USEA Convention Program

26 Vanessa Coleman Vanessa Coleman has been around horses her entire life. Early on, her family bred and raced Thoroughbreds which Vanessa and her brother competed in hunter shows. A Pony Club 'B' graduate and alumni of the Keeneland Pony Club, she credits Pony Club with her early interest in eventing. When her schedule permits, Vanessa competes an off-the-track Thoroughbred and volunteers for local events. She enjoys visiting her daughter Alexa in Colorado and also being at home in Georgetown, Kentucky on her small farm of retiree horses with her husband, Anthony, who spent his childhood fox hunting with his family. Vanessa is the Director of Competition at Equestrian Events, Inc., organizer of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event and co-organizer of the 2019/2020 American Eventing Championships. Tremaine Cooper Tremaine grew up on a farm in Bethany, Connecticut, and started riding when he was 5 years old. He is a graduate 'A' Pony Clubber and started eventing in 1984. Tremaine has ridden through the four-star level, and currently rides and competes when he has the time. At an early age, Tremaine started helping out with the cross- country courses at his parents' farm. At the end of high school and through college he started building seriously and ended up constructing courses throughout the U.S., the UK, and New Zealand. Tremaine has since then focused more on design, earning his FEI 3*/4* license almost 15 years ago. He now designs at some of the premier equestrian sites around the country including Morven Park, Millbrook, The Fork, Aspen Farms, Poplar Place, and many others. Tremaine is also one of the three national USEF Course Advisors, is involved in the educational design seminars for both the USEA and the FEI, and is a member of the USEA Course Designers/ Builders Committee. He currently lives in Bluemont, Virginia with his family. Denise Dailey-Thomas Denise Dailey-Thomas presently lives on a 1,200 acre cattle ranch in Northwest Missouri from which she manages her residential rental properties. Denise spent 35 years working for various television stations or consulting for television groups, a career that fortunately supported her lifelong horse habit. She grew up riding western pleasure horses, and as a young adult was headed for the hunter/jumper discipline when she connected with a trainer who told her that after she ran her first cross-country course she would be hooked on eventing. Since that first competition 35 years ago, Denise has competed regularly at the Beginner Novice through Preliminary levels. Denise was a member of the Kansas City Longview Horse Park Board that helped to raise funds for the all- purpose arenas, new cross-country courses, and the permanent show office. She has a strong interest in course design and worked with Tremaine Cooper and Eric Bull on the design and construction of the courses at Longview. After her retirement six years ago, Denise wanted to increase her level of giving back to the sport and became Chair of Area IV. She now continues competing and supporting the USEA and eventing through her service on the USEA Board of Governors. Phyllis Dawson Phyllis 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 the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where she breeds and trains event horse prospects and offers training and instruction for both horses and riders.

• Cover