By Sarah E. Coleman

Shelley Ryan is the 2017 recipient of the Christine Brown Memorial Grant, given each year in honor of avid eventer Christine Brown to a deserving MSEDA member to further their equine education.

 “I have worked many years as an organizer and volunteer at area horse trials and combined tests​,” says Shelley. “I am a big proponent of schooling shows and became a MSEDA Technical Delegate for their sanctioned events,” she explains. Sanctioning of equine events is important to Shelley. “I would like to increase that support in promoting sanctioning of schooling shows that are not currently sanctioned, but [that] are interested in becoming sanctioned with MSEDA. 

“We also need more officials for the MSEDA schooling shows. Besides being educational, the officials program allows us to help newcomers to the sport learn the rules at the schooling shows so they might not find themselves overwhelmed at the recognized events,” she notes.

In what she will use the $1,500 grant money for, Shelley says that she “has spent the past 18 months apprenticing to become an USEF ‘r’ TD. The experience I gained by being a MSEDA TD fueled my interest in going to the next level,” Shelley says. “Most certainly, working the schooling shows provided me with opportunities to learn about conflict resolution, using the rule book to interpret and answer questions, and [how to] provide a fair and safe playing field for horses and competitors.

Shelley would like to offer that she would be more than happy to help anyone thinking of hosting a schooling show, wishing to sanction with MSEDA or becoming a MSEDA TD. You can email her at shelleywryan@gmail.com for more information on how she can assist you.

“I wish to thank the MSEDA Board and all the officials I have mentored with for facilitating this opportunity to give back to our Eventing and Dressage community,” says Shelley.