Photo © Lindsay Berreth/United States Eventing Association
ADAMSTOWN, MD.—Madison Temkin, 23, is the first rider to take part in a unique young rider exchange between the Maryland International Horse Trials at Loch Moy Farm in Adamstown, Maryland www.lochmoyfarm.com and the Millstreet International Horse Trials www.millstreet.horse at the Green Glens Arena in Millstreet, County Cork, May 29 – June 2.
The idea for the exchange occurred last summer when officials from the Maryland Secretary of State office attended the 4 Star horse trials at Loch Moy almost immediately following a visit to County Cork. While in Cork an agreement was struck establishing Maryland and County Cork as “Sister States” in an international business development program sponsored by the Maryland Department of Commerce. Starting a rider exchange between the Maryland International at Loch Moy and the Millstreet International seemed a natural way to promote equine events in areas both known for their rich equestrian heritage.
Carolyn Mackintosh, owner/operator of Loch Moy, and Thomas Duggan, Millstreet’s proprietor, agreed, and the exchange was born. The Maryland Horse Industry Board jumped in as a supporter, offering to pay airfare to Ireland for the rider representing Loch Moy.
Temkin was selected when she finished fifth as the top FEI rider age 25 or younger in the 4 Star competition.
Temkin said she is excited to attend Millstreet where she will meet the Irish rider who will be selected to represent Millstreet at the Maryland International July 5-7. She might even have lined up a mount to ride in the Young Event Horse competition at Millstreet through friends Caroline Pamukcu and Kelley Hutchinson.
“I have grown up in Eventing and did my first event when I was 7 years old,” Temkin said. “Fast forward to now and I compete at the 4 Star level with the same goal I had back then–to represent the U.S. on the world stage and senior teams. This is a first step in eventually reaching that goal.”
Temkin has been a part of the USEF U25 Emerging Athlete program consecutively for about the last eight years and credits the program in playing a tremendous role in her growth as a rider and horseman. She is excited that the U.S. riders selected by the USEF for their European Development Tour will be competing at Millstreet, including Pamukcu. It is Temkin’s first trip to attend an international event overseas.
Temkin, however, is no stranger to Ireland. She has visited the country several times and has rides on two new purchases, Fernhill Bertus and Fernhill Fairytale, sourced for her by the late Denny Kerr and Carol Gee.
Mackintosh will be at Millstreet cheering her on as well as Kevin Atticks, Maryland’s Secretary of Agriculture; Stone Slade, international marketing director for the Maryland Department of Agriculture; Kim Egan, President of the Maryland Horse Council; and Frances Horgan, Irish representative for the Maryland Horse Industry Board who lives in County Kildare
FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Carolyn Mackintosh, E: mdhorsetrials@gmail.com; events@lochmoyfarm.com Ph: 301-514-0111
