Riders Get Good. North Pomfret, Vermont: Tafalgar Square Books.
- ^ "The Chronicle of the Horse Contributors". The Chronicle of the Horse. Retrieved 3 Aug 2015.
- ^ "Stallions". Tamarack Hill Farm. Retrieved July 30, 2015.