NEDA Fall Festival was a HIT(S)

NEDA Fall Festival was a HIT(S)

NEDA Volunteer Phyllis LeBlanc (right) presents Sabine Rijssenbeek with the Draper Therapies Best Foot Forward Award at NEDA Fall Festival.

The awesome NEDA (New England Dressage Association) Fall Festival and Regional Championships for 2011 was held in conjunction with the last HITS Show (Horse Shows In the Sun) weekend in Saugerties, NY. Typically this show is all rain and very little sun, and true to that statement, we received some rain. For most of the show however, we received beautiful fall weather that made the event truly special and one for the books.

Draper Therapies was proud to sponsor the FEI Intermediate One Freestyle and the Adult Amateur Championships, and have our products on display in the Vendor Area. The most exciting part of the weekend, was being able to hand out our Best Foot Forward Award. This award is given out to horse and rider combinations who exemplify waking up on the right side of the bed and coming forward with a great attitude in all that they do. We awarded eight individuals who were all chosen by NEDA volunteers who were inspired by these individuals. Winners included Roberta Carleton, Amanda Bruno, Sabine Rijssenbeek, Susan Fraser, Tina Wentz, Kimberly Edelmann, Mary Jordan and Sara Bradley Rollins. Thank you to the NEDA Volunteers who handed out this award on our behalf!

We also had the opportunity to talk up our product to a number of people, explain the difference between us and other therapeutic products such as Back on Track, and watch some of our awesome riders in action. Lainey Johnson who has been a supporter of Draper Therapies for quite some time had one of her best personal rides on her horse Eskaduer aka Eddie in the Prix St. Georges Class.

Lainey Johnson riding Eskaduer, wearing their Draper Therapies Saddle Pad

And if that weren’t enough, one of our Advisory Board Members, Susan Dutta had some great rides in the CDI Grand Prix Classes on her mare, Golden Choice DC. Their freestyle was super fun and hip, exemplifying the talent this pair holds. We even got the opportunity to watch long time Draper Therapies supporter Charlotte Bathalon ride Sportsfield Twist in the CPEDI II Para Dressage Classes. This was our first time seeing Charlotte riding since her accident and her beautiful rides and passion brought us to tears!

Charlotte Bathalon rides in the Para Dressage at NEDA Fall Festival

So thank you to everyone who made such an awesome weekend and event happen! We are truly grateful for all the awesome memories!

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Comment (1)

  • Nicolette Reply

    Charlotte Bathalon is my cousin and was always someone I looked up to in the eventing world. I always wanted to be her when I grew up. She is still amazing me with her riding and I will always look up to her. =)

    October 6, 2011 at 11:56 pm

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