Denny emerson biography

American equestrian

Denny Emerson (born August 20, ) is an American equestrian. He is the only equestrian to have won both an international gold medal in eventing and a Tevis Cup buckle in endurance.^[1][2][3] In , Emerson was named United States Eventing Association's Rider of the Year. He was a member of the United States Three Day Eventing Team that won the gold medal at the Eventing World Championships. As of , Emerson operates as a clinician and trainer. He is a regular contributor to The Chronicle of the Horse's "Between Rounds" column. He and his wife, May Emerson, run Tamarack Hill Farms in Strafford, Vermont and Southern Pines, North Carolina.^[4]

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 , at the age of ^[5] At the age of 15 he rode in his first mile endurance ride at the Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA) in South Woodstock, Vermont.^[6] He began eventing in at the age of His first event was a preliminary three-day at GMHA.^[7]

In Emerson moved up to the Intermediate Level on his first event horse Lighting Magic,^[8] and by 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 , Emerson was named the United States Eventing Association's Rider of the Year.^[4] Two years later, in , Emerson and his part-Morgan horse, Viktor Dakin, rode a clean cross country round at the Burghley Horse Trials World Championship Three Day Event, that helped secure a team gold medal for the United States Eventing Team. The team included Bruce Davidson on Irish Cap, Michael Plumb on Good Mixture and Don Sachey on Plain Sailing.^[8] In Emerson and Viktor Dakin were named to the reserve team for the Montreal Olympics at Bromont. Viktor Dakin had strained a ligament just before the competition.^[8][10] That same year Emerson and Viktor Dakin won the National Three Day Event Championships at Radnor.^[11]

Emerson won the National Three Day Event Championship again in at Chesterland riding York.^[8][12] York was then named USEA's "Horse of the Year".^[13] In Emerson placed fourth at the US National Three Day Event at Chesterland, riding Farnley Rob Roy.^[14] In , Emerson won the Bromont CCI** event.^[15] Emerson competed at his final advanced three day at Groton House Farm in South Hamilton, Massachusetts in at the age of ^[16] His advanced career lasted 29 seasons.

In Emerson earned a Tevis Cup buckle for completing the 50th Anniversary of the Western States Trail Ride, a mile endurance race.^[2][3] Emerson has also shown Morgan horses,^[17] and competed in dressage and jumper shows.

In Emerson completed his 50th consecutive season as an entry in the Preliminary or Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) CCI* level.^[18] That same year, however, Emerson broke his C1 vertebrae after falling during the cross country phase of an event at the Stoneleigh-Burnham School Horse Trials in late July.^[19] Emerson made a full recovery and, as of , continues to regularly school horses and compete in both jumper and dressage shows.

Emerson served as USEA president from and again from He also served as the United States Equestrian Team's Vice President of Eventing for seven years, and was a member of the United States Eventing Association's Executive Committee, and the Chairman of the Breeder's Committee of the American Horse Show Association (AHSA).^[4]

As of , Emerson operates as a trainer and clinician. Former pupils include Kelli McMullen Temple, a member of Canada's equestrian team at the Summer Olympics;^[20][21] Dorothy Trapp, the Individual World Championship silver medalist;^[22] David O'Brien, the winner of Bromont;^[23] and Nancy Bliss, a team bronze medalist at the World Championships.^[5]

In 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 They have two sons, Rett and Jamie, and one granddaughter, Abigail.^[5]

Emerson graduated from Dartmouth College in 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

• USEA's Rider of the Year^[4]
• "Wearers of the Green", Dartmouth College Athletic Hall of Fame, inductee^[18]
• USEA Wofford Cup for lifetime service to eventing^[4]
• American Riding Instructor Certification Program (ARICP) Lifetime Achievement Award^[4]
• Ayers-Hammett Award by the Equestrian Medical Safety Association^[28]
• 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 ^[30]
• USEA Hall of Fame Inductee^[4]

—Named as one of the greatest Dartmouth College athletes of all time.

Writing

Emerson has been a regular contributor to The Chronicle of the Horse's "Between Round's" column since its inception in ^[5] In conjunction with feature articles he authored, Emerson appeared on the cover of Practical Horseman magazine in , and Emerson also wrote the forewords to Sally Swift's Centered riding;^[31] Priscilla Endicott's Taking Up the Reins;^[32] Donna Snyder-Smith's The All Around Horse and Rider;^[33] and the United States Combined Training Association's (USCTA) Book of Eventing.^[8] He has written chapters and sections to several books, including Riding For America;^[34]Burghley – The Three Day Event;^[35]Lexington, ;^[36] and Kentucky, Three Day Event.^[37]

In 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 s the Emersons have kept stallions for stud. Their first was Core Buff, purchased in 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

External links