Competing at international events is about to get a lot more feasible for Sharon White. At the U.S. Eventing Association’s Annual Meeting & Convention in Nashville, Tenn., she was awarded the $30,000 Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant.
“I really had no idea until they actually announced my name at the end of the awards ceremony,” White said. “It was fairly emotional.”
The award is in memory of Rebecca “Becky” Broussard, who died on Dec. 24, 2010, and the $250,000 fund was established in April of 2011. Smaller grants help riders travel to The Event at Rebecca Farm (Mont.) to compete, while the larger $30,000 grant will be awarded each year to one rider to assist with travel and training expenses for international events.
“Becky had a vision of what she wanted, and the fact that they believe I can fulfill that vision means so much to me,” said White, 37, of Summit Point, W.V.
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In 2011, White and A. Classen’s Rafferty’s Rules were short-listed for the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, and placed fifth at the Bromont CCI*** in Quebec. White hopes to take the 13-year-old Australian-bred Warmblood (Salute—Roman Tribute) to the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** in April, and from there to the 2012 Olympic Games in London. If the Olympics don’t work out, White said she’ll use the money to compete at the Burghley CCI**** in England if all goes as planned.
“It’s hard to say that we’ll be doing this, this and this,” said White. “The horse will obviously dictate what we do. But I plan on keeping everyone in the know about what our plans are.”
Broussard was influential in the sport of eventing in countless ways. Not only did she own horses for some of the nation’s top riders, such as Phillip Dutton, Karen O’Connor, Amy Tryon and Ralph Hill, but she also founded the Event At Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Mont., which holds events up to the CIC*** level.
“It’s a great honor, and it’s also a great responsibility,” said White. “It makes me want to do more and help more; you can never stop being inspired by people like Becky.”
