Brandywine Valley Summer Series: Heritage-Rich Trophies and Awards to be Presented at Brandywine Valley Summer Series

Source: News Release/PMG Inc.

Heritage-Rich Trophies and Awards to be Presented
at Brandywine Valley Summer Series

Devon, PA - Several riders competing at this year's Brandywine Valley Summer Series horse shows, held June 26-June 30, 2013 and July 3-7, 2013, will receive special recognition through the awarding of irreplaceable trophies and awards presented throughout the two weeks.

Brandywine Valley native Clementina Brown has generously donated two trophies, each rich in their back-story. The first of these is the West Chester Hunt Perpetual Trophy in Memory of Brown's mother, Caroline "Cookie" Beck.

"My mother was the master of the West Chester Hunt which was in the country close to Devon. She was a big supporter of the Devon Horse Show. The whole family showed there from the leadline on up," Brown said. "She was a big supporter and prominent in the horse community in the Brandywine Valley so I thought it would be appropriate to donate it in her name."

Brown continued, "The Brandywine Valley series of horse shows is really for supporting the horse industry in that area, which is where I grew up and where I continue to want to be. It's a really wonderful horse show that Louise [Serio] and Jennifer [Burger] and everyone on the board have brought into being. It kind of combines the greatness of Devon and the quality of Pennsylvania with a slightly more casual atmosphere. It's really a great horse show, and we're lucky to have it."

The West Chester Hunt Perpetual Trophy Memory of Caroline "Cookie" Brown will be presented to the overall Amateur-Owner Circuit Champion at the end of the two-week series. The trophy itself is a Brown family heirloom, a silver ice bucket carefully engraved with flowers, which once belonged to Clementina Brown's great grandparents.

Clementina will also present the Armistead Farm Trophy to the 3'3" Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter Champion during the first week of competition. This award is named in honor of the Brown family farm.

"That is in honor of both my mother and my father who are still living. We have a beautiful farm in Unionville, which is a very 'horsey' area, that's devoted to keeping land open and having the scenario for horse riding the way it used to be before everything got so developed," Brown shared.

Also offering an award in honor of a much-loved parent is Blair Balmer. She will present the Barry G. Balmer Horsemanship Award, in memory of her father, to a rider whom exemplifies proper horsemanship throughout the two weeks of competition.

"While I was growing up, my father always impressed upon me that you can ride well, but if you don't know what the horse does, as well as cleaning your tack and making sure that the horse and stable are well taken care of it really doesn't matter if you got a blue ribbon or not. It's about the full picture. I thought it would be great if I put together something along the lines of what he already imposed upon me as a child," Balmer explained.

The winner will be determined by a group of professionals, and the award will be presented on Saturday, June 29, prior to the start of the National Hunter Derby.

"The Brandywine Valley Show Series is trying to give back to Chester County. This year the board has decided to give back to Main Line Animal Rescue as well as Danny & Ron's Rescue," Balmer stated. "Part of the reason that I wanted to do the trophy in honor of my father is because he followed the same practices when he was alive, and he gave back to Chester County. It was my way of carrying on his memory, and that's why it's a memorial trophy."

Also being presented this year is The "Teddy Graham" Perpetual Trophy. The trophy will be given each week to the champion of the Short Stirrup Hunter and Equitation Division, in honor of the loveable pony Teddy Graham and all of the young riders whom he has taught. Any rider, trainer or person who has loved "Teddy" is invited into the ring for the championship presentations. Teddy is currently being ridden by Mary Jo Serio

This year's additional exceptional trophies include the First Year Green Hunter Head Over Heels Trophy, given by Lisa Scott in honor of her horse, Head Over Heels, and the Grey Slipper Award, presented to the Supreme Hunter Professional by Bridget Hallman and Merrylegs Farm. During each of the two weeks, the Risser family, of Alex and Patty Risser, will contribute Horsemanship Awards, presented week one to an amateur and week two to a professional. Finally, for the first time this year, Jennifer Burger has also kindly introduced the Rock Star Perpetual High Performance Trophy.

For more information on the Brandywine Valley Summer Show Series and for last minute entries, please visit: www.brandywinevalleysummerseries.com.