Inaugural Langer Equestrian Group Summer Barn Challenge Raises More Than $12,000 for Official Charity Partner Brooke USA
Langer Equestrian Group (LEG) successfully wrapped up its first Brooke USA Summer Barn Challenge at the Horse Park at Woodside on June 28 boasting $12,692 raised by 14 participating barns. LEG conceptualized the Brooke USA Summer Barn Challenge as a fun and creative competition that encourages participating barns in both the Woodside Circuit Opener and the Bay Area Summer Festival hunter jumper competitions to show off their enthusiasm surrounding the work Brooke USA funds worldwide. Brooke USA is the country’s leading organization focused on alleviating the suffering of working horses, donkeys and mules, and the people they serve in the developing world.
Core Equestrian - 2019 Brooke USA Summer Barn Challenge Winners.
An independent committee of both equestrians and non-equestrians judged the barns on two distinctive elements – donations raised for Brooke USA as well as the barn decorations with creative incorporation of Brooke USA’s mission into the décor. Fourteen barns were judged, with their concepts ranging from balloons and streamers to mimosas and barn dogs clad in orange coolers.
Melissa Miksch Klaerner, long-time supporter of Brooke USA, made the introduction between LEG and Brooke USA and coordinated the event. Competition judges included Liz Enright Roberts, friend of Brooke USA; Tom Livermore, co-president of The Horse Park at Woodside; and Melissa’s husband Gerrit Klaerner, friend of Brooke USA.
2019 Summer Barn Challenge Judges.
Emily Marquez Dulin, Executive Director of Brooke USA, was thrilled to see such a warm welcome from show goers, riders, owners and trainers, stating, “We could not have been more impressed by the dedication of the LEG staff and especially that of Managing Director Marnye Langer, without whose support this event would not have been possible. It was fabulous to see so many barns donning the color orange for Brooke USA and showing off our banners across the Horse Park.”
During the Bayfest Grand Prix, held on Saturday, June 29, the winning barn was announced as Core Equestrian from Woodside, CA, which raised $2,075 with Christina Christensen at the helm of the operation. Brooke USA Board Member Laura Rombauer of Rombauer Vineyards was onsite to present the awards and prizes. Parker A. Abe (age 8) of Horizons East Equestrian Center in Livermore, CA, raised more than $700 and was named MVP Fundraiser.
Parker A. Abe - MVP Fundraiser
Equines support the livelihood of people across a wide range of sectors including agriculture, construction, tourism, mining, transportation, cultural ceremonies and household chores. They are essential to the livelihoods of people, especially in the poorest countries on earth where over 100 million working horses, donkeys and mules provide invaluable support to the daily life of an estimated 600 million people (8 percent of the world's population).
Dulin concluded, “We are already looking forward to planning the 2020 Summer Barn Challenge, and we are thankful for the support of all who helped to make the 2019 kick-off a true success.”
To learn more about Brooke USA, visit www.BrookeUSA.org. To learn more about the Langer Equestrian Group and its array of hunter jumper horseshows, visit www.langershows.com.