by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 16, 2026
It used to be a tradition in New Jersey’s Somerset Hills. But the spring dressage schooling show presented by the New Jersey Region Pony Clubs has not been held for several years.
“We missed having that early show to get our shaggy ponies out again,” said Brita Tansey, District Commissioner of Somerset Hills Pony Club.
“It was a great, low-key way to get back into the ring before the Northeast show and rally season started in earnest, so we decided to revive it.”
The April 11 show is coming back at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation’s historic Gladstone stables and is open to everyone. There are English and western dressage classes for all ages. Offered are U.S. Dressage Federation levels from Intro A through Fourth Level and western dressage and eventing tests of choice.
The entry fee will be $50 per test. Tests will be run in two rings judged by Kari Allen, USDF L with Distinction, and Kelsey Johnson, USDF L. A special feature will be lead-line Intro A and Intro B tests, which are open to riders of all ages.
“We’d love to see kids leading their dads or grandmas around the ring,” said Brita.
“While we’re offering a ‘real’ schooling show with certified judges, we also want to encourage everyone to have fun, not to be so worried about a perfect test or perfectly groomed horse.”
Ribbons will be awarded on the Danish system, with placement determined by score rather than comparison to other riders.
All proceeds from the show will benefit SHPC, a 501c3 organization, and will especially help support club
members who wish to attend the USPC National Festival Championships in Kentucky this July.
“We already have several members who have qualified to compete in dressage and other disciplines,” said
Brita.
“We’d love to help them afford the trip. It takes a village, so we’re asking all our local dressage riders to be part of the SHPC village.”
Interested riders can download the entry form from the SHPC website at somersethillspc.org/shows.
Equine health certificates are not required, only Coggins tests dated within 12 months of the show date.
Closing date is April 1, 2026.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 15, 2026
A unique talent is embodied in the magnificent stallion United Touch S, whose ability was showcased with a resounding victory in the Rolex Grand Prix Sunday afternoon at the Dutch Masters.
The 14-year-old son of Untouched was the only entry in an 11-horse jump-off for the featured class at the Netherlands Indoor Brabant show to finish the tie-breaker route in less than 40 seconds. The Westfalen star was clocked in 39.42 seconds for a clean trip under the guidance of Germany’s individual European Champion, Richie Vogel.
Richie Vogel and United Touch S on their way to victory.
Second went to Belgian rider Thibeau Spits on another stallion, the Zangersheide Impress-K van’t Kattenheye Z, more than a second slower in 40.76. Third went to Pieter Devos, also Belgian, with Casual DVZ another Zangersheide, in competitor, in 42.95. It’s a reminder, looking ahead to the world championships in August at Aachen, that Belgium was the winning team in last year’s European Championships.
How did United do it? Richie has the answer: “I’m just delighted how everything worked out. He’s an incredible, amazing horse, the way he can jump those oxers out of tight turns. He’s probably the only horse in the world who can handle it like that.”
Ah, there it is. United was able to roll over the route designed by Louis Konickx in a breathtakingly agile style that made his distances into shortcuts and brought the 300,000 Euro winner’s share to his rider.
The victory is part of the Rolex Grand Slam series, where three wins in a row brings a rider who makes the triple play a 1 million Euro bonus. The USA’s Kent Farrington, winner of the Geneva Rolex Masters in December and world number two, made the jump-off with Toulayna but had two rails down to wind up tenth. So the scepter was passed to Richie, whose next challenge in the series will be at Aachen’s regular show in May.
“All the Rolex majors are the best shows in the world, the best riders with the best horses on the world compete here,” observed Richie, acknowledging, that being the next in line for a shot at the Grand Slam involves “A bit of pressure toward Aachen — but it’s a nice pressure to have.”
Dutch dressage legend Anky van Grunsven presented a trophy to Richie Vogel.
The best U.S. performance came from Lillie Keenan, the country’s other rider in the class in s’Hertogenbosch. She had a rail at the VDL oxer, the third fence on the shortened route, but claimed sixth place with Kick On in 40.82 seconds.
Scott Brash, the only rider ever to win the Grand Slam, will have his 2014-2015 record of consecutive victories in Geneva, Aachen and Spruce Meadows with Hello Sanctos standing for a while longer. The British star ranked world number one was first of 37 starters to go in the class aboard Hello Chadora Lady. But the winner of the Rolex Top 10 last December in Geneva caught the back pole at the seventh fence, the pink and white VDL oxer. He finished twelfth.
click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 11, 2026
Understanding your horse’s tendon injuries and making decisions about their care and long-term soundness prospects will be covered in a free Cornell University Equine Series webinar rescheduled from March 17 to March 24 at 6 p.m. Eastern time.
Dr. Shannon Connard will explain why these injuries occur, how they are diagnosed, and what modern imaging can tell us about severity and healing. She will review current treatment options and discuss practical management strategies, rehabilitation timelines, and realistic expectations for return to performance.
Dr. Connard, DVM, PhD, DACVS (LA), is an assistant professor of large animal surgery at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and a board-certified large animal surgeon. She specializes in equine orthopedics and sports medicine, with a PhD focused on advancing treatment of equine tendon injuries.
Her clinical and research work centers on regenerative medicine and biologic therapies aimed at improving outcome for horses with tendon, ligament, and joint injuries. Dr. Connard is dedicated to helping owners make informed, evidence-based decisions that support both performance and long-term equine welfare.
Click on this link for information on how to join the free seminar.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 11, 2026
The fate of the Maryland 5-Star event really wasn’t in doubt since word surfaced late last year that financial issues were affecting the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, which presented it.
But on Tuesday, the U.S. Equestrian Federation made it official, announcing that the facility at Fair Hill would not stage either the October 5-Star or the 3-Star that was also a part of its program for the last five years.
USEF “has been in regular communication with the Maryland Stadium Authority to support their ongoing discussions surrounding the future viability of the Maryland 5-Star. The current licensee, the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, due to apparent financial concerns, will not host the CCI3*-L or CCI5*-L in 2026.”
USEF’s statement said it “is working with a new potential licensee for the CCI3*-L for 2026 and will share updates about the future possibilities for the CCI5*-L as soon as possible. The timeline and FEI requirements to host an event of this stature are published to support any efforts to pursue an application in the future.”
Yet on Wednesday, the Fair Hill Foundation called the decision not to hold the 5-Star this year a pause that “reflects confidence — not uncertainty. It is a proactive step grounded in responsible stewardship and a shared belief that the Maryland 5-Star deserves the time, leadership, and operational depth required to thrive for decades to come. The Foundation is confident in this direction and will continue to provide support through various means to ensure a strong return in 2027.”
Having the event skip a year and come back in 2027 could be a difficult strategy, since momentum would be lost and competitors likely would wonder about the viability of the 5-Star when they plan their schedules.
The foundation, however, states that the 2026 3-Star “will take place as planned, supported by members of a well‑resourced organizing group, including the very experienced Fair Hill International team, many (of whom) will be engaged in the next chapter of the Maryland 5-Star. This team ensures continuity for athletes, owners, and fans, while allowing thoughtful preparation for the 5-Star’s return. In coming days, there will be updates related to the CCI3-L plans for 2026.”
Entries for the 5-star have been relatively light for the last few years after a strong debut for the event. By the time autumn rolls around each year, some top event horses have wrapped up their season, whether because they have done enough for the year or are recovering from physical setbacks.
The calendar also hasn’t been the event’s friend, with France’s Pau 5-star scheduled for the week after Maryland, an easier trip for Europeans than crossing the Atlantic. Maryland also conflicts with another French fixture, Le Lion de Angiers, the Young Horse eventing world championships. And some have cited the debut of the U.S. Open of eventing, a lucrative 4-Star the week before Maryland, as another issue in the viability of the 5-Star on a crowded roster of dates.
Looking ahead to 2027, the Fair Hill Foundation said a leadership and organizational structure is “being assembled to guide the Maryland 5-Star forward. A highly capable, cross‑disciplinary team has been identified, and work is underway to finalize the framework that will support the event’s long‑term success. This approach allows future partners and sponsors to engage with clarity and confidence, understanding both the vision and the commitment behind the investment.”
In the view of the foundation, “The Maryland 5-Star was always intended to be more than a moment — it was meant to be a legacy. The Foundation views this period as an opportunity to honor what has been built while ensuring that the event becomes a world‑class 5-Star competition worthy of Fair Hill, Maryland, and the global sport of eventing.”
The spring Kentucky 5-star also has been running in one form or another since the late 1970s and is a solid fixture at the Kentucky Horse Park. But questions arose when a U.S. autumn 5-star was proposed, as to whether it could get sufficient support from competitors both in the U.S. and abroad so close to the end of a long season.
Also, since competitors can qualify for championships by their record in 4-star events, 5-stars may not feel as relevant as they once did. Not everyone is interested in taking on the sport’s ultimate challenge category. They are still a goal for some, however.
Caroline Pamukcu, who finished fourth in the 2025 Fair Hill 5-star with her 2024 Olympic horse, HSH Blake (and eleventh with HSH Tolan King), was a “huge fan”of the (Maryland) event.
“I think the 5-star is a really important part of our sport. Going 5-star really helps prep me and my horses for big championships,” she said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Eventing Association has pledged support for the 5-Star and its future, stating it “has made the MARS Maryland 5- Star a focal point of our fall media coverage and has supported it both publicly and privately with the regulatory bodies of our sport, as well as with others in positions to positively influence the event’s long-term success.”
The USEA has further supported the Maryland 5-Star by allocating the USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships to the event while helping fund the development of the YEH cross-country course through various terrain builds. The organization confirmed the those East Coast Championships will continue in the fall this year.
“We are committed to running the YEH Championships at Fair Hill if the CCI3*-L takes place on that weekend, subject to the USEF’s negotiation with the new licensee, and approval of the USEA Board of Governors,” said USEA CEO Rob Burk.
“However, we know there are a couple of other venues who would be eager and willing to host the YEH Championships, and we would be willing to relocate. But for the time being, we are committed to holding it on the same dates at the same venue, if that is possible.
“This championship is a premier showcase for the nation’s top young horses and consistently draws more than 75 horses (along with wait-listed horses due to the limited number of competition spots), as well as their riders and owners each year, drawing additional international attention to the event and making it a significant and highly visible feature of the Maryland 5-Star,” the USEA statement continued.
The organization has been a sponsor of the Maryland 5-Star by securing and funding multi-million-dollar competition liability insurance. It also has worked to bring new sponsors and partners to the event.
“We know that the Maryland 5-Star also generates substantial economic impact for surrounding jurisdictions. The state of Maryland can be incredibly proud of this event, and the work that all those involved have put in to make this a globally recognized competition in the Olympic sport of eventing.”
Attendance last year was 32,000, an 11 percent increase over 2024.
The future of the Maryland 5-Star, which was looking dicey after all the principals of the Sport & Entertainment entity departed late last year, became even more of a question in February, after the Maryland Division of Legislative Services discussed 2027 budget proposals before the state Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.
To insure that “new grants are not crowded out by large ongoing grants,” the department recommended that grants for the 5-star should be deleted for the next fiscal year, beginning July 1.
In November, it was projected that the state could have nearly a $1.5 billion shortfall for fiscal 2027. Maryland’s numerous financial issues include work involved with Pimlico and Laurel racetracks. The lottery fund backing stadium authority bonds is approaching its debt limit, and there is concern that the rebuild of Pimlico, home of the Preakness Stakes, could push it over the line.
Maryland Sports Authority Chairman Craig Thompson had said this year that “the plan is to move forward in October” with the 5-star. But neither he nor MSA Executive Director Michael Frenz, who is retiring in April, responded to requests for interviews. There was no information about who could organize a 2026 5-Star, who would be on their team and where the money would come from to fund it.
The five-year-old Maryland 5-Star had received approximately $3 million annually from the state. This event also got money for capital improvements on the under-utilized state-owned Fair Hill property. A tax filing from 2023 shows the event reported $7.6 million in expenses and $1.4 million in sponsorship revenue.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 10, 2026
TSF Dalera BB delivered Olympic, World Equestrian Games and European Championships dressage gold medals, as well as two World Cup titles under the guidance of Germany’s Jessica von Bredow Werndl. Now she has delivered something else this week, a filly named Dolce Vita BB.
Jessica called the filly “this little magic creature.” The dark bay filly, marked with a star on her forehead that may well predict her role in the future, is by the stallion Vitalis.
Jessica von Bredow Werndl with Dalera and filly. (Photo courtesy Jessica von Bredow Werndl.
It is interesting that Dalera carried her foal throughout the pregnancy and that no surrogate was involved, as is often the case with top-level mares. She will have a lot to teach her beautiful baby.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 4, 2026
Endo the Blind, an amazing sightless Appaloosa, has died at 26 after dealing with edema and other issues.
He had his eyes removed years ago after being diagnosed with recurrent uveitis, glaucoma and cataracts, but that never stopped him or his owner, Morgan Wagner. They had a special type of communication.
Though Endo could not see the world with his eyes, you could see everything you needed to know through his heart — and through the incredible love his owner had for him.
Some horses are more than horses. They are our partners, our teachers, and sometimes our heart horses.
Endo was deeply loved, and it showed in every step he took. His heart was big enough for three, and the impression he left on those around him will not be forgotten. And now he can see…
Read more about him at this
link
by Nancy Jaffer | Feb 24, 2026
It’s another first for the Essex Horse Trials. The U.S. Eventing Association’s Adult Team Challenge will be offered during the May 31 competition at Moorland Farm in Far Hills, N.J.
The finals of the Adams Horse Supply Adult Team Championships, from Starter through Modified divisions, will be held Aug. 25-30 at the American Eventing Championships, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Click on this link for details. That competition offers an opportunity for those who always wanted to be part of a team.
Now they can organize their own, if they get their friends together and enter Essex. To learn more, contact Alissa Genovese at everydayequestrian@gmail.com.
After its successful reinvention as a one-day competition last year, Essex already has taken steps toward innovation by offering a Modified division, as well as an intercollegiate team challenge.
The event, which offers divisions ranging from Starter through Preliminary, is at a scenic venue best known as the home of the Far Hills Race Meeting.
The water obstacle on cross-country is always a popular tailgating spot at Essex.
Modified bridges the gap in fence height between Training and Preliminary, offering a more gradual increase. Modified fences have the same dimensions as FEI 1-Star.
The event, which also features a vendor village, is sponsored by Purina, Land Rover and Running S Equine Veterinary Services.
Individual and other corporate sponsors are also being sought for the event, which is a benefit for the Greater Newark Life Camp.
A $500 donation earns a tailgating spot by the water obstacle on the cross-country course. For $1,500, cross-country sponsors get two tickets to the sponsors’ tent and can have the name of their business or anything else on a fence. They also can decorate it if they like. Riders and spectators will vote on their favorite jump.
Essex has a printed program that offers advertising opportunities.
Volunteers are need to keep the event running. Go to essexhorsetrials.net to sign up or to obtain for more information about the competition and sponsorship.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 7, 2026
Sandwiched between a pair of riders clocked in exactly the same jump-off time, and slotted in before last-to-go Ben Maher, Darragh Kenny had not an instant to spare as he pursued victory in the finale of the $500,000 Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix Saturday night.
The U.S.-based Irishman was able to finish the tiebreaker with Eddy Blue in 41.77 seconds, good enough to beat Australia’s Thaisa Irwin on Hialita B and the USA’s Marilyn Little on Contessa, who both were second in the 5-Star with a mark of 41.92.
Darragh Kenny and Eddy Blue. Photo ©Sportfot
But even after knowing he had edged them, in order to find out whether he’d won, Darragh had to wait for the last to go. That was world number three-ranked Ben on the reliable Dallas Vegas Batilly.
Then at the third fence, an oxer over a liverpool, Ben’s mare threw her head up and stopped, half-rearing and opening her mouth. The British rider kept calm, turned her around and cleared the obstacle, but the suspense was over.
Darragh took the top honors, and the two women tied for second, as Ben finished last in the nine-horse jump-off over the course laid out at the Winter Equestrian Festival by Ireland’s Alan Wade (the 2028 Olympic course designer).
Marilyn Little and Thaisa Erwin tied for second in the Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix, behind Darragh Kenny.
Explaining where he made up the necessary ground in the Wellington (Florida) International arena, Darragh said, “I was able to do seven (strides)” from the first jump to the second obstacle.
“He has a massive, massive stride…so I was able to do one less, one to two, and that’s pretty much what did it. He jumped great. He’s such an incredible horse all the time, he jumps clear, he tries his guts out. I’m just lucky to be able to ride him.”
Daragh added about his mount, “He feels in brilliant form, he’s fresh, he’s great.”
The field of 41 included U.S. stars Kent Farrington on Greya and McLain Ward with High Star Hero, but each had a single fence down and failed to make the tiebreaker. Kent dropped a pole at the fourth fence from the end, and McLain had the vertical that was the B element of the triple combination.
Marilyn was fourteenth to go in the initial round, and the first to be fault-free, putting her as the lead off rider in the tiebreaker.
“I would have loved to have not gone first,” Marilyn said, but noted that with a line-up as stellar as in the Bainbridge, “all you can do is the best you can do.”
She called her mare “smarter than any horse I know. She’s probably smarter than most people I know.”
Thaisa was the first Australian to be on a 5-star podium at WEF since 2010.
“She is a difficult horse to manage on the ground and to ride, and I’ve taken a lot of time,” she observed.
The mare, owned by Mike Smith — who also owns McLain’s High Star Hero — “has taught me a ton of patience,” said Thaisa.
“But she gives me her heart every time.”
click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 8, 2026
Catherine Laudrup-Dufour and Isabell Werth were neck and neck in the 5-star Freestyle at the Herning, Denmark, show this weekend, in a battle of mares, with both scoring over 90 percent.
Cathrine had the edge on Mount St. John Freestyle, the 17-year old Fidermark daughter, earning an astronomical 90.465 percent, with marks of 10 across the board for music and interpretation of music — which included “My Heart Will Go on” from the movie “Titanic.” Three of the five judges gave the Dane and her Hanoverian 10s for degree of difficulty, with the dissenters offering a mere 9.9 and 9.8.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St. John Freestyle.
Germany’s Isabell Werth was the only other competitor to break 90, earning 90.080 with Wendy de Fontaine, a Danish warmblood by Sezuan 2. Her across-the-board 10s came not only in the music category, but also for choreography. Her lowest marks were for collected walk, where she had two 6s and two 6.5s, in addition to a 7.
After the best Grand Prix of her life last week, Cathrine said that on Saturday, “I slowed down a bit…and it’s so rare to reach 90 percent. The win in itself means nothing, but to see such top-class sport in Denmark is absolutely fantastic.”
The third- and fourth-placed contenders scored above 80 percent, with Norway’s Isabelle Freese on Total Hope Old finishing on 81.885 and Daniel Bachmann Andersen of Denmark marked at 80.370 aboard Flash Gordon 37.
Click here for results
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 5, 2026
For a quarter-century, Challenge of the Americas has presented incredibly creative dressage as entertainment benefiting a good cause.
But on Friday, it gave its last glittering performance in Wellington, Fla., after raising more than $3 million for breast cancer research over the decades.
Why stop when everyone appreciates what it offers?
“You know when you know; it’s time,” explained founder Mary Ross, who is at the heart of an attraction that has engaged hundreds in a labor of love and charity.
“I have literally enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve made a lot of good friends and we raised a lot of money for breast cancer.”
Even the horses wore costumes with this group. (Photo ©susanjstickle.com
However, she pointed out, “I’m not getting any younger and it’s quite a large event.”
Mary added with a smile, “I have a good core of people who help me out, and they’re not getting any younger.”
The concept premiered in 2002 with three horses at a Palm Beach Dressage Derby luncheon.
“It was in memory of my mother, Jean Cruse, who died of breast cancer,” Mary said.
“I think she would have loved it. She didn’t ride, but she loved the horses.”
And her presence is still felt.
“She’s in charge of the weather. So far, she’s done a great job, so I think she’s liking it.”
Remembering how COTA began, Mary got the idea after seeing a pas de trois on TV.
“People said, `You’ll never get the riders, because it’s their busy season. They won’t have the time.’ ”
But the skeptics were wrong.
As Mary noted, “The first people I asked said yes.”
They were Betsy Steiner, who went on to take part every year; Patrick Burssens and Linda Alicki.
“Terry Gallo came on as the choreographer. Other people came and said, `We want to ride.’
“It grew. It was the riders who made it grow. It was the community wanting to get behind the breast cancer research. Everybody knows somebody who had breast cancer. so the support was there for it and off we went. Wellington is about the only place you could pull this off, you have so many Grand Prix riders and their horses in one location.”
Precision and style always were hallmarks of the quadrilles. (Photo ©susanjstickle.com)
Ruth Poulsen was at that initial luncheon, and played a role in COTA’s growth.
While “it has become the event of the season, it’s a huge amount of logistics and the time it takes for Mary. I totally understand it coming to an end,” Ruth commented.
“I’m sad to see it end, because it’s a very important fundraiser for me. My mom had breast cancer. I have been honored and humbled to do it and I know Mary feels the same.”
There have been “whispers” that COTA may not be gone forever.
“Maybe something else will come, and change is sometimes good,” mused Ruth, a professional trainer who has been the coach/choreographer and music editor for Team Winged Foot.
A variety of costumes has been part of COTA’s appearl. Photo © Susan J. Stickle.com)
“I think the horse community has been amazingly supportive. Inside and outside the horse community, I don’t know anybody who hasn’t been touched by breast cancer in some way, either their family or themselves.”
The benefits of COTA have gone beyond its fundraising achievements.
“It’s a rare opportunity to have so many dressage riders working together,” Ruth pointed out.
“I have made some of my very best friends over these years with my different teams, and getting to know people who are my colleagues I might not have gotten to know so well.”
She pointed out that although time is gladly given, sacrifice is involved in being part of the COTA effort.
“It’s hundreds of hours worth of work during your biggest season. During December-March, I don’t have any spare time.”
Those who get involved with organizing teams have to figure out who can ride with each other and who can sustain the pattern.
“You’re basically doing a freestyle for six horses at a time,” said Ruth, noting that dressage otherwise is an individual sport. Outside of COTA, horses only work with other horses in an arena during warm-ups.
While the end of the tradition is sad, “It just feels like it’s the time. We want to have a real blowout this year.”
Tigger Montague, meanwhile, “would like to see it go on in a new way. It’s the one thing that really brings the dressage community together in Wellington. That part is so important, because we get so tied up in our own little worlds.”
If it does continue at some point, she observed, “it is time to kind of change the format. We’re having a hard time getting riders now because they’ve already done it. It not only takes a lot of time, it takes a different skill set you have to develop to ride in a quadrille. You have to think differently as a rider, you can’t just think about your (own) horse.”
Then there’s “the timing, the music; there are a lot of factors. It’s a very hard thing to do well.”
Tigger, who has been making musical freestyles since 1990, majored in theater arts and film during college, an appropriate background for dramatic equestrian presentations.
She sees the COTA experience as “an expanded version of a Kur, working together as a team and not letting personalities get in the way.”
Her role is multi-faceted, including being a coach, choreographer and overseeing the music. Biostar, Tigger’s company, has been a sponsor for one of the quadrilles that she coaches.
One year, she did a quadrille inspired by the Broadway show, “Hamilton.” The show’s facebook group posted the last 30 seconds of the quadrille on line and got 99,000 likes.
Precision is an important part of having six riders perform as one. (Photo ©susanjstickle.com)
Another quadrille called, “Time: Past, Present and Future,” had riders create a choreographic clock, with a pony as the second hand.
“Dressage isn’t only for the big warmbloods. We need to be a sport that’s inclusive. Galvinizing the community is a very powerful thing, because the vibration is so positive and uplifiting.”
With the help of trainer Kelly Soleau, she even has included a quadrille that involves jumping.
“It brings the jumper crowd in,” she noted.
Terry Gallo noted that expansion of the rider base for the event speaks to the importance of the movement. So many people are willing to volunteer their time to make this happen.
“Quadrille is a very unique thing. Everyone is used to seeing individual freestyles. When you’re on a team, it’s very reminiscent of what you might see in the Spanish Riding School.
Pink is properly prominent at COTA. (Photo ©susanjstickle.com)
“It’s a new way of looking at the sport, very entertaining. You don’t have the same restrictions you would in a standard freestyle. We can use any music we want; there’s costuming, so the entertainment value is very high, which is a big draw as well.”
Also part of the appeal is the fact that it’s a way to help.
“We don’t often get the opportunity to volunteer for something this worthy. To have the opportunity to give back, both for the sport and the cause, has personally been very important to me.”
As the world has gone from analog to digital during COTA’s span, she noted, “My team has been with me for over two decades…that is huge dedication. I will personally miss the creativity involved. Mary and I have grown friendships from this that are very deep.”
COTA has been honored with the naming of The Play for P.I.N.K. Challenge of the Americas Award by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in conjunction with Play for P.I.N.K. The grants have been presented to Dr. Benita Katzenellenbogen from the University of Illinois, whose groundbreaking research focuses on metastasis, treatment and tumor biology.
Play for P.I.N.K. (Prevention, Immediate diagnosis, New technology, Knowledge), or PFP, is a 501(c)(3) grassroots organization dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research through sporting and lifestyle events.
