USEA Convention Program

20 C O N V E N T I O N S P E A K E R S MAX CORCORAN Max Corcoran grew up in Manchester, Massachusetts. She started foxhunting with Myopia Hunt out of Pine Grove Stables in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. While attending Proctor Academy and Northeastern University, she competed at the Novice and Training levels. After finishing college, she worked in downtown Boston in the financial district for five years, but the horses kept drawing her back, and she soon found herself managing eventer Jim Stamets' farm in Massachusetts. She began working for the O'Connor Event Team after Jim's untimely death. Max managed Karen's competition horses and youngsters for over 10 year and enjoyed the opportunity for exposure to the sport's top vets and farriers, as well as the opportunity for continuing education that being an OCET groom afforded her. Max gives back to the sport by serving on the USEA Board of Governors, the Eventing Riders Association of North America, and the Equine Safety Committee. She organizes Middleburg Horse Trials and helps organize Great Meadow International, The Event at Rebecca Farm, The Fork, Ocala Horse Trials, Ocala Jockey Club, the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games, and many others. MARY D'ARCY For more than 35 years, Mary D'Arcy has coached riders for competitions all over the world. She was the Irish Eventing Team Coach for the Olympic Games in Sydney and Athens, as well as for the European Championships and the World Equestrian Games. She has coached individual riders at many major international events, including the Atlanta Olympic Games. Mary coached the Irish Young Rider Three- Day Event Team to the gold medal at the European Three-Day Event Championship in Germany in 1995. A native of Dublin, Ireland, Mary enrolled in a local riding school at the age of 10 and became an active participant in Pony Club. She later competed successfully for many years in eventing, show jumping, and dressage. She obtained her equestrian teaching qualifications as a protégé of European Show Jumping Champion Iris Kellett and became a British Horse Society Instructor. To further her education, she studied regularly with top-class trainers in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Great Britain. She was a member of the original committee to implement a national equestrian coaching structure in Ireland. As a senior examiner for the British Horse Society and a USEA ICP Level IV instructor, she has been responsible for the training and examination preparation of young instructors and future coaches in Europe and North America. Mary has coached several dressage riders to their bronze, silver, and gold medals. She has organized horse trials, been an active judge in several disciplines, inspected riding facilities, and served as an equestrian consultant on facility design and safety. Mary lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband, Daniel, and their son, Brendan. She currently trains horses and riders for competitions at all levels and travels frequently as a clinician. PHYLLIS DAWSON Phyllis Dawson competed at the international levels of eventing for over thirty years, and has had success on many different horses, most all of whom she trained herself. In 1988 Phyllis represented the U.S. at the Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, riding Albany II, finishing in 10th place overall. She also represented the U.S. at the Open European Championships at Burghley in 1997, riding Snowy River. She now serves on the USEF Selection Committee. Phyllis owns and operates Windchase, an eventing stable in Virginia, where she breeds and trains event horse prospects and offers training and instruction for both horses and riders. She is a Faculty Member of the USEA Instructors' Certification Program and is a Level IV ICP Certified Instructor.

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