Gladstone, NJ - The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2012 Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy will be talented show jumping rider Lucy Davis of Los Angeles, CA. Each year this award is presented to a Young Rider in one of the Olympic disciplines who exemplifies both sportsmanship and horsemanship. In 2011, Davis set the west on fire, winning four grand prix events in a row at HITS Thermal, including the $200,000 Lamborghini Grand Prix of the Desert aboard her brilliant mount Nemo 119.

Davis, a 19-year-old freshman at Stanford University, was presented with the trophy during the USET Foundation's benefit, "An English Country Evening," at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, on January 27, 2012.

"It's a really big honor and I am very excited to have won the award," said Davis. "I got the call when I was in the middle of finals, and it really changed my mood. I am very honored because I know there are a lot of really incredible young riders in the United States, so this is really exciting to win."

Davis rides under the tutelage of Germany's Markus Beerbaum, and spent three months competing in Europe over the summer. During her stay, she had the opportunity to represent the United States on numerous occasions, including the FEI Nation's Cup CSIO5* in Falsterbo, Sweden, July 7-10, 2011. "Competing in Europe is always an incredible learning experience," she explained. "I got to watch Aachen, which is really special and inspiring. The horses are all top quality, and you learn so much by watching all the really talented riders that are there."

In 2012, Davis hopes to gain experience by competing in the Olympic Trials at the end of March during the Winter Equestrian Festival. "Right now I am just focusing on getting experience in that area and hope to be respectable at the Trials. Making the Olympic Team has been my dream since I was little. This year is not realistic, but in the future I would love to go to the Olympics, as not many people get to do that."

Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy Winners
Patrick Guerrand-Hermès established the Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Memorial Award in 1983 in memory of his son, Lionel, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident in 1981 at the age of 18. Lionel trained with the United States Equestrian Team and was talented enough to be considered an Olympic hopeful. A perpetual trophy designed by Patrick Guerrand-Hermès is inscribed annually with the winner's name and permanently displayed at the USET Foundation headquarters in Gladstone, NJ. Previous winners are:

1983 - Mark Leone
1984 - Jeffery Welles
1985 - Holly Mitten
1986 - Gregory A Best
1987 - Susanne Owen
1988 - Christopher Kappler
1989 - Mollie Bliss
1990 - Kim Keenan
1991 - McLain Ward
1992 - Abigail Lufkin
1993 - Mark Combs
1994 - Gabriella Salick
1995 - Megan Johnstone
1996 - Jonathan Elliot
1997 - Alison Firestone
1998 - Bruce Davidson Jr.
1999 - Chad Geeter
2000 - Elise Haas
2001 - Marilyn Little
2002 - Clark Montgomery
2003 - Will Faudree
2004 - Kristin Schmolze
2005 - Brianne Goutal
2006 - Katie Hamilton
2007 - Carolyn Kelly
2008 - Hillary Dobbs

2009 - Laura Noyes

2010 - Jennifer Waxman

2011 - Tiana Coudray

The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (www.uset.org) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America's elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.

For more information on the USET Foundation, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE atwww.uset.org.

Photo Credit: Lucy Davis (far right) was awarded the 2012 Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy by the United States Equestrian Team Foundation. Photo By: Phelps Media Group. 

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