Hosted by Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports

Lyman, Maine – May 22, 2013- Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports, a premier organization offering comprehensive equestrian educational services, is proud to organize, host and partner with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), the U.S Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) and SmartPak, the largest retailer of equestrian products in the United States,  to offer the first national joint U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Symposium and Trainers’ Forum. Entitled “A Team Approach”, the symposium will take place May 29-June 1 at Spring Creek Farm in Lyman, Maine. Offered in two parts, May 29-30 is the “Train the Trainer” program with the “SmartPak Coaches’ Forum” will be offered to trainers and instructors. A total of twelve high performance and developing riders,y will then participate in the riding symposium May 30-June 1. The event is open to the public and auditors are welcome.

The panel of experts for the symposium will include: Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) Para-Dressage “O” Judge and Olympic Technical Delegate Hanneke Gerritsen of Holland; Gold Medal Para-Dressage Coach Clive Milkins from Great Britain; USA international dressage competitor and trainer Catherine Haddad Staller; and Gil Merrick, former USEF High Performance Dressage Director and National Clinician.  In addition, there will be a panel of symposium lecturers and specialists including: USPEA President Hope Hand; Lora Dow, a fundraising and marketing expert; Tina Wentz, a national classifier and USPEA board member; Susan Grant, OTR/L, HPCS, licensed occupational therapist and hippotherapy clinical specialist; and Janet Smaldone, PT, HPCS licensed physical therapist and hippotherapy clinical specialist.

The focus of this symposium is collaboration between the national governing body and national affiliate on the best ways to develop a team approach to prepare riders and coaches for the rigors of international competition including the upcoming 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) in Normandy, France.

Carlisle Academy is the first facility in the country to serve an educational role as a training center for Para-Equestrian Dressage. The educational model they have developed will be a “gold standard” for future USPEA programming transferred to other geographic locations in the country moving forward, including a symposium in California in the Fall of 2013.

“We have a deep commitment to Para-Equestrian sport in the United States and made a concerted effort to include Para-Equestrian training opportunities into our programming back in 2011,” said Sarah Armentrout, Head of Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports, “The sport has grown so much; we saw and seized the opportunity to get involved with this exciting group of athletes and trainers. It has been wonderful to partner with our national equestrian federation and national affiliate to take performance and education to the next level.”

Laureen K. Johnson, High Performance Director of Para-Equestrian and Vaulting Assistant to Driving at the United States Equestrian Federation agreed, “The USEF is very excited about having the opportunity to synergistically work alongside the USPEA and Carlisle to support the Developing and High Performance athletes by offering this upcoming training clinic at Carlisle.”

Johnson continued, “One of the goals of the USEF’s Para-Equestrian High Performance Plan is to work more closely with the national affiliates and grass root athletes in order to better prepare them into becoming High Performance athletes capable of winning medals at future World Equestrian and Paralympic Games.  It will be an invaluable tool for the developing riders and High Performance athletes to learn from some of the world’s top clinicians.”

SmartPak is also delighted to become involved in this premier educational initiative for Para-Equestrian Dressage.

“At SmartPak we are committed to supporting equestrians from all disciplines and backgrounds and we’re thrilled to be working in conjunction with the U.S. National Para-Dressage Training Symposium and Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports to bring world-class riders, trainers, judges and coaches together for what should be a highly engaging and educational event,” Donnie Steele, Chief Marketing Officer at SmartPak, said.

The event will kick-off with a symposium banquet at the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport with a Keynote address by Gil Merrick on “A Team Approach.” Trainers will then be immersed in educational lectures on how to work with Para-Dressage athletes to maximize performance with compensating adaptive equipment pertinent to their grade levels. There will also be a Coach’s Forum to discuss issues related to high performance coaching. Several coaches who attended the 2012 Paralympics in London will be in attendance including: Team USA Para-Dressage coaching veteran Missy Ransehousen, Wes Dunham, Kai Handt, and three-time Olympian in Dressage Jessica Ransehousen.

“The important distinction here is that this is not therapeutic riding,” Hope Hand, Executive Director of the USPEA said. “We need to educate trainers on the unique aspects of this sport and what adaptations will allow these athletes to perform at their peak. Our seasoned coaches will be an invaluable resource to provide feedback and insights into their international coaching experiences.”

The following Para-Equestrian Dressage Riders will participate in the symposium:

Laura Goldman, Grade 1A, Ohio

Derrick Perkins, Grade 1A, Texas

Donna Ponessa, Grade 1A, New York

Sydney Collier, Grade 1B, Michigan

Margaret McIntosh, Grade 1B, Pennsylvania

Roxanne Trennell, Grade 1B, Washington

Benjamin Harper, Grade 2, Virginia

Ellie Brimmer, Grade 3, Minnesota

Holly Jacobson, Grade 3, Massachusetts

Lara Oles, Grade 3, Utah

Elle Woolley, Grade 3, California

Mary Jordan, Grade 4, Wells, Maine

Equestrians, trainers and coaches who have questions and who would like more information on the symposium can contact Carlisle’s Training & Leadership Program Director Joyce Brown  jbrown@carlisleacademymaine.com, or at 207.985.0374. Questions can also be directed to USPEA President Hope Hand at  Hope@uspea.org

About Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports:

Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports is a comprehensive organization offering our hallmark equestrian hippotherapy and adaptive programs; new offerings of Para-Equestrian sport; and traditional equestrian training opportunities for educators, practitioners and riders alike. The mission of Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy and Sports is to transform lives through horses through its distinctive services – rehabilitative through recreational – within an inclusive environment that fosters learning, growth and overall well-being. For more information please visit: www.carlisleacademymaine.com; call 207-985-0374; email info@carlisleacademymaine.com; or check us out on Facebook.

Carlisle Academy’s charitable partner, the Carlisle Charitable Foundation, is enabling athlete participation via scholarships. For more information on scholarships contact Deb Whitney at 207.467.3242 info@carlislecharitablefoundation.org or visit their website at: http://www.carlislecharitablefoundation.org/.     

About SmartPak:      

From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness. With the success of this simple and convenient feeding system, SmartPak has continued to expand its offering of quality products, including its own line of more than 60 supplement formulas called SmartSupplements, and a wide variety of tack, equipment, and supplies. The company has grown rapidly each year and is now the largest retailer of equestrian products in the United States. SmartPak’s success has been powered by a passion for delivering an unbeatable customer experience, and the company has been recognized with a Bizrate Circle of Excellence Platinum award as well as an “Excellent” rating from STELLAService. An eight-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree, SmartPak is the only equine company ever named to the Inc. 500 list.

Photographs of a few of the Para-Equestrians attending the clinic:

Eleanor Brimmer and Carino H by Lindsay Y McCall