A dedicated worker who started as a volunteer for the Kentucky Three-Day Event when she was in the Keeneland Pony Club has been named CEO of the 5-star competition’s parent organization, Equestrian Events Inc.
Vanessa Coleman, who was EEI’s chief competition and operating officer, replaces Molly Day, who became the FEI’s director of eventing and driving. Vanessa was EEI’s senior director of competition since 2013, and previously served as director of ticketing, transitioning to lead sponsorship in 2012.
“The EEI Board feels strongly that there is no better person to lead our organization than Vanessa,” said Prim Hudgins, president of the EEI Board.
“She is respected and liked by virtually everyone who knows her, and there is no doubt that her appointment will be well received by the entire eventing community, both in the U.S. and around the world.”
Vanessa Coleman
While living outside Kentucky for nearly 20 years, Vanessa was an accountant, ran her own barn and organized a local horse trial. She returned every year to volunteer at the Kentucky Three-Day Event for her mother, who was the chief steward of horse inspection. In 2008, Vanessa moved back to the area, when Janie Atkinson, event director at the time, asked her to help with the competition.
EEI is best known for producing the annual Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ (K3DE), the nation’s premier eventing competition. On the same weekend, when more than 90,000 spectators come to the Kentucky Horse Park, EEI also presents the Cosequin® Lexington CCI4*-S and Kentucky International show jumping 5-star, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.
Vanessa had been serving as EEI’s chief competition and operating officer, working closely with previous CEO Molly Day, who is taking a new position as the director of eventing and driving with the International Equestrian Federation. Vanessa had been EEI’s senior director of competition since 2013. Before that, she served as director of ticketing and transitioned to lead sponsorship in 2012.
“The EEI Board feels strongly that there is no better person to lead our organization than Vanessa,” said Prim Hudgins, President of the EEI Board of Directors. “She is respected and liked by virtually everyone who knows her, and there is no doubt that her appointment will be well received by the entire eventing community, both in the U.S. and around the world.”
While living outside Kentucky for nearly 20 years, Vanessa worked as an accountant, ran her own barn, and organized a local horse trial. She returned every year to volunteer at the Kentucky Three-Day Event for her mother, who was the chief steward of horse inspection. In 2008, Vanessa moved back to the area. Janie Atkinson, who was the event director at that time, asked her to help with the event. She has been on staff ever since.
Vanessa tries to give back to the sport by volunteering and supporting other local events as much as her schedule allows. She responds promptly to email, a sign of an organized mind!
Vanessa has been an eventer most of her life and owns two horses, Rooster and Schoo. Vanessa and her husband, Anthony Trollope, have a daughter, Alexa,